Fifty150

Interesting. It did not look like a lot of damage. But it was totaled. Van was about 1 year old. How much was the repair estimate? Can it really cost more to fix than what the van is worth? I guess that is one of the issues with modern vehicles.

Let's see some photos of this mod.

Here is the part that I don't get. Why would you go back to the dealership to have your plates installed? Every car I've ever bought, came with a license plate frame with the dealership name, and a paper "plate" with the dealership logo. The license plates comes from the Department of Motor Vehicles. They are mailed from DMV to my house. I remove whatever screws are holding the dealership advertising, discard the paper plate and plastic frame, and use the same screws to affix the license plates sent from DMV. It would never be in my thought process to go to the dealership to have plates installed. And how could the salesman install the wrong screws? Why didn't he just use the same screws that were already on the vehicle? Where did he even get the wrong screws from? Why would someone take the screws off the van, then decide to put different screws on?

That gear shift lever should be column mounted. A column mount gear shift opens up the entire center console. It can be done. They do it for the police package cars to make room for the MDT, radio rack, and lights & siren controls. I'm currently driving my vehicle with the front passenger seat folded forward, middle row seats folded down, with my dad sitting in the 3rd row passenger side because that is how he likes it. Sort of gives him a very unique view and ride. He likes to look over his shoulder and guide me into parking spaces. Human backup camera and sensor. The owners manual says not to do this. But he doesn't care. In some vehicles, you can get an aftermarket fuel tank for extra capacity. I don't know what the sales numbers are for the Transit Connect. However, in my area, everybody is driving them. City & County, corporate fleet, private service contractors, livery, and me. So it seems like a lot of units are selling. I am wondering why there isn't more of an aftermarket. Popular cars tend to have a lot of aftermarket support. Weren't there tricked out Transit Connects @ SEMA? Somebody should contact one of the fuel tank vendors to see if they can start production on something for us. After all, they have already redesigned a mobility ramp and fuel tank combo. Perhaps we can get something with 25 gallons. Transfer Flow’s engineers designed the fuel tank, drop floor and ramp assembly for the Ford Transit Connect mobility van. I think Ford engineers should spend a little more time driving the vehicles they design. Then there wouldn't be junk like the Fiesta, or that dual clutch transmission. Maybe we will get an Ecoboost V6 in the Mustang that will go faster than the 5.0. Has anyone else seen the Ecoboost V6 build in a Pantera by Gas Monkey Garage? I would like to see the LWB be able to carry a 4'X8' piece of sheetrock or plywood between the wheel wells, front seats, and rear door. Maybe even a roof rack system that can accommodate more than 165 lbs.

Well, the aftermarket will have to adapt and catch up. I'm sure that an entire industry is not giving up. The future technology may make it even easier to upgrade our electronics. The aftermarket may provide simple flash loading upgrades to factory installed head units, or perhaps even easier to install "plug & play" replacement head units. Head units of tomorrow may very well provide the nexus of your driving experience. I want a car that I can lock, unlock, start, and provide entertainment, navigation, and peripheral support via a smartphone. Your smartphone should be a wireless key. Surely, the technology exist to integrate our phones to our cars. I can recall the days when you actually had to figure out which wire went where, then splice and connect everything. In today's world, I only have to use an OEM compatible harness. Aftermarket electronics are not going the way of Disco & Quaaludes.

Your mileage may vary. As with "The Hobby", some get better service, from the same provider.

My Transit Connect sees service in The City. Once it's on, it stays on, all day. All stop and go driving in downtown traffic. The engine is left on to idle so that the air conditioning stays on. I'm getting + or - 15 MPG. Mileage will be terrible for me. Period. I have toyed with the idea of taking a nice highway cruise for a few hundred miles just to see what the mileage would be. But then again, I have too many things to do, and not enough time for such a field trip.

Did you buy the parts and do your own installation? What are the part numbers?

On my friend's mother-in-law's Honda CRV, we had to take off the bumper cover and grill, remove the headlamp mounting screws, and then slide the entire assembly out. There was just no way for us to get our hands in there to do it from under the hood. Of course, if we had a small child, or a trained monkey, it would have been a piece of cake. I was so mad, I made him buy brand new lamps for everything on both driver and passenger sides, since we already had the bumper & grill off, so that we wouldn't have to do it again if another light failed. He didn't get away with simply beer to drink while we worked on the car. He had to buy lunch too.

Okay. So now that we're almost into the 2017 model year, did anyone find out or have an aswer?

Just imagine an LED lightbar tucked into one of those offending grill slats which offer no aesthetic appeal, or functionality. Well, okay. I get it. Those little pieces of plastic do help deflect debris from striking your cooling system. And if you install a lightbar in that space, you're potentially blocking needed airflow which is a vital part of the cooling system. Unfortunately, here in The Big City, people love to squeeze into parking spaces by tapping bumpers. Any aftermarket lighting mounted on the bumpers will get knocked off.

That is interesting. Is the vehicle modified in any way for wheelchair access?

Interesting information in regards to the Metra harness eliminating the backup camera. I suspect that with the cars of the future, so many items will be tied in with the vehicle head unit, that aftermarket units will affect the performance of the vehicle. The next generation of vehicle could very well come with a touchscreen head unit which allows for control of everything from cruise control, to oil life monitor, to diagnostic trouble codes, perhaps even security. Imagine having to enter a pin code on your touch screen before you can start your vehicle. Almost all of your switches, like headlights, wipers, turn signals, et cetera could be operated from a touchscreen. The days of wiring up your own 8-track HiFi are numbered.

