Best cheap ass giant truck or SUV

[eflat]

What should I look for? An old Chevy truck? I just want maximum space reliability and gas mileage are not an issue.

 

[Chunkee]

yes. older chevy truck...run well. find one an old man had and took care of it...should be no problem Piano Man

 

[thecoolnessrune]

I'd think a Van would be better. What about an old Econoline 350? That way it's enclosed. The diesels are damn reliable and powerful. Look for something with the 7.3L diesel.

 

[MovingTarget]

Older Ford or Chevrolet should be what you are looking for. If you are really looking for something cheap to do work with, I'd suggest one of the older F-150's that had the inline 6. Our family had one once and it was a real beast. It took a real beating over the years compared to most work trucks.

 

[thedarkwolf]

Any of the full sized vans or trucks will work. If you could even get one in an SUV the roof line would make it a PITA.

 

[Squisher]

Fords seem to have a higher reliability rating than Chevy when you turn to the cheap used market.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: thecoolnessrune
I'd think a Van would be better. What about an old Econoline 350? That way it's enclosed. The diesels are damn reliable and powerful. Look for something with the 7.3L diesel.

I would second the van recommendation. For moving things like pianos it's important to have them covered. A van will make that easier. Overall, unless you're hauling trash or dirt/stone/sand/etc, I generally find a large van to be more useful than a pickup, though the lack of 4WD on a van can be a downside for certain uses.

Either an E250/E350 or a Chevy 2500/3500 would be good choices. Vans, especially the heavy-duty versions, tend to be pretty durable.

ZV

 

[jagec]

Another vote for a van. SUVs don't have nearly as much cargo room as vans, particularly not vertically. There's a reason why delivery vans are so ubiquitous in the city.

 

[Excelsior]

Originally posted by: Squisher
Fords seem to have a higher reliability rating than Chevy when you turn to the cheap used market.

Where did you read that stat?

I'd get a Chevy, without a doubt. Our 2000 silverado has been fantastic.

 

[MixMasterTang]

How many upright pianos do you plan on moving/delivering a year?

 

[thecoolnessrune]

Oh.. And I would make sure to measure the internal width of the van. I know some piano's can be huge and you'd hate to be stuck with a piano you still can't move. What about a cutaway van? Like a freezer truck they are just a big box on the back. Put a hydraulic tailgate using the diesels PTO or an electric one if one is powerful enough. A van variant would be shorter, and would let you work better in tighter spaces. A truck variant would be cheaper, have 4x4 as an option, and be easier to work on, although it wouldn't be as easy to move around tight areas.

 

[Arkaign]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: thecoolnessrune
I'd think a Van would be better. What about an old Econoline 350? That way it's enclosed. The diesels are damn reliable and powerful. Look for something with the 7.3L diesel.

I would second the van recommendation. For moving things like pianos it's important to have them covered. A van will make that easier. Overall, unless you're hauling trash or dirt/stone/sand/etc, I generally find a large van to be more useful than a pickup, though the lack of 4WD on a van can be a downside for certain uses.

Either an E250/E350 or a Chevy 2500/3500 would be good choices. Vans, especially the heavy-duty versions, tend to be pretty durable.

ZV

:thumbsup:

 

[heymrdj]

I would find a diesel/V10 Econoline 350 that was cutaway form factory and had a large drybox on the back installed. That should hold a piano easy. The hydro lift bro described would be good, if you use a pickup a side mounted Autocrane is nice. But still, the van idea seems like the best to me. A little harder to do repairs on, but shorter, easier to maneuver. Plus if you find a van with the modular rack system, you can remove all but a rack or two for plenty of space to hold your piano tuning tools (if you do those services), and then later if you need a change of business, you have a full rack system for the work. To me (IMHO) the drybox or factory E250/E350 would be best. Lots of used ones around here, but they don't lose their value too easy, cause they are bought up alot.