All Plumb & Gas owner Pat Sens learned from personal experience that full size American pick-ups can fall well short of expectation when it comes to carrying capacity – even after a GVM upgrade.
Luckily, his payload remedy came in the form of the IVECO Daily range.
Given the broad scope of plumbing services Pat and his team of seven tradesmen offer throughout the broader Coffs Harbour area, including residential, commercial and industrial plumbing, gas fitting, roof and guttering, as well as drainage and leak detection work, there’s a need to carry a lot of specialised equipment as well as tools and materials.
By shifting from a traditional 4×4 ute to a full-size American pick-up, Pat thought most of his needs would be met, but it wasn’t the case.
“I found that with the US ‘truck’ even after getting a GVM upgrade, the best we could achieve just with a basic tray was a 800kg payload – it just wasn’t enough,” Pat says.
“Being a plumber for 20 years and running my own business for over 10 years, we’ve tried it all, from utes to vans and even trucks and trailers, but everything came up short.”
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He then began the search for a vehicle that was fit-for task, and landed on the IVECO Daily cab chassis range, selecting a 50C Dual Cab with GVM of 4,495kg, effectively giving him a payload of around 1,650kg once the body was fitted – double what the full-size American ute offered.
Along with the superior carrying capacity and braked towing of 3,500kg which allows Pat to easily tow mini excavators and tradie trailers with the Daily, another consideration for the purchase was driver and occupant comfort.
“We’re on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week so we need to be able to respond quickly to emergencies,” he says.
“The Daily can be used as a family vehicle, on weekends we take it to the beach, we can go to the market, we can put mountain bikes in the back and it’s comfortable for the family, and if I get a call out, everything I need is on board.”
Such was Pat’s satisfaction with the Daily, that after several years of use he upgraded to another, this time a 70C Dual Cab, which provided him with an even greater payload (approximately 3,650kg). The latest vehicle is fitted with the same body as the 50C, as it was transferred to the new truck. Measuring 3 x 2m, the tray is equipped with large tool boxes, ladder racks and pull-out storage, plus under tray tool boxes.
In keeping with the truck’s dual-purpose duties, the rear bench seats have been removed in favour of two mechanically suspended bucket seats, with the space in between providing the ideal location for a car fridge (while helping keep Pat and wife, Hollie’s, nine and 12-year old children apart on long trips).
Further helping with both comfort and functionality is the model’s Electronically-Controlled Air suspension (ECAS).
“The self-levelling air suspension in the rear adjusts to the load, so we’re not driving around with a saggy back, or having to physically alter the suspension – or load placement – depending on what we want to carry,” he says.
Pat also has a 9m³ 35S Daily van on fleet, which replaced a smaller van. He has extensively accessoried this vehicle as well to meet his vocational needs, fitting roof racks with access ladder, interior pull out draws and shelving.
A common spec across all the Daily models he’s owned is the driveline, which combines IVECO’s powerful 210hp (155kW) / 470Nm engine and Hi-Matic, 8-speed fully automatic.
“Even when loaded-up and towing trailers, the Daily’s power does it with ease – you barely notice the weight,” Pat says.
“The transmission is excellent too; the power comes on smoothly and holds gear well up hills making good use of the engine’s torque.”
Pat said the Daily range was practical and ideal for the needs of All Plumb & Gas, and advised others in the market looking to upgrade from a 4×4 utility or smaller van to something larger, to consider what Daily had to offer.
“For less than the price of full-size US trucks, the Daily can actually do the work and make you money,” he says.
“The Daily’s 12-month / 50,000km service intervals are also a time and money saver, because we can keep the vehicles on the road for longer and better schedule maintenance, usually when the staff take annual leave, reducing the impact on workflow.”
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