95 Dodge Dakota Club Cab with a cap over the bed.

I can load soft cans in the back without taking them apart, or stick my ten foot crane arm and ten foot dolly rails out the hatch. Since it's the club cab I can carry four people if need be. Usually I carry the camera and other expensive stuff in the cab, and gear in the back. Throw in the bags, dolly, pelican cases and then the hand truck, then lock it up. I can't imagine working without having this truck! Only a van might serve me better, but this truck drives like a car. Best vehicle I have ever owned. Best of all, it is paid for! No payments for ten years now. It's a V6 so good gas mileage too!

Audi TT convertible ... doesn't carry much but i do look good in it !!!
no problem for 3 light meters ...

2007 BMW 328i Hard top convertible

1999 Ford F250 Supercab Longbed V10, gets like 5 miles to the gallon

Drove the truck as a daily driver since 2000 until I purchased the BMW in June. Believe it or not, I have actually saved money because of the gas prices here in Central California. It cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $100 - $125 to fill the truck up, and I would have to do that sometimes 3-4 times per week. It was bad. Beemer is much more friendly on the fuel. But, it doesn't pull the trailers, so still gotta drive ol "Betsey" every now and again.

BTW, you know what I HATE about still having a truck? Everyone and their Mom wants to borrow it or they want you to come help them move. Pfssshh, Geez Louise

2004 Mercedes S500 when I am schmoozing clients over

1998 Chevy 1500 work truck when hauling gear for shoots.

Oh heck, here's pics!

My old gear wagon - nicknamed "The Beast"
450hp ZZ4 Fastburn C4 Corvette, X-Ram intake, Borla exhaust, 23mpg on the highway at 120kph, top speed 260+ kph (tested) (cough... and 12mpg in the city)
Cargo capacity: light kit, 1 large camera bag, lightstand bag, and one tripod. Optional: second tripod or light kit in the passenger seat.


My new gear wagon - nicknamed "Storm"
Stock 1997 Toyota 4Runner.
Gas mileage: better in city, worse on highway. Top speed: unknown, but possibly over 140kph.
Cargo capacity: better!!
Ability to drive in snow: Yes!

The pics are a great idea (thanks, Guy and Dylan) and it would be even more fun to see who’s driving all these cars, trucks, SUVs … :)

Ah, what the hell, I'll bite. I've got a '91 Chevy 15 passenger van, and let me tell you, I haven't spent a dime on gas in the past two months. Sure, it's sitting on the driveway in need of a transmission rebuild, but man, am I saving money on fuel!

Got it in 2002 from the Terrapin Trader at the University of Maryland (go Terps, or so the bumper sticker said) for $651. Even after some light repairs, one can't complain about a price like that. Liked it so much we went back and got a cube a few years later (the one I used in my second DVC entry, for you trivia buffs).

The van used to be one of the marching bands vehicles, rarely if ever left the campus, only had fifty-two thousand miles on it. I even found a book of routines they left in the back, underneath the couch they were apparently using in lieu of real seats. Up to about fifty-six thousand miles now, and would still be a great, reliable truck if some mental giant in the band hadn't backed into something at top speed. It'd been getting worse since we got it, finally gave up the ghost at the last inspection; couldn't back it into the bay, so that was that. Just about ready to spring for the rebuild, and it shouldn't be long before I'm waiting on someplace to go so I can drive the damned thing.

I keep the seats out most of the time, since it's usually carrying stuff (up to three thousand pounds worth; it's a passenger vehicle, but it's still a one ton), but if I so desire I can fit fourteen other people inside. Now if I only had fourteen friends, we could be going places.

