windguy

one thing to consider when adding a seat cover is the air bag system in the van. Custom seat covers take this into account. Not sure about low cost generic seat covers. I checked on the Gen 2 TC (2014+) and there are air bags in the sides of the seat per the manual. Not sure about the Gen 1 TC. See page 37 (40 of 401) of the manual, cut/pasted below: The side airbags are located on the outboard side of the seatbacks of the front seats. In certain sideways crashes, the airbag on the side affected by the crash will be inflated. The airbag was designed to inflate between the door panel and occupant to further enhance the protection provided occupants in side impact crashes. Do not use accessory seat covers. The use of accessory seat covers may prevent the deployment of the side airbags and increase the risk of injury in an accident.

I have the same interest as bikinchris in providing ventilation to the cargo area of the van model. For me, it would be a 2015 LWB, but I think the same technical issues and potential solutions exist for both generation TCs. The van will have fixed glass windows on the sliders and rear doors. Too bad there isn't an option for windows that open. Maybe Ford's thinking is if there aren't passengers in the back, then no need to provide any ventilation and best to keep the cargo area secured. In my current wagon, I crack all four windows a tad when it's warm outside. I'm sure others do the same with their cars. If I decide to camp in the van it would be nice to have some ventilation as well. What do other TC owners do about heat build up in the van? What solutions are available that won't make the van look like an RV? A lot of van conversion use a Fan-tastic vent http://www.fantasticvent.com/ They offer static vents or fans that run off a 12V house battery. Those seem pretty popular but perhaps better for a higher roof van so it's less visible. A solar powered vent would work good and provide the best level of security. I checked them out online and they had mixed reviews and the selection is limited. There are also a few models available that are used to provide positive ventilation for black water systems. I guess those could be adapted for this type of application. As bikinchris mentioned, water egress is an important factor, so not sure they could be used. Aftermarket window supplier C.R. Laurence offers windows for 2010-2013 TC vans but they are all fixed. http://www.crlaurence.com/crlapps/showline/default.aspx?GroupID=54910&History=30587:21889:16124:21889:2087&pom=0 Appreciate the input

all sounds good. maybe you can start your own Photo Gallery so we can see all your cool mods and envy your van

very nice. I like! what's your next improvement?

great pics. thanks for posting. your van looks great. ok, now I'm officially jealous cool to see the TC next to its big brother T. enjoy your new ride!

try this link http://web.forret.com/tools/megapixel.asp?width=1000&height=500 @eazy - sorry about the detour on your thread

nah, that's too easy. if you use the "view new content" feature, which I think you're already doing, you'll find the post quickly. for the same reason they use scantily clad woman in advertising or more recently dogs and cats. It draws your attention. BTW - you need to update your profile and add in your new TC XL Van instead of your Honda. Out with the old and in with new! I won't bug you about posting a pic

I like obscure references, to a point. It makes you think, and that's a good thing. Today, too many people want things spoon fed to them. But, I'm not familiar with the movie Frozen so I couldn't make the complete connection. I watched a video on youtube for the song and that's a sad story, dang!. Your daughter likes that? I guess if you listen to the song and not watch the video part it can grab you. I guess with you having kid(s) you are bombarded with this type of "entertainment".

@eazy - thanks for the input. the TC sounds ideal for how you want to use it. enjoy!

@Ian - thanks for posting your story. great pic of your new van. very nice looking. I'm 6-2 and looking forward to having a vehicle that my head doesn't touch the headliner. The TC has lots of headroom. What do you like and dislike about your TC so far? What options does your TC have?

just a guess, but the XL model doesn't have a trip computer. only on the XLT model. the XL model does not have a lot of the extras that come with the XLT, like cruise control. perhaps someone else with a 2014 XL can answer this question. as 103west43rd suggested in another thread, talk to your dealer about this.

until you post a pic of your new van I won't provide any help below is a link to the 2014 TC Owner's Manual that you can download and save. http://www.fordservicecontent.com/Ford_Content/Catalog/owner_information/2014-transitconnect-owner-manual-version-1_EN-US_11_2013.pdf there will be a quiz on Monday so study hard my friend MODERATOR - it would be cool to have a wiki or at least a sticky thread where we can post links for manuals and ordering guides to make it easy to find rather than letting them get buried in posts. maybe you already have one and I missed it. thanks!