Project 1 should be to modify the odometer with more miles, burn off some of that new tire top tread layer. Break it in.

Glad you're enjoying your new ride. I agree with you on OEM top of the line stereo systems being a waste of money. I've always felt that aftermarket systems were nicer and less expensive. Although it seems that now, more than ever, the head unit is tied into your vehicle's drive experience. A lot of people depend on the features like the navigation system, Bluetooth hands free speakerphone, and some people even enjoy audio programming. My "off the rack" vehicle came with an AM/FM radio, and doesn't even have the little display screen above the head unit. However, I compensated for that with an aftermarket Bluetooth speakerphone & headset with a noise canceling boom mic, plus an Android tablet. The little computer has a GPS app, plays MP3, and I use a downloaded app that reads the OBD II via Bluetooth to read my vehicle's operating parameters, read diagnostic trouble codes, and reset the check engine light. Great that you're getting that kind of mileage. My driving is entirely in city traffic, with a lot of stop & go, plus idling in park to keep the air conditioning running. You can only smile as you read that I'm seeing + or - 15 MPG. I remember that "real time" MPG readout on a test drive. When you're stopped, it shows zero, and it was between 45 - 99 as I was on the freeway, feathering the throttle, and allowing the vehicle to coast with my foot off the pedal on downhill grades.

If it is clear tint, why not simply tint the entire windshield?

No. I'm actually more of a Pabst Blue Ribbon & Tsing Tao kind of guy. But a buddy of mine loaded up with 24 cases of Snapple, and it sank his Honda Pilot in the Costco parking lot. Rear bumper hanging so low that rear wheels were out of alignment and rubbing into wheel well. I had to rescue him with my pickup truck. Gosh, was he pissed. $XX,XXX for a top of the line, Honda's Finest, and it failed with a Costco run.

8" sounds reasonable. Some autoglass is sold with tint, in which case, there's not much that the state trooper can do about it since the glass was manufactured that way. If you get a "fix it" ticket, take it to the judge, and tell him that there is no way to "fix it" because it's not removable. Typically, if your upper windshield is tinted down to, or above, the sun visor line of your car, you should fine. However, these Transit Connects have huge visors. The best bet is to check with your local Highway Patrol, Department of Public Safety, or State Police office. Call them. Better yet, walk in. Explain to the officer that you're not trying to be a smart-ass, but just trying to comply in the interest of everybody's safety.

No problem at all with rated payload. I've had 7 adults, each weighing over 200 lbs. I worry about things like a transformer, motor, 2,500' of 1/0 wire on a spool, packs of flooring, or 24 cases of Snapple when Costco has a sale.

So, what happened? Did you get an answer from The V.A.? What kind of vehicle did you ultimately end up with?

https://www.chp.ca.gov/home/faq#33901110-6d6a-4ebc-83a8-9924f97d9166={"k"%3A"window"}#Default={"k"%3A""} Can I put after-market tinting on the windows of my vehicle? The main requirements for legal window tinting in California are: The windshield and front driver's side and passenger's side windows cannot receive any aftermarket tinting. If the rear window of a vehicle is tinted, the vehicle must have outside rearview mirrors on both sides. The law prohibits any person from driving any motor vehicle with any object or material placed, displayed, installed, affixed, or applied upon the windshield or side or rear windows, with certain limited exceptions. However, legislation signed into law effective January 1, 1999, exempts from the above prohibition specified clear, colorless, and transparent material that is installed, affixed, or applied to the front driver and passenger side windows for the specific purpose of reducing ultraviolet rays. If, as, or when this material becomes torn, bubbled or otherwise worn, it must be removed or replaced.

So you tinted your windshield, and tow doors in the front, but did not do anything to the glass behind the driver and passenger seats?

Tint grade varies by percentage of light allowed. 5% tint blocks out 95% of light. That is what is known as "limo tint". No matter which tint grade film they use, it's the same amount of labor. Different shops may want to adjust their fees by tint shade. Okay. Perhaps there are different prices for the material. Now, as for pricing, it will vary from shop to shop, and by location. If you're in East L.A., where everyone gets tinted windows, and window tint shops are everywhere, then you may find pricing to be more competitive. A dealer will probably charge a lot more, because unless they have a tech who will tint windows at tech hourly rates + material, they will subcontract the work to a vendor and charge you a mark-up. A quick search on amazon.com for window tint film, and you can buy everything you need for about $50. Do it yourself - without any prior experience - and you could have the best or worst tint ever. In my local market, commercial rent is sky high (think Honolulu, Manhattan, San Francisco), and we have the highest minimum wage in the country. The cost of doing business is simply higher. A $5 hamburger is $8 here. I could save a few bucks by driving 30 minutes to a neighboring community. Just don't compare apples to oranges because a tint guy is charging you more for your van, than your buddy paid for his Honda Civic. Here is what 5% limo tint looks like on a 2016 LWB Wagon.

The red lights below the reverse lights? Mine work. They turn on when I turn on my lights. They also turn on when I unlock the car.