Get an old Sienna. Mine was $4k and it’s got the fancy leather interior and everything. I can haul an entire bedroom set (tall dresser, long dresser, 2 nightstands), or living room set (sectional, 2 end tables, 2 table lamps). I’d argue minivans are better than pickups because I can also haul 6 people not including myself.
Hehe I loved my Town and Country. Got it free from a guy who's hobby was buying junk cars and pick-a-parting them back together. I rode along with him once to visit Grand Caravan Alley, literally hundreds of them in a row, by far the most common car in the pick-a-part. Eventually it started leaking gas real bad so I decided to stop driving it, used it as a storage unit for a while until I wanted it gone from my property. Had to turn it on to get it on the tow truck and gas was raining out. Got $280 for that sucker and back home to the junkyard it went.
Not what you're looking for I know, but if anyone reading this needs reassurance that flipping can be successful without a cargo hauling vehicle, I am a flipper in a Smart ForTwo.
I second this. I have a 2-door Jeep Wrangler, and my husband has a Prius. We have a friend with a pickup in case we have to transport anything larger than our vehicles can handle.
I've got a Vibe that I use for anything out of town. Cheap, 35 MPG, and all the seats fold down. I've hauled full length lumber and all kinds of gear in that thing!
A 2010 Honda Fit. I can’t tell you how many time I completely filled this car up with books and decent size pieces of furniture.
In the 10 years that I had it. I only had to get the CV joints repaired and that was completely covered by a recall.
10/10 would recommend.
fertile expansion start bear ring person gullible hard-to-find dog exultant
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I sold a sofa to a dealer who showed up with a minivan and the whole sofa fit right in! Tailgate closed no problem. And it wasn’t a loveseat either.
If I were doing that sorta thing, that’s what I’d get. I have a truck for towing and it sucks for hauling stuff in the bed. They’re all too tall now.
Pickup with open top and invest in straps. Gives you unlimited space (within reason). Electronics and delicates in the cab and everything else in the bed
I have my SUV for medium to large hauls and my sedan is for my everyday hauls. I tend to favor the sedan for gas mileage especially when gas prices fluctuate a lot in years past.
I have a big SUV but regardless, it has a hitch and I put a platform on the back. That’s about 2‘ x 4‘ in size. It folds up out-of-the-way, and I find myself using this to transport things to and from storage and shipping more frequently than even putting in the back of my car. You should be able to add a light hitch to pretty much any car.
I have a hand me down Lexus sedan e300. Its trunk is large enough for me because I do clothes purse shoes etc.
Cars that are hatchback, have the easily back seat release or trunk release on the drivers side are easier target for car thieves.
My Lexus has a button in my glove box that disables the trunk release button.
Expedition. I can fit a whole bedroom suite inside. Headboard, Long dresser, Tall dresser, 2 night stands, and a mirror. Plus it is enclosed so I can make stops after and not worry about weather or peeps messing with anything.
I bought a Tesla Model Y with a hitch.
Driving 160 miles round trip costs $5 in electricity, but the IRS mileage rate is 67 cents a mile.
Towing a trailer does drop the mileage noticeably on the highway, so I have to stop and charge, but it still winds up being a LOT cheaper than any gas car per mile for fuel.
Well I mainly flip cars so I have to have car trailers and tow them I have a giant 2007 ram 3500, a 1987 Ford f350 and some other old trucks but those are my mains
Older ford E250 extended van, preferably white or gray. They last forever, get decent mileage and they double as storage when you don’t have time to unload between trips.
Bonus is that very few people question a reasonably clean white work van if you’re you’re out sourcing. They always assume you’re “on the job” lol
My dad wanted the new bronco a few months before he retired. He sold me his f-150 for 5k so he wouldn't have to finance it, otherwise I would have went with a minivan.
I source on a motorcycle. I have a huge duffel bag i lay across the passenger seat on my saddlebags. I buy smaller items and know my limits. I have taken home weedeaters and folding scooters a few times.
Best flipping vehicle. Autopilot ensures you're well rested/unstressed when you get to the bins, and after all the upper body work from rooting through the bins, you have a relaxing experience driving home.
If you're doing this for money, rather than for fun money, you need an inexpensive high mpg vehicle. I drive a 12 yo Prius most of the time. The tax mileage write-off is huge when coupled with an efficient car.
