Work van suggestions - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

MinnesotaMeg · 07-27-2009, 12:36 PM

Need work van- Anyone familiar with 2010 Ford Transit? Fuel efficiency, load capacity, winter worthy are my main concerns. Comfortable suspension a plus for long distance drives. If not familiar with the Transit, any other ideas welcome. I like the tall, skinny vans they use overseas for city traffic and alleyways.

dougchips · 07-27-2009, 01:10 PM

Well that answers my question as to what that funny looking van is up the road at one of the car dealers.

Do you not have an interest in the Sprinters?

the big 12 inch · 07-27-2009, 03:01 PM

looks like an ambulance for midgits (little people)...

JonM · 07-27-2009, 03:03 PM

Okay...I got to call it "Gay"....

MinnesotaMeg · 07-27-2009, 03:32 PM

thank you all for your most helpful responses. This is the first time I have used this website and must say that I am most impressed with the professional, articulate responses to my query.

the big 12 inch · 07-27-2009, 03:43 PM

Be patient,its still early in the day...

BobsLandscape · 07-27-2009, 04:02 PM

The Ford Transit Connect has received good reviews in the automotive press. General opinion is that it's a solid European style work vehicle. Ideally suited for small contractors that don't have need for more than 1,000lbs payload. The main gripe is the lack of diesel engine. In Europe the Transit Connect is available w/ a 4 cylinder diesel that gets over 60mpg. US emissions regulations don't allow that engine here.

MinnesotaMeg · 07-27-2009, 05:22 PM

Thank you Bob and Doug. I still think I'll go drive one. On Ford's website they market the fact that you can customize the cargo space according to your business needs. Maybe I can get them to special order a diesel engine.

BobsLandscape · 07-27-2009, 05:57 PM

If you want something that's good in snow, has good cargo volume, and an efficient diesel engine check out the Volkswagen Toureg. A great mid-size SUV. Back seats fold down and it has a Class 3 hitch. The Audi Q7 is the more luxurious twin if money is no object.

stp57 · 07-27-2009, 09:59 PM

Yea, Mercedes had to do alot to the Sprinter diesel to pass U.S emmissions & as a result Mercedes had a lot of trouble with the first U.S Sprinter EGR valves. They finally worked them out, though I heard the 2007 model had EGR problems too.
Hopefully, Ford will learn from Mercedes mistakes.
Steve

Quote:

Originally Posted by BobsLandscape

The Ford Transit Connect has received good reviews in the automotive press. General opinion is that it's a solid European style work vehicle. Ideally suited for small contractors that don't have need for more than 1,000lbs payload. The main gripe is the lack of diesel engine. In Europe the Transit Connect is available w/ a 4 cylinder diesel that gets over 60mpg. US emissions regulations don't allow that engine here.

BobsLandscape · 07-27-2009, 10:15 PM

There's a ton of great cars in Europe w/ diesel engines. The European Toureg has a V-10 twin turbo diesel and is available with the equivelant of a Class 5 hitch. They had that for one year in the US before emission regs killed it.

Inner10 · 07-27-2009, 11:40 PM

Looks like it ain't bad for racing either!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQJKQ...eature=channel

the big 12 inch · 07-28-2009, 08:04 AM

And its the overwhelming favorite vehicle for robberies...lol..thanks FORD..lol

MinnesotaMeg · 07-28-2009, 10:29 AM

Nope, Toureg is not only too expensive but it is too much of a car for hauling carpet, wood and brush, ladders, scaffolding, lumber, drywall....hmm, maybe I should get a truck. And then in my down time, convert an old panel truck (the vehicle I have always wanted -with 'three on the tree'), to a hybrid.

dougger222 · 07-30-2009, 08:24 AM

The diesel Tourage was in the US for a year or two then the EPA said to not bring anymore over so the US didn't get one for a year or two and now they are selling them here, I think. Talked to an owner of one at a filling station last year and he said he gets 25 mpg. He uses it to haul his flat bad and race car and gets 15 mpg. They sticker at something like $70K.

Talked to a guy at a filling station a couple months ago with a bran new M. Benz diesel SUV. He said he gets high 20's for fuel mileage. Those would cost more than the diesel Tourage.

The Sprinters are another good option yesterday as a matter of fact asked a guy at a fulling station what he got and he said 18. From what I've heard parts are not cheap. A friend of mine owns one and he likes it alot, uses it for his construction bus.

The only van I'd buy personally would have to be a 1999 or 2000 Ford E350 7.3 Powerstroke. Owners of these vans claim fuel mileage to be in the high teens to twenty or more. And if money was no object it would have 4x4, big tires, and shiny rims!!! Those upgrades would run about $12-15K. Know a guy with two 4x4 Ford E350 Powerstroke vans he uses for his roofing business. One is a 6.0 the other is a 7.3. Both have a lot of miles on them. For the 4x4 swap he paid $12K for one and $13K for the other. They were shipped out West to have the swap done.

Don't know anything about the Ford transit van but they sound like a Sprinter?

Good luck with your search.

BobsLandscaping · 07-30-2009, 03:14 PM

Toureg diesel stickers closer to $45K. Mercedes dropped their G550 diesel in favor of a V8 that gets low, low teens. Since the G550 is a light truck there is no gas guzzler tax assessed at time of purchase despite the fact that it gets worse mileage than the S-series sedans.

When I'm a billion dollar a year landscape firm I'm gonna have a fleet of G550's for the weekly mowing routes. They're sweet.

lockdock · 07-31-2009, 09:00 PM

hey i was in the same boat about the transit connect. i really wanted one for my service business, but it turned out to be a little to small. none of the dealers around here had one or knew what i was talking about, so i went to Ford HQ and took a bunch of measurement so i could see if my stuff would fit.

it has a good size cargo area. smaller than an Astro van. it drove just fine. had plenty of pickup and didn't lean much in the turns. i drive an e250, and the transit connect was a lot easier to drive. the only downside was their literature said 59" floor to ceiling in the cargo area, but i measured 53".

at the end of the day, it was too small to fit my workbench and have room to work inside the van.

here's some photos i took of it. this van was a demo set up for some type of CPR business:
w w w.flickr.com/photos/31408473@N05/sets/72157621759477357/

had to space out the www since this is my first post

lockdock · 07-31-2009, 09:03 PM

forgot to add it gets upper 20's for gas milage. was equipped with roll stability and traction (great for winter) and it can handle 1600lbs payload. that's pretty darn good for a small van! i think it has a solid rear axle or something (i'm not a car guy), but even so it drove and rode like a crossover suv