making the best choices caring for your vehicle

Box trucks offer a highly versatile way to deliver products, materials and equipment to your customers and worksites. For many small businesses, buying a used box truck offers an excellent value, plus owners can maximize their investment through long-term ownership.

There's plenty to consider when it comes to purchasing a used box truck from a company like http://www.arrowtruck.com/. The following offers an in-depth guide to choosing the best box truck for your needs.

Gasoline or Diesel?

One of the first choices to consider when looking for a reliable box truck is what type of engine you'll want to use. Most medium-duty box trucks offer a choice between gasoline and diesel engines. Each engine has its own set of advantages:

• Diesel engines provide more torque at low RPMs than what most gasoline engines are capable of. This makes it much easier to start your box truck from a standstill when carrying heavy loads. Diesel engines also tend to last longer than their gasoline counterparts due to their robust design.
• Gasoline engines are usually less expensive to purchase, maintain and fuel than diesel engines. This could be a deciding factor if the operating costs of diesel engines go beyond what your maintenance budget can comfortably bear.

Whether you choose gas or diesel depends on a broad range of factors, including how long you expect to own your box truck. The type of load you'll regularly carry will not only determine your truck's maximum gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR), but also whether a diesel engine will be the only option available. Gas engines are typically available in class 3 and 4 trucks, but higher classes may offer diesels as the only available option.

Cab Forward or Conventional?

Another choice you'll have to make when choosing a box truck is whether you want to purchase one with a conventional high cab or a low cab-forward design. A conventional design places the cab behind the engine, creating the trademark nose that's prominent on nearly all conventional trucks. This setup offers improved long-distance visibility and better comfort for highway driving. However, conventional cab trucks are longer and harder to maneuver in tight spaces than cab-forward trucks.

A low cab-forward (also known as "forward control") design places the cab over the front axle with the engine located aft of the cab. This gives drivers better overall visibility and makes the box truck more maneuverable in tight spaces. However, placing the cab over the front axle also gives cab-forward trucks a harsher ride than their conventional counterparts.

Do You Need a Body Style Variation?

The standard box truck body isn't the only body style that's available. There are several variations available that address a broad range of unique needs:

• Refrigerated trucks offer a refrigerated box section, making it ideal for storing and transporting foodstuffs and other cargo that requires constant refrigeration.
• Landscaping trucks offer a partially open design with enough storage space for mowers, blowers and other landscaping equipment. These trucks also feature fold-down sides and a sloped ramp for easier loading and unloading.
• Utility box trucks replace the traditional box truck section with a special box featuring a number of bins, racks and storage cabinets. These trucks are ideal for mobile mechanics and tradesmen.

What Other Extras Do You Need?

As you look for your box truck, it's also important to consider what other extras you might need. If you plan on making on-street deliveries, for instance, you may want to consider a box truck equipped with a power liftgate. Translucent ceilings allow natural light to illuminate the box section, while provisions for electric lighting give you better options for nighttime loading and unloading. Rail systems give you greater flexibility when it comes to storing and securing cargo.