Not that I'm a real gearhead myself, but for interested parties the van weighs about fifty-six hundred pounds curb, eighty-six gross (though you mathematicians probably figured that out already), and features the 350 V8 (15 city and 17 highway empty, 13 and 15 loaded, respectively; hybrid and diesel people kindly keep your smarm to yourselves), 4L80-E (not bad as far as automatic transmissions go, or so I'm told), along with the heavy duty package from the factory. This includes not only the heavy duty radiator and exhaust system, but several in-engine upgrades (valves, and the like) that I understand are no longer performed on GM vans. Fancy that. Hundred and forty-six inch wheelbase, Dana rear end, blah, blah, blah, I'd need to go find the spec book to tell you the rest, but you get the idea.

Until such time as that's running, though, I'm using a member of my dad's fleet, the '88 Chevy "pickup" (that or my mom's '97 Aerostar, but there's no interesting story behind that). Formerly a tall, enclosed, steel utility body truck from Metro North (NYC area railroad for you out of towners), the maintenance division kept the body when they sold it. The guys that won the auction put a pickup bed on to make use of the vehicle, and we in turn got it from them. Twelve thousand pound rear springs, power-steering fluid assisted brakes (Hydro- or Hydra-boost, I'm not sure), and a nice rack that we added and modified ourselves. So if anybody in the New York area wants to test their Steadicam or ruin their kidneys, give me a call, we can hit the BQE.

I've really got to cool it with the parentheticals, but I've got so many little asides! What can a guy do?

And it's the very cheapest model so the seats don't fold down. Fortunately I don't have to haul gear very often. Though about a year ago I ended up taking almost every piece of gear we own at work (2 cameras with tripods, 3 boxes of lights, a bag of stands and stuff, a bag of sound gear, and assorted junk) and it all fit as long as I didn't want to look out the back window. I drove very gently.

Then I built myself a dolly and realized everything would no longer fit. I did a lot of looking at cars then. I settled on the Subaru Outback thinking I'd rather have a station wagon than an SUV. That fantasy ended as soon as we ran the financing numbers. Oh well. I console myself with the fact that after 130k miles I still get 32 mpg going to work and 37 or so on the highway. And in the year since I haven't actually needed to carry everything I own at once. And every time I try to save up for a new car I end up finding some new piece of gear (or a trip) that I'd rather have instead.

I'll be driving this till it dies and that could be quiet a while.




I've really got to cool it with the parentheticals, but I've got so many little asides! What can a guy do?

Don't worry about it Robert. Most of my thoughts are parenthetical.

You all have very big cars! in Belgium, Europe you see a lot of Ford, volkswagen en French cars like Renault or Citroen. Japanese cars you see less because they are more expensive compared to European cars.

I drive a Renault Kangoo which is a 1500cc common rail turbodiesel, it only uses 5 liters diesel every 100km. The diesel tank is not so big but I can drive about 900kms before I have to refuel.
Here in Europe diesel is very populair, about 8 out of 10 cars sold is a diesel!

2007 Mazda RX8- Fits a small camera and a box of tapes. Not a good production car. Especially when its 20 degrees and roads are iced over. (Bill Pryor can attest to that)

2004 Pontiac Grand Prix- Can hold a small studio when the seats are down.

2007 Jeep Wrangler (2 door) with tinted windows. It holds everyting I need in the back with the rear seat removed, and if my business expands to need more room than that, I can buy a trailer to tow around.

I added a 2 way alarm system with 1 mile range, so I will know if anyone is messing with my stuff, unless I get more than a mile from my Jeep.

I remember you, Justin! You got home from Kuwait and started a video business just like you planned? Good for you! How’s it going?

I got to spend several days in and around Lawton last summer and fall because of my son’s training at Ft. Sill. Driving around Medicine Park and that area I can see why a guy might want a Wrangler. Driving in Lawton—with its huge police presence—I think maybe I know why a guy might want an alarm system in his rig. :)

I destroyed my ford explorer covering california wildfires. I was broken hearted. I took it all over. Los Angeles, Vegas, Tahoe, The Coast, Yosemite, you name it. It now sits in my garage awaiting a resurrection. So the day it died on me, I went out car shopping. I looked at other SUV's but what I saw just didn't grab me. I came across a Honda Element and loved it. Has plenty of space inside, seriously everyone that sits in it always tells me about the ridiculous amount of legspace. The back has plenty of space for my ENG gear
(cam, sticks, raincover, audio, lights, flak vest, and an extra rain jacket) It's engine is not beefy at all, but it runs very smooth. Already took it up to the mountains, and the 2wd handled just fine. Now if they just made one with microwave transmission gear...

