Are windows really that bad?

I was driving around today and noticed that there are some amazing deals to be had on passenger vans, so I have to ask the question. Is a carpet cleaning van really that bad if it has windows? Sure, we all know that SS drives them, but that is what they built into their image. I'm talking about the rank and file cleaners out there. Does a passenger van make you look less professional as a cleaner? Can they be wrapped (glass and all)?

Are there any real negatives here to a passenger van? They have amazingly low miles and pristine interiors for used van. They don't have all the dings and scrapes from the monkeys that worked out of the back like a cargo van. Many even have aux heaters in the rear...who couldn't use that in the winter?

So what do you think? Can they work for a rig without damaging your image or hurt business due to expectations of the customers? Can they be insulated for the winter without looking like a hack?

milspec6 wrote:  Many even have aux heaters in the rear...who couldn't use that in the winter?

I can't  

A window van certainly wouldn't be my preference, but hey if the price was right I'd make it work.  
And by that I mean, I would totally black out the windows so you couldn't see in, and also so those areas could be used for storage just like you can do with a cargo van.

I think a wrap would be a great option, I've seen wrapped glass many times. Witch I think looks much better than just blacked out tinted windows. Then I would use something like thin plywood to cover them from the inside, to keep them from being accidentally broken, and to recoup the loss in storage space you loose with a window van.

I know from experience a usable window in the sliding door is great to have when backing out of a driveways. So that is one I would not block from being able to see out of at least, like I would the rest of the side windows. One problem (I believe) with a lot of passenger (window) vans is they have double swing out side doors, which as I said 'I believe' are a PITA and an inconvenient.

Yes, they are that bad ! I'm not bias but think about these disadvantages :
1. Theft, they can easily break them and if they're tinted, the thief wouldn't know if there are bars or plywood inside, and glass aren't cheap
2. Accidental glass break from flying tools or snapped bungy cord or anything inside, if you're like me, I bungy corded a couple things and they snap once in a great while.
3. They usually have lighter suspensions than cargo vans, this may not be a big deal for some smaller TM but for bigger TM it is a problem.
4. Like Dave said, they usually have barn doors which I have no problem with but I know some do.

Good points (especially #3, I'm guilty), but suspensions can be beefed up and a thief can still bust out your driver's door window on a cargo van. Unless you have a caged divider, I don't think the extra windows pose a huge security risk over a cargo van. After-all, if the van carries a carpet cleaning logo on the side, the thief has a pretty good idea what is inside, windows or not.

Admittedly, I would not have considered a passenger van, but when you can get them for cheap, it leaves a lot more buying power for the equipment inside and it's the equipment inside that makes the money. Well, unless the image hurts business....that is where I struggle.

Yea, like you said Robert, windows or not if you have your name on the van it's no secret what's inside. And is the main reason I 'roll stealth', without advertizement on my van anymore. And also, I never had much luck with advertizing on the van getting jobs, although I do think it looks nice.  

It's quite amazing what a quality wrap will do to any vehicle imo. The local Oxiclean guy drives a little Chevy HHR completely wrapped. It's a very nice looking work "van."

Davey Cracker wrote:Yea, like you said Robert, windows or not if you have your name on the van it's no secret what's inside.  And is the main reason I 'roll stealth', without advertizement on my van anymore. And also, I never had much luck with advertizing on the van getting jobs, although I do think it looks nice.  

I ran that way for a year for the same reasons you note. I ended up switching only because it cut down on the neighborhood watchers calling when I cleaned in the evenings for nightshift workers. I have never had a customer tell me that they noticed my logo on the van and decided to call for a cleaning, I don't know how much it really helps either.

milspec6 wrote:Good points (especially #3, I'm guilty), but suspensions can be beefed up and a thief can still bust out your driver's door window on a cargo van.  Unless you have a caged divider, I don't think the extra windows pose a huge security risk over a cargo van.  After-all, if the van carries a carpet cleaning logo on the side, the thief has a pretty good idea what is inside, windows or not.

Admittedly, I would not have considered a passenger van, but when you can get them for cheap, it leaves a lot more buying power for the equipment inside and it's the equipment inside that makes the money.  Well, unless the image hurts business....that is where I struggle.

That's a good point, except with mine I put a full size board in between my seat and my TM, my TM height is almost to the ceiling, so there's no way they can go to the back, well unless if they break in the back glass and disable my alarm system
And yes I would go with that if it's substantially cheaper with substantially lower mileage.
I also went stealth mode for theft reason, I've had wrap before and it didn't help at all with getting new custys.

REALCLEAN wrote:It's quite amazing what a quality wrap will do to any vehicle imo.  The local Oxiclean guy drives a little Chevy HHR completely wrapped.  It's a very nice looking work "van."

The problem I've seen is "very nice looking", it doesn't translate into calls or jobs.........But rather a billboard for hey look at me "I have 50k in equipment in this van'.
And here in this wonderful state of CA where everyone is so sue happy, you're a rolling lawsuit magnet with that "very nice looking" wrap.

I have seen verizon in my area driving passenger minivans with the windows covered in white vinyl. It looks great to me.

I think even putting white perforated vinyl over the windows (So you can still see out) would make it look more industrial.

I'd say go for it. I drive a 2002 Astro with windows and love it. It's a lot more comfy than the Astro Cargo I had before it too.

I currently have one passenger van and have had another in the past. Two of my vans are incognito and two have logos. When/if the economy gets real good again I would like to make all my vans look pretty, but for now I just tell my customers to tell their friends to call the guy with the ugly vans. They laugh and referrals are strong... However, I usually get 4-6 jobs per year each from the vans with logos.

Some of this passenger vans with wraps you can't even tell they have windows