[Shop-talk] Better construction vehicles?

[David Hillman]

On Sun, 17 Oct 2010, Jack Brooks wrote:
> A top end hitch, with a removable receiver and electricals for an Impreza
> will cost $500-700 if you drive it in for someone else to install, $250-400
> if you do it yourself.

    Just wanted to note that towing ratings for Imprezas range from 'don't 
do it' to around 2000 pounds.  Even at the upper end at that range, you 
don't have much capacity ( after accounting for the trailer and hitch ). 
I find it's surprisingly easy to wind up with nearly a ton of material in 
the bed of my F150 ( 40 bags of topsoil the other day... tile/thinset/cbu 
for my wife's bathroom... etc ).  I'm very glad I don't have to deal with 
a much lower limit, but your requirements may vary.  And this is without 
carrying any tools at all, since I'm typically working on my house.

    I've had a couple Subarus, and even discounting the fact that both 
engines blew up inside 60,000 miles, I wouldn't consider using them for 
anything but simple transport.

old dirtbeard writes...
> A GMC Savana heavy (or Chevy) 1/2 ton cargo van with a 4.3L V6 is tough 
> to beat. It has 2,250 lb. payload, can pull a most any trailer, drives 
> like a car...

    For varying definitions of 'car' that is.  I've driven these, and they 
don't remind me of any of the cars I've owned.  But I think the way to go 
is a van like this, or a truck ( with a cap if necessary ), or something 
in between like a Suburban.

    My F150 costs me a few hundred extra dollars a year in fuel versus a 
smaller vehicle, but I can carry or tow basically anything I need to, in 
one trip.  For me, that is more than worth it.

--
  David Hillman