I drive a very stylish 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan with a mere 150k miles. It gets 22mpg on the highway and can fit four kids, camping gear, six bikes and all my camera gear and be exactly what it is, a POS car not worth breaking into.

2003 Audi A4 1.8t, black/tan leather. Mint condition with only 39k miles.

2004 Pontiac Grand AM.

2005 Toyota Hilux Double Cab. 2.5l Turbo Diesel. Very comfortable for truck and gets great mileage. With a canopy cover on the back, I can pretty much haul everthing for a shoot.

Wow, I am the only one with a real truck lol.

2008 Dodge Ram 1 ton turbo diesal mega cab. Complete with Sat phone, mobile radio, sat radio built in.
Option two is 2003 Dodge ram 1/2 ton gas jobby 4X4. We need heavy duty trucks up here in the arctic with kick Azz heaters, block heater, battery blanket, oil pan heater and some even use in line water heaters.

1984 GMC Sierra Classic pick-up.

Original owner. Considering getting something newer...




Rich

I just got an '08 Toyota Corolla. It's the cheapest model, but the seats still fold down. With the seats up I can fit two small lighting kits (one with collapsible stands), my tripod, camera, and assorted accessories. If I put the seats down I can add C-Stands. Great gas mileage.

I also have an '04 Chrysler Sebring. It's a decent car, but the new Camry's are clearly a better mid-sized sedan if you're buying something new.

A while back I took a trip through upstate NY, shooting in Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse. I ended up renting a Mini Cooper for the gas mileage. No back seat, but I could still cram all of my gear plus an overnight bag into it. Sure, my tripod was coming up into the front passenger's seat, but it was an amazing drive.

You all have very big cars!

I drive a Renault Kangoo which is a 1500cc common rail turbodiesel, it only uses 5 liters diesel every 100km.

Yup, Noa. That's us here in America- land of energy gluttons. Every day in Atlanta I'll see the occasional hybrid or small car, yet I'll see dozens of Hummers, hundreds of giant SUVs (I call them SUXs 'cuz that is what they do) and huge pick-up trucks, most of which are all on the road with just one driver and empty seats and cargo beds. "But some day I might need the space!" Sheeesh.

My production vehicle is a mid-size pick-up. My other car is a pair of sneakers!

My 1995 Miata was my daily driver until I got tired of my gear falling all over me when I took a right turn. In March I bought a 2007 Subaru Impreza WRX. It doesn't handle like the Miata does, but it hauls ass when it needs to. That, and I can now transport a passenger AND my gear at the same time.

06 Nissan Frontier King Cab pickup, with a toolbox mounted in the bed for lightstands, tripod, etc. Okay mileage for a truck. I'm getting between 24 - 26 mpg. Manual transmission with cruise control. And really comfortable seats.

Jeremiah Hall

2008 Nissan Armada LE. great for hauling video and photo gear for wedding shoots, and two small kids in big ass car seats, with a giant stroller.

gear hauler

2004 Land Rover Discovery
Hold both my portabrace cases and tripod

1994 Prostar 205
Used for chase boat filming

2003 Audi A4 1.8t, black/tan leather. Mint condition with only 39k miles.

Nice car. John you think you have low mileage? Well. In 2004 I bought the exact same car of course new 2004 model. I put (Im australian so Ill do the conversions on google) 5000 miles on it, when I came over to Japan for what I thought was only going to be 3 months. Anyway thats now 3 years, my mother has been driving my car on weekends pretty much since I left and taking care of the servicing for me. I go back to Australia next month to my Audi with a massive (drum roll) 9500 miles.

