Bunton Guy
05-25-2003, 12:45 PM
Im just about ready to start another crew...problem is how to justify which truck perchase. The choices are many different settups. Currently using a F-350 & 7X16 enclosed trailer
The new choices are
Used F-150 & open trailer (cheaper for the guys to abuse)$6,000
Used F-350 & open trailer $7,000
Used F-350 Dually+ 16 ft. landscape bed. $9,000
Used F-350 12' dump + open trailer $12,000
New Isuzu 14' dump + open trailer $34,000
New Isuzu 16 ft. cabover + 16 ft. landscape bed.(gas) $26,000
The crew will start out as 2 men 2 60" z's, 1 48" w.b, 1 push mower. My ideal idea was to get the Isuzu 14' dump and to pull the mowing trailer. From day to day the crew can fill up the dump with fallen sticks and grass and what not but they still have to pull the trailer which has and will always be a pain. Im big into leaf removal & mulch which the dump no doubt will ease the process. But on the other hand I have been pulling trailers for years and am tired of it and im not to trusting of my employees with the trailer...I can expect to have them cutting corners and hitting cars,curbs,trees etc.....
Its easily understandable that an older F-150 (1995-2000) would be cheaper to keep up when employees beat up on it but I would still have to worry about breakdowns and no warranty like the new isuzu cabover would cary. But I would hate to see scratches and dents in a new vehicle expecially when its leased.
On average we drive close to 100 miles a day sometimes more maintaining 15-18 accounts. Some days (mon & wed) we have larger commercial accounts that take a few hours thus less travel time.
During off season I do a good bit of mulching and would like to startdelivering soil to my landscape accounts instead of having my material delervered to my job sites. Also last season we did ALOT of leaf removal and my old settup of the leaf vac sitting on the front of a flat bed trailer with built up sides just wont cuz it anymore. So that would make the dump isuzu VERY helpfull....but then you fall into pulling trailers again.
What do you think you guys would choose in this situation. With the affordable price of getting 2 used trucks one a F-350 with the small dump on it & an F-350 with a 16 foot landscape truck. In the end they both cost as much as 1 new truck but then I have to bay double the insurance cost and im not sure how to get a loan for 2 used vehicles. My bank does not help at all.
The new choices are
Used F-150 & open trailer (cheaper for the guys to abuse)$6,000
Used F-350 & open trailer $7,000
Used F-350 Dually+ 16 ft. landscape bed. $9,000
Used F-350 12' dump + open trailer $12,000
New Isuzu 14' dump + open trailer $34,000
New Isuzu 16 ft. cabover + 16 ft. landscape bed.(gas) $26,000
The crew will start out as 2 men 2 60" z's, 1 48" w.b, 1 push mower. My ideal idea was to get the Isuzu 14' dump and to pull the mowing trailer. From day to day the crew can fill up the dump with fallen sticks and grass and what not but they still have to pull the trailer which has and will always be a pain. Im big into leaf removal & mulch which the dump no doubt will ease the process. But on the other hand I have been pulling trailers for years and am tired of it and im not to trusting of my employees with the trailer...I can expect to have them cutting corners and hitting cars,curbs,trees etc.....
Its easily understandable that an older F-150 (1995-2000) would be cheaper to keep up when employees beat up on it but I would still have to worry about breakdowns and no warranty like the new isuzu cabover would cary. But I would hate to see scratches and dents in a new vehicle expecially when its leased.
On average we drive close to 100 miles a day sometimes more maintaining 15-18 accounts. Some days (mon & wed) we have larger commercial accounts that take a few hours thus less travel time.
During off season I do a good bit of mulching and would like to startdelivering soil to my landscape accounts instead of having my material delervered to my job sites. Also last season we did ALOT of leaf removal and my old settup of the leaf vac sitting on the front of a flat bed trailer with built up sides just wont cuz it anymore. So that would make the dump isuzu VERY helpfull....but then you fall into pulling trailers again.
What do you think you guys would choose in this situation. With the affordable price of getting 2 used trucks one a F-350 with the small dump on it & an F-350 with a 16 foot landscape truck. In the end they both cost as much as 1 new truck but then I have to bay double the insurance cost and im not sure how to get a loan for 2 used vehicles. My bank does not help at all.