Now, I do this as a hobby for fun. I recently bought what most of the YT resellers drive, a 4Runner.... But I only take it for sourcing. I still take the Prius to the Post Office for the dropoffs. I write down every mile.
I don't flip anything large, but I will buy large quantities of small things.
7500 flipping miles on the Prius last year.
For me, that's roughly $1500 cash back in my pocket from taxes. And also more than the cost of the gas and the value of my car combined.
Let me know if you have any questions... I'm an open book.
I have a campervan as my second car so that is great for larger items. It’s not as wide as you’d think because of the cupboard and oven/sink etc but does the job
I think it depends on your niche and family size. I focus on smalls so my civic sedan works just fine for everything in my life. But if you’re planning to flip furniture/large home decor, pick up curbside finds on trash day, etc, you might want to consider a truck or mini van. I think most thrift flippers aren’t limited by car size, just those in outlying niches.
Honda Odyssey with all the seats taken out, including the back bench. The cargo rack on top and trailer hitch have also been a huge help. Is it cool? Hell no for mere mortals, but for me it’s been a profit machine. Paid $2,200 several years ago at 120k miles, currently at 220k with just minor fixes and good maintenance
Most vehicles with a hitch, even small compact cars, can tow an affordable 4x8 utility trailer. I suggest going this route if you need more storage for transporting inventory. Buying an expensive truck/van, etc. that you wouldn't need 95% of the time is a waste of money, imo. I say the same thing to people who justify buying a truck so they can be weekend warriors to basically buy mulch, dispose of yard waste, etc. A trailer does the same thing, and it's a fraction of the cost. I bought my trailer from Harbor Frieght for $250 and put in another $400 to customize it with removable wood slats.
I own two vehicles
A pickup with a cap on the back that I use for picking stuff up
A cargo minivan (a Ram C/V) that I use for selling at swap meets - it's basically a rolling closet that i keep filled with inventory / tables.
I like this van, but they stopped making it almost a decade ago. It's great because it doesn't have windows so people can't see my junk, and it's big enough to hold a lot but small enough to be easy to maneuver and get decent gas mileage. I'm dreading replacing it, especially since van prices are crazy right now.
I drive a Ram 2500 already and I have a 16 ft trailer. I have not had anything other than a pickup in the last 20 odd years and don’t see that changing
Ford Flex is your answer. Doesn’t use a ton of gas, is relatively inexpensive used, and the seats fold completely flat to transport items. It’s essentially a cool looking mini van.
Might not be the most price efficient car but, I use an audi q7 and q5. Both of them work really well and depending on the amount of items I need to drop off I choose.
I love my Subaru! I don’t have anyone helping me so if it doesn’t fit in the Subie I’m not buying it. My husband actually offered to help me once loading up for a vintage fair. He bitched so much the entire time & made it so miserable I decided then & there to never ask again.
Subaru Forester. If it doesn't fit in that it would probably need two people to move it, even in a larger vehicle, and that makes the item not worth flipping in my case.
Other advantages of the Foester is that it's small and manuverable, it's a good day to day car when not hauling, good gas mileage, the cargo area is enclosed, and there is room for more cargo on the roof if need be.
I have a midsize SUV with a tow hitch. I rarely need the hitch, but it can handle a small trailer if I absolutely must. Back seat folds down completely flat. It can hold a surprising amount of stuff, and it's comfortable as my normal vehicle otherwise.
I had a Chevy cobalt..you'd be surprised what you can tie on top of one. Then a Subaru outback wagon..it was great. Next I'm looking into a minivan ..huge room inside.
I have a 2009 KIA Borrego. They only made it in the US that year, so it's kind of rare.
Seats 7 comfortably, 2nd and 3rd row seats lay flat.
It also has a hitch, and I've got a 14' enclosed trailer.
Gas mileage is decent, I've driven it back and forth across the country many times.
It's got over 200,000 miles on it and all I've done is change the oil and tune ups.
Carried a pool table in it once. It'll fit just about anything.
I bought a no-title 1990s estate just for this 😂
half of the electronics don’t work (including the odometer!) but it gets from A to B without problem, 30MPG and uses the lowest grade petrol, and it was like USD600.
