What vehicle to buy for home improvement?

Hi,

This is actually not of off topic. I've been wondering what car/truck I should buy if I become an avid home improver. Basically, my question is this: not being able to imagine myself owning or driving a pick-up, what is the lightest vehicle that I can buy that can accommodate (in one way or another) a stack of 4'x8' sheets of drywal or plywood.

Many thanks in advance,

Aaron

Reply to
Aaron Fude
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A trailer.

Reply to
greg2468

I'm a landlord, constantly doing repairs and rehabs.

I use a 2002 Dodge Caravan. It's got 48" between wheel wells so plywood can lay flat. I pulled out the third row seat the day I got it and when necessary, it's easy to remove the second row seat.

It's good in snow and unlike a pickup, keeps my tools etc completely enclosed.

Despite the reputation of unreliability, I have found the Caravan to be just the opposite.

Aside from normal replacement items like brake pads, I've only had one repair in 122,000 miles of driving it from new.

Doug

Reply to
Doug

A pick-up will work swell. Assuming you don't have a passel of kids to transport, a pick-up has, in addition to the obvious advantages:

  • The utility of being sturdier than your regular passenger car. For example, you can navigate obnoxious speed bumps at normal driving speed without fear that you'll shake loose the radiator.
  • You can hang your long gun against the rear window where it's in easy reach.
  • There's less internal volume to heat or cool.
  • You don't have to bend over, straining your back, to load or unload stuff.
  • Your dogs enjoy riding in the back of a pick-up more than a van (except for the speed-bump business which requires you to take a dog census after each encounter).
  • An extended-cab version provides ample space to store stuff that would normally be in the trunk.
  • I don't think you could fit an upright piano in a van, so capacity might be important.
  • The resale value of a well-maintained pick-up far exceeds that of alternative vehicles. I've got a female truck (it's a small S-10, teal-colored) that I bought, used, ten years ago. I could sell it today for
90% of what I paid.

For toting around home improvement stuff, I'd point out that Home Depot rents pick-ups by the hour for just that purpose -- They don't rent trailers or vans.

Reply to
HeyBub

Don't buy a vehicle for home improvement. Buy a vehicle for comfort and reliability. If you want to make some sort of statement- buy that car. [a prius, hummer, navigator, whatever]

Buy a cheap, at least 4x8 trailer for carting crap from wherever to home. Advantages; A trailer is cheaper than upgrading to a truck- and you can leave it home when you go out to dinner.

It is easier to load than an SUV or pickup. You don't have to lift as high- and you don't have to worry about scratching anything.

A 4x8 trailer will allow you to lay sheet goods flat. [plywood, sheetrock, sheathing, etc]

My trailer doubles as a saw horse as I unload it- one stick at a time. Google this list for past conversations on; harbor freight trailer

My only caveat- check your owners manual to see how much trailer your car can tow. It might surprise you. According to their manuals, my wife's 98 VW Cabrio can tow 2500 pounds- my '01 Impala can only tow

1000. [I think the tongue weight is 250 on both]

The Impala *will* pull 4000, but anything over 2000 makes it real sloppy. The suspension just doesn't like it.

Jim

Reply to
Jim Elbrecht

No doubt a pick up truck is your best option for many reasons. One of those reasons is less confinement to one area. In other words, you can stack items in and on the bed of the truck, extending beyond the bed and tie down a load. Also, height is not limited, though, one wouldn't want to worry when viewing a height warning sign on bridges. Note: all of the above is greatly reduced if using a cap.

Other options would be a trailer or a cargo van. With a cargo van, one can keep supplies locked up inside if the need arises. Also, a cargo van keeps material disclosed and keeps honest people honest.

Reply to
SBH

I have a Subaru Forester and can carry larger items on roof rack. Also has tow capacity of 2,000 lb. All wheel drive gets me in most places the big four wheelers go but otherwise drives like a car and gets good gas mileage.

