Fifty150

I place a UniJack under each lift point.

Oil changes are not hard once you get the splash shield off. Drain plug and filter are easy to get to. I found that Ford MotorCraft FL-400S filters are the same thread pitch, same diameter, same gasket diameter, just a little taller, and fit fine for a little added capacity & filtration. Several good threads regarding transmission fluid exchange on the forum. While under warranty, there is nothing that will do beyond your own oil change and tire rotation. Anything goes wrong, let the dealer make the correction.

TPMS - check tires for leaks, add correct PSI to all tires, reset sensors. See of you have a switch to turn traction control on and off. Maybe it's just turned off. There could be a stored code. Get a code reader which is capable of reading the brake light codes.

I like K&N products also. But I wonder if you will gain anything at all from a drop in filter with the Transit Connect. You won't see much in the way of performance mods for the Transit Connect. But I'm guessing that you couldn't do much, if anything at all, to bring more power & torque into a Kia Soul either. I haven't seen any performance brake kits either. There is a little buzz about fabricating lift kits.....but nothing really effective yet. But don't let that stop you from being the first to make the Transit Connect go faster, hug corners, clear tree stumps, and stop on a dime. You could be the first to make a Transit Connect "GymKhana". If you're into wheels & tires, several people have experimented with different combinations. Since you just got the van, and I don't see snow in those photos, you're probably going to be okay with stock tires. Most interesting mods so far for me, has been seeing how camper build-outs are configured, and where people are mounting cameras to compensate for the blind spots. One guy built a roof rack system with an awning. A lot of youtube videos on Transit Connect campers. I like how 1 member added a higher fiberglass roof. Several members posted photos of how they load their motorcycles, chock the tire, and tie it down. If you do your own maintenance, there are some good threads. Pay attention to how people are performing their own transmission service.

I am cringing at what this must be costing you, plus whatever to take delivery of a 2015 model year van.

To save anyone from having to search, these are my rear turn signals. Also drop-in, plug-and-play. No hyperflash. You should be able to find these on amazon or eBay fairly easily.

$8. Price has gone down so you will pay less than I did. Sourced from eBay. No hyperflash. I suspect that you can buy any brand, as long as they look the same with the same specs. Probably all from the same factory in Shenzhen, China. Shipping took forever. Probably on Amazon.com also. Pricing is usually higher on Amazon.com, because they have to stock in USA for Fulfilled By Amazon, Amazon.com takes a larger percentage of sales, and you get 2 day free shipping.

Some vans were delivered from the factory without the screws and bolts for the license plate. Somebody goes to the parts area, grabs a little plastic packet of 2 screw marked "license bracket screw" and it's not the correct thread pitch. Ford sells more than 1 part, little plastic packet with 2 screws, for mounting license plates. Common mistake is that whomever does the new car prep at the dealership, used the wrong screws. They all look the same. The van door has a hexagon shaped hole, and a special 6 sided rivet nut is installed at the factory in Turkey. Luckily, this can be corrected. The parts are available. It's the same part as HN1 with the red arrow in the below drawing. FORD -W702222-S300 Plug - Special - Ford (-W702222-S300) List Price:$3.50 You Save:$1.31 (37% off) Sale Price:$2.19 ADD TO CART Provide your VIN at checkout and we will verify this part fits before shipping Manufacturer:Ford Part Number:-W702222-S300 Part:Plug - Special

What happened is that someone used the wrong screw. Same thing happened to me, and others. They will need to replace the rivet nut.

Not really. Mileage will be equivalent or even less. My mileage in the real world is less.

Take a field trip to a dealership. Take your time looking at the different configurations and play with the seats. Fold them. Flip them. Look at the hardware. Get a feel for your project.

I don't know if you'll get something more economical. Are you thinking in terms of out the door pricing, bang for your buck with payload & passenger capacity, or fuel economy? I have a 2016 Long Wheel Base wagon, and I am not getting great mileage in the real world. The van's computer says that I'm getting super mileage. The tale of the tape is different. With any luck, that bike will fit in the van better than the Focus. Hands down, Transit Connect is the lowest priced "people hauler". Most vehicles with 7 passenger capacity sell for a lot more. Higher priced vehicles are more comfortable. Transit Connect offers more bells & whistles in Titanium Trim. I am satisfied with what I bought, for the price that I paid. Despite all the shortcomings, such as road noise, less than smooth ride, underwhelming entertainment system, and huge visors which block out 3/4 of the windshield.......you just have to factor in the less than stellar 6 speed transmission, questionable front bearings on the older models, and the noisy climate control fan......it's a great ride for the price point. I get all the people I want, plus I can haul cargo if it's not too big or heavy. With the seats folded down, you have a very efficient sleeper. Believe me, that sleeping in a van is better than sleeping in a tent.

I could go up or down in height by 1/2" when I change shoes. I remember Prince use to wear those high heel boots because he was so short. I'll tell my "when I met Prince" stories some other time.

Nobody remembers Reagan saying that all the time?

