Any one deal with fleet vehicles, Diesel trucks / cube vans?

[Ponyryd]

I’d have no problem with a former rental.

[RAT ATK]

Talked to my friend about his trucks. Had 4 Isuzu cab overs. Still trying to sell the last one. Expensive parts, sometimes hard to get. Tied to the dealer for too many things. I didn’t ask him to explain this, but he also said that they weren’t designed for our climate.
He is currently running GMC cutaway vans. Says his next move will be into something like the Ford Transit.

[Laffs]

Talked to my friend about his trucks. Had 4 Isuzu cab overs. Still trying to sell the last one. Expensive parts, sometimes hard to get. Tied to the dealer for too many things. I didn’t ask him to explain this, but he also said that they weren’t designed for our climate.
He is currently running GMC cutaway vans. Says his next move will be into something like the Ford Transit.

A high roof transit with the standard 3.7 V6 would probably be a nice reliable alternative to a giant diesel cube that can still transport fairly large item enclosed.

[5.4MarkVIII]

Looked at them and they aren’t big enough for what we need.

Wonder what he ment by not designed for our climate.
I mean it was crap in the snow but that’s to be expected empty and with the highway tires that were on it. Decent set of tires should help that.

[RAT ATK]

I am sure that it was related to reliability, not traction.

[Laffs]

FWIW We have two five two cubes which are International 4300 series as well as 3 GMC cutaway van cubes all circa 2010ish. The Internationals are Navistar diesels, the GM's are....fuck I don't even know.....gas so some LS variant. The GMC cubes start and run with no issues, most I hear is alignment/tire problems, the Internationals start and run fine IF you remember to keep them plugged in in the cold (for some reason this is problematic) but run great up until you have EGR and DPF issues at which point bend over and be ready to receive it.

Unless you are PILING the miles on these things or have really heavy loads, stick with the gassers. Between the cost of maintenance and initial purchase premium you're not really seeing savings until somewhere near 200k kms at last I calculated.

[5.4MarkVIII]

We have a cut away now
Can’t find a gasser with the interior height I need

That’s why I was looking at the izusu. It’s that or into an international or something similar.
But to go that big can’t just run a G licence and then would have to get a cvor.

[Ponyryd]

FWIW We have two five two cubes which are International 4300 series as well as 3 GMC cutaway van cubes all circa 2010ish. The Internationals are Navistar diesels, the GM's are....fuck I don't even know.....gas so some LS variant. The GMC cubes start and run with no issues, most I hear is alignment/tire problems, the Internationals start and run fine IF you remember to keep them plugged in in the cold (for some reason this is problematic) but run great up until you have EGR and DPF issues at which point bend over and be ready to receive it.

Unless you are PILING the miles on these things or have really heavy loads, stick with the gassers. Between the cost of maintenance and initial purchase premium you're not really seeing savings until somewhere near 200k kms at last I calculated.

They need to be plugged in because they’re a diesel. Not sure about the newer ones but older internationals ran glow plugs, which kinda work in the cold, but not so much in Canada Cold, hence the need to plug in. Seems everything needs to be plugged in when it’s cold except those with a grid heater (Cummins/I believe Ecodoesels), but it’s still a good idea to plug them in.
LS are a great engine, even in a big cube van, just don’t expect any power from them when loaded.

[5.4MarkVIII]

Heck I had an old crown Vic that wouldn’t start in the winter if the block heater wasn’t plugged in.

Do the newer diesels not run glow plugs anymore? They just rely on wing plugged in?

[Laffs]

They need to be plugged in because they’re a diesel. Not sure about the newer ones but older internationals ran glow plugs, which kinda work in the cold, but not so much in Canada Cold, hence the need to plug in. Seems everything needs to be plugged in when it’s cold except those with a grid heater (Cummins/I believe Ecodoesels), but it’s still a good idea to plug them in.
LS are a great engine, even in a big cube van, just don’t expect any power from them when loaded.

I know why they need to be plugged in, it's just apparently most members of the workforce give 0 fucks in that regard. I said it because I've heard OP complain about his staff previously, I imagine he would have similar issues.