Most Reliable 2 Tonne Payload Vehicle?

tessel on 24/07/2022 - 13:09
Last edited 24/07/2022 - 18:37 by 1 other user

Any recommendations on what is the most reliable vehicle that has a payload capacity of at least 2 tonnes (not towed payload) that can be driven on a car licence and automatic (I can drive manual but I prefer auto :) )?

I'm looking for a tray but vans are fine provided it's at least 2 tonne payload. From what I can see obviously it could be a Hino 300 616 but also Ford Transit 470E, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 516 or Renault Master. There are other trays and vans that come close, around 1800kg to 1900kg, such as the Iveco Daily Tradie Made, but it has to be at least 2000kg minimum as that's the weight of the 2 x pallets I'd be moving. A quick look online shows pretty poor feedback for the Ford Transit, Renault and Sprinter. People complaining about things failing quickly and/or expensive to repair/replace. It would be primarily for moving stock but probably would also be used for deliveries, again pallets, in the future.

Thoughts? If there's a vehicle I've missed please let me know.

Edit: based on the negative feedback I've seen about most vehicles I wonder if it would be just safer to get a ute that can pull the required payload. Would probably be cheaper but downside is would require the trailer etc. I was trying to get a single vehicle solution.

Automotive

Comments

  • mapax on 24/07/2022 - 14:07
    +2

    Isuzu N series?

    • tessel on 24/07/2022 - 17:41

      Wasn't aware of this model. Thanks.

  • Presence on 24/07/2022 - 14:38

    Mercedes-Benz G-Professional comes close.

    The payload is quite Herculean: a 4,495 kilogram GVM means the vehicle can handle 2,085 kilograms from tare. You’ll have to factor a tray into this, but it’s still huge.

    But its no longer sold, so you will need to look at used.

    • tessel on 24/07/2022 - 17:43

      I had never heard of it. Exactly want I want, a ute tray 2tonne payload. Yes of course it's no longer available new 🙂

      • GordonD on 24/07/2022 - 18:47
        +2

        OP, don't know what state you're in. My state says 4.5 tonne maximum vehicle mass on a car licence. So you take a vehicle that weighs 2,410 kg with a GVM of 4,495 kg, and, sure, you can load a bare chassis up with 2,085 kg. But you've got to subtract about 300 kgs from that for the tray, so you're back to a maximum load on top of that tray of less than 1,800 kg. And that's the problem with what you want to do. Carrying a full 2 tonnes on a car licence with a limit of 4.5 tonnes total vehicle weight, means you're going to have problems finding a truck light enough. The difficulty of doing that is exactly why those trucks you named can only carry 1.8-1.9 tonnes, because they want to be able to say they come in under 4.5T GVM and can be driven on a car licence with their rated maximum load.

  • dominator293 on 24/07/2022 - 16:36
    +1

    Was going to suggest a Hino with 2.9T payload but noticed you mentioned it already :)

    • GordonD on 24/07/2022 - 19:02

      Bare chassis weighs 2065 kg, GVM is 4495 kg, so max load is 2435 kg, but weight of tray has to be subtracted from that.
      Opting for the 5500 kg model doesn't improve the situation, because the limit for a car licence is 4500 kg, and the 5500 kg model is probably heavier, spec sheet doesn't say, reducing the amount of load that can be carried on a car licence.

      So the question is, what does a tray weight? Hino says an aluminium tray weighs 310 kgs, and a steel tray weighs 885 kgs. So even with an aluminium tray you've got a maximum load 2125 kgs. With a steel tray its only 1550 kgs.

      And don't forget that pallets weigh 30-40 kgs each. A full tank of fuel (80 litres, rather than the 10 litres the vehicle weights are quoted at) will add another 60+ kgs. You don't want to be so close that if they pull you up and weigh you just after you've filled the tank, you're overweight, and you get ticketed, and have to leave the truck on the side of the road and get someone with a truck licence to drive it home. And then there's the weight of the driver, and possibly a passenger.

      Maybe you should think about getting a higher class licence if you want to carry a full 2 tonnes. Or reduce what you are trying to do to carrying a single 1T pallet load at a time on a car licence.

      • GordonD on 24/07/2022 - 20:09
        +1

        Its not hard to get an LR licence in this state. You don't have to pass an on the road test. You only need to pass a competency test on computer. That would increase your 4.5T GVM limit to 8T, and with that there's no trouble at all getting a truck that'll carry 2T. You could get the 5500 kg rated version of the Hino, and someone with a car licence could carry 1x 1T pallet on it, and someone with an LR licence could carry 2x 1T pallets.

        • tessel on 24/07/2022 - 21:12

          Hi, appreciate the info and that's why I posted here to see what I missed. In Tas we have to pass both a written and actual in vehicle test. Cost is around $1200 through an accredited provider. It's definitely something to consider but may for now be more practical to look at a trailer. Again, huge thanks for the info as it gave me plenty to think about.

  • Euphemistic on 24/07/2022 - 16:39
    +1

    No idea, but loading 2x 1tonne pallets into a van isn’t going to be easy - unless you can easily get side access.

    Think about how you will be loading it as well.

    • tessel on 24/07/2022 - 17:40
      +1

      It's doable, done it in a van. Forked it in. Obviously tray is easier hence thats my preference.

      • tessel on 24/07/2022 - 21:13

        Oh, and I wasn't carrying 2 tonnes in that van also, much less but getting two pallets in was possible but obviously not as easy as a flat tray.

        • Euphemistic on 25/07/2022 - 07:44
          +2

          At least you’ve considered it! Others would go buy a van and then wings about how useless it is because you can’t load it.

          How often do you carry 2 pallets? Maybe a single cab tray back ute plus trailer would be easier on the budget.

          • tessel on 25/07/2022 - 14:00

            @Euphemistic: I think you've hit the nail on the head. Based on the cost of the above vehicles, the poor feedback I see online I think a single cab ute with trailer is the way to go.

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