curious, why do you want to add this to your van? bluebox has one on his van - but it's the previous model TC http://fordtransitconnectforum.com/gallery/album/123-bluebox/ did you try aluminess? http://www.aluminess.com/ford/ford-vans-2008-2013/ford-van-08-13-front-bumper/

just noticed this review online and thought it was decent enough to share. http://www.thecarconnection.com/overview/ford_transit-connect_2015#mainReview One thing I read that I wasn't aware of was the rear drum brakes for the Van version. "One key difference is that cargo-oriented Transit Connect models have rear drum brakes, whereas passenger-oriented Transit Connect Wagon models come with four-wheel disc brakes." I thought both the Wagon and Van had discs all around according to the Ford website under Specs "Brakes: Four-wheel power Front/Rear Disc Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)" This is a 2015 review and the Ford site has specs for 2014, but I doubt they changed this for 2015. Any input on this? Thanks!

in combination with the weight is the body style. not sure which contributes more. the van wouldn't be as aerodynamic as some passenger cars so I'm guess that's the main reason for the reduced gas mileage. I'm sure others would have a better analysis of this. I'd like to see a little better gas mileage too, in the 30's, but not sure how realistic that is given the size of the van.

would you run the extension cord through a crack in the window or would you create a 110V receptacle on the body of the van like a regular RV would have? thanks

good to know. thanks!

I ran into this same problem. Took a while for me to figure why this was happening. You're only allowed 500K for uploaded pics. Number of pics doesn't matter. So mostly likely you've already uploaded 459K worth of pics and only have 41K left. If you delete some of those pics you will free up memory space, or upload it to the gallery then attach. haven't tried that method left. Moderator - if you can increase the allocated size for uploads, that would be very helpful. thanks!

no worries, just want you to maximize the input from other forum members and make it easy to find for others in the future

that's funny. I'll tell my wife I'm not the only idiot. She didn't call me that but I think it was implied I think if performance matters to you, then it's important, more so if there are similar vehicles that do the same thing and you need to decide one over the other. Like I said, I'll adapt to like it. The only negative I hear from others is road noise. hopefully adding some insulation will help that. Turning up the radio is my backup plan

@Johnyguy - just a suggestion, if you have a specific question about something like oil, as an example, it might be better to post that in the Maintenance SubForum, link below http://fordtransitconnectforum.com/forum/32-maintenance/

thanks for info. I haven't test driven the TC either. my wife thinks I'm crazy for not doing so. Everyone seems to like it when they do a review so I'll adapt. I'm getting it for the utility benefits. same issue for me with the extra seats. I've done that with my current wagon, storing the seat bottoms. I did not want to buy a new vehicle and do the same since I have no use for more than two seats. I want to maximize the cargo space. I'm thankful that Ford offers the TC this way.

how do you like your TC compared to the Caravan? you would think the TC has a bigger windshield. interesting. thanks for the install notes on the insulation. I like the sheet stock material because it handles moisture very well. More of an issue for colder environments when you get condensation at night. I assume you used something like liquid nails to attach it. Curious about your impression on the flooring material that comes stock in the cargo area. the material that I saw in the 2014 van at a dealer was sort of spongy and compresses and left impressions and dents very easily, which was surprising. it doesn't see very robust compared to a more rigid hard plastic material. The only benefit I see is it's easier on the knees if crawling around.

thanks for the info and link the sun shields they offer look very nice. they have two types, one that folds, the other rolls up. The TC has such a large windshield you really need a custom shade. for the insulation, did you use the rigid type foam board that comes in sheets from Home Depot or Lowes? http://www.homedepot.com/b/Building-Materials-Insulation-Rigid-Insulation/N-5yc1vZbaxx that stuff has a pretty decent R-value for its thickness. I've used it for home remodeling a few times but only on flat surfaces. Sorry to ask so many questions but I'm trying to figure out what to do ahead of getting the van. Glad you like Key West. Hope I didn't jinx you on the hurricane part thanks!

@KeyWestLes, glad you like your new van, plus it's very sharp looking. you will be very recognizable in your small town with that van. good for business. I noticed that front window shield in your pics. very nice. did you buy that online or have it made custom? what type of insulation did you add to the walls and ceiling? what type of covering did you put over it? I plan to do something like that so I'm interested in what you did. I'm hoping the privacy glass that comes with the side and rear windows offers enough sun reflection. I can see how things can get pretty toasty down in your parts. you really are in Key West. nice. Been there twice on vacation. always fun. haven't been there during a hurricane though!