2014 Transit Connect = Goldilocks Van?

side question. why does NOTHING have pop out windows anymore. Including this van.

Vigo wrote: So what station wagon holds a 4x8 entirely behind the front seats with the hatch closed and gets 30mpg on the highway? To be honest, i think that is a straw man. So, am i really the ONLY one who is happy about a torque-vectoring E-diff program in a minivan?!

I never said that was a requirement, just that if I have to put large sheet goods on the roof, I'd rather have a station wagon.

And likewise, it's not that I'm unhappy about the prospect of new van options with better fuel mileage, it's just a matter of perspective for me. I drive a car that gets 50 mpg... so going to anything that gets 30 mpg - while very good for a van - would be a reduction for me.

Some years ago when Sprinters first came to the US, a friend bought one of the early RV conversions and he and his wife traveled all over with it (he was a retired equipment operator and she a lawyer, so they went to N.O after Katrina to volunteer). He said with a light foot he could squeeze 27 mpg out of it.

Many minivans have pop-out rear side windows - powered of course. Not sure if it's still a common feature.

I can relate, the 27mpg van was my DD until i got my 50mpg car.

But to be honest, there are many times i'd rather be driving a van. But, some of it is because the van i have is turbo and 5spd. Granted, the 1.6 ford van is turbo, but i kinda doubt it can be upgraded to 'highly entertaining' without some relatively major, warranty-voiding work.

I dont really have a reason to own a van right now (no kids, no plans for kids, no constant need to haul things INSIDE a vehicle), but given a few unplanned pregnancies and my state's attitude towards abortion rights, i could see myself being the kind of guy who would love a transit connect if the last 10 years had gone differently.

pinchvalve wrote:

Vigo wrote: ...which averaged 27mpg while being smaller on the outside than, frankly, the MAJORITY of cars for sale in the USA, but bigger on the inside than it's closest modern equivalents in size and mpg (Mazda5, old MPV, and Rondo).

The Rondo struggles to get 19mpg in real-world use. There are a lot of bigger/more powerful cars available today that get the same MPG, and some similar-sized ones that get much better.

damn.. I can almost get 19 in my Landrover... and that has a 4.6 V8 and a heavy frame and 4x4 drivetrain to drag around

Yeah, thats why the smaller end of the van spectrum is a real letdown to me right now. Even the mazda5, which is too small to really be considered any kind of van at all, only gets about the same mpg as my 1990 caravan, but doesnt have anywhere near the interior volume (or ease of turbocharging ). Thats why i think the 2014 Transit Connect passenger version is really going to be the only game in town for a good mpg AND roomy van, which means an infinite improvement over the zero comparable things on the market right now.

failboat wrote: side question. why does NOTHING have pop out windows anymore. Including this van.

Elements have them on the rear clamshell doors.

PHeller wrote: or Nissan NV200

I'm a big minivan hater (partly because they're almost all V6's and are a huge pain to work on) but I would totally rock a passenger version of this! I am a Nissan junky, but I hate their vans up until now! I hate all Quests but really like the new NV's, both big and small. I would get the NV200 though because it's smaller and 4 cylinder and more economical. Hopefully by the time I actually need a van (only 1 kiddo at the moment) they will have a psgr version and I can get a used one!

alex wrote:

failboat wrote: side question. why does NOTHING have pop out windows anymore. Including this van.

Elements have them on the rear clamshell doors.

I have rented Caravans that have electrically opening windows like that at the far rear of the van. I found they really help get the aircon going by allowing all the hot air to get blown out the back

I really like this.

This would be a really useful vehicle for me.

I really like the color.

dean1484 wrote: I really like this. This would be a really useful vehicle for me. I really like the color.

Yes, definitely way cooler than your typical "minivan" or Swagger Wagon. This is the type of van I would rock!

In reply to mad_machine:

i guess what i mean is...all sorts of cars used to have them. now the only place you see them is on minivans. hatchbacks and coupes dont usually have popout windows anymore. (civic, e30, etc.)

i am mostly just bitter my 09 accent doesnt have em, and this transit appears to not have them either.

failboat wrote: In reply to mad_machine: i guess what i mean is...all sorts of cars used to have them. now the only place you see them is on minivans. hatchbacks and coupes dont usually have popout windows anymore. (civic, e30, etc.) i am mostly just bitter my 09 accent doesnt have em, and this transit appears to not have them either.

I know.. I loved them on the 318ti and on my Saab 900. But then, most people never roll down their windows anymore unless they need to pay a toll or get food from the drivethru

failboat wrote: In reply to mad_machine: i guess what i mean is...all sorts of cars used to have them. now the only place you see them is on minivans. hatchbacks and coupes dont usually have popout windows anymore. (civic, e30, etc.) i am mostly just bitter my 09 accent doesnt have em, and this transit appears to not have them either.

While we're on a tangent: I really miss vent/wing windows.

we just bought an 86 F150 earlier this year. i open the E36 M3 out of those vent/wing windows. i loved the popout windows (and ventwing and slider/screened bay windows) on my chevy van I had a while ago.

mostly because the AC is/was non functional in both cars

i try to drive my accent without AC and windows down....the AC seems to sap about 3mpg on the lil motor. it would be about 10x more better if those darn back windows would pop open.

I like it. It's nice to see Ford (and GM and Chrysler) building such nice vehicles now. It wasn't that long ago when none of their products interested me.

Vigo wrote: I have an unrelenting want for a Sprinter, but absolutely no justification for owning one. On the other hand, i WAS able to mentally justify buying a $700 UMC Aeromate recently! Dont have pics of mine yet so... here:

Slight necro-threadjack here.

Any more info on the UMC? I just picked one up Saturday. 3.3, 90k mi. Need to fix a brake line, and get it on the road.