Hey Guys. So I’m going to be starting a company this coming spring. I wanted to get it started sooner, but the timing was wrong. But now that I’m getting rolling, I need to figure out my car situation. Do I really need a truck or commercial van to run it? Obviously I will need ladders because I will be doing residential work, as well as commercial. But just looking to get your opinions. Do you really need a classic work vehicle to make it work, or can you go with an suv or something else? Thanks
Van
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What do you have now?..From what I have seen folks have gotten started with pretty much anything on 4 wheels. … A nice looking sedan with a ladder rack is better than
a dented up van or pick up… I started with a small pickup and after 4 years switched to an
Astro van.
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Plus ∞
Search the forum for scion xb, kia soul, or honda element, and you may get some ideas 
@Schweabs, I saw in some of your posts from last year that you had a Cherokee. If you’ve still got it, that could definitely work well.
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Thanks Alex. My only real concern is fitting section/stackable ladders inside. Im trying to keep my setup to section ladders, a medium step, and basic tools.
A prius will hold a 22’ Little Giant, a 16’ 3- sectional and a step. I did that for years.
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Not sure if your situation buy a small trailer might be an option.
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Whatever gets you and your gear to the job site on time every day.
I got a Ranger pickup with a cap and racks before starting out. In retrospect I could have got by just fine with something like a station wagon. I frequently run my route work from the wife’s jetta cause it uses less gas driving around.
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You can even setup something like @Pure_Water_Window_Cl bike setup!
There is a few pics of his bike setup in the thread!
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All you have to have is want to man. Yeah, folks on here have pretty trucks with wraps, but most didn’t start like that. Run what you brung.
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Well said Will.
When you start you do what you have to, or how you have to.
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@Infinity I thought of you at our job this morning. Our customer today had a Honda Fit with a roof rack. I was kind of intrigued with it. I wanted to set my sectionals on it to try it out. We were in an older part of Denver today. Which means limited parking space and narrow streets. The Fit would be perfect for it. Afterwards we went to Trader Joe’s another tight spaced parking lot. In both cases with our Tundra, I had to do a 45 point turn to get into our parking spot.
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Do you have any pictures? I would love to get something like a Prius. They get incredible gas mileage. If you don’t mind me asking, what kind of gas mileage did you average?
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Mileage? 300 cpm (calories per mile)
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I do A LOT of highway driving. Bear in mind that a Prius is reverse what regular cars do, meaning the mileage is worse on the highway, since the traction system is not being utilized.
That being said, i get about 41 mpg with my current driving tendencies.
If you were to drive around town, little highway, you could get into the 50 mpg neighborhood.
I do have pics. I’ll PM you within a day or two.
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Sounds good. Thanks!
If i drove a Prius I’d never make it to any jobs… Here in Pennsylvania the potholes are so huge, they could literally swallow a Prius whole.
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We were in Chambersburg, PA in November. It was cold!!! What part of PA are you in?
The beauty of this business is that you can use whatever you are comfortable with and dussy it up to suit your needs.
I started with a Dodge Dakota with topper and went to a Chevrolet Astro van. You can use anything from a Smart car to a station wagon, to a truck, panel truck, van, or even bicycle or motorcycle with trailer.
If you’re imaginative enough you can set up and wrap a killer vehicle; and if need be a trailer with any vehicle choice too.
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I had my sectional ladder inside my VW when I got back into window cleaning. Back seats folded down Haha
I like vans, now. Everything including my ladders inside under lock and key.
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