Anyone have a Ford Transit Connect?

[SheFly]

Emily - don't discount the mini van. We have a Toyota Sienna. The middle captain's seats haven't been in it since we bought it in 2007 - they sit on a shelf in our garage . We do leave the rear stow-and-go seats up for the most part, but can flip them down with ease when necessary. We race A LOT, and use this car to get to and from, and essentially, as our locker room. With no middle seats, there is a ton of room for our gear, and to stretch out in the back.

We're heading down to Worlds (CX) later this month, and will put two bikes INSIDE the van, and still have one seat available so that one of us can nap in the back. We'll also have all of our gear - trainer, bike wash equipment, bike gear and hanging out gear.

I SWORE I wasn't going to drive a van - ever. Mine has just over 100K miles on it, and now I'm looking at another. Oh - and the fuel mileage is almost 23 mpg over the life span of the van.

SheFly

ETA - it will fit TWO full tandems, with wheels ON, plus gear and cats for the weekend

[emily_in_nc]

Emily - don't discount the mini van. We have a Toyota Sienna. The middle captain's seats haven't been in it since we bought it in 2007 - they sit on a shelf in our garage . We do leave the rear stow-and-go seats up for the most part, but can flip them down with ease when necessary. We race A LOT, and use this car to get to and from, and essentially, as our locker room. With no middle seats, there is a ton of room for our gear, and to stretch out in the back.

Thanks for the feedback, SheFly, and we haven't ruled out a mini-van. Our primary concern with them is logistics. We're going to be house-sitting and will take our bikes and a certain amount of gear with us to the house we'll be staying at (when we're not traveling). We could remove some/all of the rear seats during that time. But if we stay a year or more and accumulate much more stuff (we're thinking we might get some camping gear, a kayak, and we'll have our original clothes, dog, and dog items plus bikes), it could be really tough to get all our stuff AND the van seats back inside to take everything back to North Carolina (or wherever we go next!) after the house-sitting gig is up. That's why we really like the idea of a van without any seats to begin with. We just have kind of a unique situation.

Can mini-vans haul small U-Haul trailers? That's probably what we'd have to do in this situation. I am just sure we'll be coming back with more stuff than we go with, and we can't really leave the van seats behind in Kansas!

[SheFly]

Yes! They can tow trailers! In fact, we had a towing package added to our Sienna, and usually haul the bikes on a hitch-mounted rack. We have friends who just drove their Sienna from ME to WI for CX Nationals with a trailer full of bikes and gear behind it. Ours will even pull our snowmobile trailer .

SheFly

[tulip]

Most minivans' seats fold into the floor (flat) and you don't need to take them out. They are very handy, but it might take some effort to get past the societal baggage that comes with minivans (suburban soccer moms who have given up their own identities to the Suburban Mom ideal). But once that's not an issue, they are great vehicles and would be ideal for what you describe.

[emily_in_nc]

Most minivans' seats fold into the floor (flat) and you don't need to take them out. They are very handy, but it might take some effort to get past the societal baggage that comes with minivans (suburban soccer moms who have given up their own identities to the Suburban Mom ideal). But once that's not an issue, they are great vehicles and would be ideal for what you describe.

Societal baggage doesn't bother me -- but it might my DH. He always said NO MINIVANS, but practicality may win out. When we actually go car shopping, I will insist we at least take a look at the Honda Odyssey, because he really likes Hondas. He might fold if we don't find a better option.

[SheFly]

Most minivans' seats fold into the floor (flat) and you don't need to take them out. They are very handy, but it might take some effort to get past the societal baggage that comes with minivans (suburban soccer moms who have given up their own identities to the Suburban Mom ideal). But once that's not an issue, they are great vehicles and would be ideal for what you describe.

That's actually only true for a small number of vans, and they're usually US manufacturers (Chrysler and Ford do this, I believe). In Toyotas and Hondas, the middle seats have to be taken out. It's not a big deal to do it though.

And yes, the stigma is brutal. I call my van the "not mom" car, since we don't have any children. I've been driving it so long now though that I don't care any more . In fact, I know several fellow racers who have gone out and purchased vans after seeing how we have ours set up!

SheFly

[nuliajuk]

We're looking at what we could replace our Caravan with in a couple years time, and the Transit Connect is on our list of models to consider as well.
From what I've read so far, they're made in Turkey as passenger vehicles to avoid something called the "chicken tax" when imported, then some are converted to commercial use after arriving. So, in theory at least, the full-on passenger version should be cheaper as it has required no conversion. Something to use as a bargaining chip when buying, maybe?
They look a lot like the Citroen Berlingo - I wonder if Ford and Citroen have any connection?

[tulip]

I've heard that the Ford Transit Connect are a pretty rough ride. If you are used to a passenger vehicle, the switch to a cargo vehicle can seem pretty harsh--ride and noise.

What about one of those boxy things--I don't know what they are called but the hamsters (or are they rats?) drive them in the ads.

[emily_in_nc]

We're looking at what we could replace our Caravan with in a couple years time, and the Transit Connect is on our list of models to consider as well.
From what I've read so far, they're made in Turkey as passenger vehicles to avoid something called the "chicken tax" when imported, then some are converted to commercial use after arriving. So, in theory at least, the full-on passenger version should be cheaper as it has required no conversion. Something to use as a bargaining chip when buying, maybe?

Unfortunately, not so. In my research I read that ALL of them are converted to cargo vans (seats removed, windows replaced with metal, etc) when they come to the USA. Then a small number are converted BACK to passenger vans to be used by taxi and other companies, at the buyer's expense. Absolutely screwy!

Make sure to read the reviews link I posted somewhere above. Reading some of those reviews was enough to scare my DH and me off from the current model, and we were quite gung-ho before that.

[emily_in_nc]

Yes! They can tow trailers! In fact, we had a towing package added to our Sienna, and usually haul the bikes on a hitch-mounted rack. We have friends who just drove their Sienna from ME to WI for CX Nationals with a trailer full of bikes and gear behind it. Ours will even pull our snowmobile trailer .

SheFly

Good to know, SheFly, thanks!