# ambulance fuel milage



## swissmiss177 (Feb 3, 2012)

Hey all.

I have been seriously thinking of buying an ambulance and converting it to a service vehicle. I was hoping that some of you guys out there that have done this would be able to give me some real numbers as to what kind of milage you get. 
I m leaning hard towards a diesel but would love some thoughts from the guys who already run em. Stick to an extended cargo van or go ambulance?


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

Do you get to keep the lights and siren? :thumbup:


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

I will be honest, anytime I see a tradesperson that has done that I think hack.

I also think that there is a reason they have been taken out of service, they get the snot beat out of them.


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## swissmiss177 (Feb 3, 2012)

Siren yes strobes no. But they have all kinds of other lighting too. Prob end up taking most of it out and putting in some led strips.


http://www.elite911.com/inventory/index.php?page=detail&get_id=224&category=#

that should kinda give the idea. Its one of many.


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## swissmiss177 (Feb 3, 2012)

I had a tour of one awhile back that was converted and the guy did a really good job. It was unreal how much stuff he was able to carry with him.


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## yyc_ranger_4x4 (Jun 14, 2012)

I'm helping a friend's business currently retrofit an ambulance into a service rig for them.....however they do installs for vehicle equipment like docking stations, emergency lighting/equipment, etc etc all over the province(s). We'll be converting all the red lights to amber LED's, lots of work/scene LED lighting, and a ton of storage in/on the chassis. If I can, I'll post pics.


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## TooFarFromFenway (Jul 15, 2011)

BBQ said:


> I will be honest, anytime I see a tradesperson that has done that I think hack.
> 
> I also think that there is a reason they have been taken out of service, they get the snot beat out of them.



But, they're usually very well maintained. Usually they are only kept in service maybe...6-7 years after delivery. After that, they usually need to upgrade mainly because of decreased fuel mileage, and the need to upgrade the technology.


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

TooFarFromFenway said:


> But, they're usually very well maintained. Usually they are only kept in service maybe...6-7 years after delivery. After that, they usually need to upgrade mainly because of decreased fuel mileage, and the need to upgrade the technology.


Yeah, well maintained, garaged indoors, very likely low mileage for the years. I still would stay away from it. Short of a rental vehicle I can't think of a vehicle that has been treated worse. 


To each their own, but with transmissions running $3.5K and up I would worry about it.

(Edit, be honest, how do the electrical systems hold up as they get older, from what I hear they tend to become troublesome.)


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## frenchelectrican (Mar 15, 2007)

BBQ said:


> Yeah, well maintained, garaged indoors, very likely low mileage for the years. I still would stay away from it. Short of a rental vehicle I can't think of a vehicle that has been treated worse.
> 
> 
> To each their own, but with transmissions running $3.5K and up I would worry about it.
> ...


 
BBQ .,

You did hit the nail on the edit part and of course the biggest issue when someone is not aware there is a dual voltage system in them mainly 12 volts DC side plus you have 120 volts AC that run from inverter or modifed alternator which that do go in the inverter as well.

( They do have shore power connection that go to the inverter to keep the battery charged up as well )

And I know some of the ambulance do have aux fuel tap to run the generator or heater so that is the other item ya have to watch ( IIRC they only dip not deep as main engine fuel dip tube is so they keep at least a quarter tank of fuel left for main engine useage.)

And some of the Ambulances are geared pretty low so by time you get on highway speed some are pretty close to running WOT.

And they are pretty hevey unit as well.

Merci,
Marc


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## chewy (May 9, 2010)

When you think of the sh!t that has gone down in the back of an Ambulance I don't think I would want all that negative energy associated with my company whether you believe in mumbo jumbo or not.


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## figaro (Feb 10, 2012)

I see a locksmith running around town all the time in one. He carries a ton of stuff with him and the bonus is everyone's always looking at it. Free marketing.


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## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

chewy said:


> When you think of the sh!t that has gone down in the back of an Ambulance I don't think I would want all that negative energy associated with my company whether you believe in mumbo jumbo or not.


Another local from a bike shop uses an old open hearse to transport Harleys around. Now if bikers start dropping off as soon as they get their wheels back I'll start believing in mumbo jumbo.


