hey scott, I see you picked the thread that most suited your situation, but there is a box you can click to start a new discussion in the upper right corner of the page. feel free to start one anytime.
I don t have any experience with the mini, but have heard here that they have reliability problems.
the civic and corolla are very popular here
@FoDaddy, the UPS version was just an example of the Grumman type van. And don’t expect it to be available as a live-in vehicle. I have seen people use them that way when I was much younger. Carnivals seem to be warm weather events. I imagine when winter comes, they move south. Anyway, just a thought about low cost accommodations while on the road.
We used these vehicles as flightline maintenance trucks in the Air Force to shuttle the troops and equipment between the shops and the aircraft. I’ve shared the driving responsibilities often and ridden in them daily when not driving, in both North Dakota and in Guam. They should DEFINITELY not be considered as having any climate control whatsoever, nor would I recommend them for highway use. And as far as being economical… forgettaboutit.
The generic term for these types of trucks is “metro vans”, jus in case you decide to search for one.
But I still think that at 20 years old it’s time for your son to begin to become aware that his decisions carry responsibilities and consequences. The dad in me says “don’t do this”. As OK4450 suggested, this will not likely end well.
If neither you, nor your son, can afford a major problem on a $3k vehicle, you need to rethink this through more thoroughly; especially if even routine maintenance will hinder you. Even more so if he plans on living in it.
Think about this:
If he’s going to live in a popup trailer, or the vehicle, will he run the vehicle all night if it gets too cold so he can stay warm?
Will restroom facilities be readily available so he might shower before or after work?
What will he do when, not if, the vehicle breaks down, it’s in the shop and neither one of you has the money to fix it? Will you give him bus/plane fare to come home? Will he live with another carnie temporarily?
What happens if he gets into a wreck and can’t afford to fix it, even with the insurance money?
I don’t understand how things work in this kind of field but another issue of concern to me would be how this is looked at from an employee and/or workers compensation viewpoint.
If the jousters are looked at as piece workers and self-employed then that gets into the issues of what happens if a debilitating injury occurs…