Well, since we're talking vehicles...... A tech/rebuilder friend of mine recently bought a Honda Element and loves it. Except for looking like a square box on wheels, it seems to work great for a piano tech. She carries grand keyboards along will all the tools needed to do a job. If I was going to buy a new vehicle, I think I'd definitely consider it. Avery At 03:48 PM 11/1/04, you wrote: >At 07:49 AM 10/27/04 -0500, Barbara wrote: > >>I'm having a hard time deciding on a new-to-me vehicle. I've had station >>wagons and sedans. ... > >Exactly one year ago (last week!) I bought a year-old Chrysler PT Cruiser >and so far I've found that it's almost the ideal vehicle for a piano >tuner. I've always said that's what the "PT" really stands for anyway. >Mine, in dark plum pearl topcoat, had 32K easy Kms on it when I bought it >(about 20K miles) and was $10K CDN less than the price of a new vehicle >with the same equipment. Other than a slightly-pitted windshield and a few >rock chips on the front it was like a brand-new car. > >The PT seems to be an excellent piano service vehicle if you don't need a >large van. I have all my tools in small individual plastic tool boxes for >each job plus a small parts box, and everything except the vacuum cleaner >fits out of sight under the lowest position of the parcel shelf. My tuning >case fits under the driver's seat. With the shelf in that position and >half the back seat folded down, there's enough flat surface for a concert >grand keyboard to slide right in. If you need lots of room the back seats >come out easily, but I've never had to do that except to clean it. It came >with a decent stereo with CD and cassette and has power door locks with a >remote as well as power windows and powered mirrors. It also came with the >"touring" package, with 16 inch wheels and slightly beefed-up suspension >so it handles very well. > >Gas mileage isn't wonderful at about 24 mpg with the auto transmission, >but a K&N air filter boosts that slightly as it does in any vehicle. I >highly recommend them anyway as they'll last longer than the vehicle in >most cases. > >Some people find the PT a little unnerving to drive because of the "blind >spot", but you soon get used to using the mirrors. The car is short enough >that it's extremely easy to park, and it's very easy to get in and out of >it. The standard engine runs on regular unleaded gasoline, unlike the >Turbo which requires premium gas. It has plenty of pep for me though. > >One other thing that's worth noting about the PT is that it's classed >either as a "van" as they do here in Canada or as a light truck, so >insurance is usually a little cheaper than it is with a sedan. I suspect >the convertible version, which isn't as practical as a service vehicle, >would be a little more to insure, especially with the Turbo option. > >It appears to be a very reliable vehicle. In the last year other than oil >changes and the K&N air filter I've spent less than $5 on it for one brake >light bulb and it's had one spark plug wire replaced under warranty. >Compared to my last car, a ten-year-old Ford Taurus wagon which cost me >more than two weeks work and a couple of thousand dollars in repairs in >the year I drove it before the engine blew up, the PT has been extremely good. > >I have a professionally lettered sign on the back window with my company >name, phone number and web site address on it and the sign, which only >cost $80, has paid for itself many times over. Almost every week I get a >call from someone who has seen the car in their neighbourhood and >sometimes I even get calls from people driving behind me, which was how I >found out the brake light didn't work.. While they're becoming quite >common, it's still an interesting enough looking vehicle that I get a lot >of comments about it from customers and even perfect strangers in parking lots. > >I have two negative comments on the car though. First is that it's a >little hard to keep clean on the outside. Automatic car washes tend to >miss some parts of it due to the shape, and the inside door sills tend to >get very dirty and need to be cleaned separately. Hand-washing the car, >preferably at a car wash is required to keep it sparkling clean. The other >is the design of the instrument panel. With sunglasses on it can be a >little difficult to read the white-faced speedometer under some >conditions, but I've gotten used to that and it doesn't really bother me >anymore. > >Now... if they'd come out with the panel-truck version I have in die-cast >models it would be even more ideal, though its use as a passenger car >might be more limited. There is an after-market panel conversion kit >available if someone wanted to go to that amount of trouble though. > >If anyone has any questions about it I'd be pleased to answer them. Email >me privately if you like, or join us on the Tuesday night chat. > > John Musselwhite, RPT > > >_______________________________________________ >pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
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