Ford Failure at the auto show!
 

OK, we had a little Transit Connect and lost it in an accident.

It was ok but with a bulkhead installed the seating was not comfy for long legs or long trips.

So, for a long time we have been waiting for the new "transit" (much larger than and not the same as the "transit connect") to come out.

First they told us it will be out in early 2013, then fall of 3013, then spring of 2014, now the excuse is it will be out in the summer of 2014.

I fully expect this summer to be told "fall 2014" then this fall to be told "Spring 2015".

We went to the auto show and have tried out sitting in the Nissan NV, and the Dodge Promaster and neither had the roominess of the GM cargo van (GM with the bulkhead installed even).

We seriously wanted to give the Ford Transit a chance in the running.

We are not going to buy several different makes of delivery van, so the brand we choose is going to be it for all future purchases.

Not only did they only have one there, but they had yet another lame excuse about how it was only “a prototype” and “no, sorry, we can't let you sit in it, or even pop the hood for a look-see”.

Is anyone else getting sick and tired of the excuses, delays, and general BS Ford is shoveling over the Transit?

Been inside of Ford 2014 Transit
 

Went in a new Transit passenger van at LA Auto Show. Not bad but dash takes some getting used to.

Was in a Transit cargo van at the Kitchen & Bath Show in Vegas - February.

I really, really like the Nissan NV vans, but not big enough. I have a 2001 E350 extended van. Although they are the same length, the Nissan's cargo area is 20" shorter.

Yeah, same with the Dodge Promaster being a short noseed van, the back cargo area is much longer than the Nissan NV.
Also, the NV has a HUGE turning radius.

How did you get into a "Transit" (not the smaller "Transit Connect") as they only have a prototype and refused to open it up?:'(

Not certain, but they typically bring one the the NTEA (National Truck Equipment Assoc.) show here in Indianapolis. Trade show is Wed-Fri downtown Indy Convention Center.

Kansas City Assembly will start ramping up production of the Transit in a couple months. Releases for production parts are starting to show up at suppliers, which pretty much locks in the timeline.

I am sure you have heard a bunch of excuses from Ford, but what I know is;

1) The assembly plant was gutted and almost completely rebuilt for V363 finish assembly. No small undertaking.

2) Ford Europe is the lead on the Transit, since they already build it over there. BUT, the US versions will have very little in common with the European vans. This has caused massive delays in getting issues resolved.

Ah well.
We can't wait a couple months as the rental fees are killing us.
We are probably going to end up getting a Promaster by the end of the week.:o

There are a number of configurations of the new Transits here in Indianapolis at NTEA. I sat in a big one fitted with a bulkhead and found it very roomy and not confining. I am 6'1". Sorry, no photos, but all in all, pretty impressive.

I still don't get why the econoline is going away.

Because it is being replaced by the transit as the stand alone van.

It is still there as a cab/chassis for use as a heavy duty box truck.

Ya. I understand why, I just don't understand why, if that makes any sense :-huh

Someone high up in the Ford food chain is pushing for global platform vehicles. The theory is cost control.

That still doesn't answer your 'why', does it? :(

There was a Transit passenger van at the L.A. Auto show. A cargo version at the Builders / kitchen & bath show at Vegas last Feb 2014

Nope:-drink

MY prediction is the butt-ugly stupid Transit will fail.
It looks like a wanna-be flimsy Sprinter which is a tin can.
IF I were looking for a full size cargo van right now I'd search online for a BRAND NEW Econoline sitting somewhere.....there have GOT to still be some brand new ones out there!!
My employer just bought a NICE, NICE '13 E250 with just 1700 miles on it here locally.
The Econoline was a tried and true multi-purpose van, why Ford stopped producing it is beyond me!

Because the Econoline is old, inefficient to operate and produce technology. Face it, the Econoline has been in production essentially unchanged for 40 years. Not many products that old around, are there.

It is a gas hog and has poor space utilization compared to the more modern Ram and Sprinter platforms.

What he said.
We have a 2014 Promaster and it hauls ass empty, I can stand in it to unload, they offer the drivers side sliding door (we could not wait the 8 weeks it took to order that one) and it gets 18 to 20 mpg on the freeway.

Our E350 gets 10 on a good day!

E Series is a great workhorse, but it is fairly one size fits all. The shear number of pre-upfitter configurations offered by Ford on the Transit is pretty impressive. At this point it is mostly the mid height ones being pumped out but short and jumbo will be out in numbers soon enough. There are still some E-series out there for someone who wants the old style, but I can't think of a good reason to desire the old if you are planning on using it to make money. The dash is designed to work, but it is much more car like in look, like an escape or focus on some big muscle juice.