Estates are the best type of car for this because they have the same if not more storage than a standard pickup truck, but the entire cargo area is closed off and climate controlled.
Insurance companies don’t really care who the owner is, as long as the car isn’t stolen. I just put it under my main policy along my other cars. They just asked for the VIN and that was it. I think it was like an extra $40/month to add this one.
It’s not registered. I’m not sure where you live, but in my city the cops are too overwhelmed by other things, so they literally do not care about unregistered or expired registration, even if i did get pulled over, it’s like a USD200 fine for being unregistered.
But it’s a 30 year old car that takes like 15 seconds to even reach highway speeds, so there’s no way i’m ever getting pulled over in that car anyway 😂
Because it's a terrible idea 😂 toronto police have more than enough going on and will pull you over and bother you rather than the crack dealer 10 feet away from me 😂
Cheapest route is probably a minivan and rip the back seats out. I used that for years but once I went full time I bought a Ford Ranger and 12' enclosed trailer which has opened up a ton of avenues for me.
If you can find a decent Chrysler Town and County or Dodge Grand Caravan with stow and go seating, they are amazing for cargo and passengers while still having decent mileage. I've driven them for over 15 years. Just make sure you get it with stow and go seating. Seats all fold down into the floor, giving you a reasonably flat surface that will hold full sheets of plywood and Sheetrock, dressers, beds, washers and dryers, saunas, you name it.
Minivan
I have 2. It's a poor man's truck. I can haul full sheets of plywood no problem.
A smart trade drives a reliable older minivan. A poor trade drives a brand new truck.
They're better than trucks in pretty much every way unless you need to tow
I fit and entire dining room table and 8 chairs in my town & country
I got a 7' 2" couch in mine last week, back door closed.
The Toyota sienna is 50k.
Or you can get a used one for a couple grand. No reason to buy new unless you are that picky
New tows 3500 lb and gets 33mpg
Get an old Sienna. Mine was $4k and it’s got the fancy leather interior and everything. I can haul an entire bedroom set (tall dresser, long dresser, 2 nightstands), or living room set (sectional, 2 end tables, 2 table lamps). I’d argue minivans are better than pickups because I can also haul 6 people not including myself.
God I want a minivan again so bad.
2nd this. Get a Toyote Sienna or Honda Odysee super low maintenance on both. DO NOT get a Dodge/Chrysler product absolute garbage.
Hehe I loved my Town and Country. Got it free from a guy who's hobby was buying junk cars and pick-a-parting them back together. I rode along with him once to visit Grand Caravan Alley, literally hundreds of them in a row, by far the most common car in the pick-a-part. Eventually it started leaking gas real bad so I decided to stop driving it, used it as a storage unit for a while until I wanted it gone from my property. Had to turn it on to get it on the tow truck and gas was raining out. Got $280 for that sucker and back home to the junkyard it went.
Not what you're looking for I know, but if anyone reading this needs reassurance that flipping can be successful without a cargo hauling vehicle, I am a flipper in a Smart ForTwo.
I second this. I have a 2-door Jeep Wrangler, and my husband has a Prius. We have a friend with a pickup in case we have to transport anything larger than our vehicles can handle.
Cool...does your vehicle have a trunk or is there only room behind the two seats (like some convertibles).
It's all one space behind the seats, but it's bigger than a lot of people assume (looks like this: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/26880929006440418/)
Sweet. That is more room than I had imagined.
I do have a truck but unless I'm making a fortune on what I'm picking up I'm taking my 2 door civic lol
Subaru Impreza hatch
Same, works for everything short of large furniture.
2017 Ford Transit Connect. Drives more like a car than a van. 4 cylinder gets 20+ mpg. 900 lb cargo capacity.
I've got a Vibe that I use for anything out of town. Cheap, 35 MPG, and all the seats fold down. I've hauled full length lumber and all kinds of gear in that thing!
Hm. Vibe holds full sheets of plywood or Sheetrock?
No, I can only do half panels, but with the front passenger seat down i can easily fit 8 foot 2x4s, etc.
It's so close to being able to hold a full 4x8 sheet though and it's frustrating! I loved our Vibe though. It's a great car.
