Willie

I like the tires as well. I do get a bit of road noise, but it is a delivery van after all. I knew I wasn’t buying a Bentley! Anyhow, I guess no one knows about including the spare in the tire rotation.

So Roland, do you mean to say you found the tires to be a bit noisy? Sorry if I missed that. I was wondering more about rotation of the spare interfering with the inflation sensing mechanism.

No one has yet mentioned the beautiful Continental tires provided on the Transit Connect. Are these standard on all TCs? I also notice a full sized spare and am wondering if that is recommended by Ford to be included in the tire rotation. Does anyone know for sure? (If you have a guess that’s fine too, but please identify it as such and not as fact. Thanks!)

I just returned from trip between Pittsburgh to Philly and return. I traveled at legal speed limits and mostly four lane limited access highway. My TC has just over 3000 miles on the odo and was lightly loaded. 28 MPG going East and 26 MPG going West.

I call mine the ice cream truck too! It is a picture, that springs to mind isn't it?

Lots of room, not much power. How much power would you need? .

The seats come out easily. You will need a Torx wrench. Afterwards the slots and bolt holes for the backseats will be recessed into the flat floor. You will still have the rear foot well, rather than a completely flat floor all the way to the front seat. If that is a problem, I think it could be easily fixed with a small piece of plywood.

Hey Robert, is Shelby using TCs as parts getters? I know a Cobra won't fit in the back!

I don’t know what the deal is on these. I received my fourth customer survey form this week. The first three I completed but this last one got tossed.[/size]

Yeah there sure is a lot of interest from the general public. They are blown away when they hear the gas mileage too. I am also interested in camper modifications, but maybe not as extensive or permanent as you describe. Anyhow, please keep us informed of what you discover. Thanks!

I can't tell you anyhting about the rubber mat, but I did buy an short-piled area rug at "Ollies Outlet" that fits darn near perfectly for only $15. It really makes a big reduction in sound transmission too. I don't think you have Ollies that far south, but if you scout around, I bet you can find something very similar.

Thats easy in Pittsburgh. Nobody ever yields at an on-ramp. They don't care iif you move over or not. They just barge right in, regardless.

Yes, I’ve noticed the same about Eastern PA. drivers. I completely concur with the need for more driver education. Most of us have had no new information since high school, and very little even then. In fact, I’ve often considered that the state could do well to replace annual vehicle inspection with a mandatory two-hour training session on a yearly basis. Far more accidents are caused by driver error than by equipment failure. In your film clip (what a horrible accident): Could that be a Transit Connect flipping over on the near shoulder? Kind of looks like one!

Madlock, you are absolutely correct about following too closely being an act of ignorance rather than aggression. I have ridden with drivers who do this and are not even aware of it. As far as automatic lights go, the only automatic feature I’d like is automatic dimming when they are following or approaching me. I hope you do not take offense to this, but I just have to ask. You seem so dissatisfied with your TC. Why on earth did you not replace your wrecked TC with something else providing more of the techno-gadgets you desire so much? I’m guessing that there are at least a few features you do like.

Hi Petros I also live in PA and I agree that drivers do follow far too closely. I think it is a bit regional though. Western Pennsylvania seems much worse thatn central PA. The way I figure it, there is only one reasonable course of action when someone is right on my bumper and that is to slow down. So the closer they get, the slower I go. The other thing that seems to be popular in PA is to drive around all the time with the fog lights on. We should also prohibit, as you mention, their use on clear evenings. But then it is already illegal to use high beams full time, and that is quite widely ignored.

I've been taking my rear seats out as well - for camping. Not much harder than if they were designed for quick removal.

Oh yes, I see. But only witht he ignition switch on. Well, redundant tailights might be useful!

But returning to the topic for a moment, that switch doesn't do anything on a US model does it? I can't see anything happening to my tailights.

I found the switch thing on my own, but didn't know it actually did anything. Are you saying it turns on additional tailights? Hmmm. Maybe I could use that to signal the highbeam morons following me. High beams are brutal in the TC side mirror.

You've sold me, John. Do you happen to recall the manufacturer's name?

Hey John, that sounds like a real nice unit. Installation sounds really easy and there is nothing in the bumper. I remember you said you bought it on e-bay. What is the brand name of the manufacurer? I'd like to get the same one.

How about the camera part in the rear of the car? Where did that mount? Did you drill a hole in the back door?

Hi John Yeah, I have coinsidered a camera system. I've seen some pretty cheap ones in the auto stores too. Where did you mount the camera?

Not at all! I'm certainly not even saying you are incorrect, only that I cannot see any such indication. I appreciate your help very much. I must say that I have considered that these sensors are located in a very vunerable spot . A bit of a drawback, I should think. It wouldn't take much of a bump to wipe one out. Before I went to the trouble of buying a system from Ford, I think I'd just have a system installed by one of the local car electronics shops. They all seem to sell them.

[i had a look at the back side of the bumper today, and I sure do not see anything obvious to indicate a punch out. Can you provide any further detail?