Doc Hoy

Yep....Pretty much the same. Not sure why I have so much difficulty seeing into the area in the next lane and just even with the truck. Could be that I am 66 years old. But in the short time I have owned the first TC, I have, on three occasions, accidentally attempted to merge into either left of right lane only to find I was encroaching upon some completely innocent driver. I look very carefully but there are things I just cant see in the OEM mirrors.

Just brought home a 2012 TC. My second TC. The tire pressure alarm on the dash is lighted all the time. Tire pressure is right. I am assuming one or the other of two things. 1. Battery(ies) in tire sensor(s) are gone. 2. Tires were replaced and sensors were replaced with standard (non sensor) valve stems. I could go with Ford sensors at 80.00 each or I could buy a set of after market jobs for about 60.00 for the set.So here are two questions: 1. Do the after market sensors work or are they junk to be avoided? 2. Is there a reset procedure or does the alert go away automatically?

Nice links, Fifty. Many thanks! Good idea to put the camera on the bottom.

I also included a photo of the cabinets in the back of the van which I use for food truck, catering, mobile canteen etc. The two door cabinets on top and the big drawer at lower right are insulated.

Here are some photos of the camera installation. First is the location of the right door mirror camera display. Note that it is right where one might look to see the OEM rear view mirror Second is the location of the display for the left rear view and center line rear view camera. Third photo is of the location of the door mirror mounted camera on the right side. You can see the Coax passing through the plastic mounting base. I will post some photos of the displays turned on. I am thinking of remounting the right and left display such that they are in a place that is in shadow. the display is hard to make out with the daylight backlighting the display.

good info, Don. Two questions: 1. When I replace the sensors will the alert system automatically start working, or do I need to reset something? 2. These things can be bought for about 60 bucks for a set of four. OEM are as much as eighty dollars each. Do you know if the cheap ones work as well as the OEM sensors?

Just brought the 2012 home. Almost no difference between the two years. In fact, my 2011 key will start the 2012. Opens all of the doors. Opens the gas cap cover. The hood latch is a little stiff. I have a pressure alert on the tires but all tires are okay. The door ajar alert is sounding. The vendor will fix the door alert and the hood latch. I think I am on my own on the tire pressure problem. (Minor annoyance)

A little more about the cameras: I bought these cameras from a vendor on eBay for twenty bucks each with free shipping. Delivery was fast even though they came from China. There were no instructions but installation is like falling off a log. ( bought four of the cameras figuring I would need two for the 20111 and knowing I would buy another TC which could be assumed to also have the blind spots.) You have to be careful what you buy because the listings are structured in a way that makes it difficult to tell exactly what you are getting. Many of the listings are for the display only but if you don't look close, you think you are getting the camera too. I bought the cheapest ones I could find figuring that if I wasn't happy I could just lose the 20 bucks. They have been on the van for about a month and do not seem to leak in the rain. The connectors are very small (about 1/4 inch in diameter) so I only made small holes in the inner door panel as a pass-through for the connector. The coax passes through the existing mounting base for the OEM mirror. That mounting base is plastic.

To U1; The "rear view mirror" camera is mounted on the license place bracket. I use it exactly like a rear view mirror. (Which is why I call it a rear view mirror camera.) I put camera 2 outside the van on the left door mirror and camera 3 on the right door mirror. I positioned them so that I can just see a little of the side of the van in the display. That van has two terrible blind spots in the OEM mirrors. I trained these cameras to view into those blind spots. I have employees driving this van and I want them to bee as safe a possible. So the displays are mounted as close as possible to the area one would look at to see the OEM rear view mirror. To Fifty; The installation is restricted to cabinets which are insulated to keep hot stuff hot and cold stuff cold. I'll shoot some photos of it and post them. For events where I have to serve hot stuff over an extended period I have a short bus which I converted to a food truck. We are taking it to the races this week end. It is a GMC, so I won't bore you with discussion of that truck. The graphics on the TC were done by a group here in Chesapeake, VA known as "DeSigns". I can't say enough good about them. Total wrap was 2400.00. That included graphic designer service. When I picked it up I drove it from the shop directly to a NAPA store. I sold 18.00 worth of meals to the guys in the store, based solely upon the looks of the truck. The truck paid for itself in a year.

I sold a Chevy 2500 van with 240k and that van was just starting to go. It had been pretty well abused by previous owners. Drywall hangers and such. But it was still reliable. The 2012 runs like a top. Dealer agreed to replace the battery and radiator and do a little electrical repair before I pick it up. When I first looked at these things about a year ago I was startled by the wide range of prices. For a 2011 to 2012 model prices ranged from 4500.00 to over ten. (Asking price). And the people at the top end were not budging. As I said, the 2011 which we are using as a food truck started at 6500.00 and wound up at 6200.00. This 2012 sat on the lot for almost nine months at prices which started at 7250.00 I watched it over those months. When it was down to 6500.00 I offered 6200.00 (similar to the 2011) but the dealer didn't budge. I walked and waited until the dealer became anxious to move it. When it got down to 4500.00 I sprang and finally bought it for 4300.00. I think the mileage scared folks off. At 4300.00 I am willing to take the risk.

Greetings, "LC". I was a professor for Saint Leo University just north of Tampa. It is interesting country. I am on my second TC. Have a 2011 with 180k that I use as a food truck and just bought a 2012 with 205k for my personal hack around truck. I am a life long Chevy guy and probably always will be. But I have to admit, these TCs are nice vans.

Evening folks, and thank in advance for allowing me into your midst. Retired naval officer, retired university professor and present restaurant owner. I started my business last year (Nov 9, 2015) with a 2011 TC using it for catering and delivery. Business got bigger and now have a brick and mortar restaurant in Chesapeake, VA. Still use the TC to service catering and deliveries. I like the truck so much that I bought a second one (2012). I hope to learn a lot from y'all. I have done a little work to the truck to make it more user friendly. Three cameras plus a bunch of cabinetry.

Great section. I own a 2011 using it as a food catering and delivery truck. Like it so much I bought a 2012 on Saturday (Would you believe I am a life long Chevy guy?) I'll post photos of the delivery truck as soon as I figure out how it is done.