Truck advice [RE-wrenches]

Daryl DeJoy penobscotsolar at midmaine.com
Sat Jan 20 09:08:41 PST 2007


Hi Allen,
   We have a Mitsubishi cab-over 4 cylinder diesel (13,500 gvw) that is a
rolling workshop. Plenty of head room, storage, bench and cabinets,
etc. We currently have a 12 foot bed but I am looking for a 14 foot bed
for the next truck. It seems like you can never have enough room.
   The truck runs very reliably and we get 15 mpg around town with it. It
also has a 1 ton lift gate that doubles as a step when we're not moving
batteries. I would stay away from turbo models, as well as Isuzu made
similar trucks. They do not have the reliability of Mitsubishi's. I
have 270,000 miles on this one and it doesn't even burn oil. One friend
had one that was still going at 500,000 mls!!!
Daryl
Penobscot Solar Design
NABCEP Certified installer

>
> Wrenches,
> One of our planned capital expenses for 2007 will be a new(er) truck. We
> are
> small, with only two trucks, so this will replace the oldest. I'm writing
> for suggestions.
>
> Both of our current trucks are one-ton conventional Chevys with utility
> boxes (in place of beds) and overhead racks for conduit. Both have been
> set
> up in similar arrangements, developed over many years, of wire spool racks
> and bins and boxes for fittings and small parts. As such, unless there's
> an
> approach that is so super-outrageously-wonderful that we should start
> over,
> we'll keep the same basic service-body approach so part locations remain
> familiar.
>
> What would your next truck look like if you had $25,000 to invest? (This
> would probably start with a late-model used something.) What if you chose
> to
> spend ~$40,000 and could choose something new? Make, model, engine...
>
> We're tired of ten mpg on gas, but unsure about the time investment for
> veggie-diesel (one +E owner drives a veggie-Rabbit, and I am nearly done
> converting my old diesel Mercedes, so we're not ignorant about doing this)
> on a commercial truck.
>
> Both trucks weigh 8,000-10,000 pounds ready to work, so a small truck
> isn't
> an option.
>
> Isuzu or GM diesel? New Freightliner/Mercedes? Dually pickup with bed
> conversion? 4WD would be nice but not essential, as the newer existing
> truck
> is 4WD, and most of our business growth is grid-tied, not remote.
>
> I have the job of recommending what we get, and I'd like to hear what
> works
> well for you. Thank you for any good advice.
>
> Allan at Positive Energy
>
>
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