2004 Ford F150 FX4 Supercab - work
1999 Mercury Cougar - fun

I drive old school - 1988 VW cabriolet. My VW mechanic swears by these cars and said I got a deal at $500. I've maybe put another $400 so far to get it mechanically sound, but the thing gets mid 30 mpg on the highway and close to 30mpg in the city. Gas prices have me smiling at how little I have to put gas in it. I drive only when I have to. Local errand running around town is either the car or my custom single speed commuter bicycle when I have less than a couple miles to travel for errands.

I drive a 4 door soft-top H1 Hummer. I have the wagon extension for the soft top when I need to carry lots of gear. It allows me to carry all the gear I need, but I am limited to 4 people max (including myself). We are thinking about buying a couple year old Ford Excursion to use for the company so we can carry talent and gear. Being located in Las Vegas we tend to go out and shoot in the desert a lot and an SUV is perfect for that.

If we are not going off road I have a Kenworth with living quarters. It is not ideal because it is designed for carrying my car, but it gives us more than enough room in the back for gear and a nice air-conditioned living area with a kitchen and bathroom/shower. This really helps when we are trying to shoot in the summer heat. (Of course I could never justify this expense for the company at this point, but I have the truck from my hobby so we get double use out of it - more info at www.CureCFracing.com )

If it is just me and a single model running around town for solo content we tend to use my daily driver which is an 01 Viper.

P.S. Yea I love my life :-)

Thanks!

Bill

heh at the other end of the spectrum from the Hummer, I have a Vauxhall (gm) corsa with a huge! 1.3 litre cdti engine. Its great for hills and narrow windy roads, perfect for holidays and 70mpg. With fuel costing a fortune these days the economy rocks. I'd love an f150 (again), and a toyota hilux for when the f150 breaks (often as its a ford). Fuel prices in Europe are insane, £1.30 a litre for diesel right now, for an imperial gallon thats £5.85 or $11-$12 an imperial gallon.
It alledgedly does 72mpg but 65mpg is more realistic.

Yea fuel costs certainly hurt now-a-days. H1 ~ 12mpg; Viper ~ 10mpg; Kenworth ~ 5.5mpg My daughter drives a mini-cooper and it is amazing how far it goes on a tank of gas. Certainly makes me jealous.

Bill

Yea fuel costs certainly hurt now-a-days. H1 ~ 12mpg; Viper ~ 10mpg; Kenworth ~ 5.5mpg My daughter drives a mini-cooper and it is amazing how far it goes on a tank of gas. Certainly makes me jealous.

Bill

I think your figures will be in US gallons which is 3.8 liters, whereas an imperial gallon is 4.5 liters so I think that makes the corsa about 50mpg instead of 65mpg.
I cant wait for the next fuel to get mainstream. As soon as we get off our asses with fusion stations we will have enough clean energy to go large scale with hydrogen. I would imagine that would leave certain oil producing countries unhappy.

I have such car envy, I drive a Porsche twin turbo, and on order for a Spyker 12 cylinder, neither of which is large enough to hold me and even a point and shoot :(

One of these days I will get a truck, but I like minivans so much better, I just cannot bring myself to buy one. Rent or borrow, no problem, but actually be a minivan owner that will make me feel like I am getting older and more practical. thats so not me :(

I have such car envy, I drive a Porsche twin turbo, and on order for a Spyker 12 cylinder, neither of which is large enough to hold me and even a point and shoot :(

Ah Stephen,

You can certainly get a point and shoot in the car with you. You just have to have your talent hold it on her lap :-)

The Viper actually has a decent amount of space in the rear hatch area. I can carry my porta-brace with video set up and a seperate smaller porta-brace for my still set-up. I have to be shooting natural light though. No room to bring any lights along.

The girls love it when I pick them up in the car though. It is way more popular with them than the Hummer. Surprisingly they all seem to love the Kenworth too though.

What is your Twin? I c-drove a C4 I believe is the model reference in a recent endurance race. Interesting driving an all wheel drive when I am used to racing rear wheel drive. It was an amazing car for being almost completely stock! Porsche has really refined the design over the years!

Bill

911 turbo, 480 stock HP, I have twin bosch superchargers pumping it up to about 600 :/

And all wheel drive is strange coming from the 928's and older muscle cars, and even different from the rear wheel drive 911's its more stable through turns though, it pushes and pulls

I used to have a Chevy S-10, 4 dr, 4wd until it died. I am currently using a 97 Chevy Camaro Z-28 which gets decent mileage (25 mpg hwy). I have refined my packing and I can get 2 large light kits with a total of 9 lights/stands/light controls etc., plus a 4 tube Kino-Flo, 2 tripods, audio package, 13" monitor, full BetaCam package, batteries, power supplies, back-up camera (Sony HVR-V1U), stingers, dimmers, black wrap, galf tape, slate, back drops and probably some things I don't remember inside the Camaro. And I still have some room left over.

