Mr. T.
New Member
- Joined
- June 9, 2009
- Messages
- 5
- Reaction score
- 0
- City, State
- Sun Prairie, Wisconsin
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 2009 Ranger XL
Courtesy of "Cash for Clunkers", mixed with my Old Lady's 1998 Ford Windstar (almost 200,000 miles and a laundry list of problems), I recently was introduced to to Ford's latest offering... and IMHO this thing has a bright future.
The Old Lady is into dog shows in a big way. That involves weekends of hauling dogs in crates, and a ton of equipment for canine agility competition.
The Windstar, with the rear seats removed, was marginally acceptable for the task, but hardly ideal.
Her first choice was a Kia... and mercifully, it didn't make the final cut; as an old Air Force medevac flier, I have a basic objection to any vehicle whose name is a military acronym for "Killed In Action"!
Looking around the dealership she spotted the UGLIEST thing I've ever seen on four wheels... a Ford commercial truck called a "Transit Connect".
It was love at first sight... despite being plug ugly, this thing is PERFECT for the job.
Apparently Ford has been selling these things in Europe for maybe 5 years, and they've been highly praised there. After some changes for the US version, they've started importing them here this June (they're currently assembled in the Ford plant in Turkey, tho the grapevine says they're going to open up an assembly line for them here in the States if they catch on).
The Transit Connect is meant for small businesses that don't need a full size van for it's operations... flower shops, handymen, etc.
There has been a concept car version of it at the auto shows that show it as a People Mover for Soccer Moms, and another one as a taxi.
We're talking a rather amazing and radical vehicle, really. Total length = 15' 1", but it has a 135 cubic foot cargo area! Besides rear doors, there are sliding doors on both sides. The turning circle is 39', and here the beastie fits in the COMPACT CAR ONLY parking spaces that the city fathers here have recently become so fond of.
The thing is VERY comfortable, and it's uncanny. This is a compact vehicle, but when you get in you don't get that enclosed, "small car" feeling. There's a LOT of headroom, and a grossly oversized windshield; between those two factors, the Transit Connect fools you into thinking it's a big, full sized van!
It's available in two basic versions... with rear seats (the Wagon), or without (the Van). The two of them are available in XL and XLT trim versions.
It comes stock with air conditioning and a cruise control. The XLT package (which she got) includes power windows and locks.
The powerplant is a four banger gas engine (the European version has a Diesel, but it apparently didn't meet EPA requirements for use here). The tranny is a 4 speed automatic (Euro version is available with a stick... Stay Tuned for possible future US availability).
For dog show people,Toyota apparently has a specialized dog show package available in one of thier models... but from what I hear it doesn' hold a candle to a Transit Connect for pure utility. Ford has a winner here, IMHO.
Remember the cult status of the Volkswagen Microbus? I think we've got a NEW contender for that sort of nontraditional popularity here.
And an EPA rating of 25 MPG on the highway sure doesn't hurt!
Apparently, the small business market has fallen in love with the Transit Connect, and a growing number of people like the Old Lady have too. I was at the dealership last week (undercoating job), and the salesman told me they'd gotten three more Transit Connects in. Color them GONE from the lot in 24 hours!
Right now, the beast is a bit hazardous; other people on the road keep trying to get close (WAY too close!) to figure out just what in the hell it IS! Driving it home we nearly got sideswiped by a semi hauling telephone poles!
That should be less of ahazard once Transit Connects become more plentiful.
This thing may be as ugly as the south end of a northbound pig, but I have to admit it makes a LOT of sense, and it's a lot of vehicle for a fairly small price tag.
Mr. T.
The Old Lady is into dog shows in a big way. That involves weekends of hauling dogs in crates, and a ton of equipment for canine agility competition.
The Windstar, with the rear seats removed, was marginally acceptable for the task, but hardly ideal.
Her first choice was a Kia... and mercifully, it didn't make the final cut; as an old Air Force medevac flier, I have a basic objection to any vehicle whose name is a military acronym for "Killed In Action"!
Looking around the dealership she spotted the UGLIEST thing I've ever seen on four wheels... a Ford commercial truck called a "Transit Connect".
It was love at first sight... despite being plug ugly, this thing is PERFECT for the job.
Apparently Ford has been selling these things in Europe for maybe 5 years, and they've been highly praised there. After some changes for the US version, they've started importing them here this June (they're currently assembled in the Ford plant in Turkey, tho the grapevine says they're going to open up an assembly line for them here in the States if they catch on).
The Transit Connect is meant for small businesses that don't need a full size van for it's operations... flower shops, handymen, etc.
There has been a concept car version of it at the auto shows that show it as a People Mover for Soccer Moms, and another one as a taxi.
We're talking a rather amazing and radical vehicle, really. Total length = 15' 1", but it has a 135 cubic foot cargo area! Besides rear doors, there are sliding doors on both sides. The turning circle is 39', and here the beastie fits in the COMPACT CAR ONLY parking spaces that the city fathers here have recently become so fond of.
The thing is VERY comfortable, and it's uncanny. This is a compact vehicle, but when you get in you don't get that enclosed, "small car" feeling. There's a LOT of headroom, and a grossly oversized windshield; between those two factors, the Transit Connect fools you into thinking it's a big, full sized van!
It's available in two basic versions... with rear seats (the Wagon), or without (the Van). The two of them are available in XL and XLT trim versions.
It comes stock with air conditioning and a cruise control. The XLT package (which she got) includes power windows and locks.
The powerplant is a four banger gas engine (the European version has a Diesel, but it apparently didn't meet EPA requirements for use here). The tranny is a 4 speed automatic (Euro version is available with a stick... Stay Tuned for possible future US availability).
For dog show people,Toyota apparently has a specialized dog show package available in one of thier models... but from what I hear it doesn' hold a candle to a Transit Connect for pure utility. Ford has a winner here, IMHO.
Remember the cult status of the Volkswagen Microbus? I think we've got a NEW contender for that sort of nontraditional popularity here.
And an EPA rating of 25 MPG on the highway sure doesn't hurt!
Apparently, the small business market has fallen in love with the Transit Connect, and a growing number of people like the Old Lady have too. I was at the dealership last week (undercoating job), and the salesman told me they'd gotten three more Transit Connects in. Color them GONE from the lot in 24 hours!
Right now, the beast is a bit hazardous; other people on the road keep trying to get close (WAY too close!) to figure out just what in the hell it IS! Driving it home we nearly got sideswiped by a semi hauling telephone poles!
That should be less of ahazard once Transit Connects become more plentiful.
This thing may be as ugly as the south end of a northbound pig, but I have to admit it makes a LOT of sense, and it's a lot of vehicle for a fairly small price tag.
Mr. T.
