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I am needing to purchase four service vans for our company fleet. In the past we have used the E250 Econoline vans. In the old days, we carried many more parts and had heavier load requirements for parts than we do in this age of circuit boards.

I am looking at purchasing the Ford Transit Connect vans. I am also researching the Nissan NV vans. My objective is better mileage. The full size vans are choking me out at 11 MPG. The Ford and Nissan both get 21-24 MPG.

Never having used the smaller vans, I am not 100% on my decision. Does anyone here have any first hand knowledge of the small vans being used in a service capacity? Electrical, plumbing, phone or cable type companies?

I sure would love to hear of your experiences with the above mentioned or even a brand or flavor not listed above.

The Sprinter has been pretty popular among the balloon folks lately http://www.freightlinersprinterusa.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; I also like the Dodge RAM Promaster for a full size van http://www.ramtruckcurrentoffers.com/en/ram_promaster/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I will take a look at those. I did not realize they are not required to post MPG for full sized vans until I started trying to research the topic. Frustrating for a person trying to decide between the capacity sacrifice and MPG benefits. Thanks for those links. I had not checked them out yet.

I have worked out of mini-vans in the past. You are correct that in this day of circuit boards, you dont have to carry as much and for general HVAC service the smaller vans are fine. One thing you need to keep in mind though, if you do larger commercial work as well, tou may need a delivery truck for compressor replacements on the semi-hermetic compressors as there is not much room to put one in a mini-van.

Dodge also has their smaller Tradesman van http://www.ramtrucks.com/en/?sid=913821 ... _tradesman" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

RPBrown wrote:I have worked out of mini-vans in the past. You are correct that in this day of circuit boards, you dont have to carry as much and for general HVAC service the smaller vans are fine. One thing you need to keep in mind though, if you do larger commercial work as well, tou may need a delivery truck for compressor replacements on the semi-hermetic compressors as there is not much room to put one in a mini-van.

We are 99.9% residential. We have an installation department that does all the heavy lifting. These vans would be for service/repair work only.

Are you using any of the mini vans at your place?

Keith B wrote:Dodge also has their smaller Tradesman van http://www.ramtrucks.com/en/?sid=913821 ... _tradesman" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That one has a little more payload than the transit connect and Nissan nv. Another good option.

I have no direct experience with these vans, but the security company (camera/alarm systems) that services where I work, the local flower shop, and a few other businesses in my area use them. I even saw one run by a Texas Sheriff's office in my region(They use it for transporting supplies/equipment) while a full sized van is used for prisoner transports. The thing is that everyone I speak to or see using one has the Ford Transit, for some reason that is mini-utility van of choice in far west Texas. I will also say that I have some good friends who work in auto repair and most of their business is later model Fords, although the vast majority of that is diesel powered pickups. Bad thing about making that last statement is that I am a Ford guy at heart.

G.A. Heath wrote: Bad thing about making that last statement is that I am a Ford guy at heart.

I have never owned any vehicle that was not a Ford. We have all Ford trucks in our service fleet. I even have cousins, uncles that retired from Ford.

It is not easy for me to look at other options but it's all about business in this situation. I have noticed ADP is using them in our area(transit connects). A few others are using them as well. I suppose I could chase one down and ask the service tech driving it what they think.

G.A. Heath wrote:I will also say that I have some good friends who work in auto repair and most of their business is later model Fords, although the vast majority of that is diesel powered pickups. Bad thing about making that last statement is that I am a Ford guy at heart.

Back in the '90s, I was working for a company that had a fleet of Ford F150s. Almost all of them had the same problem: busted heater cores, among others I can't remember, but I remember the day the heater core busted in the truck I was driving that day. Cab full of steamy glycol.

Shortly after that, I went to work for a small independent mechanic. One day, I was asked to move a bunch of vehicles around. 11 or 12 of the 15 there at the shop were Ford. I've since shunned Ford. ;)

I will say I'm a GM man. My last 4 vehicles since 1991:
- '06 CTS-V
- '96 Impala SS
- '90 GMC 1500
- '82 GMC 1500

But I've been really looking at those Fusion hybrid's for the lil lady. I've really dug the styling lately of Ford . . . like on the Fusion or Edge.

I second the Sprinter recommendation. I don't know it from the "service" industry, but know it from the RV field and from use as a crew vehicle for ATV/motorcycles. Have a look at MPG and what it costs to operate. In terms of tow/haul, they use it for a 27' RV chassis.

03Lightningrocks wrote:

RPBrown wrote:I have worked out of mini-vans in the past. You are correct that in this day of circuit boards, you dont have to carry as much and for general HVAC service the smaller vans are fine. One thing you need to keep in mind though, if you do larger commercial work as well, tou may need a delivery truck for compressor replacements on the semi-hermetic compressors as there is not much room to put one in a mini-van.

We are 99.9% residential. We have an installation department that does all the heavy lifting. These vans would be for service/repair work only.

Are you using any of the mini vans at your place?

No, since I went into business for myself, I am primarily commercial and work out of a service body F250. My partner does what little residential we do and he has an F250 with a camper top with side tool bins.

RPBrown wrote:

03Lightningrocks wrote:

RPBrown wrote:I have worked out of mini-vans in the past. You are correct that in this day of circuit boards, you dont have to carry as much and for general HVAC service the smaller vans are fine. One thing you need to keep in mind though, if you do larger commercial work as well, tou may need a delivery truck for compressor replacements on the semi-hermetic compressors as there is not much room to put one in a mini-van.

We are 99.9% residential. We have an installation department that does all the heavy lifting. These vans would be for service/repair work only.

Are you using any of the mini vans at your place?

No, since I went into business for myself, I am primarily commercial and work out of a service body F250. My partner does what little residential we do and he has an F250 with a camper top with side tool bins.

Heck, for some reason I thought you were working for a (not to be named) competitor in the Ft. Worth area. I did not realize you ventured out on your own. Congrats. I hope it is going well. Before I owned Plano Air, one of the many positions I went through with them was Commercial Sales Rep. I had to drag them kicking and screaming into light commercial work...LOL. Once they realized it was more steady and less seasonal, they liked it. During a year long gap between me leaving and then owning the company, the new owners ran all the commercial customers off. Its been in my ownership 16 years now and I have yet to push the commercial side.

With all the years I spent as a tech in ford dealerships I have never seen a broken transit van.

cheezit wrote:With all the years I spent as a tech in ford dealerships I have never seen a broken transit van.

Glad to hear that. I was made an offer this afternoon I couldn't refuse. 18,800.00 per van. I placed my order on four of them. I don't think I can lose. I am getting them below dealer invoice. The fuel savings alone will cover the payments. The econolines would have run me about 32,000 each, minimum.

I am not exaggerating when I say we spend on average 300 dollars a week per van for fuel. In the summer months it can get in the four hundred range. A minimum savings here of 150 per week per van is more than our payments.

Right or wrong... I jumped...

I really appreciate all the help folks!!! I wish I could buy you all a beer. If anyone has horror stories or good stories about the transit vans, please give me a heads up so I can watch for it.