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My inept local dealer who sold me my TC did the recall install of the side door latches. They annoyingly left one of the black plastic trim clips out of my MDF sliding door panel. I'm trying NOT to support this dealer as they have proven to be very inept, and don't really want to go back there, so I thought, "how hard could it be to find some trim clip replacements?" As it turns out - harder than you might think! Tried without success to register at fordparts.com, whose web site seems to be only partly functional. Then just made some online searches. The only clips I could turn up that looked very much like the Ford originals, could be bought from one of the local big-box auto parts dealers for.....$12.....That's twelve dollars EACH! Yes, for ONE fastener. There's an infinite assortment of clips available out there, but no way of telling if there is a reasonably-priced replacement that actually fits the TC's panels. Some of you may have already discovered that those MDF panels can be an annoying source of vibration if not securely fastened. I want fasteners in EVERY hole! Anyone found a replacement clip type and source for substitutes that work?

The ride is certainly firm on these vans - much firmer than on any of the string of small and mid-size pickups I have owned over the last 30 years. "Luxury" is the last quality that comes to mind when I'm riding in mine, and the utilitarian nature of the beast is always apparent. They are built as work vehicles and it shows. If it's any consolation, the ride quality of the wagon models is not any softer. Driving one of these things is very different from anything I've owned, including a full-sized ford window van in the 1970's. But you do get used to it, and I must admit I kind of like the firm ride and precise steering. I'm also used to the magnificent view and feel closed in in other vehicles now. There's a bizarre kind of satisfaction about owning and driving this van - but "plush" it ain't!

I faced this issue when I realized, much to my surprise, that changing the oil was no longer an easy matter (it's also becoming harder as I age). Accepting that was a step into the future. This was a beast different to anything I have ever owned. I looked at ramps. They're big and difficult to store (impossible in my garage). Trustworthy ones are heavy. I finally accepted that in this era, with 7-10 thousand mile synth oil changes, it wasn't going to be that big a deal to take it to a dealer and be done with it. I will just bite the bullet and have them change the air filter and all the wiper blades at the same time. I agree about the camera. The center pillar is a bit of an inconvenience, but worth the trade for the doors.

Some good points made here. I agree that the transition could be difficult for some. I have been driving pickups with folding bed covers that offered unobscured vision all around. Took me some time to get used to the van. I was correct that having the second row windows would alleviate much of the blind feeling, They allow a direct look back to each side, enabling coming cross-traffic to be seen, and once I got used to the camera and started trusting it it became a breeze to back out of parking spaces. The sonar is very useful. I wish I had the same gear all around the vehicle like my Wife's Beemers do. The only downside to the camera is the tiny monitor. I am partially blind and it is difficult to see at times. My last six vehicles have been small and mid-size pickups. Most of them felt like trucks. When driving the TC I forget there's a cargo area behind me and it feels like driving a car. The low seating position and the amazing view add to that feeling. One gets a sense of being a bit different when driving these things. They have an odd, cutting edge feeling that is unlike almost any other American vehicle and people look curiously at them. Especially if they are used as private transport and not commercial vehicles. The look of mine has grown on me over time (I actually think the wagon version is unattractive), and every man I show it to wants to have one. It is the most useful and versatile general hauling vehicle I have ever owned. I do wonder about resale value down the road. I surmise that by enhancing the cargo area while keeping it completely open will make it more appealing to either a daily driver or a tradesman when that time comes.

The LWB is NOT a large vehicle. It's a foot shorter and an inch narrower than my Nissan Frontier pickups with a 6' bed. Maneuverability is incredible and, because of axle placement, you can park it in spots that many drivers have to pass up. A small 2-step utility ladder is required to reach the middle of the roof for washing (if you do that yourself). If I put a rack on top I don't think I could get under my garage door. But then, I can stand up, bent over, in the back of mine and change clothes. I have ridden in the wagon version a couple times. The ride is just as firm as my unloaded van. Certainly not cushy!

Early on I considered buying all the plastic panels and the headliner for my van. The parts alone were six grand.

