Lefty64 Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 Hi guys, I didn't know about this site until today so have joined up to get a different perspective, and maybe help out with the odd query if I can. It's really interesting to see how well the Connect has gone down in the States. It's a very common vehicle in Britain where it's been around for over ten years. 99% are 1.8L diesel vans, mainly the low roof short wheelbase variant not available in the U.S. I started off with a SWB 90hp version in 2005, but changed over to a LWB 110hp model in 2007. It's very much a hobby vehicle so I've gone for creature comforts like AirCon, metallic paint, electric everything .... all these things are extras & luxuries to most van owners over here! I guess mine's the previous model of your Van XLT series. Fuel prices are staggeringly high, but you can get close to 48-50 MPG most of the time with diesel, but this is pricier than petrol. The standard UK van configuration is very different from the U.S. model which seems to be a two-man van. Ours is really a one-man van which comes with a fold-flat bucket-type passenger seat, and a swing gate mesh bulkhead so pipes or 8-feet' boards can be loaded on the near-side. This is a great dual purpose vehicle if you've got dogs as I have. It's also means you've got 9 feet of floor to sleep on if you need to, so camper conversions aren't all that common. Because the Connect has been around in the UK for so long there's a thriving DIY owner cult doing up the older MkI & MkII models. This can be anything from fitting alloy wheels, installing race-type seats, facelift fronts, and go way up to hot engine jobs. As the Connect's GVW is over the 2-tonne threshold, lower commercial vehicle speed limits of 50mph apply on most roads, but this doesn't seem to deter the boys. I'm looking forward to seeing the new 2014 Connect, and the new engine/transmission choices. Without a Hi-Roof version the only model which will do me will be the extra-long wheelbase, but even this has a lower capacity than my present home. I don't know what to do, but a quieter engine might swing the new look for me.. Nice to meet you all on the site, and thanks for listening.... Lefty64 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willie Posted March 26, 2013 Share Posted March 26, 2013 Hello, and please ignore the nonsense above. There seems to be a rash of that on this forum at the moment. The British perspective is interesting to a lot of us here. Regarding fuel. I was recently in Kenya and was surprised to find that diesel was actually cheaper than petrol or gasoline. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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