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## electricmanscott (Feb 11, 2010)

I looked at the link. Why would anyone consider a 7 year old vehicle for a work truck, amubulance or not? :confused1:


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

the town i work for sold one of these cornbinders , back in the 90's to a local contractor. At the time it had around 40K miles, still ran well, etc

so he painted it up, had it lettered 'House Doc', and did a stroke of biz with it

but all i could think of when he rode by was>>>>











~CS~


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

Shockdoc said:


> Another local from a bike shop uses an old open hearse to transport Harleys around. .


buy a Harley, buy the best, ride a mile, walk the rest....~CS~


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## pudge565 (Dec 8, 2007)

frenchelectrican said:


> BBQ .,
> 
> You did hit the nail on the edit part and of course the biggest issue when someone is not aware there is a dual voltage system in them mainly 12 volts DC side plus you have 120 volts AC that run from inverter or modifed alternator which that do go in the inverter as well.
> 
> ...


Not all
ambulances have an inverter for 120. We have 2 at the station I run at that have no inverter. It has the outlets and such for if one were to be installed but they don't work unless the shore line is connected.


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## pudge565 (Dec 8, 2007)

swissmiss177 said:


> Hey all.
> 
> I have been seriously thinking of buying an ambulance and converting it to a service vehicle. I was hoping that some of you guys out there that have done this would be able to give me some real numbers as to what kind of milage you get.
> I m leaning hard towards a diesel but would love some thoughts from the guys who already run em. Stick to an extended cargo van or go ambulance?


If you buy one go diesel. Gas engines do not hold up in ambulances due to all the idling. In fact most have a high idle when the park brake is applied.


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## CraigV (May 12, 2011)

Really poor value. They are ridden hard, tons of hard acceleration and braking, long periods of idling, always loaded heavy. Absolutely the hardest possible miles you can put on a vehicle. The people who own and manage these vehicles are smart, and know when to sell. If you just need some wheels to haul guitar cabinets and PA when you get the band back together, and need someplace cool and ironic to get high on set breaks, these are the wheels for you. For a reliable service vehicle, look elsewhere.


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## wildleg (Apr 12, 2009)

I think it's a great idea. Plus, if you leave the gurney in it, you can ride your guys to the hospital anytime they screw themselves up. It's a win-win. make sure you post pics when you get it tricked out.


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## union347sparky (Feb 29, 2012)

Just buy a van. I don't see the need to reinvent the wheel when it comes to service vans. If you want a unique look buy an old 50's style panel wagon.


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## 8V71 (Dec 23, 2011)

CraigV said:


> Really poor value. They are ridden hard, tons of hard acceleration and braking, long periods of idling, always loaded heavy. Absolutely the hardest possible miles you can put on a vehicle. The people who own and manage these vehicles are smart, and know when to sell.


Couldn't have said it better myself. There is a reason they are called chitboxes. :laughing:


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## TooFarFromFenway (Jul 15, 2011)

BBQ said:


> Yeah, well maintained, garaged indoors, very likely low mileage for the years. I still would stay away from it. Short of a rental vehicle I can't think of a vehicle that has been treated worse.
> 
> 
> To each their own, but with transmissions running $3.5K and up I would worry about it.


I would too. There's no telling how it was driven. Granted, they're designed for heavy accelerations, but no transmission is perfect, that's for sure. Plus, as soon as a transmission issue comes to light, they're usually taken out of service. It's not cost effective. 



BBQ said:


> (Edit, be honest, how do the electrical systems hold up as they get older, from what I hear they tend to become troublesome.)


You're correct. They have beefier alternators, because of the fact that they have so much load on them. About once a year, the batteries are replaced. Many times, just a simple maintenance tech will do the installs of new equipment, electronics, etc. and not someone factory trained. They do tend to have more electrical issues than similar type trucks without all the bells and whistles. 

There's lights EVERYWHERE in those things. Every compartment, every door, in the cab, and the passenger compartment has a bunch too. Not to mention all the other electronics that are installed. To remove them would take a month. 

I would be very leery of purchasing one.


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## CraigV (May 12, 2011)

I'd buy one...if I was starting up an ambulance business on tight money. If I was starting up an EC business, I'd buy a used van from an EC.


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## Speedlimit190 (Apr 29, 2012)

Use the right tool for the job. Your van is a tool. Van.


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## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

electricmanscott said:


> I looked at the link. Why would anyone consider a 7 year old vehicle for a work truck, amubulance or not? :confused1:


I think the only reason would be "no other choice." A 7 year old work vehicle is just about ready for the scrap heap.