Ok, so this is a bit different.

I live in the very hot Arizona desert, and my AC just went out. Yuck! Luckily it's cooler here now so I have some time to get a replacement car.

I'm in the process of car shopping and I'm trying to figure what I should get. Being a full time Commercial Video guy, and a part time Independent Filmmaker, I'm trying to figure out what vehicle would best fit my needs for equipment and all that jazz.

So, I'm just curious what everybody else is uses to haul their gear, and why they use what they use.

I think it's pretty relevant to being productive in our industry.

Looking forward to all your responses!

1973 VW bus named Dante the Hellrider. Locking camera case bolted under the bench seat that locks also. Lots of room for chargers, tripods, odds and ends. I setup the table in the back for editing and hook the laptop right into the vehicles stereo. You can cook, eat, sleep and even use it as a blind for nature photography. Although critters might find a bright, orange vehicle to be a bit out of place. It's worked great for me but then again, I'm editing a VWcentric travel doc right now too. ;)

I recently got a Scion XB, and it works out very well as a gas-efficient light production vehicle. It's short, so real long stuff (crane, 2x4s, etc) is a bit tough, but the gas mileage is awesome and it's a fun car to drive too.

'91 Toyota Land Cruiser with 251K miles
Perfect for hauling gear :)
It's the company "car".That's the twin of my wife's car. I like them.

I do the offroad thing from time to time with my daily driver as well:

It's an '85 4Runner sensibly modified for occasional offroad use, including +4" springs, 35" MTR's, a wider '89 rear axle with 4.88 gears and lockers in front and rear diffs, intake, header, port n' polish work, 9000lb winch, a bunch of square tube steel poorly fabricated into bumpers and rocker guards, hand throttle, removable cup holder, relocated ECU, trimmed wheel wells, dual TC reduction units, Mike Huckabee bumper sticker, CB, onboard air compressor and welder, and front round headlights and grille stolen from an '80 pickup. Frightens Al Gore, hauls much cargo, yet still gets a sensible 22mpg.

The guy standing in front of it is a real jerk, by the way.

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o225/tc4keith/Crozet%20Oct%2007/crozetsept0718.jpg

LOL! I love it. And I love the picture, too. Thanks for making my night, Kevin. :)

I had a 2005 VW GTI but sold it because it started to get to small, and bought a 1988 Jeep Cherokee with 130,000 miles on the OD. So now I have tons of room, 4x4, large roof rack and poor mileage :) haha.

heres a photo with the roof rack loaded and the entire back full, after that trip i rebuilt the rear springs.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3076/2543622986_f3e2ab2685.jpg

Actually here is a better photo.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3182/2486740764_2e0fdf6415.jpg

I drive a 2005 Nissan Terrano (called Terrance)

and a 1972 Series 3 Landrover (called Big Ron)

and a 1979 Mini Clubman Estate (called Missy)

and a 1989 Mini Saloon (called Mervyn)

It's a nice balance between them, 55 mpg from the Clubman Estate, speed from the Mini Saloon, real off road and bad weather work from the Landy and long distance comfort with lot's of gear in the Nissan.

The great thing is the 3 classic cars are rising in value, are cheap to insure, cheap for me to mend and the Landrover even is free of car tax in the UK :-)

2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee with only 58k. i want to see how long i can keep it, besides I don't see anythingout there i would just LOVE to have.

Yea fuel costs certainly hurt now-a-days. H1 ~ 12mpg; Viper ~ 10mpg; Kenworth ~ 5.5mpg My daughter drives a mini-cooper and it is amazing how far it goes on a tank of gas. Certainly makes me jealous.

Bill

You could swap that Viper for a Corvette Z06 and double your gas mileage and triple your cargo space... :)

Did I hear someone say Z06? Yum!!! :)

With everything in my large backpack I ride either my Kawasaki Vulcan 500, or my Sonic 50cc scooter. Not only do I get great mpg (90mpg for the scooter), but I can park almost anywhere and fit through the gaps in a traffic jam to get to my destination on time. :-)

My old Tahoe is failing and I’m afraid it’s time to trade. Looking back through these posts I had specific criteria in mind while reading what you all have: haul all my gear (obviously) AND, when I’m not doing video it needs to comfortably haul my three border collies! All the raves about the Honda Element got me wondering so I did a search, and look what I found here! http://automobiles.honda.com/element/reviews.aspx

I guess I can do without 4WD—I only used it about four times last year, but my question to you Element owners is this: Do the windows in the back go all the way down so my dogs can stick their heads out? :)

Hey Lorinda!

