TC Owner To Be Needs Help Please

[madlock]

Hello all.

I've been eagerly awaiting the Transit Connect since reading of Ford bringing the TC to North America from Europe where I've driven several over the years while wondering to myself, "Why on earth hasn't Ford brought this terrific vehicle to North America?" Of course, such has been the case with Ford for decades. Even Ford's most ardent supporters would be disappointed to know the extent to which Ford Europe has been producing category-leading world class vehicles in Europe for the past 30 years while they've left their own "home team" to languish with decades of half-hearted "as little as we can get away with" product. Thank God for the Mulally era. He will have become the second most important person in Ford's history behind only Henry himself. But I digress.

I needed/wanted a new vehicle that would serve as both my daily driver and capable hauler of light cargo since April. Given the incentives being offered at the time, and absent the availability of the Transit Connect, I decided upon a fully-laden Flex Limited with AWD. For everything terrific the Flex happens to be (and it's the best, most comfortable, vehicle I've owned by far), despite its ability to knock flat all three rows, it's far more suited for hauling larger purchases and sports gear than cargo. Plus, it's such a nicely-appointed passenger vehicle that I simply don't want to beat up the interior the same way I could (and did) with the HHR, a vehicle that was never meant to be luxurious and whose residual value is almost impossible to negatively affect. My Flex has officially become "beloved"; it's just not the work vehicle I need. But I digress... again.

Fortunately, the Transit Connect has now arrived, so my solution is clear. The Flex is now (and will continue to be) my "daily driver", while the Transit Connect will become everything the Flex was intended to be (and so much more). Needing to place the vehicle "in service" during calendar 2009, too little time exists to accommodate the 4-month lead-time to order an ideally-configured TC, so I've been relegated to searching dealer inventories to determine where, if any, exist (a process made even MORE difficult by the fact that any up-fitted vehicles only carry a "DEJANA" entry on the vehicle sticker. None of the upfit information (type, cost, etc.) appears in any of the searchable information. Even dealers must call individual dealers to determine the upfits a particular vehicle may have. The "dealer trade" game dealerships play make them pretty-much without locking one's self out of aggressive negotiations, and even those who are willing to trade are usually far too lazy to do any work beyond punching keystrokes without having a deposit in-hand and an open-ended commitment to buy without having first agreed a price.

The Transit Connect's newness to North America limits options further given how little dealers and their service departments actually know about the vehicle and/or what can be done to modify or retrofit features. Dealer after dealer either never bothered to answer the question or would give completely erroneous answers that would lead any customer taking their advice on faith to make entirely incorrect buying decisions or avoid buying the Transit Connect altogether because of inflated "shot in the dark" estimates that were 2-3 times what the actual cost would be. That made the number of possible vehicles I could choose even smaller. I'm not embarrassed to admit how capable a "car hunter" this process has made me; and when all was said and done, only ONE compatible vehicle existed within a 1000-mile radius.

My only concern now is that I may have become too "close" to the process and have perhaps lost some perspective. While certain feature needs speak for themselves, I have a diverse set of needs. While I want the vehicle to do everything I'd like, I also want to be sure it can accommodate what I may want to do in the future. I'm hoping fellow forum members can read through my decision process and help validate (or refute) my reasoning.

I first began by deciding to avoid any up-fitted vehicles. Despite the likelihood that I will eventually have certain storage and management tools installed, the dual-sided shelving units virtually eliminated any useful hauling capacity from the sliding doors back. Furthermore, those with bulkheads would preclude the possibility of carrying passengers or, to the other extreme, removing the passenger seat to extend the maximum cargo length.

Because I also want the option to carry additional passengers, the Wagon seemed to be the better option simply because it offers a capability that the Cargo versions do not. The 2nd row can always be removed, but seat rows can't be conjured out of thin air (let alone at a reasonable price). Because I will also be carrying cargo, I would have otherwise preferred solid sliding doors (rather than the Wagon's windows), but doors (and more specifically, window glass and plugs) can be relatively easily swapped, so the XLT Wagon seemed to be the one starting "platform" that would do what I wanted most, but could also be made to do just about anything I might want.

I also prefer the hard plastic floor of the Wagon compared to the Cargo's rubber liner that's effectively laid atop the uneven plastic surface, and will probably, eventually add a fully-flat rubberized floor like the one available from Sortimo.