I finally saw one at my.local dealership and I must say it is ugly. Not nearly as bad as the dodge but way worse looking then the e series. I know nothing of its capabilities but based in first impressions, I would almost rather drive a prius to work.

If you drive one back to back with an E-series you will understand.

Apart from some sheetmetal and powertrain updates, the E-series is basically a 30yr old vehicle. The Transit has been continuously updated over its 50+year life, and feels like a new vehicle.

Has much more interior space, and payload than the equivalent E-Series, much better fuel economy, much more comfortable to drive (they seriously drive like a car). In fact every thing you want out of a van, they do better.

They may lack a little in beauty, but form does follow function and they can handle the dirty work as well.

Don't let your vanity choose your vehicle for you.

Some people don't deal well with change.

Without it we would still be walking.

They look like a big, square car. Tiny wheels/tires. Sprinter wannabe.

Ford HAD to make a ton of money on the E-series. They couldn't be bothered to invest in the product line to update and modernize it? Swell.

I want to see how well they hold up. As a family grocery-getter, they may be ok for a long time, but as a work truck, that car-like handling is a result of car-like parts...which will have the plumbers, electricians, and jobbers who actually haul some mass every day in the shop more than they were in an E-series.

Now, what kind of "Global Platform" are they talking about when the US version is nothing like the Euro version? I'm getting a bs alert when I lay those two statements side by side.

I made the switch to Ford about 25 years ago. They have tossed every vehicle, every platform I found useful on the scrap heap.

Let's watch this unfold...

Saw one on my local dealer's lot. I am going to look at it tomorrow.
BTW, it looks very different but I think I could get used to it, no problem.

Ford is making a ton of money on the Transit too. It's already the best selling van by a huge margin. As the Transit pre-dates the sprinter by 30 years, perhaps you have the wannaness backwards. It has been built to commercial truck standards. The Transit in Europe is different how? Frankly it seems there is alot of uneducated hating. I think the plumbers and electricians are loving being able to walk around their vans without hunching over. Folks on a cheap budget can still get the low roof for the same price as Econoline basically.

The Econoline is 35+year old technology. While it is a solid vehicle and has a great track record it is time for it to be retired. I was not very accepting of the Transit at first until they began showing up at our dealership and I got to put one in the air and inspect it and then drive it. I don't care for the looks of the stripped down trim level but aside from that...

I suggest that you not be so fast to put it down. The Transit's global platform is also well proven and while there are differences in the North American product they are not too significant. It's a sold vehicle that offers wayyyyyyy more flexibility in the available lengths and roof options as well as many other design features that the Econoline never could offer making it even more attractive for vocational purposes. DRIVE ONE. It handles and feels very solid and confident. The engine offerings seem capable and the new (to us in North America) diesel is a well proven engine that is powerful and efficient. While it is not a 6.0L, that alone is one of it's strong points. Take that however you want.

Give it a chance.

The 3.2 5cyl has been here (Australia) in Rangers for some time and has performed well. Gets very good fuel economy in the Ranger at least.

Well, I still want to at least look into one.
Our interest rate through ford was sooooooo much better than Chrysler gave us and the monthly payment savings on a trade in just might push us back into a Ford van.

I need to verify it is no shorter in length and height as when we carry 2 standard height pallets from our primary client, they just fit under the latches.
The taller pallets still have to have a row taken off the top to fit.

Also, has anyone seen those Mercedes after a few years?
Looks like a rust firing machine gun hit them from all angles!

So much for Mercedes quality!

The tall roof extended length model is enormous. I wouldn't be surprised if you can fit 3 pallets.

The full size Transit will take 3 full size pallets at 72 inches tall, 4000 pounds without breaking a sweat.

And... and... AND you can walk all the way around the pallets inside the van.

I know this because I've got a big Sprinter at work and I can do what I just described, and the Transit is bigger by a couple of inches in every direction.

I did sit in a full sized Transit the other day (not a high top) at Penske and the front drivers area/interior was not nearly as big as my Promaster.
Funny but, the one thing I don't like about the Promaster is having the parking brake on the left side of the drivers seat as if it applied you get stabbed in the ass when you exit the vehicle.

The Ford had it (correct for proper use) on the right side of the seat but would solidly interfere with going between the seats to enter the back through the bulkhead door.

I still want to see and drive a big one to see for myself.

Don't forget the fact that it's a Ford, which makes it better... period.