I'm Austin, Bill Davis's Australian Shepherd.

I can confirm that my dad's Element is REALLY cool to ride in!. He likes it because he can literally take a hose and clean it out after we've been somewhere dusty or muddy.

I like it more when he takes the rear seats completely out, cuz it leaves a LOT of glass exposed so I can watch the world go by, but I understand that that's a lot more complicated than just simply hooking the seats up with the carabiners - and I'd rather go with him more than having him HAVE to mess with pulling the seats.

About the only thing that makes me crazy about the Element is that sometimes he pulls the interior floor panel out to use it in "picnic table" mode with the optional legs, and a few months ago, he didn't notice when part of a sandwich fell down there behind the spare tire.

Everytime we went any place for a few months, it drove me CRAZY because I could smell the food down there and I couldn't get at it!!!

Unfortunatly no, the rear windows don't roll down. They just crack open to allow air flow. But Dad's not a big fan of letting me hang my head out during driving for a couple of reasons, one being that he had a friend when he was young who did a bunch of freeway driving like that with four legged buddy, and the wind blast messed up the poor dogs eyesight. Refer: http://www.expertvillage.com/video/5051_pet-travel-windows.htm - (OK the "doggles" thing is just WEIRD. But still.)

My advice? Go for it. The cool stuff far outweighs the imperfections!

YMMV (your mileage may vary) - but it'll typically stay between 20 and 25 mpg!

Enjoy.

Nice meeting you, Austin! Sounds like you've got it made there, buddy. Next time ol' Bill drops some food down the crack just give him heck. He'll get it for you. :)

I should have mentioned that my dogs are getting old and don't get around well anymore, so all I do is cruise around the farm and neighborhood (still rural, for now) letting them patrol from the rig. That's why it was so important for me to put the windows down. In the Tahoe the back windows only go about four inches, and my dogs aren't quite tall enough for that to be much fun.

On the other hand, it looks like it would be easier getting them in and out of the Element. My back isn't enjoying lifting them that much and they're too unsteady for a ramp.

Thanks, Austin, for the great review, and tell Bill I said "thanks" as well!

Edit: I've seen dogs wearing doggy goggles before. Mine would have a fit, but some dogs seem to think they're cool!

Hey Lorinda, (I wrestled the computer back from Austin!)

Since you mentioned that your boys are on the old-side, I should note that the Element has a pretty significant ground clearance - great for off-roading, but it makes it a bit tougher for an older dog to jump in.

People too, actually. We added the optional sidebar step tubes when we bought it since Linda's mom was getting frail and she found the extra step very useful in help her get up and down.

So when you go for your test drive, you might want to bring the kids along and see how they handle getting in and out.

Just a thought.

Take care.

2008 Honda Odyssey EX-L w/RES. the dvd and video inputs were great!
took it on a trip to DC, and on the way back took turns watching the footage
on the monitor, AND captured it to a hard drive thanks to the power outlet in the
back.

that sounds niceee

2002 VW GOLF TDI. Great milage 47 around town and up to 55 on the open road.

I took the rear seats out and I've got plenty of room in the back for lots of gear and luggage for long road trips or short hauls.

My dog used to like it too. I'll have this car for quite a while.

Bryan

If you're getting 55mpg in that car you need to call up General Motors and sell them the technology. Who needs a Prius.

I'm Austin, Bill Davis's Australian Shepherd. Never pass up an opportunity to post photos.

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f103/KQ6WQ/Honda_USA.jpg

2006 Honda Big Ruckus, 63 MPG (city).

Here's my link to my scooter page:
http://web.mac.com/bobdiaz/Site/Scooters.html

Bob Diaz

I'm Austin, Bill Davis's Australian Shepherd.
Never pass up an opportunity to post photos.
Agreed. I pictured Austin in a chair at Bill’s desk, but now I’m starting to wonder if they share a laptop on the floor. :)

Bill, here’s close-ups of my crew. I get to vacuum often to keep the hair off my gear. (It's dogs or gear--never together.) Also thought I’d throw in a pic of Riley’s wheels since that’s the topic. ;)
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a215/ljeanne/4in1.jpg

Now, we'd sure like to see Austin at work on the computer...or in his Element...

2002 VW GOLF TDI. Great milage 47 around town and up to 55 on the open road.

I took the rear seats out and I've got plenty of room in the back for lots of gear and luggage for long road trips or short hauls.

My dog used to like it too. I'll have this car for quite a while.

Bryan

If you're getting 55mpg in that car you need to call up General Motors and sell them the technology. Who needs a Prius.