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## backstay (Feb 3, 2011)

Peter D said:


> I think the only reason would be "no other choice." A 7 year old work vehicle is just about ready for the scrap heap.


Hey, my 2002 Dodge pickup is not ready for the scrap heap! Only 170,000 miles.


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## Podagrower (Mar 16, 2008)

Shockdoc said:


> Another local from a bike shop uses an old open hearse to transport Harleys around. Now if bikers start dropping off as soon as they get their wheels back I'll start believing in mumbo jumbo.


Flower car? Sort of like an El Camino or Ranchero. Used to be part of the procession to transport all the flowers from the funeral home to the gravesite. Some had hydraulic beds that raised and lowered so it always looked full.

I think who owns the ambulance is going to make a huge difference. If it's owned by an ambulance company, pass(it's just a rental to them). If it was owned by the government (as in fire rescue), that is a whole other story. I know a mechanic for a local county, and their retirement process goes like this. When a vehicle is new, it has zero points. Points accumulate for every maintenance dollar spent, every mile, and every year. When the number of points reaches a certain level, the vehicle is sold. But they fix whatever put it over on points first. They sold off a command station (glorified RV) with less than 30,000 miles on because the generator threw a rod, and the cost of a replacement generator was so high, it put it over on points.


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## union347sparky (Feb 29, 2012)

Peter D said:


> I think the only reason would be "no other choice." A 7 year old work vehicle is just about ready for the scrap heap.


You must be extremely hard on your vehicles. 7 years is not old at all. They should be paid off and replacement parts are cheap and readily available. Great for new EC and single man shops. Even well established large EC keeps a few older vans and trucks around. Only reason to buy new is to Benefit from tax credits if you can.


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## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

union347sparky said:


> You must be extremely hard on your vehicles. 7 years is not old at all. They should be paid off and replacement parts are cheap and readily available. Great for new EC and single man shops. Even well established large EC keeps a few older vans and trucks around. Only reason to buy new is to Benefit from tax credits if you can.


Not really, I drove a 4Runner with 230K. :laughing: But when it comes to work vehicles I'm a big believer in "New is better." It's not worth it to drive a commercial vehicle that needs constant maintenance and is prone to breakdown at any time.


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## union347sparky (Feb 29, 2012)

Peter D said:


> Not really, I drove a 4Runner with 230K. :laughing: But when it comes to work vehicles I'm a big believer in "New is better." It's not worth it to drive a commercial vehicle that needs constant maintenance and is prone to breakdown at any time.


I agree new is better. We all can't afford new. Used vehicles are not all the same. Its not worth keeping a lemon but a bullet proof used van is worth it's weight in gold.


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## 007 (May 4, 2009)

Peter D said:


> Not really, I drove a 4Runner with 230K. :laughing: But when it comes to work vehicles I'm a big believer in "New is better." It's not worth it to drive a commercial vehicle that needs constant maintenance and is prone to breakdown at any time.


You can easily get 10 years out of a service van before the maintenance costs becomes an issue. A diesel can be well over 300,0000 miles and still run great.


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## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

007 said:


> You can easily get 10 years out of a service van before the maintenance costs becomes an issue. A diesel can be well over 300,0000 miles and still run great.


Uh huh. What you left out of the equation is that most American made trucks have turned into rust buckets by that point. But a work vehicle is simply run harder than a regular vehicle and that's why I would not trust a used truck, even if it was babied.


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

007 said:


> You can easily get 10 years out of a service van before the maintenance costs becomes an issue. A diesel can be well over 300,0000 miles and still run great.


What type of vehicel are you talking about going 300K without being a money pit.

If it is a van or pick up diesel or not things start going well before 300K




Heater cores

Alternators

Water Pumps

Power steering parts

Major brake parts

Transmissions

Suspension components

Body parts / hardware

Electrical parts like heater fans, door motors, etc.


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## dronai (Apr 11, 2011)

union347sparky said:


> You must be extremely hard on your vehicles. 7 years is not old at all. They should be paid off and replacement parts are cheap and readily available. Great for new EC and single man shops. Even well established large EC keeps a few older vans and trucks around. Only reason to buy new is to Benefit from tax credits if you can.


I have a 2005 with only 85K on it !