4000 MILE UPDATE: Biggest issue so far - A rattling driver's side sliding door. It was quite loud and intrusive and impossible to ignore. Tried adjusting the door myself, to no avail. Original dealer had it an entire day. It was worse when I got it back and they blew me off with the comment, "Hey - it's a van." Corporate suggested a second opinion. Another dealer 100 miles away had it for a week but finally resolved it. Once you get used to a pair of clamshell doors and the two sliders, you never want to have less. Rattles can be hard to find in these things. You will swear one originates in a particular location, only to find out it comes from another far-away location and is telegraphing the noise. With all the bare plastic and metal even a stray coin can have you on edge until you find it. Mileage, at least according to the computer, around 27 in mixed driving. No inclement weather driving yet, but this thing is amazing in major crosswinds. The Nissan Altima I had for the week the door was under repair was a nightmare in the wind. I was all over the highway. This van just requires a steady pressure on the wheel to remain quite stable. It's better than any pickup I've owned. I still love to drive this thing. Had occasion to be shuttled around by a wagon version recently. Was surprised by how hard the ride is from the second row seat. And frankly, it still had a lot of road noise. It ain't no station wagon. Glad I didn't opt for another $6000 to get the wagon version. What can you say about Ford Sync? Well....It just sucks. Typically - the headlight low beams suck too.

Looks like impact damage to me

Bought mine late Friday afternoon. Had only intended a test drive. My credit union would have had money to the dealer in a day or two but I wanted to finish up the paperwork and the dealer offered financing that was close to my C.U.s, and I wasn't financing that much so I said OK. US Bank turned down the financing. "Commercial Vehicle!" Went with Ford for almost the same amount (Not significant as I pay off early anyway). This was the first of several surprises I was presented with after buying this. Yes, The Ford Sync System is perhaps the lamest part of the vehicle! Worse...If the electronic device you want didn't come installed - good luck with adding it aftermarket while retaining factory functions. I had to convince my insurance company that this van would be used exactly like the previous string of pickups I owned - Part business, part daily driver. No gear was installed in the cargo compartment.

I would agree with a review I saw where the reviewer described the power as "adequate" For the last 15 years I have been driving 2WD Nissan Frontiers with 4 cyl engines. The last two have been the platform they're still selling. The 4-bangers in those are pitifully underpowered, even when the truck is empty. These things are LESS than adequate, but if you wanted decent gas mileage, that was your only choice (most people here drive the 4WD V6 versions because they don't know how to drive in the snow). Driving at 7000' elevation makes it worse. On one hilly and curvy road I regularly drive I was literally risking my life to pass people. By the time you are up at 60+ mph there isn't much of a top end left. The TC is amazing in comparison. It's actually pretty zippy below 50, due to the gearing, and when passing it really doesn't start running out of guts until you start pushing 80. Not bad for a van! Of course, if you are used to driving a V6 or V8 you probably aren't going to be impressed. Whenever I had occasion to drive my wife's 5 series BMW i felt superhuman.

If I set my main mirrors in a position that would be the same general position I would set if there were no blind spot mirrors, the blind spot mirrors show pretty much the same view the main mirrors do. With blind spot mirrors, where should I be setting the mains? I have had small round add-on blind spot mirrors. They showed a much more expansive view than the TC version (albeit with more distortion and a smaller image). The TC'sblind spots seem pretty pointless.

Hah! I still haven't figured out the point of the small corner mirror in my side mirrors, which shows an almost identical version of the image presented in the large mirror!

A side note: During this ordeal I have had to leave the van at two different dealerships. My original dealer only had it for a day, but gave me a loaner - A FORD FOCUS! Yes, the platform our vans are built on. It was a very mediocre driver. And I think a primary reason is that the gearing seems to be different in the vans. I think the vans may also have an extra gear. The second dealer had my vehicle for a week and I had to rent a car. They gave me a 2016 Nissan Altima with 15,000 miles on it. It was front wheel drive. It was also the worse car I have ever driven - and I have been driving for more than fifty years! My 75 mile drive home took place in direct crosswinds of 35-40 mph. I was all over the road trying to keep this dog in its place! I surely looked like a drunken driver. I was really surprised as this is billed as a full-size car, and with it's long wheel base and low stance I would have assumed it would be relatively stable in the wind. Not so! T he steering was just awful. It was very stiff and took a considerable force to get the turn started. The wheels would then want to keep turning and a quick counter force would be required to bring it back to center again. This is all happening in fractions of a second. This resulted in a constant porpousing motion left to right. Perhaps there was something out of whack with this particular car, but I felt it was just a bad design. It was much less sensitive without the wind, but was still real work to drive, and I couldn't wait to get rid of it. When I got back into my van again I felt like I had come home! I have never liked front wheel drive, but the TC engineers really got this puppy right. The only time I am forcefully reminded it's FWD is if I am accelerating with the wheels turned. The steering is tight, but it's possible to handle it with one hand. It's smooth and precise. In a crosswind there is pressure against the side of the vehicle, but only a constant opposing pressure on the steering wheel is necessary to offset it. There is no back-and-forth battle with the steering as there was in the Nissan. The gearing is also very smooth through the change-up sequence as opposed to the klutzy feel I experienced in the Focus. This experience just served to emphasize why it's so easy to fall in love with these vans. This may be the easiest-to-drive vehicle I have ever owned. Truck or car!