Note: Information in the "chicken tax" thread has been an absolute revelation that has helped to confirm that the Wagon is indeed the ideal starting point for virtually every owner given how easily every TC arrives in Wagon form and the "conversion" to Cargo is so easily accomplished dockside. While I may eventually need to hunt down a few parts, most notably the sliding door window plugs, the XLT Wagon is clearly the correct starting point for me).

It also seems that the 2nd row takes-up relatively little cargo hauling space when knocked forward. In fact, they take-up about the same floor space as many of the solid bulkheads I've seen installed. Because I will be hauling some relatively valuable items, I will begin by adding the OEM wire mesh inserts to the rear windows (or perhaps even replacing the windows with plugs), and doing the same to the side windows. (Any passengers will just have to cope with the lack of windows by pretending to be FBI surveillance)

I will then be adding a half-height bulkhead from the roof behind the driver's seat. This will preserve second row leg room and allow the seats to be folded forward while providing at least a modicum of security for the contents. (Any would-be thief would need to flip forward the front seats and crawl through to access the vehicle contents.) This seems to be the best way to maintain the best passenger carrying aspects and abilities of the vehicle (and convenience) by having a serviceable second row of seats while creating a cargo carrier that's virtually as capable as a dedicated cargo configuration.

I hope I will have created a vehicle with "hybrid" functionality. It would have been much better if the "Cargo" configuration had been a dealer-installable option like so many others have become, as customers would at least have been allowed to keep their 2nd row of seats.

Other enhancements I have planned are an integrated backup camera, amplifier and upgraded speakers, DeWalt Tool Link (for the FWS computer), and a wireless hotspot (in lieu of the FWC Sprint access).

So, if you've been patient and interested enough to read all I've managed to write, I'd greatly appreciate any thoughts about whether or not I've chosen the right path to arrive where I want and any suggestions that might help me improve upon "getting there".

I very much look forward to having my own TC and greatly appreciate any helpful advice.

[REC]

Hello all.

I've been eagerly awaiting the Transit Connect since reading of Ford bringing the TC to North America from Europe where I've driven several over the years while wondering to myself, "Why on earth hasn't Ford brought this terrific vehicle to North America?" Of course, such has been the case with Ford for decades. Even Ford's most ardent supporters would be disappointed to know the extent to which Ford Europe has been producing category-leading world class vehicles in Europe for the past 30 years while they've left their own "home team" to languish with decades of half-hearted "as little as we can get away with" product. Thank God for the Mulally era. He will have become the second most important person in Ford's history behind only Henry himself. But I digress.

I needed/wanted a new vehicle that would serve as both my daily driver and capable hauler of light cargo since April. Given the incentives being offered at the time, and absent the availability of the Transit Connect, I decided upon a fully-laden Flex Limited with AWD. For everything terrific the Flex happens to be (and it's the best, most comfortable, vehicle I've owned by far), despite its ability to knock flat all three rows, it's far more suited for hauling larger purchases and sports gear than cargo. Plus, it's such a nicely-appointed passenger vehicle that I simply don't want to beat up the interior the same way I could (and did) with the HHR, a vehicle that was never meant to be luxurious and whose residual value is almost impossible to negatively affect. My Flex has officially become "beloved"; it's just not the work vehicle I need. But I digress... again.

Fortunately, the Transit Connect has now arrived, so my solution is clear. The Flex is now (and will continue to be) my "daily driver", while the Transit Connect will become everything the Flex was intended to be (and so much more). Needing to place the vehicle "in service" during calendar 2009, too little time exists to accommodate the 4-month lead-time to order an ideally-configured TC, so I've been relegated to searching dealer inventories to determine where, if any, exist (a process made even MORE difficult by the fact that any up-fitted vehicles only carry a "DEJANA" entry on the vehicle sticker. None of the upfit information (type, cost, etc.) appears in any of the searchable information. Even dealers must call individual dealers to determine the upfits a particular vehicle may have. The "dealer trade" game dealerships play make them pretty-much without locking one's self out of aggressive negotiations, and even those who are willing to trade are usually far too lazy to do any work beyond punching keystrokes without having a deposit in-hand and an open-ended commitment to buy without having first agreed a price.

