Vehicle Question

Hello! Does anyone out there drive either a small bus (like a short school bus or a handicapped-accessible community bus) or a small box truck? If you do, what kind of MPG do you get? 

I love love love my Nissan NV, and can fit a cot in it... but when the time comes for a new vehicle, I'm really thinking about one I can make into a more livable RV-ish thing, and still have enough room for my big paintings and tent stuff. 

Thanks for any info you can provide. 

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  • How is your transit connect working out? My Sienna is on its last legs (wheels?) so I've started looking around.

    Thanks.

    John
  • Hi Carrie.  If you look at the Ford Transit you should research the ecoboost engine (it is available as an upgrade, giving more power to the V6 engine).  We have a Transit Connect and wished the ecoboost was available when we bought it.  Transit Connect is the smaller version (and smaller engine... fine for the glaciated plains of Ohio and Michigan, but rather sluggish when loaded in the PA hills).  BTW... Rob and I hope we we will be neighbors again in Columbus again- will you be there?  If not hope to see you in Ann Arbor or elsewhere.  

  • I've been told that the Mercedes version of the Sprinter gets great mileage. Worth checking out, I believe there is some sort of Sprinter blog site where you can learn all about it!

  • Get a sprinter, even if it is a short one.  have a friend who got one years ago and put his pottery in it plus put two beds and a shower in it.  milage is good, and if you are going to get into this business you will need a vehicle that lasts  

  • Oh, ouch, 4 mpg and 10 mpg. And yes, Greg Little, I think larger/longer/wider could create lots of problems. I think I will rethink the wonderful structure in my van, see if I can make more living space. Had some ideas while driving today... 

  • You should look at the Ford Transit. You can special order it to be tall and long. I think you can see the options on Ford's Website. I expect the gas mileage to be better than a truck and any repair won't be as complicated and costly as a Sprinter.

  • One of the issues i see with a larger style truck is access to some shows that are held on tight and crowded streets. I have a ford E350 van and can maneuver most places easily...but i have at times thought how difficult, if not impossible, it would be for anything larger...unless you are willing to dolly things in at some shows.

    You could put a cot in a regular van when it is empty after setting up but I doubt it when it is loaded

  • We used to have a '97 Ryder rental box truck.  15 foot bed  with an attic over the cab.  Ford E350 chassis.  We got 10 mpg city or highway .  It had a overdrive.  I bought it with 120,000 miles on it and put another 100,000 plus on it before retiring it for a regular E150 van.  The smaller van is much more comfortable and gets 14 mpg.  The Sprinters are popular, you might check them out. 

  • What a neat idea, Mark. How well does the chalkboard paint hold up?

  • I had a short Bluebird School Bus and got under 4 miles to the gallon.  I imagine the newer ones get better milage.   I painted it with chalkboard paint and left buckets of chalk out wherever I parked it. People figured it out pretty quickly.

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