My FICO score is well over 800. The bank still turned me down. Went with Ford financing for almost the same rate. One call to my credit union would have had a check overnight, had it been during the week, but it was late Friday evening, and I wanted to wrap up the financing. My credit union was almost the same rate. I had to convince my insurance company I was going to be using it exactly as I have been using my last three pickups, in order to keep my rate down. Finally got some resolution on the rattling door. They claimed it was the door rear vertical trim strip that was rattling against the frame (took them a week to get there). I am at a loss as to how a rubber trim strip could rattle against anything, but I have not experienced any rattles since I left the dealership. I took the vehicle back while waiting for parts to come, from Detroit! There will be replacement of the rear rubber trim strip (missing from the door now) and also some weather strippingn somewhere. None of this makes any sense, but if the rattles are gone I will be delighted.

Asked for my truck back this AM. Service department said they are involved with installing some new rollers, and could I give them one more day. I approved. Nothing to lose. I looked at the Lemon laws, in case I want to go back to Corporate and try to get the vehicle replaced (good luck on that front!). Unfortunately, in my state the law excludes commercial vehicles! Though I am not using it as a commercial vehicle per-se, I discovered, much to my surprise when doing the paperwork at the dealership, it is classified as commercial. I hadn't given it a thought. I will if I ever consider another van! It affects everything - even your insurance. One might think that classification would apply to how the vehicle is used, not how it left the factory. I used my previous string of pickups in exactly the same manner I use my van, but apparently, when your hauler is enclosed it becomes "commercial." I guess if one wishes to avoid this category you must purchase the wagon, whether you want that configuration or not. I will be anxious to see if the roller replacement resolves the rattling issue.

Don't know about the rubber strips. Haven't had my vehicle for a week now. Dealer #2 calls every day but still reports no fix. I don't think they have a fix. They don't even have a diagnosis. This is my work truck and I'm handicapped without it. Going to call and tell them I want it back. I didn't pay 25 grand to be a beta tester for Ford. I will call Corporate again but I suspect any fix is going to have to come from me, and it will be some kind of kludge. I'm not very hopeful about getting a replacement vehicle and don't relish the time and expense likely required to get one. I'll probably just pay it off and trade it for a loss. Recently I notice more complaints on this board involving rattles and noises. I suspect this is going to be a growing category with these vehicles. This is a great design. Too bad it has such poor build quality. I guess it's back to the imports for me.

I bought mine because I like the way I look in it. Like a peanut in a shoebox. My wife also calls it a hearse

Rattling sliding door? OH YEAH. See my post about the 2800 mile report. At this point I am convinced no one knows how to fix it and I am regretting ownership. I plan to return to an import next time around. But you might like this: At the second dealer I tried for a fix (they still have it a week later with no solution), a "suit" from the service department got into the van with me. We careened around the area on 2-lanes and freeways, seeking out rough terrain in order to get the door rattling so the Suit could pinpoint the exact location. He eventually worked his way back to the rear of the slider and declared it was the rear bracket. I had been convinced it was coming from the upper front, right beside my head. I actually adjusted the top front bracket, taking out all the slack. That reduced it slightly, but didn't eliminate it. When we pulled back onto the lot I got out and opened the slider. Amazingly, the suit had completely dismantled the interior door panels and plastic trim while we drove...without tools. The parts covered the floor. He was sure the problem was in the rear door bracket. I take my hat off to this guy. He knew how to show initiative and gain a new customer. A week later they still haven't been able to fix it, and I don't think they know how. There have been reports of Ford stock dropping, in part because of door problems and recalls. Hmm.

