Time to buy a new F-150...

[J86]

How much of the F-150's capactiy do you use?  When a redesigned Ranger comes out, will you be albe to switch to those?  Seems to be the trucks have been getting bigger and bigger, have your payloads?

[saxonyron]

The crews basically do remodelling so it's a lot of carpentry.  The trucks are typically loaded with windows, tools, lumber etc.  We use every inch of them.  Had a 99 Ranger - we kept it for 5 yrs, worked around the payload issues.  Ran well over 150k miles with very little trouble.  Once we went to the F150 in '04, we realized how inadequate the Ranger was size-wise.  A fine truck, just too small for our needs.


Tom, the front ends on the E-150 vans suck (although they are getting better - no trouble on the newer ones yet.).  The F150 and Ranger had very little problems - I'd say much less than average.  My A6 on the other hand....let's just say the front ends have too many moving parts.  

[280Z Turbo]

You might want to order a healthy supply of ball joints, tie rods, and power steering parts, but I'm sure you know all about that :D   But seriously, you can't beat F150s for work trucks imo.  When I did landscaping last summer my boss had the '82 F-250 he bought back when he started the business.  He said he couldn't remember how many times the odometer turned over and it was still on the original 4.9L straight-six.  That thing was fun to drive and ran great.

It seems that most straight sixes are that way. It must be because a straight six has better balance.

That's why I love inline sixes!  

[280Z Turbo]

Tom, the front ends on the E-150 vans suck (although they are getting better - no trouble on the newer ones yet.).  The F150 and Ranger had very little problems - I'd say much less than average.

We've never had any front end problems either.

My Ranger is so reliable that I forget it's a truck. I think of it more of an appliance!  

[saxonyron]

You might want to order a healthy supply of ball joints, tie rods, and power steering parts, but I'm sure you know all about that :D   But seriously, you can't beat F150s for work trucks imo.  When I did landscaping last summer my boss had the '82 F-250 he bought back when he started the business.  He said he couldn't remember how many times the odometer turned over and it was still on the original 4.9L straight-six.  That thing was fun to drive and ran great.

It seems that most straight sixes are that way. It must be because a straight six has better balance.

That's why I love inline sixes!

I still have a pic of one of my first "fleet" vans - an 87 E-250 with the 4.9 straight six.  I loved that van - bought it at auction from a local plumber in 91 - she ran virtually trouble free for about 10 yrs, till she finally passed on (at which time we bought an '01 E-150.  I think it had 180Kmiles.  A truly remarkable truck! The engine was absolutely bullet proof!

[Raza]

You're a contractor?  One of the kind that does half the job, gets paid, and then leaves?  

I hate contractors.  I had half a kitchen in one of PA's coldest winters because of a contractor that ripped out a wall and never finished the job.

[saxonyron]

You're a contractor?  One of the kind that does half the job, gets paid, and then leaves?  

I hate contractors.  I had half a kitchen in one of PA's coldest winters because of a contractor that ripped out a wall and never finished the job.

rokon.gif  I sense that you have some issues here!  :blink:

No - I'm the kind who's been in business for 15 yrs, never re-incorporated, never been sued, highest reputation in the industry, no advertising - repeats and referrals only, 20 employees (who are actual W-2 career path types, not illegal aliens, cash under the table BS.  We pay 50% Blue Cross, 3 wks vacation, holidays, etc.).  We work for Boston area colleges and private schools, high end mansions, big low-end apartments, etc.  Yes, we start a job, we finish - and usually on time.  We put $100/day penalty into our own contracts so the client is protected.  Every contract should have that clause in it.

Buyer beware - most people don't pursue due diligence and actually investigate who it is who will be tearing their house apart.  They've got to call references, visit job sites, etc.  The vast majority of contractors are scumbags and have to re-incorporate every year or so (or never incorporate and run semi-legal.  I got into this business coming from a white collar engineering background.  My dad and I started this under the banner that "the one eyed man in the land of the blind would be king!"  That's proven true!  

I feel your pain, but don't curse an entire industry just because of a bad experience.  Unfortunately, scumbag contractors manage to survive because they can get away with it.  Your folks should have sued his ass off.

[Raza]

Alright, I like you again.

[saxonyron]

Alright, I like you again.

Thanks!  I'm really a likable guy - just ask my wife.  On 2nd thought, don't ask my wife....

Hey, if all contractors were scumbags, how do you think anything gets built or remodelled?  Someone must be doing all that work!  B)  

[J86]

You're a contractor?  One of the kind that does half the job, gets paid, and then leaves? 

I hate contractors.  I had half a kitchen in one of PA's coldest winters because of a contractor that ripped out a wall and never finished the job.

rokon.gif  I sense that you have some issues here!  :blink:

No - I'm the kind who's been in business for 15 yrs, never re-incorporated, never been sued, highest reputation in the industry, no advertising - repeats and referrals only, 20 employees (who are actual W-2 career path types, not illegal aliens, cash under the table BS.  We pay 50% Blue Cross, 3 wks vacation, holidays, etc.).  We work for Boston area colleges and private schools, high end mansions, big low-end apartments, etc.  Yes, we start a job, we finish - and usually on time.  We put $100/day penalty into our own contracts so the client is protected.  Every contract should have that clause in it.

