This week's reader owns a flower farm and requires a reliable vehicle for transporting supplies and making deliveries.
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Emily, hailing from Massachusetts, is embarking on a farming venture focused on cultivating and delivering flowers. To facilitate her deliveries while also accommodating equipment and supplies, she requires a budget-friendly vehicle. A suitable option for her would be a compact pickup truck or a versatile cargo van that offers ample space for her farming needs. Models like the Ford Ranger or the Honda Ridgeline provide good fuel efficiency, a reliable performance, and enough cargo capacity for her supplies. Alternatively, she could consider a used minivan, which can also serve her delivery purposes while being cost-effective.
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Here’s the situation.
I'm launching a farm and I'm looking for a versatile vehicle that can serve as my daily driver while also being capable of delivering flowers and transporting farming supplies. I have a budget of around $10,000 for a reliable and practical option that features air-conditioned storage for delicate, freshly cut flowers, is suitable for farmer's market settings, and has some off-road capabilities.
Fast Facts:
Budget: up to $10,000
Location: Massachusetts
Daily Driver: Yes
Wants: Functional, reliable, durable
Doesn’t want: Something with expensive maintenance
Expert 1: Tom McParland - Embrace Adaptability
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If you're looking to transport dirt and equipment to your farm, as well as fresh flowers to sell at the market, but prefer not to use a pickup truck, a boxy vehicle is an excellent choice. The Ford Flex fits the bill perfectly. This spacious, rectangular vehicle offers an impressive 83 cubic feet of cargo space when the rear seats are down. That’s more than enough room for bags of soil, various supplies, or a bounty of freshly picked flowers for your market stall. While it may be larger than the average daily driver, I’ve yet to meet a business owner who has ever regretted having extra space in their vehicle.
The Flex was one of Ford’s sturdier platforms with its trusty V6 and easy-to-source parts. The boxy-body also makes for a nice canvas for graphics and wraps to advertise your company. The only real downside is that these are sought after by those who appreciate them so inventory is thin. Here is a super clean Limited AWD with just over 100,000 in New York for only $8500. Now the fact that the condition for a 2013 car is described as “like new” and this seller takes crypto payments makes me a little bit suspicious of the legitimacy of this ad, so proceed with caution.
Expert 2: Owen Bellwood - Resilient? Enough Said
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Emily, what a delightful concept you've presented for us this week! The romantic side of me adores the thought of nurturing a flower farm and then wandering through the town to deliver lovely bouquets. Wishing you all the best with it!
Because I’m a hopeless romantic at heart, I think the perfect car for you is a vintage Italian runaround that’s as at home in towns and cities as it is on farm tracks. That’s right, I reckon the perfect car for your fledgling farm is an old Fiat Panda 4X4.
Sure, you might have come asking for a functional, reliable and durable car, but you came to Jalopnik so what did you really expect? And truth be told, the Panda does (just about) tick all those boxes: it’s got plenty of air conditioned space on the back seats and in the trunk for your delicate flowers, can haul all manner of farming equipment around on its roof or hitched to the rear end, and is so durable that it’ll probably outlive most newer cars that we could suggest. It might seem like an odd choice, but this Fiat Panda I’ve found for you is perfect - and it’s only down the road in New Jersey!
Expert 2 - Lawrence Hodge - Ensure Its Enduring Quality
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Emily, what you really need is the automotive version of a cockroach—something that can survive anything, even the apocalypse. I believe the second generation Toyota Tundra is just what you're looking for.
This vehicle was available for only six years, yet they produced millions, and many are still actively used today—rightfully so, as they are incredibly durable. My girlfriend’s dad drives one daily, and it has surpassed 300,000 miles. The 4.7-liter V8 engine that powered a lot of these trucks is virtually indestructible. Additionally, it’s a well-proportioned truck, particularly in its Double Cab version, before Toyota decided to go for a larger size to compete with Detroit. While it may not be purely utilitarian, it can easily manage farm tasks and isn’t afraid to get a little dirty.
Best of all they’re cheap. This example at a dealership in Vienna, Virginia is a 2004. It has just over 81,000 miles, which on a Tundra is like having 20,000 miles and it’s a Double Cab with the V8. It’s also in your budget as the dealer want’s exactly $10,000 for it.