From personal experience, multi-vehicle ATF never really works as well as when you use the OEM spec fluid. I've tried spending more money on fancy brands, and all with mixed results. Amsoil, Lucas Oil, RedLine, Amalie, Royal Purple...... With Honda, only Honda spec fluid works well. With Ford, when the spec was Mercon & Mercon V, everybody I knew who used a multi-vehicle ATF from the auto parts chain store or chain lube shop, experienced hard shifting, slipping, and poor engagement. I suspect that with the current spec for low viscosity fluid, it will be much the same. I'm not particular with brand. Some people swear that you must use Ford Motorcraft. My feeling is that any brand will work, as long as it is actually LV fluid. And there are several brands which sell fluid which is actually LV. Not something that says "meets or exceeds", then goes on to list every vehicle on the road. If 1 fluid could do it all, then all the manufacturers will just that 1 fluid. I know there are people who insist on their boutique oil brand, and how they have a great ATF. My personal choice is not to use any ATF which is not specific to your vehicle. I will stick to whichever bottle actually says "LV" When a lube shop or garage will only use their multi-vehicle ATF, then I will not allow them to service my car. Same way I do not get oil changes with a coupon, where the coupon staes "4 quarts of 10W-40". Weird how those shops will argue with you about how they will only use their fluid, instead of using the right fluid. Notice how a dealership will never use "multi-vehicle" anything?

maybe you've got a service writer who does not know what he is talking about. You have a lot of miles on the car. Have the fluid exchanged. No reason for a dealership to refuse $300 of your money.

I see that some people are reporting great mileage. Mileage which is displayed on the vehicle dashboard. I have always used the old fashion method of miles driven, divided by amount of fuel consumed. No science here. I went from full tank baseline to the next fuel refill. I just decided to use my tablet computer to read the OBD II port to see what the vehicle's computer sees. An Amazon Fire ($35) with Torque Lite (the free version). So I'm reading the same display as what most of you are reading. According to the car's computer, I'm getting great mileage. The last tank was 28.5 MPG. But in the real world, I drove 177.1 miles, which consumed 11.385 gallons of fuel. 15.555 MPG. You guys can believe what you want. Truth is, some people must be getting the great mileage estimated by the car's computer. Just not me. And apparently, I'm not alone. Others have also reported poor mileage. Anyone else looking over the fuel purchases and comparing it to the odometer?

Tell her you want to see how many pairs of Christian Louboutin can fit in the back.

As I was under my truck, I was thinking that the Transit Connect is just as easy...... https://d1y6jrbzotnyjg.cloudfront.net/UGCPR/a0a63e5db83643ee9cf52ddfd29378a4/V1/d38e360bce0d431ba0e0bc96b43f0e6f/ShortForm-Generic-480p-16-9-1409173089793-rpcbe5.mp4?Expires=1545377873&Signature=Qs11uh0YEotvI3J4c2Jb5fB2XWMXqN9CpA8ZkC4rHS1kvMGYAC2K6JB5cuPcRrfUN8BoFNpFFgn~e5INXj8Wf-e-pyFPw4u0~sMu48iFSTXEbmgUze1BPu-e0q4Bcc-R3yqf-qkfpltJMJyXJBmhque13t9Yldhumj89lSEkujU_&Key-Pair-Id=APKAJ62XWKZ35EOVO4XA

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Rest assured, there are other girls who will ride in the 5150 mobile. The current girl remarked that the Transit Connect was kind of a creepy van. Like I was driving around with puppy dogs & ice cream, trying to lure victims. She won't be around much longer. I'm just holding out for Christmas, to see how much she spends on me.

Reminds me of my ex telling me, "this is not a date car!" She hated riding in my pickup truck. She was scared that the Explorer would kill us like the Crown Prince of Tonga......and we are not Tongan. My Harley has a solo saddle, so she had to follow me everywhere in her Honda. Imagine me riding into the Honda dealership on a bike, and pulling into the service lane. Then telling the service adviser, whom I happened to be acquainted with in another walk of life, to take care of The Old Lady in the car behind me. Then she has to get in the Honda customer courtesy shuttle which took her to the nearest transit hub. I pulled up next to her, and waited with her at the bus stop, until the bus came. She had a choice. She had more than one choice. Ride with me in the Ford Explorer SUV, and know that we are not royalty from The South Pacific. Manute Bol, Tito Ortiz, and Quentin "Rampage" Jackson all drove Ford Explorers. Actually, Jackson bought his Explorer used, from Ortiz. Or ride with me in the F-150, Lift kit, 35" tires, off-road lights, and rumbling glasspack mufflers - which embarrassed her because one of her co-workers kept asking her about what it was like to ride in a "monster truck".

I have used aftermarket parts like that with mixed results. You are taking a gamble on fitment with anything, any part, which isn't OEM. Sometimes, aftermarket lights leak and you get condensation inside of the lens. The tail lights, front bumper, and front grille on the pickup are all aftermarket, and I don't have any problems. You could try used auto parts from a junkyard, or even online. If you buy aftermarket, just be sure that the seller has a good return policy. If it doesn't fit, return it. If you install it & it fits, go through a car wash. If it leaks, return it.

That's true with just about any and every car. In a major metro, you can pick & choose whatever you want like a buffet. Get away from a big city, your choices for everything become limited. Some things you can live without......traffic, noise, crime, street protest, vice activity. Most people don't even want the things that big city dwellers consume.......24 hour gyms, restaurants, grocery stores, fuel, entertainment, vice activity. Most people don't crave a Salvadorean pupusa in the wee small hours of the morning, a high stakes card game at midnight, nor need a lobster & caviar at 4 AM. How many of you actually seek out a strip club with a lunch buffet, for the day shift dancers? Some things you can't live without......like access to modern life saving medical care. At the hospital, I see patients travel for hundreds of miles to see specialist. Whatever your medical needs are, I would hate to be hundreds of miles and hours away from a doctor who knows how to help you. And you would be surprised at how many people who come from hundreds of miles away, decide to book a room overnight, and take advantage of what I take for granted every day. I'm off to the club now. It's shift change. The midnight to 6 DJ, bartenders, & club kids are going to dance until dawn.