Company vehicles, anybody beat on theirs?

[slowdime]

Originally Posted By: Shannow
I get ragged on for "taking a car home for a service"...I don't have a company car, but use one when I have to travel.

One Sunday before a 200 mile round trip, I found it 1qt low on oil, which I topped up with Delo Gold Ultra from my own stash, and 3 litres down on coolant (which I bought on my corporate CC, and put in the trunk (Subaru Forrester)...

workmates saw it in the trunk and asked what for...then came the 3 years and counting of ribbing.



Too bad you're given a hard time for something you went out of your way to do when you didn't have to.
I do countless little extra jobs at work that I don't need to do but improves things for everyone. Like cleaning and greasing the wheels of a gurney so it can be maneuvered quickly, fixing and cleaning wheelchairs and other equipment, and making repairs to the [censored] plumbing. Being the only one technically and mechanically inclined in a workplace makes you an asset=job security

 

[Nick R]

Well, At one point back in the spring I was travelling for my work, and I was driving a few different company and rental vehicles. There was a brand new Camry which I drove like I drove my car. But there was a Ford Transit Connect, which I basically had to beat the snot out of, because it was so underpowered (had to have stuff loaded in the back). 130HP plus 4 speed auto plus van don't equal good time. Pretty much at or near WOT to get up to speed at any reasonable rate.


Then I was driving Ryder rental trucks for 2 months. 16' Ryder trucks with the 5.2L Isuzu Diesel engine. That was, no joke, WOT from every single stop except in traffic. Even at WOT it took about 30 seconds to get to 60mph.

Other than that I haven't had to deal with company cars, so if I was "Abusing" them, it was out of necessity, with the fact that it was slow as [censored].

 

[Jarlaxle]

That's how most commercial trucks are driven...considering they still go 250,000+ miles, I wouldn't worry about it! Heck, I have been WOT for 3-4 MINUTES in the 26' trucks I drive many times.

 

[wander2039]

I give them a Italian tuneup on occasion but that's it. Our dedicated vehicle gets treated well and I even took it home to clean it. If I'm driving something it'll be clean and good working order.

 

[eljefino]

I had a work truck in college and we had a farm tank with hand fuel pump... 20 cranks per gallon. I always left it full.

We had an early 80s chevy 1-ton, I noticed the oil pressure at 15 PSI cold. Put 4 quarts in and it was back up to 60. When I wasn't looking it threw a rod and they replaced the 350 with a 305 "because we don't need to go that fast."

Then I worked at a tire shop, the worst trucks were 5 year old tradesman models. Rolling ashtrays, shot front ends, utter contempt for the machinery from people who make their living fixing stuff-- plumbing, drywall, whatever. I figured they'd be "handy" with their vehicles/ tools... nope!

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Its not uncommon for OTR trucks to be run foot to the floor on the highway. 80,000 pounds, even on modest hills, requires a bit of fuel and air.

 

[Hokiefyd]

I don't abuse vehicles in general, and the same goes for cars that aren't mine. I used to rent more cars than I do today, but I still drive cars from a motor pool regularly. When I'd rent a car, I'd carry it home and wash it before I left for my trip. I'd also check the oil and I drove it with respect, as I do my own vehicles.

Having said that, I think "abuse" is a relative term. Some people believe that anymore more than half throttle is abuse. Others see no problem with jumping curbs, as long as they do it under 30 mph. I fall somewhere in the middle (as I do with on most conversational topics).

 

[EA82]

I own my work van now and I take care of just like I try to take care of my other vehicles. When I used to drive a company vehicle I would try to remind the superiors that it was time for an oil change or tune up or brake service and all I got back was " it's not in the budged ". After a while I stopped givin a you know what, if they didn't care about it I sure wasn't going to, unless it was a safety concern.

 

[Danno]

Originally Posted By: DoubleWasp
I treat my company vehicle very very well.




False, driving it offroad like you do, is clear abuse !

 

[NHGUY]

Don't thrash those E Vans.The replacement will be the Transit vans Ford is bringing in now and those will probably withstand zero abuse.

 

[spackard]

Many years ago when I visited one of my relatives in Iowa her son was a handyman with a very dented, oxidized van.

"I'll fix anything, except this van" was painted on its side.

 

[IndyIan]

Originally Posted By: NHGUY
Don't thrash those E Vans.The replacement will be the Transit vans Ford is bringing in now and those will probably withstand zero abuse.

We had one of the many passenger E vans for tree planting. It was quite impressive the amount of abuse it could take, daily pounding on logging roads through washouts hard enough to make the roof pop down for a second, nice drifts around the corners...
Eventually a shock mount popped off the rear axle but it didn't seem to slow it down too much.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted By: IndyIan
Originally Posted By: NHGUY
Don't thrash those E Vans.The replacement will be the Transit vans Ford is bringing in now and those will probably withstand zero abuse.

We had one of the many passenger E vans for tree planting. It was quite impressive the amount of abuse it could take, daily pounding on logging roads through washouts hard enough to make the roof pop down for a second, nice drifts around the corners...
Eventually a shock mount popped off the rear axle but it didn't seem to slow it down too much.


I secretly want to buy a E250 or E350 for a tow vehicle.

 

[zzyzzx]

Originally Posted By: slowdime
One of the nurses was driving the van shortly after we got it brand new and managed to back into someone's car and do a bit of body damage, the thing didn't even have 100 miles on it yet!
It's a nearly 100% female line of work


Obligatory woman driver comment.

 

[SLCraig]

Originally Posted By: 02SE
Bottom line: How you treat property that doesn't belong to you, is a pretty good indicator of ones character, or lack thereof.

Honestly this is how I feel. I don't ruin rental cars when I drive them, I just drive them as I would drive my own.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: SLCraig
Originally Posted By: 02SE
Bottom line: How you treat property that doesn't belong to you, is a pretty good indicator of ones character, or lack thereof.

Honestly this is how I feel. I don't ruin rental cars when I drive them, I just drive them as I would drive my own.


Yup

I always spray the hinges/locks on our work vehicles when I have one, check the oil, top up the washer fluid....etc.