I saw a recent report on a test of an Audi 1.8 TDI driven on a mixture of roads in England from commuter traffic to the M1 (?) motorway. They acheived an overall mileage of 50.3 in something like 1000 miles of driving. So it seems likely that VW could do something similar. Now if diesel just wasn't 70+cents a gallon more than regular gas.

I drive a Pontiac vibe.

One of the promotion fliers for the vibe had someone hauling a Canon XL2 (I use a XL-H1 but it was close)

This wasn't the selling point on the car but it didn't hurt it.
Mainly I got it cause of good gas mileage.

2007 Toyota Tundra Crewmax.....

gas mileage sucks, but it tows a trailer like a beast, the crew does not gripe that there is not enough legroom in the back, and with the truck bed there is plenty of room for luggage, gear, and coolers.

we also have a 2004 explorer sport trac. I only use this for trips to the oil leases since it has 4WD, and not as much space, but is still a pretty good option if the MRS takes the big truck.

Even with gas at 4 bucks a gallon, I still think it is necessary to have a big vehicle....call me nuts, but not having to listen to a gripy crew is worth less MPG

I drive an '04 F250 with the big extended cab and the long bed. Gas mileage sucks (around 12-14) but there's literally nothing I can't haul with that truck. Put a heavy duty battery in it, get a powerful inverter, and I can run any and all video/audio equipment off my battery. I actually ran a full 24 channel tracking studio (sans outboard gear) off of my truck battery for about three hours one day. I'm also in the process of developing shockmounts in the bed for my sticks so I can run my camera in the bed of the truck while I drive (primarily for sporting events). I'm also involved in rescue and fire-fighting, so there's plenty of room for that gear as well and I can stick a loaded stretcher in the bed for getting a patient out of the boonies where the ambulances don't come...

Gas hurts, but the truck is a beast and I wouldn't trade it for anything--except a newer one or an F350.

After a trip to the shop with the Tahoe it looks like I may be able to put off getting a new rig. To celebrate, today I bought a friend’s little trailer for my gear! No more rummaging through the big tub for what I need (it’s always on the bottom), no more excuses for leaving things home. It's kind of small but I’ve been wanting something like it for a long time.

Now if I can just keep ol’ Blue running...

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a215/ljeanne/trailer.jpg

After a trip to the shop with the Tahoe it looks like I may be able to put off getting a new rig. To celebrate, today I bought a friend’s little trailer for my gear! No more rummaging through the big tub for what I need (it’s always on the bottom), no more excuses for leaving things home. It's kind of small but I’ve been wanting something like it for a long time.

Now if I can just keep ol’ Blue running...

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a215/ljeanne/trailer.jpg


Nice trailer. That seems perfect for independent productions.

<img src="http://www.chaophrayamuaythai.com/images/journey/large/37.gif">

The Unit has a white panel van that we move in...

personally I ride a Specialized Allez Elite...

but if I HAVE to drive then it's the Mini Cooper...

After a trip to the shop with the Tahoe it looks like I may be able to put off getting a new rig. To celebrate, today I bought a friend’s little trailer for my gear! No more rummaging through the big tub for what I need (it’s always on the bottom), no more excuses for leaving things home. It's kind of small but I’ve been wanting something like it for a long time.

Now if I can just keep ol’ Blue running...

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a215/ljeanne/trailer.jpg

nice... That's the stuff!...

1997 Ford Transit diesel. It's good on fuel,I can get all my kayaking kit in/on the roof and I can sleep in it.

Audi Q7 4.2 V8 TDi diesel. Great for schlepping gear around and acceptable mileage.

1999 Ford Puma

2001 vw passat wagon, with roof racks!-- love it!

2007 Mustang GT "Ford Racing" (Black with Silver Stripes, Black Shelby wheels)

1968 Dodge Charger "General Lee Replica":
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/members/joey-gowdy-albums-joey-s-1968-dodge-charger-picture114-joey-paul-gowdy-his-general-lee-replica.jpg

1999 Ford F-150 4x4:
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/members/joey-gowdy-albums-joey-s-1999-ford-f-150-4x4-picture108-joeys-1999-ford-f-150-4x4.jpg

'06 Dodge Magnum R/T. Since I'm my own crew it holds all my gear in the boot. It's comfortable as hell and it'll get 25 on the highway and about 17 in town.

Yeah, it's got a Hemi.

I drive a 1983 Jeep CJ-7. She might have a little rust, and a hard top would be great, but it gets the job done. I can get up to 30 miles a gallon on the road and can go anywhere! An all-around great vehicle.

Yellow Mercedes Vito Dualliner. Car like ease of driving with van usability plus the giant rear door makes a good rainshield.

3.0 sport X-type Jaguar + we have a VW T4 van converted camper for weekends and big jobs requiring lots of gear!!