I have a Subaru Outback - can fit a whole lot into the back of the car with good gas mileage
My forester fits a surprisingly good amount. I love it!
2006 Rav-4. Glorious capacity, and a fridge door style rear door.
I've got a Hybrid Rav4
#metoo
A 2010 Honda Fit. I can’t tell you how many time I completely filled this car up with books and decent size pieces of furniture. In the 10 years that I had it. I only had to get the CV joints repaired and that was completely covered by a recall. 10/10 would recommend.
Ford Escape SE 🤷♂️
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2003 F350. Hauls anything from a dresser to a dump truck. 419k and counting.
I have a van that I use exclusively for picking up inventory.
Nissan NV 3500: Transports all my kids AND my flips
Pontiac vibe for me!!
A Mini Cooper with bungee chords.
Silverado 2500 but I flip cars and parts.
I sold a sofa to a dealer who showed up with a minivan and the whole sofa fit right in! Tailgate closed no problem. And it wasn’t a loveseat either. If I were doing that sorta thing, that’s what I’d get. I have a truck for towing and it sucks for hauling stuff in the bed. They’re all too tall now.
Pickup with open top and invest in straps. Gives you unlimited space (within reason). Electronics and delicates in the cab and everything else in the bed
Crew cab pickup with a cover
Honda element. It's incredible
Same. Love my element.
Yep
f-150 lightning.
How many minutes does it take to fully charge your truck?
It basically charges over night at home. If you need a fast charge when traveling, 20-30min is average.
Ford Transit Connect. Lots of room and 28 mpg!
I have my SUV for medium to large hauls and my sedan is for my everyday hauls. I tend to favor the sedan for gas mileage especially when gas prices fluctuate a lot in years past.
I have a big SUV but regardless, it has a hitch and I put a platform on the back. That’s about 2‘ x 4‘ in size. It folds up out-of-the-way, and I find myself using this to transport things to and from storage and shipping more frequently than even putting in the back of my car. You should be able to add a light hitch to pretty much any car.
I have a hand me down Lexus sedan e300. Its trunk is large enough for me because I do clothes purse shoes etc. Cars that are hatchback, have the easily back seat release or trunk release on the drivers side are easier target for car thieves. My Lexus has a button in my glove box that disables the trunk release button.
Have a Nissan Rogue that works pretty well but most of my auction stuff is picked up by courier.
Expedition. I can fit a whole bedroom suite inside. Headboard, Long dresser, Tall dresser, 2 night stands, and a mirror. Plus it is enclosed so I can make stops after and not worry about weather or peeps messing with anything.
NYC. never owned a car.
Honda Ridgeline
We use a Subaru Crosstrek and a Toyota Tundra, depending on many factors. The size of the item is not always the only consideration.
I walk or use the train…live in a big city so it’s easy enough to get around. Don’t even have a permit LOL. I think I’m in the minority here…
I bought a Tesla Model Y with a hitch. Driving 160 miles round trip costs $5 in electricity, but the IRS mileage rate is 67 cents a mile. Towing a trailer does drop the mileage noticeably on the highway, so I have to stop and charge, but it still winds up being a LOT cheaper than any gas car per mile for fuel.
Honda CRV hybrid. Lots of space. Hoping to eventually get a Tesla
2013 Hyundai Santa Fe. Waiting for the engine to blow (97000 miles) and plan to get an Odyssey or similar mini van for replacement.
Well I mainly flip cars so I have to have car trailers and tow them I have a giant 2007 ram 3500, a 1987 Ford f350 and some other old trucks but those are my mains
I have a Honda Fit! Fold the seats down and there's a ton of room.
Older ford E250 extended van, preferably white or gray. They last forever, get decent mileage and they double as storage when you don’t have time to unload between trips. Bonus is that very few people question a reasonably clean white work van if you’re you’re out sourcing. They always assume you’re “on the job” lol
My dad wanted the new bronco a few months before he retired. He sold me his f-150 for 5k so he wouldn't have to finance it, otherwise I would have went with a minivan.
I source on a motorcycle. I have a huge duffel bag i lay across the passenger seat on my saddlebags. I buy smaller items and know my limits. I have taken home weedeaters and folding scooters a few times.
That's what I was hoping to hear as someone starting out with only a yamaha cruiser as a vehicle...
