Vans

Jonathan Ellis

Jonathan Ellis

moderator
For those of you who use a cargo van, what is the typical mpg that you get having a machine the tank and other tools (surface cleaners, chemicals). How many MPG with a full tank and how many with alow to empty water tank?
 
Same here. But you also get to smell gasoline, diesel, exhaust and chemicals at times. I moved from just a van to pulling a trailer ASAP. Some guys do it well out of a van. Didn't work for me. Box trucks would be a good option for the big commercial guys. We have smaller equipment and I personally like being able to switch vehicles.
 
I picked up this box truck a few months back. And very glad I did. I just like knowing that nobody can see what is in the truck. As far as mpg I haven't checked, it is a 6.0L and I don't think it is all that bad!
I also wholesale cars as my main business and am just used to having a huge monthly gas bill.
 

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I run out of a box truck, I am just looking at adding another vehicle.
 
Get a bed slider ( steel tray) put the skid and reels on it and slide it out the back of the van. All the exhaust goes up and away and water leaks go straight to the ground. When you are done slide it back into the van. Keeps the eqipment warm in cold weather ( we do KEC work year round) and secure also keeps the van clean as well and servicing the machine is a absolute joy with full access to it.
 
I get around 13-14 mpg in my 08 Express Van while pulling a 16 ft trailer
 
I never got why people who tow heavy or carry heavy are expecting to get good milage. I dont care if it's a diesel a pick-up, a van or even a 4cyl ranger, if you are pulling, or carrying heavy weight expect to get sh*ty fuel milage.

It's a vehicle thats making you money (hopefully) and that's the price you pay. I was in the trucking buisness in N.Y. and fuel was a big part of my exspence, but who cares if your making money.
 
Honestly if you are getting 13 MPG or better in any work vehicle you are above the curve. I think the topic took off when gas was almost 4 and diesel was above 4 dollars a gallon out here in VA. The problem was people had lined up work and priced it based on a fuel expense that was way low and a few people got hit hard. In July of 2009 my fuel expense for 3 trucks and the burners was just a shade under 4,000 dollars. The year prior with about 8% less work it was 2,400 dollars. It hit people hard and it is a issue you need to be aware of and try to minimize but there is no silver bullet vehicle or set up to beat the gas fairy.
 
The Cleaner said:
I never got why people who tow heavy or carry heavy are expecting to get good milage. I dont care if it's a diesel a pick-up, a van or even a 4cyl ranger, if you are pulling, or carrying heavy weight expect to get sh*ty fuel milage.

It's a vehicle thats making you money (hopefully) and that's the price you pay. I was in the trucking buisness in N.Y. and fuel was a big part of my exspence, but who cares if your making money.
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Very true, your current gas mileage should be figured into how much you charge someone. When it is time to add vehilce(s) to the fleet, if you get something that gets say 13 mpg when you are use to getting 8-9 you make more money for doing the same job.
 
Another thing to check is regular maintiance. I had a F-250 that had a check engine light that flashed intermittently ( soft code so the computer would not store the error)
I was able to keep a code reader for a few days froma friend and kept it hooked up till it flased on and got the code. Come to find out it was a mass flow sensor that would short out. no big deal but it put the engine into a safe mode where it dumped fuel into the fuel fail to keep things going. Replacing the part ended up increasing the gas milage almost 12% in one tank.
 
E250 Cargo van 4.6L 14 - 15 mpg. Want Alexy said about the slide. Im in the process of making the bulkhead ( that panel behind the seats ) air tight. The smell of fuel and funky grease is too much. No matter how clean you clean up all the tools, especially the shop vac, stuff still smells.
 
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