Being in the Detroit area and listening to Canadian radio, there is a (justified IMO) stink about the Canadian post office buying a fleet of Turkish TC's in favor of Canadian-produced Dodge Caravans.

My E150 is gonna go a few more years, at least, but I am also looking at a TC as a successor but don't know if I have it in my heart to buy Turkish....

I recall that US production was planned for 2012, then cancelled, then maybe on again...

Does anyone know if there are any real plans to build the TC alongside the new Focus in a domestic plant? (I consider US or Canada to be domestic, Mexico not so much)...

Thanks in advance for any info,
George

 

Sales volume seem to be way to low to justify it. By not importing it they would avoid the wasteful way around the 25% "chicken tax" on imported trucks. Transit Connect cargo models are built with a backseat, seat belts, etc, which are removed after Customs inspection.

Jim

 

Talked to a few people who state that (in addition to the chicken tax loophole) the Seat belts are not standard, and will not pass NA safety standards..also the rear seat included with this unit are sort of like the rear seats in the Land Rover Discovery..they are really temporary fold away affairs, so in addition to all the tax stuff..they can be removed without a lot of quality being taken out. Steel parts are recycled, and foam is used as filler for other items. This could all be opinion, but it seems plausable

 

I'm not sure what you're saying here. The TC is available with a rear seat and it has to have seatbelts that meet NA standards. Or are you saying that the only those TC's destined to become cargo vans have paper seatbelts and cardboard seats?

Either way, it seems like shipping the dang trucks from Turkey to the US has to cost more money than recycling some seat belts and rear seats.... I'm liking the TC's I'm seeing on the road, and would really like one eventually when my E150 leaves the family motor pool. But buying Turkish just feels wrong to me.

George

 

I have heard a rumor that T Connects may be produced in Missouri at the Claycomo (Kansas City) plant after the move of Escape production from Claycomo to Louisville KY. I'm still waiting to see what happens.

 

I saw the other day only 6000 or so TC's have been sold ytd 2010 compared to 24000 Econolines. At that rate we won't have the TC for long. Many vehicles have been cancelled due to sales higher than that amount.

 

Sales were 8800 or so thru the end of May, and equal to or higher than every Lincoln model except for one (I forget which) which sold 11000...so should they drop Lincoln as well?

If gas goes up in price, I would guess the TC's sales would improve quickly. I'm also guessing that as more accessories become available for the TC, it might attract more buyers.

I also think that if they offered a stretch model that was a foot or two longer, that would make a big difference. And for me personally, I would buy a US-made TC without giving it a 2nd thought, whereas buying a Turkish made one would bother me although I would still consider it. And at this point, it's just a little too short inside for what I really want.

Gotta wear out my '02 E150 first, so I can wait...unless a tree falls on my van or something.

George

 

You are correct, and the most important thing Ford could do to increase sales is bring the diesel 5sp model, and the lwb model, hopefully combined. It's unfortunate govt policy prevents this from happening. I'm also a Fiero Nut in addition to vans, so I understand how even decent sales their last year didn't stop the Fiero from being cancelled. Politics rules in the car business too.

 

Just wait a few years and the Econoline will be no more and replaced by the Transit

 

From the looks of it that may not be a bad thing.
Unless you get less sq. ft. space with less gas mileage!