not another "what calibre" thread

[rugerman]

lol shit mate if I could afford a new ute, yeah I would be all over it like a rash
Great info, yeah I wasn't sure about the running costs on a light truck. I like to buy something with as low kms as possible, and treat it well so it lasts. Seems to be about 8-9K for a tipping trailer, then maybe 20K or so for a towing wagon. Still cheaper than a truck, and if running costs are a shitbag should be cheaper to run as well than a truck with the cof etc...
My van is only rated to 1.5ton braked, and I've put 300K on it since I've had it, so I can feel it having a bit of a whinge with the heavy trailer these days.

[ZQLewis]

2nd the one re COF. up here it a pain, long waits and they are never happy unless they fail you on something. Parts are often hard to find etc. Had a guy last month have a guy do a u turn in front of him, small bump on one corner of the cab and they have written it off as no parts available, ripples in the floor etc.
A truck will probably run you twice the running cost of a ute, but if you are running loaded all the time them that's a different story. A truck will cope better with that. In my game the guys with Vans or utes typically have to add override springs or air bags and get certified as they are loaded at around max all the time. For urban work they are great and much cheaper. However don't expect them to deal with forestry roads on a daily basis.
Z

[rewa]

With Utes, watch out for dodgy km claims in the private market, too many are rigging the odo-reading. Sometimes buying off a business with big fleets, well-serviced is the-go. Some upgrade their vehicles regularly, to keep their investments up-to-date, while other sell when theyre flogged-out

[rugerman]

Yeah I would like to stay in class 1.
I'm not worried about being able to carry material as well as the digger since it always seems to work out more than 1 load of spill so would be going back and forth a couple of times.
Running costs may be an issue since I'm only planning on doing this part time initially, since I still have my "day job" 3 days a week.

These guys do a 3.5T tipping trailer which looks like it might be long enough I can put a auger drive unit and bit attachment on the front.
Heavy Commercial 3500kg - Brent Smith Trailers

And these guys seem to sell the odd tipper truck, had my beady little eyes on this one.
https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/t...ing/3167230279

140,000km which is not too much for a diesel but may be "hard" kms