Plumbers need to carry around all manner of tools and supplies. If you’re plumbing a large building, or even a decent sized home, you’re going to need a vehicle that has quite a bit of cargo capacity. A car isn’t going to cut it. You need a used cargo van.
With that in mind, we have evaluated a number of full-size vans, and identified five that we think are the best for a plumber. Here they are, in order from smallest to largest.
Chevrolet Express: The smallest van on our list, the Chevy Express, has a cargo volume of 284.4 cubic feet maximum, length being 146.2 inches, height 53.4 inches, and space between wheel wells 52.7 inches. The most powerful engine available is the turbodiesel V8. This van is relatively small when it comes to the full-size class, but handles well and would probably suit most residential plumbers.
Ford E-350 Econoline: The Econoline has a maximum volume of 309.4 cubic feet, length being 140.6 inches, height 51.9 inches, and space between wheel wells 51.6 inches. The 6.8 liter V10 is the most powerful engine. It performs well in traffic, and you’ll find you can merge and pass without difficulty.
Nissan NV 2500/3500 HD: The Nissan NV has a cargo capacity of 323.1 cubic feet, length being 120 inches, height 76.9 inches, and space between wheel wells 54.3 inches. The 5.6 liter V8 is the most powerful engine available. There’s not a whole lot more space than with the Express or the Econoline, but again, it should work well for most residential plumbers.
Ford Transit: Here’s where we up the ante, with 496 cubic feet of cargo space, length being 171.5 inches, height 81.4 inches, and width between wheel wells 54.8 inches. The 3.5 liter twin turbo V6 is the most powerful engine, and since it delivers 350 hp and 400 lb-ft torque, you won’t care that you can’t get the Transit in a V8.
Ram ProMaster: You won’t get much bigger than the ProMaster, with maximum cargo capacity of 529.7 cubic feet, length being 160 inches, height 85.5 inches, and width between wheel wells 55.9 inches. This van isn’t built for speed, but it is huge, and very reliable.
Of the vans we’ve reviewed, these five stand out as the ones best fit for a plumber.