Oh and also taking a Toyota ISIS back from Japan - with the seats out it fits as much as a small truck

http://toyota.jp/isis/

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2053/2197011131_5352e8be79.jpg

2002 ford focus wagon.

2007 Dodge Ram 4X4 1500 sittin on 20's, keeps Exxon's annual profits up.

1999 F-150 Lariat 4x4:
http://www.joeygowdy.net/forum/vbgarage.php?do=view&id=1

1968 Dodge Charger "General Lee":
http://www.joeygowdy.net/forum/vbgarage.php?do=view&id=155

2000 Mustang Convertible:
http://www.joeygowdy.net/forum/vbgarage.php?do=view&id=165

toyota highlander

I've had a 2002 Acura 1.7 EL since December after freelancing without a vehicle for a few years. Definitely not a powerful car, but I managed to put a camera, tripod, 50-pound light kit, sound package and sandbags in the trunk and could have had 4 more people in the car with me. 30mpg in the city, 40 on the highway.

Most of my shoots are done with company vehicles. We have a 2006 and a 2007 Dodge Calibre. They can hold a lot of gear but the overly thick segments around the windows make it really hard to see what's around you. The rear view mirror is like looking through a tunnel! I'm not sure what it's rated at but I don't think it's very good on gas.

Excellent mileage, lockable, waterproof, cargo capacity: 250 lbs. Carries gear to locations motor vehicles can't go or are not allowed. This is going to be very handy this year in Eugene at the Olympic Trials.

A 2003 Chevy Suburban! Z71! Love it, had a 2001 Tahoe but it was a little small for all our stuff. Use it for road trips with 4 guys and hunting gear and camera gear. Some trips we have to use a car toper as well.

I drive a 2007 Mini Cooper S Type with JCW tuning kit. I love it although it is hard to get a ton of equipment in it.With everything in pelican boxes, I can get my full kit in there pretty snug. You have to take the back seats out of course but it makes a pretty cool light production vehicle.

I have driven "Nigel" since 1997. It has 250K miles now and still runs good. It is built like a brick outhouse and has plenty of storage. It has carried me and gear to Central America three times, all over the US and Canada over the years. The roof rack provides extra storage, sleeping and once a refuge from a bull buffalo. Extra battery feeds an inverter, winch, and HF SSB communication . I will drive it until I die.

Jon Haskell
Rivers of the World
www.row.org

Mr. Haskell....YOU my friend have the most awesome rig on here yet. that thing is SWEET!

'94 Acura Integra Hatchback. With the back seats down, I can carry a heckuva lot of stuff. In addition to the shooting thing, I play and teach drums and, believe it or not, I can fit 2 complete drumsets in this car in the back alone (again, with seats down). With the seats up, there's not much room for any normal-sized human anyway, so I don't feel bad sacrificing the seats. This ride is enough for a full lighting, camera, and sound package, with a sound guy/gal too. And I can still see out of the back.

~~Dave

'94 Jeep Grand Cherokee (140,000k miles). The V8's doing nothing for the environment or my wallet for that matter. Rear seats are almost always down to allow for either the dog or camera and lighting package. Plenty of room for a Porta Brace 'Coffin' (wheeled production case) and the rest. Had a great run but I'm afraid my romance with Jeep products is over.

My production vehicle is a second owner 1990 Chevrolet Suburban. I built a slide out tray with high sides to hang my tripods, ladder, boom pole, etc. with velcro straps. Misc items go in heavy plastic crates, cameras and light in their cases. Dolly, track and crane all fit just fine.

1988 Toyota Camry AWD. (Important in Alaska) It just keeps running!
1992 Suburban K2500 (Alaskan sports car)
1999 Suburban K1500 (Alaskan luxury sedan)

So we spend more than $100 a week for gas, there's always room for everything and everybody.