The Transit Connect's newness to North America limits options further given how little dealers and their service departments actually know about the vehicle and/or what can be done to modify or retrofit features. Dealer after dealer either never bothered to answer the question or would give completely erroneous answers that would lead any customer taking their advice on faith to make entirely incorrect buying decisions or avoid buying the Transit Connect altogether because of inflated "shot in the dark" estimates that were 2-3 times what the actual cost would be. That made the number of possible vehicles I could choose even smaller. I'm not embarrassed to admit how capable a "car hunter" this process has made me; and when all was said and done, only ONE compatible vehicle existed within a 1000-mile radius.

My only concern now is that I may have become too "close" to the process and have perhaps lost some perspective. While certain feature needs speak for themselves, I have a diverse set of needs. While I want the vehicle to do everything I'd like, I also want to be sure it can accommodate what I may want to do in the future. I'm hoping fellow forum members can read through my decision process and help validate (or refute) my reasoning.

I first began by deciding to avoid any up-fitted vehicles. Despite the likelihood that I will eventually have certain storage and management tools installed, the dual-sided shelving units virtually eliminated any useful hauling capacity from the sliding doors back. Furthermore, those with bulkheads would preclude the possibility of carrying passengers or, to the other extreme, removing the passenger seat to extend the maximum cargo length.

Because I also want the option to carry additional passengers, the Wagon seemed to be the better option simply because it offers a capability that the Cargo versions do not. The 2nd row can always be removed, but seat rows can't be conjured out of thin air (let alone at a reasonable price). Because I will also be carrying cargo, I would have otherwise preferred solid sliding doors (rather than the Wagon's windows), but doors (and more specifically, window glass and plugs) can be relatively easily swapped, so the XLT Wagon seemed to be the one starting "platform" that would do what I wanted most, but could also be made to do just about anything I might want.

I also prefer the hard plastic floor of the Wagon compared to the Cargo's rubber liner that's effectively laid atop the uneven plastic surface, and will probably, eventually add a fully-flat rubberized floor like the one available from Sortimo.

Note: Information in the "chicken tax" thread has been an absolute revelation that has helped to confirm that the Wagon is indeed the ideal starting point for virtually every owner given how easily every TC arrives in Wagon form and the "conversion" to Cargo is so easily accomplished dockside. While I may eventually need to hunt down a few parts, most notably the sliding door window plugs, the XLT Wagon is clearly the correct starting point for me).

It also seems that the 2nd row takes-up relatively little cargo hauling space when knocked forward. In fact, they take-up about the same floor space as many of the solid bulkheads I've seen installed. Because I will be hauling some relatively valuable items, I will begin by adding the OEM wire mesh inserts to the rear windows (or perhaps even replacing the windows with plugs), and doing the same to the side windows. (Any passengers will just have to cope with the lack of windows by pretending to be FBI surveillance)

I will then be adding a half-height bulkhead from the roof behind the driver's seat. This will preserve second row leg room and allow the seats to be folded forward while providing at least a modicum of security for the contents. (Any would-be thief would need to flip forward the front seats and crawl through to access the vehicle contents.) This seems to be the best way to maintain the best passenger carrying aspects and abilities of the vehicle (and convenience) by having a serviceable second row of seats while creating a cargo carrier that's virtually as capable as a dedicated cargo configuration.

I hope I will have created a vehicle with "hybrid" functionality. It would have been much better if the "Cargo" configuration had been a dealer-installable option like so many others have become, as customers would at least have been allowed to keep their 2nd row of seats.

Other enhancements I have planned are an integrated backup camera, amplifier and upgraded speakers, DeWalt Tool Link (for the FWS computer), and a wireless hotspot (in lieu of the FWC Sprint access).

So, if you've been patient and interested enough to read all I've managed to write, I'd greatly appreciate any thoughts about whether or not I've chosen the right path to arrive where I want and any suggestions that might help me improve upon "getting there".

I very much look forward to having my own TC and greatly appreciate any helpful advice.

Wow, you have pretty much made your mind up in the direction you wanted to go. I did the same "following" everything I could get my hands on to read regarding this vehicle's "Coming to America." However, when the unexpected forced purchase came, I had two choices, what was available, or something else that I really didn't want. I went for available. What I really wanted came in at anothe dealer the day after I made the purchase... of course!

We have minor differences in what equipment we wanted, but the same idea for the vehicle - USE! Mine is my daily driver as well as the hobby wagon. I opted for no rear seats, but all the windows I could get.

