I have 322,000 miles on my V10 van. I still have zero worries about making overnight, cross-country trips while towing 15,000 pounds at speeds well above the speed limit.
Of any problems I've had (3 fender-mounted starter relays, a burst radiator, and broken differential carrier), I've alway been able to drive 300+ miles home without issue. Turns out the V10 runs just fine w/out coolant. But, I do stay current on AAA RV+ just in case....
A 10-year old V10 E350 can be very affordable. As long as maintenance has been done, I wouldn't hesitate to pick one up with a couple hundred thousand miles.
PS - Enterprise always has some cans for sale with the CVC seating package. Unfortunately, no V10s right now. Guess they decided that is overkill for an employee shuttle. Enterprise Ride Share inventory
Also, if you can deal with a V8, don't rule out a 2007+ E150 van. Starting in 2007, Ford switched the E150 to an 8600 GVWR chassis, with associated 8-lug axles and giant brakes from the E350 (which got bigger in '08).
Bryan
2000 Ford E350 DRW Wagon (14-pass all captains chairs)
V10 w/ Banks PowerPack, Diablo Predator, 4.56 LS, ~350,000 miles
New Desert Fox in the works!
Also, if you can deal with a V8, don't rule out a 2007+ E150 van. Starting in 2007, Ford switched the E150 to an 8600 GVWR chassis, with associated 8-lug axles and giant brakes from the E350 (which got bigger in '08).
I wonder if that is driven by shifting it to a different category for emissions purposes!
Also, if you can deal with a V8, don't rule out a 2007+ E150 van. Starting in 2007, Ford switched the E150 to an 8600 GVWR chassis, with associated 8-lug axles and giant brakes from the E350 (which got bigger in '08).
I wonder if that is driven by shifting it to a different category for emissions purposes!
I think it was partly due to CAFE. But I'm sure there were also some manufacturing expenses saved by shifting to a common frame and axles among all the vans.
Hope you all had a great Easter. I did the family thing, then a gig. Been watching posts come in on this thread for 2 days now
@NewsW In my case, marketing to increase future profit, lowering over all debt and investing across all parts of my biz is more important than investing into "peace of mind in a 1 yr old TV vehicle under warranty". My current vehicle is at risk even I put $2,000 to $3,000 of work into it. It's barely big enough for the job of just gear and family this summer, let alone add a small travel trailer.
Its gonna come down to what I can safely finance and not risk my other commitments and things I need invest in to keep biz going.
@NewsW, Trailer and hotel are both variable cost to me, except the trailer gives 10x the convenience, a break room on site, place to stay on days off arriving early to or leaving late from fair gig sites. I got stretches of 2 to 5 days off from work where I plan to leisure drive the 100's of miles stopping at RV parks and sight seeing.
It's a variable cost because I will option to sell it come Oct and buy another one next year. Plus it's a lower payment per month as apposed to week long hotel bills which will keep more of my money, liquid. If I loose some money on the buy and sell... fine it's the cost of doing biz while having some fun with my family.
There's a whole bunch more I could respond and I really appreciate all the comments, especially those on the biz side of things. It's made me review my spread sheets and think about more.
SoCalDesertRider wrote: A smart business man doesn't stick his neck out too far, lest the head be chopped off.
Love that comment and I'll add "A smart business man doesn't stick his neck out too far TWICE, lest the head be chopped off AGAIN.
Lets say in 2007 I took a bit to much risk and in 2008 I got my head whacked like of lot of others by the economy turn. Took me a while to reconfigure but I'm now back in confident game mode.
Marc
* This post was
edited 04/08/12 11:48pm by TheOMB *
- Current in Chevy Express LT 1500, 7 bad engine codes, leaks Not sure if I got my monies worth out of 200k miles I've drove so far.
- Moving to 1 Ton Van & BH trailer soon
TheOMB wrote: Hope you all had a great Easter. I did the family thing, then a gig. Been watching posts come in on this thread for 2 days now
@NewsW In my case, marketing to increase future profit, lowering over all debt and investing across all parts of my biz is more important than investing into "peace of mind in a 1 yr old TV vehicle under warranty". My current vehicle is at risk even I put $2,000 to $3,000 of work into it. It's barely big enough for the job of just gear and family this summer, let alone add a small travel trailer.
Its gonna come down to what I can safely finance and not risk my other commitments and things I need invest in to keep biz going.
@NewsW, Trailer and hotel are both variable cost to me, except the trailer gives 10x the convenience, a break room on site, place to stay on days off arriving early to or leaving late from fair gig sites. I got stretches of 2 to 5 days off from work where I plan to leisure drive the 100's of miles stopping at RV parks and sight seeing.
It's a variable cost because I will option to sell it come Oct and buy another one next year. Plus it's a lower payment per month as apposed to week long hotel bills which will keep more of my money, liquid. If I loose some money on the buy and sell... fine it's the cost of doing biz while having some fun with my family.
There's a whole bunch more I could respond and I really appreciate all the comments, especially those on the biz side of things. It's made me review my spread sheets and think about more.
SoCalDesertRider wrote: A smart business man doesn't stick his neck out too far, lest the head be chopped off.
Love that comment and I'll add "A smart business man doesn't stick his neck out too far TWICE, lest the head be chopped off AGAIN.
Lets say in 2007 I took a bit to much risk and in 2008 I got my head whacked like of lot of others by the economy turn. Took me a while to reconfigure but I'm now back in confident game mode.
Marc
This post tells me you a for lack of a better word a level head on your shoulders and well do what works best for you and I wish you the BEST OF LUCK since you are still out there trying to make a living and haven't given up and living off the rest of us.
