2015 Ford Transit Connect XLT LWB owner in FL

[ChronicIguana]

Purchased an off-lease, mint condition race red 2015 Ford Transit Connect XLT LWB passenger van with just over 20K miles in June, 2016. Drove by dealership, spotted it (wasn't hard) and made the manager an offer that was below repo value. Vehicle had been on lot for more than six months (battery was dead) and the used car manager was under the gun to convert it to cash. Thirty minutes later he had my 2004 Focus wagon and I was driving off the lot with his Connect. "What is that thing?" As a Connect owner, it's likely you've come to expect the question. Discovered you meet lots of new people in the supermarket parking lot when you drive a Transit Connect. A retired print journalist, have returned to my rock/keyboard roots. The Connect allows me to easily haul a very large Hammond Organ and its twin Leslie speakers - with room leftover for the bass player. Love it. 

[mrtn]

Cool story. It's different, isn't it.

[G B L]

Sounds like a great fit for you.  Welcome looking forward to reports of your adventure

[ChronicIguana]

After driving it around town for a few weeks, took it back to the dealership with a few questions. Mostly "how does all this stuff work?" Sales manager said people had apparently been seeing it on the road. After six months of nothing, and after all-but giving mine away, the dealership now found itself fielding phone calls from folks eager to know where and how to get one just like it. Go figure. 

[G B L]

Did you ask for your commission

[ChronicIguana]

Just now, G B L said:

Did you ask for your commission

Yes, actually. Guessing the check got lost in the mail. 

[T0ASTERvan]

Edited

 

Edited October 11, 2016 by T0ASTERvan

[Fifty150]

12 hours ago, ChronicIguana said:

 "What is that thing?" As a Connect owner, it's likely you've come to expect the question. Discovered you meet lots of new people in the supermarket parking lot when you drive a Transit Connect.

In my local area, Transit Connects are everywhere.  I can't go 1 block without seeing one downtown.  All in commercial use, of course, with logos painted on.  Very few privately operated vehicles.  Elevator repair, electricians, window installers, municipal government, telecom companies, local utilities, florists, cadaver mover, catering.....and the list goes on.  Just about every industry where they could downsize from an Econoline.  What you seldom see are private passenger wagons with windows.  Most of my friends have shrugged their shoulders as they looked under the hood, and looked at me like I was crazy.  Until I fold down the second row seats, and explain to them the advantages on using the van as a thong collector.  

[ChronicIguana]

On 9/29/2016 at 5:56 PM, Fifty150 said:

In my local area, Transit Connects are everywhere.  What you seldom see are private passenger wagons with windows.  Most of my friends have shrugged their shoulders as they looked under the hood, and looked at me like I was crazy.  Until I fold down the second row seats, and explain to them the advantages on using the van as a thong collector.  

Agreed. Commercial cargo versions of the van are also common here. But add windows, seats and a bright red paint job, and people don't seem to immediately grasp that the passenger van is the same utility vehicle the local plumber is driving. And yes, the three hatches that magically appear when the second row seats vanish do come in handy. As to "thong collector," you don't know how close you came to the truth - particularly when you live in a beach community.

As I seldom have more than one passenger on board, I tend to keep the rear seats folded into the floor. I tell people I get better gas mileage this way. Less wind drag. And they buy it. Go figure. Which raises one of my few gripes. At speed, and with the driver's window down, those hatches create a semi-annoying but tolerable "thud" caused by the minor but pronounced flapping you get when the wind passes over them and is trapped inside the rear cavern with no ready way out. Am guessing Ford's engineers also noticed, but likely concluded the fix (Velcro?) wasn't worth the added hassle.

The other issue is the airborne gallon of milk, the flying fresh produce and everything else that isn't bolted down that tend to come rocketing forward the moment the foot comes anywhere near the brake. To avoid further head trauma, am on the prowl for a compatible cargo net that would span the space where the rear seats aren't. Suggestions welcome. 

[mrtn]

6 minutes ago, ChronicIguana said:

Suggestions welcome. 

Cargo net is good for anything anyway but for fixing small objects: collapsible storage boxes, put male Velcro in the bottom and it would not move anywhere. These are available in different forms, collapsing sideways or from top down. You can also cover them with a cargo net for freeway.

Random sample: http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/lifetech/item/15061337/

[mrtn]

Here my plastic one, collapses vertically:

[Fifty150]

On 10/3/2016 at 1:58 AM, ChronicIguana said:

The other issue is the airborne gallon of milk, the flying fresh produce and everything else that isn't bolted down that tend to come rocketing forward the moment the foot comes anywhere near the brake. To avoid further head trauma, am on the prowl for a compatible cargo net that would span the space where the rear seats aren't. Suggestions welcome. 

I do the same thing with my Honda Accord & Ford F-150.  A cooler & bungee cord, and a folding cart.  Go shopping with your ice chest.  It fits right into the shopping cart.  A folding cart, like MagnaCart, pulls that cooler up & down the block in case you can't park in front of your apartment building or house.  I've never needed to buy more than I can carry in the ice chest.  But then again, I'm not trying to stock up on a week's supply of groceries for a family of 7.  I'm fortunate enough to live in an area where I can buy fresh ingredients daily; whether it's a neighborhood fish monger, local butcher, or corner green grocer.  We also have Farmers Markets all over town on different days of the week, and we can buy seafood off the fishing boats at the pier.  

http://welcomproducts.com/2010Vers2/page6/page6.html

 

 

 

http://www.coleman.com/54-quart-steel-belted-cooler-red/3000003539.html

 

 

54 QUART STEEL BELTED® COOLER

DETAILS

http://www.coleman.com/54-quart-steel-belted-cooler-red/3000003539.html

Item# 3000003539

$149.99

PROMOTIONS

Free Shipping on orders $99+
(Excludes heavy and large items. See Terms)

 

ADD TO CART OPTIONS

PRODUCT ACTIONS

Availability:

In Stock

QTY 

ADD TO CART

 

ADD TO WISHLIST