eclectic Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 (edited) Hi, I am a remodeling contractor and I live in New York City. I am considering purchasing a TC and am really excited about what it is capable of in town, parking, maneuvering, hauling, etc..... but I drive long distances to be with family on most weekends. 600 miles round trip to be exact. The gas mileage is going to be a HUGE plus, but is this vehicle going to wear me down on a trip like that? Is it smooth, quiet and comfortable, or is there a lot of noise, being jostled around, etc.. Will it pass other vehicles comfortably? I have driven a Jeep Cherokee for a long while now and so I am used to some passing power. But the Jeep is a gas guzzling, loud and bumpy ride and I'm hoping the TC will have better road manners. I'm also a little worried about not having 4WD when the snow begins to fly. Will I need to leave the TC parked in a snowdrift all winter? I know you can't have everything but you gotta dream! Thank for your comments! Edited July 16, 2011 by eclectic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ncranchero Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 I drive 500+ miles every Tuesday, 300+ every Wednesday and around 200 on Thursday. It handles pretty well, passes others respectably if unloaded (max payload, forget it!), is quite reasonably comfortable (audio sucks) and has above average road noise. Suspension handles road bumps reasonably well for a lightweight. Fuel capacity limits you to around 400 miles per tank. It performed reasonably well in snow/ice. I hate the control trac in icy conditions though. I prefer to be in control. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azdamay Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 The seats are pretty basic, but the driver's seat offers a fair amount of adjustment (provided the vehicle is not equipped with a cage/bulkhead). Although it took some adjustment I now find it to be more comfortable than the Grand Caravan C/V I drove previously. Again compared to the Grand Caravan, it's actually quieter which I found surprising. As ncranchero mentioned, the stock audio system does suck... although the TC is relatively quiet on the highway and you can comfortably listen to your music, you will not be able to totally overpower the road noise with the stereo. It does have a short wheelbase and I find that on certain freeways with expansion joints it will "hobby horse" which can get annoying. I live in sunny, relatively dry California and find that one of my major annoyances is the thing lacks traction. Maybe the OEM tires suck (they probably do), but with some weight in the back it seems to be light on the front. Trying to make it up steep or awkwardly-angled driveways results in embarrassing loss of traction. I've actually had cases where I just had to back up and make a "running start" to get up the driveway (or go backwards up the driveway). Also due to its tall sides and boxy shape it does catch the wind, I know there is a slight breeze without even looking out the window for trees swaying... because I can feel the van "wiggling" back and forth. If it's really windy you better have both hands on the wheel. Oh, and passing. I get politely shut down about this here on this forum from folks who find the engine perfectly OK, but yeah IMO the engine is WEAK. I can most definitely tell a difference between loaded and unloaded performance, and passing other cars is sort of a joke. I practically have time to strike up a conversation with the person I am passing as I slowly edge past them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eclectic Posted July 17, 2011 Author Share Posted July 17, 2011 Thanks to you both for taking the time to write and for the useful information. I'm going to have stop whining about my commute after reading ncranchero's post. Great to hear that it is comfortable and even quieter than the Grand Caravan but definitely concerned about the lack of traction in California when I spend the winter climbing and descending the Allegheny mountains in heavy snow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ncranchero Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 I have lived in/with this TC for right at a year now. The 4 years prior I had a E250. Each model has it's benefits. Comfort-wise the TC is at least as comfortable. It's much more maneuverable, gets double the fuel mileage handles almost everything I carried in the E-van. It's quite modest power is hard to get used to and live with, you get road-bullied more in the TC, and IMO the road noise is just annoying on the highway. With the proper tires and loaded properly you shouldn't have much traction issues. If you tail load it it does get light in the nose and want to spin on dirt/gravel. Doesn't have enough power to spin on pavement! It does what it was designed to do and does it as cheaply as anything you will find. Parking alert devices are troublesome, but other than that no issues. Regular maintenance has kept it going, not even brakes yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azdamay Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 Mine is loaded evenly in the cargo area from front to back and as evenly as I can get from side to side (left side has shelving unit). Traction is a problem, even on dry pavement, if you are on an incline (like a steep driveway). I work in the Bay Area and most cities here are built on the sides of hills, so there are many instances of steep driveways or changing angles. For example, I had a customer in Sausalito where I had to drive downhill to get to their driveway, which was on the right side of the road at about a 30 degree angle to the road, and went UP to a leveled-off area. I approached it at a normal, cautious speed and as I began to go up the driveway one of the front wheels broke traction and I just sat there spinning for a second. Backed up slightly and tried it again, same thing. Possibly the short length of the van coupled with the awkward change from downhill to uphill meant not all 4 wheels were in contact with the ground, I don't know. All I know is I just had to back uphill, cross my fingers, and take a running start to get up his driveway. That's one example of many. I don't think I'd want to drive this thing in snow or ice, but... I am from California, so even with an appropriate vehicle I probably still would have trouble. Like I said I have figured out work-arounds such as backing up and taking a running start, going backwards, even putting it in 2nd gear. I've driven various FWD and RWD vehicles over the years and this van seems more 'tricky' in that regard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willie Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 Its no dragster, but then that's why it turns in lots of MPG. By the way, gas mileage is much better if you keep your foot off of the floor. If you need to accelerate hard very often, maybe you really should consider something else. I think it is pretty comfortable for a delivery van, but it's certainly not a luxury car. It is what it is, I guess Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eclectic Posted July 21, 2011 Author Share Posted July 21, 2011 Tuesday I bought a 2011 XLT Wagon with 4500 miles on it, full warranty, power windows, tinted porthole windows, tinted rear windows, jumpseat, Iphone jack, etc.. for $19450. Deal? At 3:30 this morning I took it for a spin on the West Side Highway (no traffic at this hour) and could hear myself talk and hear the radio at 80 mph. Just as I began to slow down, an NYPD cruiser passed me! Lucky. This thing is relatively silent compared to my Jeep. And the headlights are a revelation. It's as if I have been driving in the dark for the last few years! I loaded 8 sheets of 6 foot sheetrock into it yesterday and delivered them comfortably. I was also very happy to be able to get in and out of the cargo area, double-parked on a busy street, on the side away from traffic. With the sliding doors I can pull tight up to a car and not ding it opening the driver's door. I like how it pulls up hills and I was satisfied reading that good snow tires will give me good traction. So far, thrilled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azdamay Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 You went for a drive at 3:30 in the AM?? Glad you are enjoying your new Transit Connect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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