Topic: Day-by-Day Review: 2014 Ford Transit Connect; Day 1

[Autos_Editor]

James spends a week as a man with a van.
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[Ex-airbalancer]

I removed my rear mirror years ago
Does it have a back up camera?

[wing]

Nope

[jyarkony]

No rear view mirror or backup cam.  What could go wrong?

I'm more worried about James handing out candy than a few fender dings...

[Solstice2006]

I am not want usually to complain about the price of a vehicle.  But why are these small commercial vans so expensive?  Is it a low volume thing?  They have less power, less capability than the E series commercial vans of the past.  And they have less power, less comfort, less features of a regular minivan. 

Don't get me wrong I understand the need for them.  Heck I wonder how my lawn mowers fit in this thing? The do well in the Odyssey.  And I can sit 4.  But I still think these are $4-$5k overpriced.

[tazcubed]

James spends a week as a man with a van.
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Good! I need to get some stuff from Ikea as well - will meet you there. When are you headed there?

Seriously, I'd be curious how this works out and whether you could get an opportunity to compare it to the wagon version (and, in turn, how that might compare to the likes of minivans such as the Mazda 5 or a Dodge Caravan). From what I can tell, the Transit seems to be about the size of the original minivan.

[Solstice2006]

James spends a week as a man with a van.
Read More...

Good! I need to get some stuff from Ikea as well - will meet you there. When are you headed there?

Seriously, I'd be curious how this works out and whether you could get an opportunity to compare it to the wagon version (and, in turn, how that might compare to the likes of minivans such as the Mazda 5 or a Dodge Caravan). From what I can tell, the Transit seems to be about the size of the original minivan.

This is the cargo version, hard to compare to a Mazda5.  Maybe just road manners, and driveability. 

[tazcubed]

James spends a week as a man with a van.
Read More...

Good! I need to get some stuff from Ikea as well - will meet you there. When are you headed there?

Seriously, I'd be curious how this works out and whether you could get an opportunity to compare it to the wagon version (and, in turn, how that might compare to the likes of minivans such as the Mazda 5 or a Dodge Caravan). From what I can tell, the Transit seems to be about the size of the original minivan.

This is the cargo version, hard to compare to a Mazda5.  Maybe just road manners, and driveability.

Hence what I put into my post - to compare the Transit Wagon to the Mazda 5 and other minivans. It would be good to test the Transit Van to the Transit Wagon as well to give some perspective (there are some obvious differences - and different ways they would be used).

[wing]

LOL -- stolen speakers been a long time since I've heard of that scam.

I won't get to drive the Wagon we don't get many variants in Ottawa unfortunately.  But if the Wagon drives anything like the Van but with an interior it is probably a nice option.

[EV-Light]

oh man! I was so hoping you had one of these:

[Noto]

And this week is the perfect week to be driving around in a white van, what with everyone giving away free candy and all…

No rear view mirror or backup cam.  What could go wrong?

I'm more worried about James handing out candy than a few fender dings...

I was going to comment on that one.  I think James drank a bit of Jacob/Brendan's juice this morning. 

This will be an interesting day-by-day, and not because anyone cares about the van...but purely because of the comedy that will ensue. 

...as for the Transit looking better...really?  I think it has an underbite...

[Blueprint]

Wing, the first gen was never made available with a stick - we stuck with a single gas engine and a 4-speed auto box (Europe got diesels and a stick). I remember InsideLine (r.i.p.) had quite a good time with the 1st gen around the cones!

[nlm]

No rear view mirror or backup cam.  What could go wrong?

That reminds me of a builder I know and his philisophy when driving his F-150: "What goes on behind me does not concern me."

[dkaz]

I would've considered one as I like these Euro style vans, but the price is too high. These vans are likely designed to do 400,000km in a commercial setting but so will a Toyota Sienna.

Maybe if it came with a manual transmission.

[EV-Light]

I would've considered one as I like these Euro style vans, but the price is too high. These vans are likely designed to do 400,000km in a commercial setting but so will a Toyota Sienna.

Maybe if it came with a manual transmission.

the used market will fix the price problem...I bet around this time next year, one will be able to buy one of these wagons for $24k

[tooscoops]

while i don't know if i'd go so far as saying, "gone is the ugly front end"... more gone is the OLD ugly front end...

it's like steve buscemi going to the plastic surgeon and asking for the "willem dafoe"... yep, it's different, and some will like it better... but i wouldn't say the ugly is all gone.

here's a test that will actually help some of these buyers... either eat lunch in one of these near a "job site" that is also relatively close to a school... or pick up a youngun at daycare (that you know!)... see if the police get called... just tells you how respectable the van looks.

... remove any "free candy" signs off the side though.

[OliverD]

I am not want usually to complain about the price of a vehicle.  But why are these small commercial vans so expensive?  Is it a low volume thing?  They have less power, less capability than the E series commercial vans of the past.  And they have less power, less comfort, less features of a regular minivan. 

Don't get me wrong I understand the need for them.  Heck I wonder how my lawn mowers fit in this thing? The do well in the Odyssey.  And I can sit 4.  But I still think these are $4-$5k overpriced.

The worst thing is that the 2015 commercial version of the Grand Caravan is a whopping $9500 more than the base passenger version. WTF?

[Fobroader]

[Noto]

 
 
 

[aquadorhj]

 
 
 
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[/quote]

can you see?   i guess my company blocks that image...