Philly758 Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 (edited) I have always been a used car guy that did all my own maintenance and repairs. Until recently, when I found myself underneath the front of my commuter car with a transmission on my face. At that moment I decided I had better thing to do than replace the transmission on a purple 2001 Civic and started the search for the ultimate do it all vehicle. I am also no stranger to vans. I have owned and modified a 2000 GMC Safari AWD (same as an Astro) since about 2009. I picked it up from a dead old lady at 60k and am currently at 175k. I love the van life and the AWD is unstoppable, but the current 14mpg overall was not cutting it. I don't think the 4" lift, 30" all terrain tires and overbuilt steel battle bumper are helping here. This van has been from CT to CO twice and on road trips all over the Northeast Thats where the Transit Connect comes in. I had always liked the original, but the shorter wheelbase was a little tight for mountain bikes (more about that later). The newest generation with the long wheelbase and creature comforts you would expect in a new car were attractive. Although this was not a full size Transit or Sprinter, it did check a lot of the boxes and would make a reasonable car to drive 120 miles round trip to NYC daily and parallel park in the ghetto. The decision was made, I purchased a 2016 Ford Transit Connect XLT cargo on 12/1/16. Below are some photos. Build to follow. Edited January 8, 2017 by Philly758 mrtn 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G B L Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 Welcome you will have lots of enjoyment with the TC. I will be good to see your build-out. You will miss the AWD of the 2000 GMC Safari AWD but you will adjust in time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fifty150 Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 Man, I can't wait to see what you will do. That commute must be quite a bear......especially in the winter, stuck in traffic, and deep in the snow. Are you going into Manhattan, or one of the other boroughs? When I was in Manhattan, most people I knew didn't have a car, and some didn't even have a drivers license. There just wasn't anywhere to park. Everyone got around on the subway or by cab. And out of the people that I knew, I was the only one with a set of tools who actually changed his own oil. Keep posting the pics. Especially when you start with the mods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philly758 Posted January 9, 2017 Author Share Posted January 9, 2017 15 hours ago, G B L said: Welcome you will have lots of enjoyment with the TC. I will be good to see your build-out. You will miss the AWD of the 2000 GMC Safari AWD but you will adjust in time. I still have the GMC because it's not worth much and will be difficult to part with. I think I will be happy with the improved reliability, comfort and gas mileage. The Transit Connect space is pretty tight, tighter than my other van. So modifications will be simple, functional and for the most part easily removable. 14 hours ago, Fifty150 said: Man, I can't wait to see what you will do. That commute must be quite a bear......especially in the winter, stuck in traffic, and deep in the snow. Are you going into Manhattan, or one of the other boroughs? When I was in Manhattan, most people I knew didn't have a car, and some didn't even have a drivers license. There just wasn't anywhere to park. Everyone got around on the subway or by cab. And out of the people that I knew, I was the only one with a set of tools who actually changed his own oil. Keep posting the pics. Especially when you start with the mods. Currently I'm working near the George Washington bridge, they call it Washington Heights, it's basically the Bronx. I would rather commute from CT than live in NYC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiller Posted January 9, 2017 Share Posted January 9, 2017 What' a guy with a Philly handle doing in CT?? Welcome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G B L Posted January 9, 2017 Share Posted January 9, 2017 I am with you on the GMC, You must love the Cross Bronx Expressway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fifty150 Posted January 10, 2017 Share Posted January 10, 2017 On 1/9/2017 at 6:32 AM, Philly758 said: I still have the GMC because it's not worth much and will be difficult to part with. I think I will be happy with the improved reliability, comfort and gas mileage. The Transit Connect space is pretty tight, tighter than my other van. So modifications will be simple, functional and for the most part easily removable. Currently I'm working near the George Washington bridge, they call it Washington Heights, it's basically the Bronx. I would rather commute from CT than live in NYC. Funny. I came to the opposite conclusion when in Manhattan. I'd rather live in NYC, than commute from CT. I was the only non-Hablo-Espanol person in Spanish Harlem. And this was long before gentrification. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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