2800 miles in. Have been enjoying my van. Hauling capability is every guy's dream. At least two other people I know want one after seeing mine. Mileage is good. Very pleasant to drive, with excellent handling, even in strong crosswinds. Because of the streamlined shape and the steering geometry buffeting is minimal, and is far steadier than a 2016 Nissan Altima rental car I have recently driven in high winds. With all the doors for loading, it's versatility is amazing. I'm the envy of many in crowded parking lots. The turn radius is so small I can park in places my Nissan pickups regularly passed up. I can literally swing it 90 degrees into a small slot. The grand view spoils a ride in anything else. Bad stuff? unfortunately. The Sync system is tragic, often failing to understand simple responses like "yes." I have had the complete system fail, leaving only the radio operational. Five vehicle restarts were necessary over a period of an hour or so to get it to boot up again. Then there's the rattling sliding door on the drivers side. The noise presents right beside my head and is quite loud. Perfectly mimics the sound a window rattling in the frame of an old car. The dealer I bought it from was unable to fix it, claiming I would just have to live with it, "BECAUSE IT WAS A VAN." Really? Is this what they mean by "Ford Tough?" While they had it in their possession they discovered that daylight was showing at the bottom rear of both sliders, and a wiring harness going to the backup lights had been pinched by structures within the mid-line channel which the sliding doors move in. I had no backup lights and was unaware as I drive very little at night. Frustrated that the dealer tried to put me off about the door issue, I contacted Corporate. They suggested a second opinion. I took the van to a dealership five times the size of the one I purchased from, a hundred miles away. A week later I am still renting a car, do not have my van for work, and get daily calls from the service department telling me they haven't been able to fix it yet. I now believe I know as much about it as they do, and am wondering If I will get stuck with this lemon or if there is a way to demand a replacement vehicle, which I'm sure must be a nightmare procedure. So here I am, This may be the most versatile, all-around-useful, and interesting vehicle I have ever owned, It's Everyman's dream truck.....and mechanically it's junk. Even certified Ford mechanics can't fix it. I am now deeply regretting my decision to buy my first new American vehicle. As things presently stand, I will be trading off this sled relatively soon and going back to the imports. Maybe you'll have better luck, but at this point I wouldn't recommend one.

I'm not referring to A.I. I'm talking about using the commands indicated in the instructions. I.E.: "Play Bluetooth audio" There are frequent occasions when I can repeat that three or four times, and Sync keeps responding..."blah blah, is that correct?" And no.....that's nowhere near what I was saying! And no, I do not have a speech impediment, and I enunciate quite clearly.....even when I'm shouting at the damned thing. I always shout in multiple directions because I have no idea where the mic is.

Hmm. Wonder if the cost for a couple new starters is less than the mileage saved?

With a couple thousand miles on my TC I am very disappointed in the Sync system. I was stunned after purchase to find out I can't install a sat radio tuner (REALLY?). I thought, OK, I'll just adapt and start streaming and playing music from my phone. First off, the Sync system is even worse than Apple's Siri when trying to get voice command response. Frequently, Sync can't even understand me when I'm driving slowly down a quiet road with all windows up, in total silence. I will make several retries and typically give up in a shouting disgust and use manual controls. And control of music on a phone is so basic as to be almost useless. There is really no meaningful interface of the phone's music content, as there is from the phone and it's apps. I installed a premium phone holder on my dash, but must reach out at arms length, my hand waving around and my eyes off the road, to do almost any music management on the phone itself. My trade-in was a 2011 Nissan Frontier (with a premium touch screen head unit added after-market). This platform, of which I have owned two, goes back at least ten years, and is really another generation. So I was excited at the potential promised by the new Bluetooth-capable, voice-controlled concept of today's technology. Wow! Yeah...Wow!....What a disappointment! (my disappointment was more understandable when I found out Microsoft designed the system) What I now understand is that, basically, aftermarket is over in the electronics department. What you get is what was in the vehicle when you drive it away. Anything aftermarket will be a trade-off that removes some degree of factory functionality, probably at a premium price. There is so much about my TC that I really like, but if I had known when I bought it what I know now, I may not have made the purchase. This has been a real education - to suddenly step into the world of auto connectivity, only to find that the implementation is still sadly lacking, and the promise is still just that. AND I NO LONGER HAVE THE OPTION TO ALTER IT ON MY OWN!

With my 2016 van, this will be the first time in almost 20 yrs. I will be allowing someone else to change my oil. Because of the large shield underneath that must be removed, and because I can't actually get under the van without purchasing and storing ramps somewhere, I will be using the dealership for oil changes. It helps that this vehicle is using a synthetic and it doesn't have to be changed often (the 3000 mile oil stop changes were always a rip-off IMO). I have been using full synthetic on my last 3 pickups and have only been changing at 10,000 mile intervals. Looks like the latest vehicles are finally catching up to that concept.

That may be true. I was so distraught from having to re-enter my purchase info half a dozen times on their purchase page I couldn't wait to get out and didn't notice any opt-out! (I'm vision-challenged which doesn't help!)

LOL! Yeah, by the seventies locals were getting real testy and hostile, and there was ugly competition for every wave! Great rack concept! I prefer to keep the entire space unencumbered, but if I wanted that type of capability I might be tempted to copy that. I don't think many people see the fabulous utility potential these things have. They are too turned off by the unfinished commercial nakedness in back (my wife calls mine a hearse, and "half a truck"). But if you don't haul a lot of people around (my wife rides with me maybe twice a year) These things are the perfect hauling beasts. I don't know If I would ever go back to pick-ups.