Had no idea they were offering these in the U.S. until I passed one on the road yesterday. Needs a diesel option, but a nifty little commercial vehicle.
Had no idea they were offering these in the U.S. until I passed one on the road yesterday. Needs a diesel option, but a nifty little commercial vehicle.
Visual size comparison...
Cool. I see they make a "wagon" version (full back seat, windows on sliding doors) and it prices around $23k. I wonder if they will sell them to non-commercial buyers?
CrackMonkey wrote: Cool. I see they make a "wagon" version (full back seat, windows on sliding doors) and it prices around $23k. I wonder if they will sell them to non-commercial buyers?
AFAIK, it's under strong consideration. There have been some killer ideas from consumers for "conversion" kits.
E-
Although, on further review, a nicely loaded Honda Element costs about the same, so maybe the Transit isn't such a great idea.
I'm a fan of boxy utility cars. Mazda5, Element, etc. Smaller than a mini-van, but still able to swallow a few bicycles, or a load of Home Depot crap.
CrackMonkey wrote: Although, on further review, a nicely loaded Honda Element costs about the same, so maybe the Transit isn't such a great idea.
And I'm not sure the Element isn't actually larger. Especially in width. When I first looked at the Transit at the auto show a couple of years ago, I was rather disappointed in how small it is. Basically: if it can't hold a 4x8 sheet, it's not much use to me...
I can not cite a source but I seem to remember reading that the Transit can load 4x8 sheets of plywood. I would expect not many.
Edit: Corrected, the US version has 6.5ft of floor space (4.7ft wide.) It is in Europe that Ford sells a Long Wheelbase version that will carry 8ft sheets.
http://www.thecarconnection.com/fullreview/ford_transit-connect_2010
We only have the short version but we also only get a 2.0L Focus engine to power the whole thing.
it looks comical behind the sprinter
Visual size comparison...
Evolution, in reverse.
jrw1621 wrote: I can not cite a source but I seem to remember reading that the Transit can load 4x8 sheets of plywood. I would expect not many. Edit: Corrected, the US version has 6.5ft of floor space (4.7ft wide.) It is in Europe that Ford sells a Long Wheelbase version that will carry 8ft sheets. http://www.thecarconnection.com/fullreview/ford_transit-connect_2010 We only have the short version but we also only get a 2.0L Focus engine to power the whole thing.
Is that 4.7 ft between the rear wheel wells?
If they had brought over the LWB version, I'd be drooling... but the SWB version just doesn't do anything for me...
Don't care much about the engine... although a manual option would have been nice... And truth be told, while the extra MPG of a diesel is nice, in a lot of ways, they can be more trouble than they are worth (this coming from a TDI and a Cummins owner). I swear a lot of the people out there crying for European diesels have never driven or lived with one for awhile... Owning a diesel can be a royal PITA.
Ianf said:
"Don't care much about the engine... although a manual option would have been nice... And truth be told, while the extra MPG of a diesel is nice, in a lot of ways, they can be more trouble than they are worth (this coming from a TDI and a Cummins owner). I swear a lot of the people out there crying for European diesels have never driven or lived with one for awhile... Owning a diesel can be a royal PITA."
How so? I have a cummins that just turned 354,000 young and I've never thought it was a PITA. Especially when I'm towing 9,000 lbs and getting 20+ mpg or having to do next to no maintenance for over 300K. The worst part of it is the gas station around here with the best diesel prices has the dirtiest pumps that don't shut off correctly.
well... as I've posted in the past, my own Cummins has been less reliable. It's at 254K and has cost me in diesel-specific repairs well over the $$ saved vs. buying a much cheaper gas truck. The thing about diesels is unless you drive a LOT, the purchase premium simply takes forever to get paid back. For a truck that gets driven a couple of times a month (when I remember to force myself to drive it), I will never see that payback.
What are the advantages of this over a mini van with the rear seats pulled?
It has a ton of options to deck out the rear space for different types of businesses. I think the aftermarket can do that for a minivan, but perhaps you can get the full dealer warranty and financing through Ford.
For general consumers like us? Very little - maybe a bit more interior height... but as pv mentions above, tons of business-specific options... and "in theory" a more "commercial duty" drive-line... although since we seem to be getting the Focus drive line, maybe not so much there... and a more bare-bones interior (cheaper).
Wiki says there are both a FWD and RWD version. So what are we getting?
I have to go look at one.. I can currently fit all my gear and two guys (plus myself) into a chrysler town and country.. but everytime they redesign them, it gets harder to get stuff in and out and arranged inside
mad_machine wrote: I have to go look at one.. I can currently fit all my gear and two guys (plus myself) into a chrysler town and country.. but everytime they redesign them, it gets harder to get stuff in and out and arranged inside
Huh? The new one is huge inside. I think you could park a Transit inside... 
bludroptop wrote:
Ian F wrote: Huh? The new one is huge inside. I think you could park a Transit inside...
My equipment is tall and wide enough that the pinched in roof causes a lot of problems
My equipment is tall and wide
That's what she said. http://instantrimshot.com/
I think I asked for that
mad_machine wrote: I think I asked for that
Yep...
Hmm... sounds like you should skip the Transit and go directly to "used Sprinter land... " A Transit is definitely more narrow inside than the current T&C. And I'm pretty sure it's only marginally taller.
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