Using a Minivan for small lawn care service

[seanathen]

Good afternoon everyone! I currently use a Ford Explorer and a trailer. My operation is only a Saturday job, just for extra money. I have about 10 customers. I have all the basic equipment, and it's just me doing the work.

My Explorer gets about 11 MPG. I've been thinking of using a minivan instead. Anyone done this?

My main question is, will the mower fit sideways so I can take it in and out of the side doors, without folding the handle? Anyone ever tried this?

I'm not worried about gas fumes, all my equipment is 48V electric except the blower. I have a whole charging system in the Explorer that I would transfer over to the van.

Any input?

 

[BlazNT]

Every vehicle is different. You will just have to try and see if it fits. Or take a tape measure with you. From what I know a minivan has more space than a Ford Explorer unless you get a small minivan. And no I wouldn't be caught dead in a minivan. But to each his own.

 

[seanathen]

Thank you Blaz!

I only use the Explorer as a tow vehicle, 95 percent of my tools are in the trailer.

 

[tgriscom]

I have placed 19 and 21 inch mowers through the side door of my Town and Country. I prefer to fold the handle, but I could get it in with the handle deployed.

 

[bertsmobile1]

FWIW I used long wheel base Mitsubishi vans with loading doors both sides for my transport company and would not use anything else.
I have kitted up a few of my customers with my old vans and they are quite happy with them.
All 3 do small residential yards 1/6 to 1/2 acre so it is all walk behind stuff.
What they like the most is one touch of a button & all their gear is locked inside an alarmed vehicle as they were forever having stuff nicked from their trailers so they were spending more time fiddleing about with padlocks & chains than mowing & trimming.
Downside is the vehicle then becomes a dedicated work only vehicle and always smells like cut grass & fuel.

 

[Brownieboy]

Im sure fitting the mower in the van won't be a problem. Looking professional could be a problem though. A mini van mower service just doesnt look to professional and your customers care about how the person they hired looks. They want an expert with designer logos to do their work.

 

[seanathen]

Thank you all for the feedback. Again, this is a Sat only business for me, not a full time gig, and most of my customers are relatives, friends, or referals, so I'm not worried about how I look commercially. I already use the Explorer as a dedicated vehicle though, so that's not an issue and I'm not worried about the the smell. So, it sounds like this might work just fine for me. I'm going to have to find one with the seats out and test it.

 

[bertsmobile1]

Not sure if the product liability laws in the USA allow loading doors on the drive side of the van, but if they do get a van with loading doors on both sides , makes life so much easier than running round the van in circles.
If you end up parking some where tight you can park the off side really close but still have easy access to your tools.
We put some bars across the van sitting on the roof rails ( the 5 doors are high roof ) and the brooms , rakes tree lopers etc all sat on top and the trimmers & blowers hung off the bottom of them.
A single push mower fits almost perfectly across the back between the wheel arches and the back door without the catcher attached.
I had to fit load barriers between the load space & cab to comply with Workers Comp regs and that made an excellent hook board for visors, earmuff, gloves secateaurs etc.
A plastic 20L Jerry can type fuel container fits perfectly on the side step and gets held firm by the sliding doors so we put 1 each side 2 stroke one side & 4 stroke the other.
We put a sort of shelf in front of the right wheel arch so the big chain saw sat on the bottom with the bar flat against the wheel arch and a small trimming saw on top of it .

Just a thought to get you thinking.
Aussie vans tend to be more European ( thin ) than American ( Wide ) style

And it must have air cond otherwise the glass will end up fogged.

 

[seanathen]

Thank you Berts, that's very helpful. Yes, most minivans in the US have sliding doors on both sides. I'm thinking about a Grand Caravan, the largest of the bunch. And, I'm in Vegas, so there's no way I wouldn't get air conditioning... LOL