Fifty150

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.

https://images.etrailer.com/static/images/video/install-trailer-hitch-2014-ford-transit-connect-c13167.webm

https://images.etrailer.com/static/images/video/install-trailer-hitch-2014-ford-transit-connect-c13167.webm

Nothing more heartbreaking than to have to shoot a dog, who is only doing what is right in protecting it's master, in order to render medication attention to the pet owner. I've seen the scenario. Person with shortness of breath and chest pains calls 911. First responders are met by a protective canine who won't let you near it's master.

Just remember that most of the roof racks will allow 175 - 200 lbs. That's about the weight of a couple of ladders, perhaps a few hundred feet of conduit, or a few pieces of plywood. Canoe, kayak, bikes, skis, snowboards, will all be just fine. Be sure to strap down your mattress and box spring so that they don't fall off on the freeway. Plenty of free ladders, buckets, hubcaps, and tools are already being offered.

Oh What A Feeling! Those little Toyota Tacoma are actually really good. I would have bought one if they were more reasonably priced. At the same price point, I could have bought a 1/4 ton Tacoma, or any American 1/2 ton with an 8' bed, and capable of carrying 4'X8' plywood. And I just couldn't see transporting motorcycles without an 8' bed, bike properly strapped, and tailgate closed & locked. Believe me, there is a huge difference between 1/4 ton & 1/2 ton when you start loading them down with any amount of weight. I often have a pained expression when I see those little 1/4 ton trucks sagging in the rear, with the suspension overloaded. Which is why I doubt if I will ever carry anything other than people in my Transit Connect.

tcconvert, Interesting. I suppose we all go through life with different settings on our priority gauge. You, like myself, will save just about every penny that you can on a vehicle that you drive in daily. You probably put up a pretty good fight when it came to haggling for your out the door price. Some of us spend so much time in our vehicles, we practically live in them. Yet, you find room in your budget for recreationally aviation. I wear the same Levi's 501 jeans that I had in high school, with white t-shirts from an on-sale multi pack, and always buy stripped down, base model vehicles. The less they put in the car, the less I pay to drive it. But I manage to budget myself for a Harley, and enjoy a good meal. When you live in one of the culinary epicenters of the world, where some of the best chefs have outlets, surrounded by Wine Country, fresh water & salt water harvesting all year round, free range ranching, and the freshest farm to table produce in the nation; you do not eat at corporate dining, mall cuisine, or theme restaurants that sell more t-shirts than entrees. I remember showing up in a lifted pick-up to take this girl out to dinner. I suppose in places where corn mazes offer recreation, and a hot date is dinner @ Twin Peaks or Hooters, she would have been thrilled. But Miss Pretentious looked down her nose at me, and flatly stated, "this is not a 'date-car'". I wonder what she would say now, if I showed up in a creepy van with limo tint windows.