Whats you driving for news?

Stormgod

Active member
Ok this is meant mainly for the freelance stringer types.
What kind of vehicle are you using? Any particular reason for that choice? Any special equipment in it just for your spot news work?

I ask this for a reason. I am about to buy my 5th vehicle specifically for news chasing use and I have to take in a number of factors when doing so.
Those include:
* Interior space
* Durability
* 4 wheel drive
* Gas Mileage
* Space up front for radios and computer

THIS time I have decided on a Jeep Liberty Renegade with the off-road package. In the past I have had
* Dodge Caravan (great vehicle, lots of room but poor gas mileage)
* Hyundai Wagon (crap)
* Saturn Wagon (crap after 40,000 miles)
* Honda Element (Great car for news, but time for a trade at 100,000 miles

So what do you look for in a news vehicle? Do you just use the family car with a scanner thrown on the front seat?
I saw one stringer in NYC with a Chevy Astro van with a totally cool camera platform built on the roof, where he could get up there and get great elevated shots, above the crowds and cars when necessary. Cool idea but not do-able on my new Jeep.
LETS HEAR IT! What are your thoughts on News Cruisers?
 

Baltimore Shooter

Well-known member
Last edited:

Stormgod

Active member
Hey when I wrote that I hadnt had my coffee yet and was on the 17th straight day of work without a day off. Cut me some slack.
 

thru-the-lens

Well-known member
Hey when I wrote that I hadnt had my coffee yet and was on the 17th straight day of work without a day off. Cut me some slack.

Slack is granted! Take a well earned trip to Starbucks for them 17 days. So how many storms did you chase?

thru-the-lens.
 

Stormgod

Active member
The year was pretty good for storms for me, I was on the Greensburg Kansas F5 and had the crap scared outa me pretty good with that beast. That one was not one to fool around with. I have decided that my Honda Element is done. I am trading that peice of crap in on a Jeep Renegade. Less room but better off road abilities, which is becoming an issue around here on rural roads that are getting less and less maintenance due to budget shortfalls. I do news coverage when Im not chasing, so the ability to get where I need to be is important. The three counties I am responsible for are largely rural, farms and valleys etc and in the heart of the snow belt. So until I can muster the energy to move to Kansas full time, its going to be 4X4s for now on.
 
driving a black 2002 Chevy Impala w/police package, 8 radios / scanners and a DVC Pro deck w/monitor for dubbing.
get's me in and out without a lot of hassel.:cool:
 

couryhouse

Well-known member
Sedan De Ville
Believe Current Name Is Dts

Why?

It Is Comfortable To Drive
It Jumps When I Stick My Foot In It.
Large Trunk
Stereo Sounds Good!

Great Street Cruiser But Lousy Out In The Rough As It Sits Low.
 

cameragod

Well-known member
Having recently done my tax breakdown I find that over the last year the 3L diesel Mitsi is just under half less to run than my old 2L petrol Subaru Legacy…
Got to love that.
 

f11vid

PRO user
Just got a Toyota Sienna van.Sweet.Has rear windows that go down so the Leonbergers can now stick their heads out into the breeze.THAT should prevent carjacking.
 

Run&Gun

Well-known member
I don't string, but I carry all of my gear in a 4x4 F-150 Crew Cab with a full shell on the back. Custom shelf/divider in the bed to seperate cases from some stuff I keep out for easy access(sticks, C-stands, frames, etc.). Clearence isn't an issue(what curb?) and it's nice sitting up a little higher than most other people so you have a good view of the road, or off-road, in front of you. But gas mileage is crappy with the big V-8. Worse than either one of my Expeditions(both V-8's) or Grand Cherekee(all were 4x4's, too).

By the way, my first vehicle when I started out(and was stringing for a local station): an RX-7. Not much for cargo space(it held my Betacam, sticks and a bag of support gear), but you could get there quickly.
 

Canonman

Well-known member
I'm close to Run & Gun in vehicle type. It's a Chevy dually 4x4 with full crew cab. Like R&G says, "what curb?" Nice in the summer time to be sitting up higher than the passenger cars for obvious reasons. I have a toolbox like the ones you see in many pick-ups that sits at the front. It sticks up above the bed and is big enough and sturdy enough for me to set the sticks on and get some elevated shot angles.

But I don't really do stringing. This vehicle serves in many capacities very nicely... at the expense of decent gas mileage.

cm
 

supedog

PRO user
2004 Suburban here...

2004 Chevy Suburban. I love it. Gas mileage sucks, but, I have the room for all of my gear. Took out the 3rd row seats, built an organizer for gear. Limo tint on all windows except driver and passenger windows. Loaded with heated leather seats, sunroof, XM radio, GPS, and one portable Scanner.
 

Stormgod

Active member
Well the honda is gone. The dealer has a hell of a time selling it too cause it was in bad shape. I bought a Jeep Liberty Renegade with the off road lights package etc. Comes in handy too. We had a murder-suicide out in the sticks a couple of weeks ago that I needed to shoot. It was in the middle of the night and the 2000 watts of extra light that my Jeep has lit the scene very nicely. Gas mileage sucks but the station is paying the mileage so what the hell.
 
Top