Fifty150

If you have all the space in the world, and don't worry about oncoming traffic that will not yield, then pulling straight into a space and backing out is fine. Here in The City, we just don't have the luxury of big parking lots. Turns are tight. Space is limited. And nobody cares that you're backing out. They keep coming, and if you back into them, it's your fault. And in today's world where you're parked between a couple of SUV, trucks, or vans.....well, you can't see anything trying to look over both shoulders at the same time. Even if you have a backup camera, the view angle is only so wide.

I'm at about the same amount of miles in my van. I don't like the throttle response. This van really does not have any power. Kind of weird also to be going downhill, foot off the accelerator, and the RPMs are at 3500. But I knew that going in. I experienced all of those conditions on my test drive. I took the dealership vehicle up & down hills, onto the freeway, and into downtown traffic. The salesman and I both got a good laugh as I tried entering freeway traffic flow from an onramp, accelerating to match 70 MPH, then passing a tractor trailer.......pedal to the metal, wide open throttle, tach surging 4000-5000 RPMS, engine whining.......and some girl in a Smart For Two went around me because the van was so slow. But I'm happy. I'm getting my money's worth out of it. It is still the most economical 7 passenger vehicle. Much nicer cars are out there.....at double the price. And this vehicle is really easy to back into parking spaces. Yes, I'm one of those annoying people who insist on reversing into spaces, so that I can pull out head first. Just use to it from backing trucks into loading docks. Besides, when I'm backing into the space, there is no live traffic in the space. If you pull into a parking space head first, you have to back out blind into live traffic; which is a lot more dangerous. Here in The City, civic engineers are reconfiguring parking spaces so that you are suppose to back in, then pull straight out when you leave. Now all that they have to worry about is people backing into parking meters, trees, and street signs.

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Your van doesn't have the little blindspot mirror built into the regular mirror? These work great on trucks. Just bolt it onto your door or front fender.

Trust but verify. Use the blindspot mirror. Trust your mirrors. Verify by looking over your shoulder. Objects in mirror may be closer than they appear.

Those are stunning photographs. Truly breathtaking. It reminds us, all of us, that we own these little cars that are capable of giving us access to such beauty.

All of the things that are legislated into the build is for saving lives. ABS saves lives. TPMS saves lives. Tobacco and alcohol are taxed, in theory to save lives. The Grocery Tax is suppose to save lives. I'm just not a fan of big government and nanny states. I'm just one of those people that believe that we should be able to make a choice, as opposed to the government telling us how to live.

Another issue that President Trump could tackle.......right after he builds that wall along the Canadian border. Or is he planning on invading and annexing Canada? This all started with the seat belt and helmet laws. I remember as a kid, we could ride in the bed of a pickup truck, there was no such thing as a child safety seat, cars did not come with seat belts and air bags, trucks did not come with rear bumpers, the passenger side mirror was an "add on" feature, and we could ride our motorcycles without helmets. Today, I'm paying a per ounce tax on soda.

I guess "commercial vehicle" could mean different things in different states. I got "commercial" license plates in The State of California so that I could park in "yellow zone" spaces and drive on streets that only commercial vehicles are allowed to drive on. My "commercial vehicle" is registered to my name, not a "business entity". According to the girl at my insurance broker, it does not effect my rates. Although, the yearly registration is a little bit higher. in CA, any vehicle used to carry passengers has something called a "livery plate", which is another type of license plate, and they are also suppose to have something called a "TCP number". All of our trucks and vans at work have to have what is called a "CA number" visible on the vehicle. It's all just about as confusing as which trucks have to stop at the weigh stations.

Over the years, I've broken more than my fair shair of plastic clips on different cars. For me, I expect things like that to break.