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## 007 (May 4, 2009)

BBQ said:


> What type of vehicel are you talking about going 300K without being a money pit.
> 
> If it is a van or pick up diesel or not things start going well before 300K
> 
> ...


An average payment on a new van can be $300 or more a month the maintenance cost on an older vehicle is a lot less than that. We. Can get a water pump replaced for under $400.00 . One of the things about older vans is they are usually paid for so no monthly payment. We don't take a van out of service until its maintenance cost exceed the replacement cost.


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## 007 (May 4, 2009)

Peter D said:


> Uh huh. What you left out of the equation is that most American made trucks have turned into rust buckets by that point. But a work vehicle is simply run harder than a regular vehicle and that's why I would not trust a used truck, even if it was babied.


Rust depends on your area but if you also take care of the body it should not be an issue . It is just not practicle to replace a fleet of vans every three years .


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## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

007 said:


> Rust depends on your area but if you also take care of the body it should not be an issue . It is just not practicle to replace a fleet of vans every three years .


I'm in New England - vehicles don't last here. :no:


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

007 said:


> An average payment on a new van can be $300 or more a month the maintenance cost on an older vehicle is a lot less than that. We. Can get a water pump replaced for under $400.00 .


You are 100% correct.

Now please figure out what it cost not to have the truck while being repaired or worse what it cost the company if the truck breaks down on the road.

Pay the employee, pay for the tow, miss that days calls. 

The service dept I run is a true 24/7 365 day, any weather service company and we are always doing long drives at odd hours.

I had one guy have a U-Joint let go at about 1 AM on his way to meet someone for night work. We had to cancel, get our guy a ride and have the van towed.


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## union347sparky (Feb 29, 2012)

007 said:


> You can easily get 10 years out of a service van before the maintenance costs becomes an issue. A diesel can be well over 300,0000 miles and still run great.


A common miss-belief among diesel enthusiasts. The truck is not made to go forever like the motor that's under the hood. Unless its a ford and your oil pan rusts through. Lol. That problem has started on our bucket truck. 
BBQ brings up all those other components that can go wrong. Those can be purchased on the cheap and replaced fairly quickly, with exception with the tranny. However, the saving of a large monthly payment a new van costs, those repair bills on a used van three times a year come in cheaper. The bigger question here, which we are on opposite sides, is hassle. Some people just don't want to mess with repairs. If we had the money to buy new I wouldn't want to mess with repairs either.


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## retiredsparktech (Mar 8, 2011)

backstay said:


> Hey, my 2002 Dodge pickup is not ready for the scrap heap! Only 170,000 miles.


Hey! My 2000 Dakota pickup has only 38K miles on it. I might have to change the battery this fall. I even had it rust-proofed.:thumbsup:


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## 007 (May 4, 2009)

BBQ said:


> You are 100% correct.
> 
> Now please figure out what it cost not to have the truck while being repaired or worse what it cost the company if the truck breaks down on the road.
> 
> ...


Even a new van can experience mechanical failure you simply hsve to have procedures to a accommodate for the time lost. We also operate a 24 / 7 service dept but we also closely track maintenance on our vans to avoid breakdowns. This will probably be our last year on all our vans as we are looking at a company that offers a pretty nice lease option for fleet vans.


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## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

BBQ said:


> I will be honest, anytime I see a tradesperson that has done that I think hack.


:yes::yes: 

About 10 years ago I knew an EC who worked out of an old ambulance. Yes, he was a hack. :laughing:


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## Lone Crapshooter (Nov 8, 2008)

I looked at the engine compartment of a new Horton ambulance in a garage for minor service. It was on a Ford Diesel chassis and you could not look down through the engine compartment and see the ground. The mechanic told them to take it to a place that works on ambulances.

I don't think a ambulance would be good for a service truck. 
LC


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## jeffmoss26 (Dec 8, 2011)

Most of the cities here re-purpose their ambulances when they are replaced...one of them uses theirs for hauling sewer jetting equipment, and another uses it as a mobile maintenance truck. He has a workbench inside, all kinds of space for tools and parts.


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## lortech (Mar 7, 2012)

what ever you do, do not get the short nose e350 box van style. NO ROOM to work on the engine. Labor high. Get truck engine compartment style if its possible.

If you have the cash why not a sprinter van?? Lots of walk in room. Easy to drive.


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