Used pickup truck for diving?

[lexvil]

I have a giant pig of a truck, it rarely moves anywhere, 13mpg, my favorite dive vehicle was a 2010 Prius, 40mpg with only 3 functional cylinders but it died,

20k new as a replacement Prius with 100,000 miles was the same price or more due to the pandemic shortages and crazy used prices, 35mpg loaded. Diving is 3.5 hours away and I go pretty much every wee.

 

[BoltSnap]

I have a giant pig of a truck, it rarely moves anywhere, 13mpg, my favorite dive vehicle was a 2010 Prius, 40mpg with only 3 functional cylinders but it died,
View attachment 709826
20k new as a replacement Prius with 100,000 miles was the same price or more due to the pandemic shortages and crazy used prices, 35mpg loaded. Diving is 3.5 hours away and I go pretty much every wee.

Does it come in man colors?

 

[lexvil]

Does it come in man colors?

Being comfortably straight I’ve never worried about such things.

 

[BoltSnap]

Being comfortably straight I’ve never worried about such things.

Hahahaha

 

[Belzelbub]

Any advice on what to look for in a used pickup truck for diving?

• I don't need 4WD, but I also don't want it to be low to the ground like a car.
• Need a smaller truck for sure. I live in a big city and a big truck will be too hard to park.
• Need a locking bed cover
• Prefer 2 doors with extended cab
• Prefer seat material that can get wet
• Prefer American brands, but I sure like the Toyota Tacoma
• $15,000 budget

$15K budget is going to push it back a few years, which might actually work in your favor. Smaller trucks are largely non-existent due to CAFE standards. Different MPG requirements based on size of vehicle, so most of the compact trucks grew.. For example, an older Ranger is much smaller than a newer Ranger. The current Ranger is not too much smaller than an F-150.

Tacoma is what I would look at. Same issue though. You need to go back to 2004 or so for the smaller version. Current version is larger.

Covers for the seat if you are worried about getting them wet.

I drive a big truck, which would not be good in a tight city situation. Mine has leather seats, so if I'm still a bit damp, I just throw a towel down not a big issue.

A truck is a good vehicle for dive gear. All the wet stuff can go in the bed and be rinsed easily when you get home. One thing to look for, though, is a way to secure tanks in transit. My truck has Utilitrack along the walls and the floor. The floor tracks are great as I can use those to lay the tanks down. Even if it doesn't come with track, you can probably install your own, or perhaps roll-control racks.

 

[macado]

Cargo van. Gear stays secure and you can gear up in rain/snow/bad weather.

I realize it's not the most flashy vehicle but it works especially when all the cool kids in cave country seem to have pick-up trucks. I get 19-20mpg. Front wheel drive with ATV tires works well in snow, sand, and mud. I'd love the 4x4 Sprinter but it's $$$$

 

[Lorenzoid]

Cargo van. Gear stays secure and you can gear up in rain/snow/bad weather.

I realize it's not the most flashy vehicle but it works especially when all the cool kids in cave country seem to have pick-up trucks. I get 19-20mpg. Front wheel drive with ATV tires works well in snow, sand, and mud. I'd love the 4x4 Sprinter but it's $$$$

Does that have windows in the back or is it a true commercial cargo van? I'm told that in Florida vans without windows are considered commercial and need to stop at the agricultural inspection stations.

 

[macado]

Does that have windows in the back or is it a true commercial cargo van? I'm told that in Florida vans without windows are considered commercial and need to stop at the agricultural inspection stations.

I've got no windows in the back on this van although you can buy them with side and/or door windows. I'm not sure if I am supposed to but I've never stopped at any of the agricultural inspection stations nor have I been flagged or stopped by police.

Unrelated but this van is registered in Massachusetts as a normal passenger vehicle. I've got no commercial plates or anything. I've heard some people have had issues getting normal insurance for cargo vans but it wasn't an issue for me.

I do however know another person with a legitimate box truck and he has been stopped.

 

[Marie13]

WeatherTech floor mats and cargo area mat.

The back seats are never down in my Escape. They don’t fold flat. Keeping them up also contains all the tanks in back.

 

[Tracy]

I always thought a transit connect would be nice. Small but very tall inside... could easily be a change room as well...
Maybe need airbags in the coil springs...
It would get good mileage, and can be a mini sprinter.
A work vehicle will not have to many window....View attachment 709810

This my daily driver. I bought it for hauling dive gear back and forth to the boat and to Florida. It gets about 25 mpg on the freeway and has a one ton payload capacity. It holds 7 T bottles or two divers gear for about any level of technical diving. Mine is a 2019, the older body style got better mileage, but didn't have the niceties. I put about 40k per year on it, almost all of it loaded to capacity. I bough the passenger model with no rear seats. Interest rate and insurance are cheaper with windows. They are tinted black.