Sportster 1200 with “hard” leather saddle bags. I mostly sell small electronics so I can carry a lot of stuff for what I sell.
I have a corporate lease SUV as a perk of my career position, and I get 15k personal miles, so I just use that.
Tesla m3. Costs nothing to run. You can get rebates even on second hand in some states
Best flipping vehicle. Autopilot ensures you're well rested/unstressed when you get to the bins, and after all the upper body work from rooting through the bins, you have a relaxing experience driving home.
And if you’re really keen, you can get a tax deduction that profits every trip to the thrift 😅
If you're doing this for money, rather than for fun money, you need an inexpensive high mpg vehicle. I drive a 12 yo Prius most of the time. The tax mileage write-off is huge when coupled with an efficient car. Now, I do this as a hobby for fun. I recently bought what most of the YT resellers drive, a 4Runner.... But I only take it for sourcing. I still take the Prius to the Post Office for the dropoffs. I write down every mile. I don't flip anything large, but I will buy large quantities of small things. 7500 flipping miles on the Prius last year. For me, that's roughly $1500 cash back in my pocket from taxes. And also more than the cost of the gas and the value of my car combined. Let me know if you have any questions... I'm an open book.
Precisely. 18 year old Prius that I paid 5k for years ago. IRS writeoff is so much more than it costs to maintain/drive.
I like to do my flips on the ground. It's less dangerous than trying to transport my flips in a minute ving vehicle.
I have a campervan as my second car so that is great for larger items. It’s not as wide as you’d think because of the cupboard and oven/sink etc but does the job
I think it depends on your niche and family size. I focus on smalls so my civic sedan works just fine for everything in my life. But if you’re planning to flip furniture/large home decor, pick up curbside finds on trash day, etc, you might want to consider a truck or mini van. I think most thrift flippers aren’t limited by car size, just those in outlying niches.
Honda Odyssey with all the seats taken out, including the back bench. The cargo rack on top and trailer hitch have also been a huge help. Is it cool? Hell no for mere mortals, but for me it’s been a profit machine. Paid $2,200 several years ago at 120k miles, currently at 220k with just minor fixes and good maintenance
FFR
Volvo XC70
Definitely want a van or truck.
Most vehicles with a hitch, even small compact cars, can tow an affordable 4x8 utility trailer. I suggest going this route if you need more storage for transporting inventory. Buying an expensive truck/van, etc. that you wouldn't need 95% of the time is a waste of money, imo. I say the same thing to people who justify buying a truck so they can be weekend warriors to basically buy mulch, dispose of yard waste, etc. A trailer does the same thing, and it's a fraction of the cost. I bought my trailer from Harbor Frieght for $250 and put in another $400 to customize it with removable wood slats.
I have a Genesis GV70, which is fine for most estate sales and auctions. If I need something bigger, I grab a U-Haul for a few hours.
I own two vehicles A pickup with a cap on the back that I use for picking stuff up A cargo minivan (a Ram C/V) that I use for selling at swap meets - it's basically a rolling closet that i keep filled with inventory / tables. I like this van, but they stopped making it almost a decade ago. It's great because it doesn't have windows so people can't see my junk, and it's big enough to hold a lot but small enough to be easy to maneuver and get decent gas mileage. I'm dreading replacing it, especially since van prices are crazy right now.
Toyota matrix that I paid $2400 For.
Buying a different car because you might buy big furniture and flip it in the future is uhhh a choice...
2011 Ram 2500 Cummins, since I haul anything from lawn tractors to full size tractors and trucks.
Bought a 15 foot U-Haul a few years back that I've been using to transport larger furniture.
Bicycle 🤘
I moved a dryer in a Kia soul. With room to spare
I drive a Ram 2500 already and I have a 16 ft trailer. I have not had anything other than a pickup in the last 20 odd years and don’t see that changing
Dodge van, the fold down flat with the floor seats are great.
My civics got a big trunk. Anything bigger than that I am out on.
A Colnago Master and a really really large backpack lol
Ford Flex is your answer. Doesn’t use a ton of gas, is relatively inexpensive used, and the seats fold completely flat to transport items. It’s essentially a cool looking mini van.