One of my friends pointed out that I did a good thing by not getting the vehicle with the Sync system. He has heard nothing but negative feedback from people who do have it. But then again, buying the base model XL gives me a lot less to be disappointed with. Road noise at freeway speeds......I'm used to that with driving trucks. But your door rattling. That may be something that needs to be escalated higher up the food chain. I am afraid to say it, but you may need legal representation, and an attorney familiar with Magnuson–Moss Warranty Act and The Lemon Law. Believe it or not, one of my girlfriends got a full refund from Chevrolet, 9 years after she bought the car. I doubt if it's the actual door, or something inside the door. It could be the mounting system or sliding tracks. The most extreme trouble shooting scenario is to swap doors with another van, see if your van rattles with the new door, and see if your door rattles with the other van. Good luck with that. ".

I grabbed mine, pulled it towards myself,and gently wiggled it out. Be careful. Those little clips are easy to break.

I pulled up in the commercial parking spot right behind this guy. Took these photos of his van. Tried waiving at him. He looked at me like I was.........attracted to him.........in that way! I should get some of those stickers, like the one that says "911". Then maybe I won't have to pay the parking meter.

All that we have are the mirrors n the doors. From those, we have to learn to use reference points, lane striping, shadows, and the old fashion "back up gently into the dock".

Finally, there’s the Transit Connect’s appearance. Subjective, we know, but it looks fairly dorky.

Did any of us buy this car for the way it looks?

The proportions also make the Transit Connect Wagon look like something dredged up from the bottom of the sea—a boxfish that grew wheels.

In the Econoline vans at work, looking over my shoulder, or even in the rearview mirror, just gives me a view of what I have in the van.

Nice. Sure wish I didn't have to have front plates here.

I suppose you could source the auto glass, then see if you can mount it.

I think you're right. I've got that "limo tint", so there's almost no light coming in. With the dark tint, and the "settings" at 100% for color, brightness, and contrast, it actually looks pretty good. The night vision view is awesome. And it has been great in dimly lit underground parking, since I like to back into spaces. It's a very inexpensive monitor, so I didn't expect great performance. I figured that if I didn't like it, I could return it on Amazon.

Absolutely correct. I still use both side mirrors, and look over my shoulders. It is a bit of added luxury to be able to see how close I am to the car, wall, or dock behind me.

My wagon has a full sized window.

Don't worry too much about it. You've got kids. They will tear it up for you. Muddy shoes, soccer cleats, climbing over upholstery, spilling food and drink, haphazardly tossing gym bags, hockey sticks, and violin cases. ScotchGard the seats if you want. I would add some 12v USB outlets since everyone today is loaded with electronic devices. A cell phone booster is great if you're taking the whole family out on long road trips. I can't tell you how many times I've been on the open road and had poor reception or coverage, and thought that if I had a van full of kids and an emergency, it would be a bad situation. Your factory head unit is probably enough to keep you happy as far as playing the radio & music, unless you're an audiophile. With kids, I would recommend getting some decent floor mats. Tint the windows. Get the darkest tint that you are allowed in your state. Vans heat up very easily, and are harder to cool down. Auxiliary lighting could be beneficial if you plan on camping with this van. Think about how you're going to carry 5 or more bicycles. A lot of different opinions on holders and mounts for cell phones. You will find something you like out there. Take out the 3rd row of seats, and set up a mini-bar. I keep it simple with a 12v cooler. And on long road trips, I bring a 12V stove. Sometimes it's just nice to be able to pull over after a few hours, and have your own food, as opposed to eating gas station hot dogs. Some beef & veggies in the cooker, and you've got beef stew when it's ready. Make yourself stand out from the crowd. Get a bunch of stickers. Remove the blue ovals, and replace them with JDM logos.

I've had Jeeps. Most Jeep people (I was going to say Jeep Guys) mod their rides. Just like Harleys, Mustangs, pick-up trucks, Honda Civics.......notice where the aftermarket is. Nobody mods a Camry or a Taurus.. Those people are always checking out other cars on the road. That's when you notice the other person checking out your car. That is when the waiving happens. It's much mordial congenial to offer a friendly waive, as opposed to a dirty look.