Why buy a pickup when you can get...

[amigauser]

I am thinking about going a similar route. Here in CT at least a truck with rear duals needs to go on a separate commercial auto policy, even if used only for personal use. I like the idea of the one ton SRW truck with a flatbed. Much handier than a pickup especially if it has a dump option

Otherwise, if going with a commercial auto policy, no reason to not go with a medium duty truck if you can justify the cost. Lots of medium duty trucks for sale on Craigslist here. I like the older Chevy's myself like the C50/60 or newer Kodiak C4500/5500.

Cheapest option would be to just purchase a trailer if you have a vehicle that can tow one.

 

[jonyyuma]

Nice wheels Flusher, looks like you did get a nice deal.

 

[deereman75]

one problem, that runs on gasoline, it will probably get around 8 mpg. Get a diesel.....

 

[whiskywizard]

Very interesting. I wonder if I could buy one straight from Home Depot.

How much is the deposit when you rent one? Maybe it's like a movie rental; pay the rental for a month and you own it. :laughing:

 

[jimmyj]

How much is the deposit when you rent one? Maybe it's like a movie rental; pay the rental for a month and you own it. :laughing:

Just out of curiosity I will go to HD tomorrow and find out.

 

[Renze]

Any of you have an experiences with these or comments / advice / warnings?

Next to fully enclosed van for service trucks, or a plywood furniture box for general goods, an open flatbed with aluminium sides is the most sold body for light duty commercial vehicles.
Ingimex One Stop Dropside

I actually never quite understood the concept of using a conventional pickup for commercial duties.. Cant load with forklift, and less load width between the wheel wells.

 

[flusher]

one problem, that runs on gasoline, it will probably get around 8 mpg. Get a diesel.....

Yep, the Isuzu NPR has a nice diesel engine version that gets better mileage than the gasser. The kicker is that the diesels you find on the market generally have 150K+ miles showing on the odometer and you pay a few thousand bucks premium for that engine. Sure, the diesel probably will go 300K miles before major maintenance. But other stuff on the truck will have to be serviced/replaced long before that. So you face additional out of pocket $$$$ for these expenses to have the privilege of driving an oil burner--expenses which negate the fuel milage savings unless you're putting a lot of miles per year on the diesel. My Isuzu NPR/EFI gasser is run less than 3K miles per year. But if someone showed up with a low mileage NPR diesel, I'd take a good look at it before moving on.

 

[brokenot]

I actually never quite understood the concept of using a conventional pickup for commercial duties.. Cant load with forklift, and less load width between the wheel wells.

True, but if you're lifting things in and out of one of these, the extra bed height over a pickup is noticeable.

one problem, that runs on gasoline, it will probably get around 8 mpg. Get a diesel.....

We haven't been paid back yet for the extra up-front and maintenance costs of a diesel in a smaller truck like this. Couple that with "winter inconvenience", and I'll take the gasser. I know, I know....everyone has a diesel in their driveway that will start at 10-20F below zero and be ready to go the moment the phone rings and an upset customer is waiting.





Or not.

 

[Scooby074]

True, but if you're lifting things in and out of one of these, the extra bed height over a pickup is noticeable.

Dont know about that. The sides fold down flat so youll end up with a flat deck that is about the same height as a conventional bed's deck (maybe a couple inches heigher due to the lack of wheel wells), but you dont have to lift over the bedsides.

If anything id say it's easier to load. Compare these 2 pics. The conventional truck's boxside height is at the bottom of the window. The ute box is a couple inches higher, but when the sides are folded down, you'd only have to lift to a little above the lower body line to load the box from the side.

 

[jimmyj]

Gas vs diesel price to run is moot since I would not drive a whole lot in a year. Maybe (and this is a big maybe) 20,000 miles annually.