I'm on my second Cherokee. I buy them with the 4.0 litre inline 6 cylinder with the 5 speed. I use about 9 litres per 100 kilometres when she's running right, 13 litres when she's not.

I can take all my shooting gear nearly anywhere with it in relative comfort. Unfortunately, since Jeep came out with the Liberty, I have no idea what my next vehicle will be. Possibly a Subaru Outback or Forester. I NEED 4WD or AWD as we can have snow and ice at least 6 months of the year in a bad year.

We're Grand Cherokee folks, too. We came really close to buying the Element, but we haul our boom from time to time and opted for the longer cabin. It's been great for us.

Mazda 5 sport
Mazda MX5
Mercedes 1991 Sl300 24valve

2006 - Mazda 6 with AC/DC Inverter in the glove box. Mac Based Mobile edit system to check and download P2 content at the scene so the producers walk with the footage at the end of the day. Great gas mileage for the buck.

A 2003 Chevy Suburban Z-71! I LOVE IT!! Except the gas! 19mpg highway.

A 1986 BMW 525e most of the time. Nice and economical (I think it's badged as the 528e in the US). And a 93 Jag XJ6, 3.2s, nowhere near as economical. I bought it to do up and sell on but have occasionally used it when it was needed in a film, as it was similar to one which had been used in some earlier filming.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd129/prnd321/capture26b.jpg

2005 Dodge Ram 1500 Hemi 4-door.

It can haul a LOT of stuff. 6-passenger max. I'd like to get a camper shell for it so that I can toss everything in the back. As it is, I only put stuff in the back when I have to and I lock it down with bike locks and tydowns, etc.

I'd like to get something new but my husband says No way. That may change with the gas prices though, since my truck gets something like 13mpg in the city. I've been looking at the hybrid suv from ford (?). Definately need more power than the Prius can deliver.

A 2002 Chrysler T&C All Wheel Drive mini van. I bought it one year old with 20 K miles on it. It now has 122,000 on it. It has been as far east as Virginia and it has seen the Pacific Ocean in San Diego. I got the soccer mom car and my wife got the Audi A4. How did that happen?

The car is loaded (Limited). It is extremely comfortable for long distance travel. As stupid as they seem.....the electric doors and tailgate are great when you approach the van with your hands full. Tinted rear windows and furniture pads cover everyting from prying eyes. The All Wheel Drive is a pleasure in any kind of weather. I pull the seats when necessary.

Unfortunately, they quit making AWD versions of the Dodge and T&C in 2004 when the "stow and go" seating used the space that the drive shaft took.

Besides using it for work it also tows 2 motorcycles to Colorado every summer for our annual participation in the Colorado 500 Charity Motorcycle ride.

Highway mileage is usually in the 20.5 to 22 MPG range. Towing the motorcycles (open flat trailer) about 16.5 for the trip to Colorado.

It has been a great van and almost trouble free. I upgraded the brakes to slotted/cross drilled rotors with EBC Greenstuff pads because of the trailer hauling. I am on my second set of Michlein Hydroedge tires that are good all year round and absouletly amazing in the wet.

I like the exterior design of the car and I find the new ones butt ugly. Too slab sided. Too much Jeep and Mercedes G Wagon for my taste.

I drive a 2006 Kia Sorento 4wd SUV, which costars in my weekly show on local TV, "Rapid Ralph Runs the Roads" ('We take you to places you don't even know are places') in which I travel the mountain roads of Western North Carolina.

I haul all my stuff around in a 2001 Toyota Land Cruiser. All of the back seats fold up allowing plenty of room for gear. Also, it's an extremely competent four-wheel drive so getting to almost any shoot is generally a breeze, no matter where it is or what the environmental conditions are like.

Couple other points: lots of room for passengers (seats 7), legendary reliability (I've got almost 150K miles and it runs like new), you can film moving shots straight out the back or by rigging up a jib.

Cheers,