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After two years of turbulent ownership, I said goodbye to our Transit last Friday. Aside from the no-start issue that was solved by avoiding E85, the van itself was great. We put 33,000 miles on it over those two years, and I still think it's the best driving full-size van I've driven. No regrets with the 3.7L either, it was more than adequate, and gave better fuel economy than a van this size could be expected to.
Our problems were with an absolute lemon of a wheelchair lift that spent months in the shop, and after getting divorced we no longer needed something quite so large. So last Friday it was traded on a '15 Sienna XLE with a Braun Rampvan XT conversion. The automatic ramp is much easier to use than the hydraulic lift in the Transit, and of course the minivan is much less cumbersome to drive. I'd own another Transit if it ever fit my circumstances again, I've got lots of fond memories of it. Here's the final photo I have, taken right as I was driving away in the new Sienna.
Good luck with the Sienna, Tom. I drove full sized vans for 30 years and was always glad that they could *just* fit thru a carwash. Chose not to buy a Sprinter in 2003 because it was just too tall... Low roof Transit might or might not fit under my garage door, but no need for that much room any more.
My needs have also changed and in 2016 I sold my E150 and moved to a Grand Caravan. Just came back from 2500 miles in 12 days down south (left Detroit in the snow) and really prefer the driving dynamics, handling, and fuel mileage of a minivan over a big van.
The Sienna should serve you well; they are great vans and I looked at them but seriously wanted to buy Big 3 UAW/CAW so I did.
George
So far I'm really liking the Sienna. Quite a bit smaller, but also a lot easier to live with when we don't need the capacity. Hannah seems to like it as well.
May you and your daughter have many safe and enjoyable miles in the new van, Tom. That ramp setup looks great.
My mom spent her last few years in a wheelchair and my wife and I would pull her up the side steps at a tall curb when we occasionally would travel with her, with one of the captain's chairs out of the van (had the '96 Savana van from Hell back then). I probably could not do that now with 8 screws and 3 rods in my back...
Mine's just getting broken in I guess. 96 E-350 7.5l. Turned exactly 140k while pulling in to the La Plata, MO Amtrak station recently. Have had the van for about 8 years now and I'm hoping to get at least 8 more. I got it with around 105k on it. I'm not afraid to say I love the van. My fourth, and favorite, Econoline over the years.
04-11-2018, 01:59 PM
