Truck or van?

I am going to buy a new van or truck I was wondering does it look profesional having a truck or should i go with a white van?

Either can look as professional as the other. One must consider utility, capacity, and security (among other things) when making a vehicle purchase.

I have both a full-size cargo van and a longbed truck.

What all do you plan on offering your customers. We offer Pressure Washing, [URL=“http://simplypressurewashing.com”]Roof Cleaning , [URL=“http://louisvillepressurewashed.com”]Window Cleaning and [URL=“http://Simplypressurewashing.com”]Snow Removal so a van just would not cut it.

Van w/ a ladder rack and 1 bench seat for the guys(or girls). Everything is locked up and you have a place for some great signage

I agree with Larry. Truck or van is cool. I used a truck for years then switched to a full size van (with ladder rack) back in November. I definitely like the van better for security of my gear and it’s like my little shop on wheels, plus you have a lot of space for a billboard on wheels. The van is really convenient to work out of.

The pick-up truck works well but you’ll find yourself spending a lot of time loading and unloading certain equipment that doesn’t need to be left on a truck overnight. And sometimes you’ll forget to load an important tool you need on a given workday.

If you’re going to have a decent power washing rig (with reels, buffer tank, surface cleaner, chem containers, etc.) I think it’s best to have it on a trailer so you can take it or leave it as needed on any given work day. Without the power wash trailer your truck or van will be so packed that it will be really hard to get to your equipment.

All of my window cleaning gear is in my van and my power wash rig is on an open trailer. The power wash rig stays locked up in a metal building when not in use. For me this is the best vehicle setup.

A Van hands down. You have more security, more room for advertising with decals, all your equipment is protected from the weather, you can hang equipment on both the walls and the ceiling, and you dont have to worry about tying everything down before you leave a job.

Thanks guys you helped me out alot with my decision. Much apreciated.

I prefer the truck just because I think that a nice truck looks amazing in a customers drive way, However vans are cool because of all the signage space which really looks good if done correctly. However if you buy an old van you will look like a kidnapper disguised as a window cleaning company…just kidding. My buddy with another company has a sweet van that he got wrapped with his company info and looks good and there are benefits to keeping your gear locked up and dry. But a pretty looking truck is hard to pass up.

Looks are only important if your target customers care. Your preference of look is irrelevant as a business decision.

Hey James,
Have you seen any companies using Dodge Caravans with ladder racks for service vehicles. I see a lot of mini vans being used by really big companies in my area. The ladder racks are nice because they’re lower to the ground than on a full size van for easier loading of ladders. They ride much nicer than a cargo van as well. Gas mileage is probably better as well. Easier for a new employee to drive, which means less accidents. Plenty of room if you’re just doing window washing. Just another option to consider.

A pickup with a contactors cap solves the security issues, gives room for signage. I prefer full side DOORS to full side TOOLBOXES, as it gives you 100% access to the bed. But the vans seem awful nice…

I agree to an extent, I think weather van or truck it is important to give off a good professional image as much as possible, and that is where I think customers can see that you care about your professionalism.

I like vans. We got two pressure washing machines in one van, with a 125 gallon float tank. I like the idea of having the stuff protected from the elements. Now if I could just get a heated shop.

Ive had a pickup, now have a van, I prefer van, things stay dry and concealed.I think maybe you have more area on a van for print, but Ive seen some great looking trucks some of the guys have on here.

Larry what do you find you use more? The van or truck? I’m thinking sometime over the next couple of years sell the truck and trailer and just combine to a van. With a van I’m thinking storage, one spot, lock it up and done. With my truck sometimes we don’t need all the equipment that is in the trailer so we pull it and put it in the truck. It’s a little annoying. I don’t like to tow the trailer if I don’t need to.

I use the van for all WC’ing activities since its purchase 3 or 4 years ago. Previously, I could use the truck with either a shell with ladder rack or open-bed with (different) ladder rack.

Anymore, I only use the truck for add-on services such as hauling (goal is $40-200 per hour net) or yard debris removal (a natural in my rural, foothill service area due lots of roof and gutter cleaning on 1/4 to 3+ acre unlandscaped properties.). I have a PJ Trailers utility trailer; both vehicles have a hitch.

The Econoline has loads of secure cargo and advertising space. The truck has Primus and critters buggin bumper stickers.

So is your truck filled with miscellaneous debris, empty cans of pork soda, that fall out when sailing the seas of cheese?

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I like the idea of the van too. I had some gear stolen from the back of my pickup truck this year and now i unload and load all my gear each day. what a pain. Plus ABM’s van looks pretty sweet. Also the van i am thinking about using will seat 4 and have room for all the gear. ladder rack holds 2 ladders and some poles.

I had a van Econoline E350 for 7 years, but it was a passenger van. I worked with the 3rd row out, but it wasn’t conducive for permanent storage because of windows and plastic wall panels. I’ve had a truck for a couple of months now. I took off the tonneau cover and put a contractor’s rack on. So far I see pros and cons for each vehicle, but I will say that it can be a real pain to deal with digging things out of snow and seeing my little giants getting filthy if I don’t bring them inside.Having a waterproof liner is a good thing though! In the area I cover I’m not overly concerned about theft at this point.

great point!!!:cool: