Looks like I had a job

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ruckman101
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Looks like I had a job

Post by ruckman101 » Sat Jan 30, 2016 8:15 pm

Rural mail carrier for the United States Post Office. About an 11 mile commute. The catch is I have to have my own vehicle. And it has to be an automatic. A Jeep Cherokee seems to be the default. :pukeright:

I did run across a 1989 Nissan S-Cargo van that's RHD. I think I may make the investment. It's running an E15S engine, which, as far as I can tell is a pretty reliable engine.

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Whatcha all think?



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tristessa
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Re: Looks like I have a job

Post by tristessa » Sat Jan 30, 2016 11:41 pm

Dude, an S-Cargo would be sweet! Jump on it if the price isn't insane, they didn't make many of those things.

Failing that, maybe look for an RHD Mitsubishi Delica or Toyota HiAce van. Not a Bus, but automatic and IMHO cool in their own right...
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Re: Looks like I have a job

Post by Bleyseng » Sun Jan 31, 2016 4:02 am

I love those S-Cargo vans! Nice work on the job!
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Re: Looks like I have a job

Post by Jivermo » Sun Jan 31, 2016 5:10 am

Congrats! Anything but a jeep. The worst car I ever owned was a Grand Wagoneer. My kids called it "The Heep".

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satchmo
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Re: Looks like I have a job

Post by satchmo » Sun Jan 31, 2016 9:48 am

You would be the coolest mailman (oops, i mean 'person person') ever driving that thing!
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Re: Looks like I have a job

Post by Sylvester » Sun Jan 31, 2016 11:44 am

ruckman101 wrote:I did run across a 1989 Nissan S-Cargo van that's RHD. I think I may make the investment. It's running an E15S engine, which, as far as I can tell is a pretty reliable engine.

Image

Whatcha all think? neal

That is very cool! How are parts for it?

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Re: Looks like I have a job

Post by hippiewannabe » Sun Jan 31, 2016 12:44 pm

Ah, the age-old conflict between style and practicality.

You'd definitely turn heads with that thing, and it would be a good conversation starter with your customers.

Jeep was the vehicle supplier to the USPS for decades, and despite inevitable anecdotes to the contrary, they are durable . Jeep seems to still have a specialty business there; if you search Craigslist for "RHD", a lot of Jeeps come up.

The main worry I'd have with the S Cargo would be parts availability. Is that engine used in any high-volume vehicles in the USA?
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ruckman101
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Re: Looks like I have a job

Post by ruckman101 » Sun Jan 31, 2016 1:53 pm

USPS policy mandates any vehicles they purchase must be made in the US, thus the Jeeps. The E15S engine is fairly prevalent. Nissan Sentra. B210s and more.

The S-Cargo (escargot) is a tribute to the Citroen CV-2. It was one of four retro designs done by the Nissan "Pike Factory". Only 12,000 were made.

The others were:

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The Be-1, the first, 10,000 made.

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Pao, 51,167 made.

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And the Figaro, 20,000 made.

I think they were all designed by Japanese designer Naoki Sakai and built at the Aichi Machine Industry plant, a subcontractor for Nissan.

I think we are going to buy it Monday if it's still there. It would certainly be dandy to deliver mail in.


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Re: Looks like I have a job

Post by whc03grady » Sun Jan 31, 2016 10:37 pm

Why do they demand you drive an automatic, I wonder.
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ruckman101
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Re: Looks like I have a job

Post by ruckman101 » Sun Jan 31, 2016 11:14 pm

A stick would be fine if it were a right hand drive. But with a left hand drive, certain automatics can be driven from the right hand seat with your left foot. Rural mail carrier routes are clocked, and carriers are paid only for the time the Post Office has determined the route should take. If you run over, it's your dime. If you run under, it's their dime in your pocket.

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Re: Looks like I have a job

Post by Jivermo » Mon Feb 01, 2016 5:41 am

Jeeps durable? Please. My very expensive Grand Wagoneer caught on fire twice, melting the PLASTIC valve covers both times. One other time it cracked. Each one cost me 250.00 to replace, and there was no metal option. 250.00 back then is about 500.00 today. All the window mechanisms failed constantly, including the rear window, which fell down into the back door as I was driving one day, and smashed. That startled me so that I almost swerved off the road. the four wheel drive broke early on, and was too expensive to even consider repairing. The headliner came detached at about 50,000 miles. Do you know how annoying that can be? The feeble attempts by AMC to satisfy air pollution guidelines resulted in a mishmash of vacuum lines and hoses which, when compared to my '78 FI 2.0L Westy, makes the Westy seem child's play. Dealership mechanices were stymied by it. Frick and Frack, the tappet brothers, described jeeps in the early 2000's as the best of 60's Detroit technology. Unfortunately, it was 40 years later. By the way, it was my second jeep. I had a 1950 Willy's station wagon that I wish I still had. That was when Jeeps were a pretty good vehicle. My entire family rejoiced when I sold that Grand Wagoneer, no one moreso than I!

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tristessa
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Re: Looks like I have a job

Post by tristessa » Mon Feb 01, 2016 1:48 pm

If you pick it up today, bring it to the Lab!
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hambone
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Re: Looks like I have a job

Post by hambone » Mon Feb 01, 2016 1:48 pm

I would get a beater, it is going to get worn out delivering mail. Why get something exotic? Sounds like trouble.
You working for the US Gov, after taking a drug test. All my heroes are falling. :salute:
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Re: Looks like I have a job

Post by Amskeptic » Mon Feb 01, 2016 4:05 pm

hambone wrote: You working for the US Gov, after taking a drug test. All my heroes are falling. :salute:
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Re: Looks like I have a job

Post by BellePlaine » Mon Feb 01, 2016 10:45 pm

whc03grady wrote:Why do they demand you drive an automatic, I wonder.
This is a good question. This stuck out to me too. Maybe it's because the mail person might take a sick day and the substitute could need to use their car? It's kinda sad that most Americans don't know how to drive. And no, driving an automatic is NOT driving.
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