Larry
2001 standard box 7.3L E-350 PSD Van with 4.10 rear and 2007 Holiday Rambler Aluma-Lite 8306S Been RV'ing since 1974.
TheOMB wrote: Hope you all had a great Easter. I did the family thing, then a gig. Been watching posts come in on this thread for 2 days now
@NewsW In my case, marketing to increase future profit, lowering over all debt and investing across all parts of my biz is more important than investing into "peace of mind in a 1 yr old TV vehicle under warranty". My current vehicle is at risk even I put $2,000 to $3,000 of work into it. It's barely big enough for the job of just gear and family this summer, let alone add a small travel trailer.
Its gonna come down to what I can safely finance and not risk my other commitments and things I need invest in to keep biz going.
@NewsW, Trailer and hotel are both variable cost to me, except the trailer gives 10x the convenience, a break room on site, place to stay on days off arriving early to or leaving late from fair gig sites. I got stretches of 2 to 5 days off from work where I plan to leisure drive the 100's of miles stopping at RV parks and sight seeing.
It's a variable cost because I will option to sell it come Oct and buy another one next year. Plus it's a lower payment per month as apposed to week long hotel bills which will keep more of my money, liquid. If I loose some money on the buy and sell... fine it's the cost of doing biz while having some fun with my family.
There's a whole bunch more I could respond and I really appreciate all the comments, especially those on the biz side of things. It's made me review my spread sheets and think about more.
SoCalDesertRider wrote: A smart business man doesn't stick his neck out too far, lest the head be chopped off.
Love that comment and I'll add "A smart business man doesn't stick his neck out too far TWICE, lest the head be chopped off AGAIN.
Lets say in 2007 I took a bit to much risk and in 2008 I got my head whacked like of lot of others by the economy turn. Took me a while to reconfigure but I'm now back in confident game mode.
Marc
Most business decisions come down to guesses after the numbers are done.
And 50% of the decisions or more will be wrong.
Impossible to say what is a good or bad one except in retrospect.
Unless it is so obviously bad to be obvious.
But then I come from the pay cash, eschew credit cards crowd.
* This post was
edited 04/09/12 05:22am by NewsW *
LarryJM wrote: This post tells me you a for lack of a better word a level head on your shoulders and well do what works best for you and I wish you the BEST OF LUCK since you are still out there trying to make a living and haven't given up and living off the rest of us.
Larry
I could go off on the topics "haven't given up" and "living off the rest of us". Many of the moves made be people around me with biz decision, bankruptcy, short-sale/foreclosing and more just urk me. Can't help but wonder if I had decided to make what I viewed as very wrong decisions how much better or worse off I'd be. I grew in a welfare family and come high or hell water I do not want my childhood memories to be what my kids grow up with.
NewsW wrote: Most business decisions come down to guesses after the numbers are done.
And 50% of the decisions or more will be wrong.
Impossible to say what is a good or bad one except in retrospect.
Unless it is so obviously bad to be obvious.
But then I come from the pay cash, eschew credit cards crowd.
I agree it's hard to judge a biz decision until viewing in retrospect BUT I know that a decision which will decrease current options (specifically operating cash) is most likely a bad one. Again with my vehicle budget decision, it's gonna be based on what options I get from lendingtree.com in a couple weeks, could even be next week
BTW... them floor hook removable Chevy Van seats, opinion of my heavy duty mechanic uncle and others at Easter Dinner, opinion of my reg mechanic, the # of Chevy Vans VS Ford Vans I see as biz vehicles, wheel base of Chevy Ext VS Ford Ext add on and more is leaning towards Chevy... But I will end up buying at "the best deal" over brand and chances are that'll be a Ford.
NewsW wrote: Both Ford and Chevy make a decent product that will meet your needs.
A lot of it comes to personal tastes.
Many shops I know buy them interchangably.
Oh.. each make has its own quirks, problems, and "you can't be serious" issues.
It is a choice of which set of problems you want to live with.
Tax consideration.
If you want to claim a motor home as a home deduction --- it need to qualify as a motor home --- according to IRS.
Facilities have to include cooking, eating, sleeping, and toilet (but not necessarily bath).
Potapotti qualifies as toilet. Sleep can be anything... cooking can be portable stove.. grin.
Thanks for heads up on tax deduction info. Already have run this past my tax accountant and she said I can write off TT as biz expense. Depending on how much I pay for vehicle I got to choose actual cost VS miles. I always have done miles but fuel cost towing a trailer may change my vehicle deduction method, on the 1st year you own vehicle you choose which method and have to stick with it. Won't have to make tax deduction decisions till a year from now.
AND I just found a vehicle with very high chance I could "sign and drive" it tomorrow because it's price, is way below NADA, might be able to zero down. It's $14K plus tax and fee's total ruff would be $16k, without trade in. I might get 1k for mine
It's a 2010 Chevy Express LT 3500 with 12 seats, 6.0L with 50,298 just past the Chevy Warranty. Is a used car on a new Chevy Dealer lot SO, it's not pre own certified but has been gone over by the Chevy Mechanics. It's in Miami, was a rental in Orlando area. Carfax shows an accident in Nov 2010 but vehicle continued as a rental till Dec 11, can't see anymore details on accident or any sign of it in photos. Can see the dash a bit scuffed up in photo's.
My biggest wonder about this one is why it's priced so far below NADA of average trade in at 17k. Would you think a no see accident and scuffing of interior knock the price down that much or am I missing something? It's been on there lot for 2 months.
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Not sure if I got my monies worth out of 200k miles I've drove so far.
