Where Do You Even Start?

One of the biggest challenges to creating the perfect work truck or van is deceptively simple:  deciding what you actually need.   For a lot of us, the curb appeal of a loaded diesel truck with plenty of storage, every tool imaginable, and a laundry list of creature comforts sure seems nice, but in the real world, we all secretly know it’s not what we need. 

It’s easy to fall into a trap when it comes time to buy, though.  After all, who knows your business better then you, right?  No matter whether you’re in charge of procurement for a larger company’s fleet or you’re a skilled tradesman who’s been doing this for years, your experience and a company spec sheet have to carry a lot of weight. 

We get it … but we don’t want you to approach upfitting a truck or van like that. 

That statement might seem confusing to some, but it’s a fact.  Our team has been involved with upfitting thousands of trucks and vans for over a decade, and the truth is, collaborating with our experts for a consultation before your next build will save you money. 

Let’s look at why we’re willing to make such a bold statement:

Many of the companies and skilled tradesmen that come to us with a new upfitting project arrive with a long list of items they want to discuss for installation, and when we talk through the project with them, they realize they’d be “overbuilding” their new vehicle.  A recent example was a client who insisted the new cargo van his company was building would need an onboard generator. 

When our team actually looked at the power requirements the customer needed, and the rationale behind their desire for a generator, the reality was they needed a heavy-duty power inverter.  The difference, of course, is by using the inverter, they saved a money and space in their new build AND met their energy requirements. 

Unfortunately, we see this a lot when it comes to do it yourselfers and what we like to call “the big box effect.”  Just because a big box retailer has something doesn’t mean you need to be the one to buy and install it, nor does the simple existence of a tool mean you need to have it on your truck or van.

(Editor’s note, I once had a client who had gone to the time and expense of installing an air compressor on a truck service body; he literally used it two times in five years, and, due to the way he had “custom” mounted it, the exposure to the elements caused the pump to fail!)

The value of consulting with professionals is simple:  like you, they know what works, but in our case, our team has been involved with thousands of upfits and our catalog of parts and partners is time tested across an entire continent. 

So how does the consultation process start?  Simple!  You can click right here to schedule that conversation or call 1-888-435-6466.

And just like everything else today, in the world of COVID, we can meet virtually on ZOOM, we can discuss your project on the phone, or we can safely meet in one of our locations in Edmonton, Calgary, or Abbotsford.  What we won’t do is pressure you into the wrong gameplan, because our team will take the time to understand your needs and your budget AND your actual business model.  We’ll give you options – some you might not even have thought of – and you can determine what the best solution is. 

More importantly, unlike many of our competitors, the relationships we have with our providers means we’re not struggling to find parts, either.  Our ability to not only help you plan and budget your next upfit hasn’t been hampered or slowed down, so our lead times are still among the best in the country.  Just as critically, with our online store, you can still choose to do the work yourself in your own shop, and our team can still provide you with some valuable insight into the best practices and set up for your new truck or van.