Buyer beware - most people don't pursue due diligence and actually investigate who it is who will be tearing their house apart.  They've got to call references, visit job sites, etc.  The vast majority of contractors are scumbags and have to re-incorporate every year or so (or never incorporate and run semi-legal.  I got into this business coming from a white collar engineering background.  My dad and I started this under the banner that "the one eyed man in the land of the blind would be king!"  That's proven true!  

I feel your pain, but don't curse an entire industry just because of a bad experience.  Unfortunately, scumbag contractors manage to survive because they can get away with it.  Your folks should have sued his ass off.

You build stuff for prep schools at all?  Like dorms and student centres and the like?  If so i've probably been to some of your work, haha.

[saxonyron]

You build stuff for prep schools at all?  Like dorms and student centres and the like?  If so i've probably been to some of your work, haha.

We actually don't build new stuff - we do basically glorified remodelling.  Primarily environmental work - lead paint and mold issues.  Strip out the old contaminated stuff, then put it all back together.  Our specialty is antique buildings (colonials, victorians, etc.) so we get to do some pretty cool stuff.  We have a wood milling shop to replicate old moulding profiles, restore antique windows, do some intricate detail paint stripping (mantels, stairways, etc.)  I love working for the prep schools - they've got some nice taste in architecture, and they typically have a big enough wallet to do it right.

[J86]

You build stuff for prep schools at all?? Like dorms and student centres and the like?? If so i've probably been to some of your work, haha.

We actually don't build new stuff - we do basically glorified remodelling.  Primarily environmental work - lead paint and mold issues.  Strip out the old contaminated stuff, then put it all back together.  Our specialty is antique buildings (colonials, victorians, etc.) so we get to do some pretty cool stuff.  We have a wood milling shop to replicate old moulding profiles, restore antique windows, do some intricate detail paint stripping (mantels, stairways, etc.)  I love working for the prep schools - they've got some nice taste in architecture, and they typically have a big enough wallet to do it right.

Definitely.  Some of those schools have endowments bigger than most colleges...

[Raza]

Alright, I like you again.

Thanks!  I'm really a likable guy - just ask my wife.  On 2nd thought, don't ask my wife....

Hey, if all contractors were scumbags, how do you think anything gets built or remodelled?  Someone must be doing all that work!  B)

Well, if your wife isn't too keen on you, then you're definitely a good guy.  I've never met a good guy whose wife is keen on him.

:P  B)  

[saxonyron]

Alright, I like you again.

Thanks!  I'm really a likable guy - just ask my wife.  On 2nd thought, don't ask my wife....

Hey, if all contractors were scumbags, how do you think anything gets built or remodelled?  Someone must be doing all that work!  B)

Well, if your wife isn't too keen on you, then you're definitely a good guy.  I've never met a good guy whose wife is keen on him.

:P  B)

Hey, after 14 yrs, we still get along great.  That isn't to say that I don't substantially piss her off on a fairly regular basis - but it's usually because I'm working too much - she never gives me a hard time when I go out with the guys.  Show me a couple that never has a disagreement and I'll show you a P-whipped man!

(J86 - those schools should have big endowments - at $30k + a year in tuition.... :blink: )

[crv16]

I know you have a relationship with the Nashua Ford dealer, but I'd recommend checking out Autofair (http://www.autofair.com) and Portsmouth Ford (http://www.portford.com)

I get the Portsmouth flyer in the paper each week, and they have some incredible prices.  Both dealers are no-haggle.

With Autofair, you can check and see prices of all their inventory online.  Portford has a pretty crummy web site, but killer prices.

[saxonyron]

You're right about that - I've bought a couple trucks for Portsmouth already.  We actually use Gervais in Ayer, since my business manager knows the sales manager.  I tried Drum Hill, Best in Nashua, and Gervais.  The irony was the truck came from Portsmouth Ford.  They usually beat the competitors by $500 or so, but the trouble is the distance.  The 3 locals will run the plates, inspect and deliver the truck without me getting off my chair.  To buy in Portsmouth takes 2 guys the better part of the day, which outweigh the savings.  

[J86]

Alright, I like you again.

Thanks!  I'm really a likable guy - just ask my wife.  On 2nd thought, don't ask my wife....

Hey, if all contractors were scumbags, how do you think anything gets built or remodelled?  Someone must be doing all that work!  B)

Well, if your wife isn't too keen on you, then you're definitely a good guy.  I've never met a good guy whose wife is keen on him.

:P  B)

Hey, after 14 yrs, we still get along great.  That isn't to say that I don't substantially piss her off on a fairly regular basis - but it's usually because I'm working too much - she never gives me a hard time when I go out with the guys.  Show me a couple that never has a disagreement and I'll show you a P-whipped man!

(J86 - those schools should have big endowments - at $30k + a year in tuition.... :blink: )

What's amazing is the operating costs are so high.  Most of the endowment money is either really old or comes from special fundraising drives.

It's going to be cheaper having my brother in college than highschool!

[TBR]

I bet they are quite high. My uncle is a business manager for a large private school and their faculities look like crap (mostly anyway, they have gotten a lot better of late) yet he is still having trouble finding money to pay expenses. And, that is just a regular private school, the expenses of boarding schools must be much higher.