The fuel economy is much better compared to any American van.

Ok, that is because fuel here is expensive. About 6 bucks per gallon. And we have to pay a yearly automotive tax for the cars. So if you drive an older vehicle which doesn't reach at least the basic emission class then the tax is about 27 bucks for every 100 ccm. So a small 302 engine costs 1350 dollars every single year.

@George
You are really not allowed to park your vehicle in your driveway??? I thought you would live in the land of the free 😉. I wouldn't accept that.

Anyway, it's a pity that Ford makes such decisions and stopped producing the E-Series.
Btw., my E150 has 275 tires at the front and 295 tires at the rear end.

And it is possible to get a lift kit for these vans. All the 4x4s are lifted.
Have a nice rest of the day, guys.

Ronny

 

Hey Ronny:

Of course I can park vehicles in my driveway and in the street in front of my house although we just finished having a 4 car garage built on our property to hold my van, my '91 BMW 318is (owned it since 1994), and our 2 daily drivers.

What I could not do (and would not do) is park a whole bunch of junk vehicles that don't run on our driveway, and our city ordinances forbid parking motorhomes, commercial vehicles, trailers, and boats outside (although I parked Turtle Top van campers in my drive for many years because they were basically full size vans and I used them as daily drivers).

I do have friends who live out in the boonies and have their own junkyards of old cars and trucks that may or may not ever run again. It changes the game if you have 20 acres of land and a 30x60 foot pole barn out in the country where nobody cares about how your property looks.

Take care,
George

 

I only have 3 and no pole barn as yet, but it's wooded enough to conceal as many as I want to hide. So far, however, I am not hiding any (though I did hide a mid-70's Silverado and an early 70's Ranchero for a time). I'm sure in time I will accumulate a few permanent lawn ornaments.

 

Sorry Guys,

But for me this sounds being bull****.

Over here you can't park a vehicle without inspection (save for the traffic and lawful etc.) which is to see on the stickers on the license plates on the street. And if the vehicle fulfills this (crap) and the insurance and taxes are paid then you can park it almost everywhere.

I had no clue that you have those antique laws over there.

Therefore we don't have any further freedom. I.e. no possibility just to switch to another tire size or engine swap etc.

See you...

Ronny

 

I like the Ram...It is based on the Fiat Ducato.....has been in production 20 years...It is Front Wheel Drive too...I would Prefer the RWD Iveco Daily but they are not importing that...I also like the Transit...But the one I want is north of 58K CAD. a little pricey .... The NV200 is a Renault Design... Ugly but good.....perfect for the city...Hopefully they do not rust as fast as the Sprinters do....

 

@blageurt

Be happy that it's not a Fiat. They are rusty in the brochure already.

Hahahahaha.....

Ronny

 

I am not sure if you are complaining about your own laws in Germany or those in my city. "Over there" is not the whole US; I have chosen to live in a beautiful city with many grand homes and accept that I can't keep junk cars all over my yard in exchange for not having to look at a bunch of junk cars that my neighbor keeps next door.

I grew up in the heart of Detroit (in what has recently been called the most dangerous zip code in the US--48205) and we had a neighbor that kept the same non-running junk '72 Chrysler New Yorker in his driveway for over 20 years.... I think the house was condemned and torn down when the guy died. I assume you would enjoy living next to him with his "freedom" to live in his personal slum. You could buy a home on that block now for $100 at auction.

Having visited Europe (including Germany), I love the well-kept buildings and roads, lack of litter, etc.

Again, don't take my little city's rules as being representative of a lack of freedom in the US. I could buy a whole city block in my old Detroit neighborhood for less than I just spent building a nice garage in my own yard. And I could keep anything I wanted to on that city block. Of course, I would risk being robbed or killed as well....

Here's a street view from where I grew up. It was actually a decent neighborhood in the 1950's. Now it is the ultimate in freedom and lots of open parking space: https://www.google.com/maps/place/15...f6583a166cb460

George

 

Having recently joined the "full sized" van crowd - almost exactly 3 years ago - we're hoping that our low-mile E250 lasts for many more years. However, it still pays to think ahead.

I looked at some Transits at a Ford dealer around Christmas, they had a good pretty selection of lengths & heights. I thought that those 16 inch "C" tires looked small... they were the same on everything up to the high(?) roof 350.
I [initially] do not like the "aardvark nose" on these, as George says, it will probably end up growing to look "normal".
It will also be interesting to see what comes along with conversions and mobility options as time goes on. "Garage-ability" (sp?) may also be an issue.

 

My E-350 already doesn't fit in the garage (I'd have to let the air out of the tires and even then it still may not fit). So, I'd still want the tallest one, or at least taller than the regular size one. I agree with you both about the snout but I've already seen it enough that it's more comfortable. The Ram Promaster/Citroen Jumper thingy still looks way out there to me, though. As for conversions, you could really do a lot with the paint and windows on a big Transit. I can't wait to see what people do with them from a conversion standpoint.

 

Seems that the AutoWeek guys have been pretty impressed. Here are links to 2 on-line articles (the one guy frequently has tongue firmly in cheek).

2015 Ford Transit XLT 150 LR Wagon: movie location-hunter review | Autoweek

2015 Ford Transit 350 XLT Wagon High Roof review notes | Autoweek

Our van with the RollX body lift just fits into my oversized door in the attached garage, I had one door opening made wider/higher when we first got the Expedition back in 2005.

 

@George

Ok, a house without a roof is like camping 😉. I wouldn't mind if my neighbor has a junk car sitting on his property. I don't care what others do. I have my own problems like everybody else.

But back to the topic...

The Transit with a Diesel has a great gasmilege.

I know that there is no real freedom in any country in this world.

See you...

Ron

 

They can keep those ugly turds and for everyones information, if you look closely, you will see servicing that engine will be a headache far worse than the old Econoline they replaced, the engine is jammed in there! Nissan keeps lookin better due to the engine being accessible, face it, they will need repairs one day, and the cost is based on how easy it is to get to.
The European diesels are banned in the US, I know a guy who works with auto companies here, he tests and tunes American cars that are built for the European market, diesel cars, not a one can be sold here, one was a diesel Dodge Nitro, the mileage was quite impressive, as well as the power, another was a Chrysler 300M. The engines are cleaner than the ones available to us also, smaller, and delivering more power, makes you wonder why, he and friends were putting diesels in a few Jeep Liberty's that they had bought, they were doing it to make extra money for a trip.

 

In the transit the Diesel is a Inline 5 " made in South Africa and Mexico..
Gas Engines aare the Eco Boost V6 and Normally Aspirated V6....
I think the transit is decent looking...
You are so wrong ... Look up VM motori....GM and FIAT are 50/50 owners on this engine manufaturer ....
http://www.vmmotori.it/

They have been around for 50 years..... where do you think the Chevy Cruze and the Doge RAM Eco Diesel get thier engines from....as well as the Jeeps ?

 

with all of that said, the Nissan Juke has been around for a few years and still makes me nauseous when I see one ... so we'll just have to wait and see with the Transit

 

There's a good number of vehicles on the road - old and new - that I still say that about!!