MarveJo Posted May 30, 2019 Share Posted May 30, 2019 Hello Transit van community! I've been through the wringer looking at VW vans, the Honda odyssey and myriad other van configurations. I *think* I've finally landed on a ford transit van but my head is swimming with all the options and I'm hoping I can crowd source some insights from this extremely knowledgeable community. I bought a new Honda fit 3 years ago thinking it would serve me well for the next 20 years. Then my wife and I had two beautiful twins and now the car is a little tight. I'm looking for a van that can serve as a bare bones mini van and can easily convert to a work/cargo van. I was charmed by the setup of the VW vanagon with rear facing bucket seats and a bench seat in the back to seat a total of 7, but not charmed by the high mileage and high prices on every vw I looked at. So here are my considerations. Hoping you all can point me towards a year and model that would fit the bill. And modifications you can suggest would be great too. -Windows all around, including the back. The stealth function isn't necessary for us. -Medium height roof. I like the extra headspace of the higher models. -Short body. Looking for the most car-like length we can get. -Seats at least 7. Trips when the grandparents come to town are ridiculous in the Honda fit. Ideally the seating would have two passenger rows in the rear and it would be very easy to take the first or second row out for either hauling or car trips with our two kids. I've seen a number of five seaters with higher tops and short bodies. Does anyone know if we could easily install a second row of seats in back or would it be better to just get a 7 seater right out of the gate? -We like camping but generally prefer to sleep in a tent. That said I do plan to get old someday and may want to do a camper conversion. I'd like to buy used and keep the car for a long time if possible. It won't be our daily driver. Thanks for any ideas or tips in advance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beta Don Posted May 30, 2019 Share Posted May 30, 2019 Ford Transit vans are the larger, rear wheel drive variety, most with V-6's or V-8's and they have their own forum This forum is for the Transit Connect variety, which are more 'car like' and are 4 cylinder, front wheel drive. If you're looking at Transit Connects, they come in either a short wheelbase, about the size of a car, but they only seat 5, with rear seats that both fold flat and then store vertically behind the front buckets, or the rear seats can be quickly and easily removed. The other option is the long wheelbase, which is about 18" longer and seats 7 with folding rear seats which don't come out. Going from a Honda Fit to a LWB van will be quite a transition - I would suggest you drive both a LWB and a SWB version to see what best suits your needs . . . . or, maybe you are looking at Ford Transits, in which case you'll need to consult their forum for advice Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Double Nickels Posted May 31, 2019 Share Posted May 31, 2019 On 5/29/2019 at 11:31 PM, MarveJo said: Does anyone know if we could easily install a second row of seats in back or would it be better to just get a 7 seater right out of the gate? The long wheel base either has all the seats, or 2 seats. It sounds like you need a wagon. Transit Connect is more like a car. Transit is a lot larger. Go see what your dealership has in stock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhotoAl Posted May 31, 2019 Share Posted May 31, 2019 Asa grandparent to 5 YO twins I think the Transit Connect is a great solution. I have a 2016 TC LWB Titanium that I purchased in late November 2017. Got a great deal as it had been sitting around for almost a year. I like Car Gurus for locating vehicles. I go the van to: Haul the twin grandkids Haul my wife's 90 YO parents Take long trips haul my scooter - I have tw Hondas and a Kymco Take to the race track hauling a scooter inside and after taking scooter out be able to sleep inside Haul stuff Tow a trailer It has done everything but camp (so far) and has done it very well. It is easy to get in and out of - seats are not too high or too low. My father-in-law had cancer and at the last 3 months of his life I took him to the doctor and hospital. The TC was easy to get him in and out of due to seat heights. My mother-in-law has very bad arthritis and the seats are very easy for her to get in and out of. Easy to put the twins in and out of and the taller roof makes it easy to get in and fasten them in their car seats. I have the 6 passenger version and like the gap between the middle seats for access to the rear. The van feels much bigger than it really is and fits into my garage nicely. I take my rear seats out when I haul a scooter although it's not necessary. With the higher roofline its easy to put large objects inside with the door openings being the limiting factor. The rear lift gate is nice and in the rain provides a cover. A while back I got caught in a rainstorm with the twins while at Costco. Put both of the in the buggy with my giant umbrella over them. I got wet but they didn't. When I got to the van was able to open the rear lift gate and they could walk thru and get into their car seats. The TC has a little mirror that folds down so that I can observe them in their seats - works better than the one in the Odyssey surprisingly. I got the WeatherTech floor mats and the giant rear mat that goes over the rear seats (both rows) when they are folded. It helps make a bit better platform for loading stuff. I also use it when the rear two seats are out. For loading the scooter I use a piece of MDF board primarily for the center stand. Considering it is a van it drives very nicely. It corners very well (for what it is) and is not too soft. I would imagine it would be closer to a Fit than other vans like the Odyssey. I don't do VW any more after having 2 engines prematurely self destruct. My daughter (mother of the twins) has a 3 year old Honda Odyssey which she loves. The TC handles way better than the Odyssey but doesn't have as much power and is not as smooth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fifty150 Posted June 1, 2019 Share Posted June 1, 2019 2 hours ago, PhotoAl said: Take to the race track hauling a scooter inside and after taking scooter out be able to sleep inside You race scooters? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhotoAl Posted June 1, 2019 Share Posted June 1, 2019 LOL, no just use them for transportation around the track. I photograph races and have a fair amount of camera gear. Scooter is also a great place to set the cooler filled with ice and drinks - essential in the south during summertime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fifty150 Posted June 1, 2019 Share Posted June 1, 2019 It would have been more exciting if you were in an outlaw Motor Scooter Club. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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