Anyone have a Ford Transit Connect?

[Fredwina]

Another couple of options that will be coming to the US market are the Fiat Doblo and Ducato. A lot more options for bike haulers

[emily_in_nc]

Another couple of options that will be coming to the US market are the Fiat Doblo and Ducato. A lot more options for bike haulers

When, Fredwina? Any idea?

Thanks!

[snapdragen]

You can get a Transit with seats - it's the "wagon" version. They didn't have any vans, except for one Mercedes at the auto show. I fell in love with a Mercedes station wagon. Comfy!

[OakLeaf]

I just saw a Nissan panel van going down the road and thought of this thread. They're going to be coming out with a compact version later this year, too. http://www.nissancommercialvehicles.com/nv

[emily_in_nc]

I just saw a Nissan panel van going down the road and thought of this thread. They're going to be coming out with a compact version later this year, too. http://www.nissancommercialvehicles.com/nv

I commented on those above. We were actually all gung-ho about the NV2500 until we read about the horrible gas mileage and very poor resale. The latter doesn't bother us as much as the former. Perhaps the compact ones coming out later this year will be an improvement.

[OakLeaf]

Oh, missed that, sorry. Still, the high roof, heavy duty version reviewed by C&D is almost two feet taller and 600# heavier than the 1500. That height especially has to kill the fuel mileage. MotorWeek rates the 4-liter standard roof 2500 at 16.8 mpg - no Prius, but not *so* bad for a truck.

Would a pickup with a tall cap meet your needs?

[Fredwina]

When, Fredwina? Any idea?

Thanks!

2014 Model year.

[emily_in_nc]

Oh, missed that, sorry. Still, the high roof, heavy duty version reviewed by C&D is almost two feet taller and 600# heavier than the 1500. That height especially has to kill the fuel mileage. MotorWeek rates the 4-liter standard roof 2500 at 16.8 mpg - no Prius, but not *so* bad for a truck.

Would a pickup with a tall cap meet your needs?

Not sure about that...when we lived in rural NC, we owned a full-size pickup with a regular-height cap, and it was okay, but the bed was so high up it was difficult to manuever stuff into and out of, hard to get in and out of in general (I'm only 5'2"), and the gas mileage was bad. A high-roof cap would make it worse, I think. I just really like the idea of a van with a lower cargo bed height and easier to get in and out of. Guess I shouldn't rule a pickup out, even though I don't think of myself as a pickup person at all.

If only they made mini-vans without all the extra seats we don't need...I like the cavernous cargo space of them, and the comfort for traveling. For example, the Honda Odyssey, which gets many thumbs up from owners.

Looked up the Chrysler versions of the Fiat vans, and they look promising from a design standpoint, but I have a negative connotation of Fiats ("Fix it again Tony") and Chrysler. I would be scared to buy one the first model year, I think. They're nice looking, though.

[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]

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!

[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