Reply to
Frank

AND - no additional insurance and minimal maintenance!

Reply to
1D10T

That depends where you are, my local HD's don't rent pick-ups but they rent vans.

Reply to
EXT

why the mental block against a pickup?

steve

LMAO! a subaru forrester...... ROTFLMMFAO!!!!

Reply to
Steve Barker

I like a pickup with a sliding glass window in the rear of the cab. It allows transporting 12 to 16 foot lumber without sticking out very far in the rear. I know a roof rack will do it better if you have one. Pickups are just like cars, even 4 door and ride nice. Get one.

Reply to
Van Chocstraw

I originally purchased to haul my Honda CR250 motocross bike. I've used this trailer for lumber to refrigerators. It comes with all electric. Just install 4x8 sheet of plywood and the trailer is ready to go. Installed the hitch purchased over the internet for about $150.00

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Reply to
Brent Bolin

On Tue, 13 Jan 2009 23:00:43 -0800 (PST), Aaron Fude wrote Re What vehicle to buy for home improvement?:

Get a pick-up truck with 48" between the wheel wells so a sheet of plywood can lie flat. That will cover most of your needs. Add a trailer in the future if necessary.

Reply to
Caesar Romano

Hide quoted text -

re: "AND - no additional insurance and minimal maintenance!"

BUT - additional parking space is required. Driveway space (assuming there even is one) could be a limiting factor. A HOA could also be an issue.

As my kids get older and car ownership increases, I fear the space taken up by my trailer is soon to become an issue. Sort of luckily for me, the main use of the trailer is going away for the same reason - as the kids get older they are aging out of the activity it is used for.

However, if I had the space, I would never even consider getting rid of it because of all the other things I use it for - although it would not be used anywhere near as often. Off-site storage is a possibility, although that comes with inconvenience and cost.

Reply to
DerbyDad03

I too vote for the pickup truck. SInce you won't drive it often, it doesn't have to be new or fancy - a 10 year old model found on craigslist or whatever will serve nicely, so long as it's been well maintained.

nate

Reply to
N8N

Many years ago I bought the "same" trailer from K-mart for $189 - last one in the store, beat up box, manager gave me a discount.

I built some real nice looking, removable sides out of 1 x 6 slats - bullnosed the edges, stained, etc. It was a sweet ride!

I used it for about 4 years until I upgraded to an enclosed trailer. I put thousands of miles on it and then sold it for $250. I'd say I got my money's worth out if that trailer.

One of the most memorable uses was this:

Every year a nature center near my house collects Christmas trees for recycling. I'd gather up the kids and a few of their friends, pile into my full size conversion van and drive around the neighborhood grabbing trees from in front of people's houses and delivering them to the nature center. The kids loved it - especially the rides in the open trailer. We'd get to the nature center where the cars would pull up with their single tree tied to the top of their car and I'd pull in with 10 or more in my trailer multiple times a day. One year they took my name and sent my family a very nice thank you note.

Reply to
DerbyDad03

For 4x8s you need a big vehicle, get what you like to drive and consider deliveries, a trailer or helpers truck. What can you see yourself driving. A friend of mine had an older Volvo wagon that she said 4x8s fit. A station wagon fits ladders, mowers, alot of stuff a car with a trunk wont. I use a small volvo wagon. But what are you talking about here, redoing a house, I broke a spring last year moving tile with a Volvo. If its ocasional big loads pay or rent at HD a truck.

Reply to
ransley

I agree with those that made the choice of the trailer.

Reply to
RLM

I didn't know. Thanks for the update.

Wonder why?

Reply to
HeyBub

-snip-

My HF trailer folds up to only take up about a 2x5' space. I even cut the pressure treated plywood I used for the deck so I could fold it up. That was 3-4 years ago & I haven't folded it up yet- but I leave it outside & that might not be possible everywhere.

Jim

Reply to
Jim Elbrecht

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