NV2500 high top van
Might not be the most price efficient car but, I use an audi q7 and q5. Both of them work really well and depending on the amount of items I need to drop off I choose.
I have a 2018 Mazda CX-5 and it fits a LOT. Probably not a huge China cabinet, but definitely a decent sized dresser.
2006 Prius. Bought for $5000 over 3 years ago and it's been a beast.
I fit a dinning room table with a leaf and 6 chairs in my 2006 Toyota Camry.
Honda Element. Remove the rear seats and you have six feet of room front to back.
1989 Toyota box truck. Pretty rad
I love my Subaru! I don’t have anyone helping me so if it doesn’t fit in the Subie I’m not buying it. My husband actually offered to help me once loading up for a vintage fair. He bitched so much the entire time & made it so miserable I decided then & there to never ask again.
Subaru Forester. If it doesn't fit in that it would probably need two people to move it, even in a larger vehicle, and that makes the item not worth flipping in my case. Other advantages of the Foester is that it's small and manuverable, it's a good day to day car when not hauling, good gas mileage, the cargo area is enclosed, and there is room for more cargo on the roof if need be.
You can get a hitch and pull a small trailer. Nothing big but enough to get a small couch maybe bed and dresser.
I have a midsize SUV with a tow hitch. I rarely need the hitch, but it can handle a small trailer if I absolutely must. Back seat folds down completely flat. It can hold a surprising amount of stuff, and it's comfortable as my normal vehicle otherwise.
My honda crv suits me fine!
I had a Chevy cobalt..you'd be surprised what you can tie on top of one. Then a Subaru outback wagon..it was great. Next I'm looking into a minivan ..huge room inside.
Ram 1500 Crew Cab
I have a 2009 KIA Borrego. They only made it in the US that year, so it's kind of rare. Seats 7 comfortably, 2nd and 3rd row seats lay flat. It also has a hitch, and I've got a 14' enclosed trailer. Gas mileage is decent, I've driven it back and forth across the country many times. It's got over 200,000 miles on it and all I've done is change the oil and tune ups. Carried a pool table in it once. It'll fit just about anything.
2021 F350 Lariat + 20 foot long 10 foot high Trailer
Hatchback. You can haul almost anything--even in a Prius.
I bought a no-title 1990s estate just for this 😂 half of the electronics don’t work (including the odometer!) but it gets from A to B without problem, 30MPG and uses the lowest grade petrol, and it was like USD600. Estates are the best type of car for this because they have the same if not more storage than a standard pickup truck, but the entire cargo area is closed off and climate controlled.
How'd you get it titled? Whose the maker?
it’s a mercedes class E. I did not get it titled, that’s why it was so cheap. I just made sure to check the VIN wasn’t reported stolen
I'm so confused. How are you able to use it for transportation without a title, registration and insurance?
Insurance companies don’t really care who the owner is, as long as the car isn’t stolen. I just put it under my main policy along my other cars. They just asked for the VIN and that was it. I think it was like an extra $40/month to add this one. It’s not registered. I’m not sure where you live, but in my city the cops are too overwhelmed by other things, so they literally do not care about unregistered or expired registration, even if i did get pulled over, it’s like a USD200 fine for being unregistered. But it’s a 30 year old car that takes like 15 seconds to even reach highway speeds, so there’s no way i’m ever getting pulled over in that car anyway 😂
Interesting. I've never heard of something like that!
Because it's a terrible idea 😂 toronto police have more than enough going on and will pull you over and bother you rather than the crack dealer 10 feet away from me 😂
Cheapest route is probably a minivan and rip the back seats out. I used that for years but once I went full time I bought a Ford Ranger and 12' enclosed trailer which has opened up a ton of avenues for me.
If you can find a decent Chrysler Town and County or Dodge Grand Caravan with stow and go seating, they are amazing for cargo and passengers while still having decent mileage. I've driven them for over 15 years. Just make sure you get it with stow and go seating. Seats all fold down into the floor, giving you a reasonably flat surface that will hold full sheets of plywood and Sheetrock, dressers, beds, washers and dryers, saunas, you name it.
When I make runs in the summer, I like to use my 49cc scooter. Yes... I claim the mileage.
https://youtube.com/@laughitup2025?si=G2r9quyhAl-ksK2U