Only wanted to point out here that the steel rear floor pan is what is under the rubber mat in the van model. The first thing I did after getting mine home was to pull the mat out and put a double layer of jute insulation under it to stem some of the road noise. Huge help. After deciding on the sound upgrade, I went a step further with a piece of 3'4 inch plywood covered with industrial carpet from Lowe's. More help to stem road noise. (And after the sound upgrade... noise... what noise?) I will still be doing some more insulation but am working on a balogna budget for now - a little bit here and there.

The other plastic or vinyl covering over the floor in the wagon model I have yet to figure out, but it too is over the steel floor pan. I finally got to see a wagon in person last week. There have only been a couple of them at the local dealers, and I just happened in on one during a shop visit through work.

I also have the 255* rear doors, but they were on the van. Had they not been, it would have been just fine. After having them though, I'm thinkin' they're not such a bad idea, but still think I'd have been fine with the normal 180* doors. I'm not loading it that seriously.

It'is interesting to see what other people are doing with their TCs, and I'll be watching to see what you post on yours.

Enjoy!

Roland C.

Happily Transiting

[madlock]

Thanks for sharing. One thing I decidedly did NOT like about the Cargo version was the unevenness of the substrate that seemed to be under the rubber liner. It was almost impossible to kneel on without serious discomfort. While the wagon's hard plastic isn't much better, I figured it would make a better baseline to work from; though it seems that both the plastic and the rubber are laid atop the base pan. I wonder how this process works during the in-port conversion.

The Sortimo floor board seems to solve for many of the problems that exist with both, resulting in a flat, smooth, durable surface that offers SOME insulation. Before having it installed (which will probably require removing the plastic liner/and or seats), I will have as much sound-deadening noise insulation as can fit installed in the process.

I'd love to buy lunch for one of the WWL employees and pick his brain. I'd especially like to know what, if anything, happens to RSC since every vehicle arrives as a Wagon and every Wagon includes RSC. Is it "dumbed out" at the port, meaning it's just software-controlled and always present, if not "activated"?

I guess the bottom-line of what I want MOST is the XLT wagon with the 210A door/window configuration, something Ford just doesn't offer. Having just faxed back the signed contract, I've already locked-in my starting point, so I'm hopeful it will all turn out well. I'm going to start "slowly" by deciding upon an amp, sub, and speakers to pep-up the stereo and try to figure-out whether it's possible to retrofit the vehicle to use one of the in-mirror rearview cameras. From there, I hope to have the "structural" features done by the end of the year.

Thanks for sharing!

[InTransit]

Hi Madlock,

I think your choice to go with a wagon is probably best. My van is an XLT (only trim level in Canada) cargo van factory ordered in March, picked up on Aug 11, with no rear windows, RSC, and backup sensors. I use mine for work as my own truck and have hauled as much as 1300lbs (see my pix) but I do sometimes wish that I had a bit more seating options as I have a family of 5. When I ordered you could get seats only if you had side windows which would be bad for the security of the tools I carry. So I chose not to have windows over having rear seats.

Our family vehicle is a Toyota Sienna AWD but once in a while my wife and I have to head off in different directions which can be interesting since she does not want to drive a vehicle with no rear windows. (I hope to replace the Toyota with an AWD full-size Transit in diesel, but no diesel-no Transit, are you listening Ford?)

I will say that I love my little trucklette. I have never owned a car (only trucks) and this is the most fun to drive truck I've owned. I did a 300 Km round trip to a job in Whistler (again) yesterday in rainy conditions and it was still fun, and I still have 1/2 a tank of fuel left!!!

[madlock]

Given that my first hour of ownership meant a 350-mile drive home, I can say that I too enjoy the way it drives (though U have to admit, after having become spoiled by my Flex and MKS, "little things" like having to turn on/off my own headlights and actually fuss with the temperature and fan settings take some shameful "relearning".).

I had considerable issues with the in-dash computer, despite trying to reset it to it's factory configuration, continually crashed and performed VERY poorly and unstably, even in basic navigation. It's one of several issues the dealer sandbagged me with that must be resolved before I can tell if it's a problem with the feature or my particular vehicle. I love the TC, and had been exposed to it for several years in Europe, but the S.O.B. dealer has really made it less-than-enjoyable thus far.

[scooot]

Saw a note in your thread that you were considering adding an amplifier and speakers. Have you done so and what recommendations do you have. I would like to bump it up a little and have music in the rear of the vehicle.

scooot

[SHEP]

any suggestions on shelving units. thanks

[isellford]

Check out my website for several resources. There is probably a distributor in your area for one of the many shelving interiors.