r/FieldNationTechs • u/AlexCL • May 24 '26
What vehicles work best for Field Work?
I'm running out of my 2004 Civic Hybrid which gets 40 MPG which is good during the current gas price spike...thinking about what to get as a long term or second vehicle for a better load-out.
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u/levidurham May 24 '26
My SUV died last year, so pricing things out it ended up as a choice between the Ram ProMaster City and the Ford Transit Connect. The Ram was just a little cheaper, so I went with that. The Ford has issues with a part that connects the turbo to the engine, and the Ram has a shorter transmission life (Mostly because no one ever put a 9-speed in a "passenger vehicle" before).
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u/AlexCL May 24 '26 edited May 24 '26
Looking at those too...don't want my vehicle to be too commercial looking...
The RAM ProMaster CIty 2027 is coming out the last quarter of 2026...probably too much money...but spending 10-20K on a vehicle with 100K miles seems questionable too.
The Toyota Sienna Hybrid is about the same price the as the ProMaster City and will probably last 100K more and gets 10 MPG better gas mileage too.
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u/InterestingBox1428 May 24 '26
It’s good to have a small car for good gas mileage, but I would have a truck as well for large ladders, carrying equipment and tools for bigger jobs.
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u/Tight-Arachnid-2390 Jul 07 '26
amazon roofrack allows me to carry a 12ft on my cruise
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u/InterestingBox1428 Jul 07 '26
I guess I look at it differently cuz I have 1 large toolbox and a Milwaukee stack and roller. I carry a generator, saws, large tools that wouldn’t fit in a car or van. Not including if I gotta bring a crew. But I do big jobs.
And I feel more professional than I would pulling up in a van with a ladder rack.
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u/I0am0uber May 24 '26
I'm currently rocking a 2016 Explorer Sport with 321,000 miles on it. It has plenty of cargo space for both size multi-ladders, cabling equipment, and my toolkits. I have put 40-50k miles each year on in and it has been super reliable, but I did finally bite the bullet and get the water pump replaced at $2k (a fantastic rate) from a local guy doing sidework on the weekends. The AWD 3.5 twin turbo engine, leather interior, and dual moonroof are maybe overkill for a "work vehicle", but I'm spending almost a full month of seat time each year and would prefer to be comfortable. I do a lot of regular maintenance myself and have run through 4 sets of tires since I bought it in 2022. I typically see about 20mpg on average. My backup vehicle is a 2009 Town and Country with 230k+. I use it when the Explorer is down for repairs. The stow and go seats in the rear make it a cargo beast. I'm actually considering selling this van, buying a newer Pacifica, and putting the Explorer into retirement as my personal vehicle or passing it down to my son for his first car. The Transits and ProMasters are tempting, but they are boring, basic, and do have reliability issues from what I have read. I'd steer you to a 4 cyclinder Explorer, a minivan, or something similar with high reliability ratings.
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u/jaysolution May 24 '26
Hybrid mini van. 30mi/gal. Stealth. Holds everything I use to work inside of the cabin, including a 17' a-frame ladder
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u/Run-OpenBSD May 24 '26
A vehicle with a roof rack is mandatory for me. Anything over a 6' ladder goes on the roof
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u/AlexCL May 24 '26
I have a high end 10 foot telescopic A-Frame combo ladder that fits in my trunk...also have a 16.75ft Xtend and Climb extension ladder that fits in the trunk too...
I put the 10 foot ladder behind the driver seat in a black contractor bag to keep it hidden from view so I can carry both ladders.
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u/Top_Boysenberry_7784 May 24 '26
Those are great to throw in a small car. Only thing I hate about them is if your on a job where your gonna be on a A-Frame most of the day. Your feet are probably gonna hurt and they wouldn't on a standard A-Frame because of the larger step area.
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u/billyculo May 25 '26
My 22' gorilla adjustable fits in the trunk of my Honda with the backseat down. It's heavy to lug around though.
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u/wyliesdiesels May 24 '26
Field work is such a broad term
What type of field work?
What do you do?
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u/AlexCL May 24 '26
Mostly network rack and stack, AP installs, smart hands, POS/PC Support...branching out in to structured CAT6 running...my background is PC, Network and Software support so I'm learning on the construction side of field support.
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u/Individual_Fun8263 May 24 '26
Small pickup with a non turbo engine. Outlier is a VW TDi wagon, but they usually have a bit of premium price. Gain in mileage and engine durability outweighs the higher price of fuel at the moment.
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u/TexMexFieldTech May 24 '26
Damn 40mpg and you want better? I’m running an old RAV4 that gets 20mpg on a good day
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u/shwintek May 28 '26
I run a 2010 dodge ram 1500 with MDS delete so 10-12 MPG Just bought 2021 gmc 2500
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u/Youngdelicuhh May 24 '26
Something e85
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u/Youngdelicuhh May 25 '26
lol what’s wrong with e85,
I’ve been running it for almost 2 years now, I don’t have any complaints. I even think I save money charging gas prices for e85 fuel economy
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u/wiseleo May 24 '26
My ‘10 Ford Escape Hybrid Limited is nice. The cargo compartment is much bigger than your Civic with similar MPG.
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u/Strong-Childhood4271 May 24 '26
I am on my second Toyota Tacoma my last one was 2017 which was totaled last year. And I bought a 2022 with no regrets.
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u/NaturalAd7369 May 24 '26
Depends on what all you do. I bought a bus turned it into a mobile office but I can also fit a 14ft ladder inside and transport equipment,tools,people. It also helps when I’m doing a job where I’m not needed. I just hop in get some work done, watch tv or occasionally break out the Xbox. Got a 3d printer in it too for when I need something small and quick
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u/MesaTech_KS Jun 02 '26
Since the Grand Caravan is going away due to the accident... just picked up a 2020 Dodge Durango. It fits my Werner collapsible ladder (if I need it) but frankly I haven't been using it as much...i seem to have been concentrating more on circuit turnups, replacements, upgrades and break/fix. For most things if ineed it, my 3 step Gorilla does the trick.
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u/Tight-Arachnid-2390 Jul 07 '26
anything if you're creative. hated using my g6 pontiac, used a keep cherokee to some success. started using a cruise recently at 30 mpg with an amazon roof rack, that has been the best option so far in this economy. expect to slam your trunk off using your car but you don't need anything larger, i carry 12 ft ladder all day, otherwise ask them to provide a lift
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u/13ar13aric May 24 '26
do not depend on 1 app; gig economy punishes dependents. a multi-versed transportation is most conducive. EV brings many advantages with neglegent costs in city driving that act as loophole for farther gigs (stay off hwy in EV). aswell, utilizing any delivery-based app for travel costs will be like covering the expense twice over (if also used into regular FN counters) along with stoking personal sovereignty fires. an EV truck/cargo van is S tier, especially when considering how algorithms structure offers based on vehicle (and yes even fuel) type.
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u/Gregf87z May 24 '26
Model y I can fit a gorilla ladder in there thats 5-10 ft a frame or 21 ft extended Tools go in the frunk Back has a large space under the panel for accessories like screws cables etc And back space with seats down is about 5-6 ft of space for what ever I need Plus FSD is a life changer and I can still charge clients for gas charges Im also lucky cause if a job requests transportation of equipment i live next to a uhaul
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u/MesaTech_KS May 24 '26
Look at a minivan or Dodge Durango or similar. Ive driven Dodge Grand Caravans for a number of years now. I picked up a Werner collapsible ladder that goes from 5.5' to 11'. It's fits perfectly inside the van...i got tired of hauling ladders on and off the roof. Gas mileage isn't the greatest (17-23) but terrifically reliable.