mrtn

First time hearing about a plastic sump. Perhaps a sump guard?

NV200 is a big no-no. It carries the vibe of eighties' Japanese vans, same awkward looks, lousy ergonomics and cheap materials.

Haha, I'm having a panic attack looking at the tape mess :D

Pictures?

That's the Brodit holder we have been talking about. I have the one on the lower picture. http://fordtransitconnectforum.com/topic/5510-brodit-phone-holder-installed/

First things first: mudlaps would prevent the rocker panel rust as there's no constant spray of road debris. You're correct, there is a load rating, higher (95) for the van and 91 or 93 (can't recall, I just always bought 95 for the tires to be rotatable between the cars) for the passenger van. I usually bought Kleber Dynaxer HP3 XL, a quality product for €45 a piece (I see some shops offer it for €37, which is ridiculous). Probably not available in the US. The TPMS enforcement in the US is weird. ABS system has the same function free, as you mentioned, not as precise, yes, but still. Much less hassle and extremely reliable.

This vehicle has the First Gen Focus engine/transmission combo, auto only for the US. The failures are probably related to higher weight/towing and the resulting extra stress on the drive train. Not sure what you mean by very limited selection of tires/pressures? It's pretty standard and widely available: 195/65R15 or 205/65R15, you can also go size up 205/60R16 without losing ride comfort and wheel bearings. The pressure is 2.4 bar which is rather high but necessary. Most Ford/Volvo/Jaguar wheels fit. Not as many available as for Asian cars (114.3x5) but not bad either. Rust is not an issue. I live in the rust belt and there was no other rust than rocker panels during the 10 years of ownership of my 2006 cargo van. Mine had no mud flaps so that "helped". The body is zinced so every stone chip will result in a white oxide spot which will protect the metal for years before turning into rust. There are some central locking issues reported for this model, mine also was a bit funky that way. Still have the 2012 passenger van, will probably replace in a couple of years.

Plenty of camper talk in this forum. Enjoy.

For minivan needs they could have just brought the Galaxy and S-Max over to the US for covering the minivan need but both are also on their last leg and too "executive" in the current form. Also, neither have sliding doors which a PITA for families with kids. S-Max: Galaxy:

Weird. Do you have a 13-pin plug option? My factory installed towbar is equipped with that one. Might be an EU thing, of course.

Ford changed the design because the Mk1 had been in production for a decade and needed a refreshment. The original is still highly regarded as a true workhorse and extremely durable compared to competition. There have always been two variants available, both cargo and passenger vans (although the seats were bolted down to the floor). Europe also got SWB/low roof. Now there are just two wheel bases, no roof difference.

It's a fully electronic, drive-by-wire system.

Just get a used pedal from a scrap yard. Even if it's something else you wouldn't lose much. There have been several reports on bad accelerators.

This has no significance. The scale of forces the lightning appears at is so vast that a car or a telephone pole or anything of "our" scale does not prevent or enforce it.

You sure it's steel belted? Most today's passenger car tires are made with polyester ply.

Right, I can't use that one as mine is a 3-seater.

Here:

It's not in front of the vent the upper part of the mount base clamps to the lower edge of the vent hole. I intentionally mounted the swivel higher to have the vent cool my wireless charger and phone. I'll keep the vent closed in winter to prevent overheating. It's close to the wiper stalk, a finger fits between the phone clamps and the stalk. This is due to my unusual setup: base + swivel + Arkon adapter for the charger/holder + a very thick wireless charger with large clamps. A base + phone specific holder is less than half of the overall depth of this. The pillar mount is more suitable for a standalone GPS or similar device you don't grab that often. It's expensive, true, but it's a good product. I also have Kenu vent grille clamps for occasional use. Expensive as hell for such a simple holder but also a high quality product. Have to connect a charger manually tho. Love the wireless holder.

No it's not. I have had Brodit mounts in all my vehicles and none have any marks after removing them: Tool-less installation, no drilling, sturdy and precise.

What's the correct pronoun for gender decliners?

Sounds like the opening scene to a movie. Are you insured against natural forces?

Top edge, where the glass meets the roof?

Haha, you win

I would make an H-shaped cut in the headliner under the bolt holes ( as I did with the Mk1 for replacing the antenna).

You won't deploy an airbag when the ignition is off and you are not crashing the car.