[Jim_W]

Hello all! I've been reading these forums for about a month now and thought I would sign up and start to post. I've got a bunch of questions. Hope you won't mind.
I'm a long time Ford owner (8 of the 9 cars I've owned have been Fords) and I'm now looking to trade my 2005 F-150 in on a Transit 150 Wagon. It looks like just what I need.

BTW, If any of you are going to one of those Transit Tour events, could you suggest to some of the Ford reps. that they visit these forums and post a little too. It would be a big help for those of us that can't make the tour.

 

[ted]

welcome to the forum

 

[Del]

welcome to the show! I'm sure ford already is monitoring the forums, but its been my experience they only participate on these sites with PR minions who are most often young marketing interns, they typically offer relatively generic answers or have to revert back to a higher up for information...

But you're right it would be nice to have some expert interaction

 

[VanMan]

welcome to the show! I'm sure ford already is monitoring the forums, but its been my experience they only participate on these sites with PR minions who are most often young marketing interns, they typically offer relatively generic answers or have to revert back to a higher up for information...

But you're right it would be nice to have some expert interaction

I have been told by more than 1 engineer @ Ford that they are NOT at liberty to discuss future product plans.

Don't exspect anybody "on board" here
They are "lurking" but not posting.

With that said, On the Sprinter forum was some real good anti-promaster comments:

"I saw my 1st promaster, it was on a used car lot"

Everyone is banging their head getting into it.
Very poor interior/exterior fit/finish

 

[ted]

it's like that with a lot of companies but info does leak out

 

[Jim_W]

Well I wasn't expecting any of the engineers to come here and give out super top secret info on future products, more like the PR reps that are on this "Transit tour" that could answer the same questions here that they are on the tour stops, stuff that they are already publicly discussing or can be seen by those who can attend a tour stop. You know, like the questions about the rear seats in the wagon or the battery compartment under the drivers seat. This would be for those of us that can't make a tour stop.

And for VanMan - I saw my 1st promaster on the road yesterday. It was literally on the back of an F-350 tow truck heading east on I-480.

 

[VanMan]

The cad drawings posted here by another member had a good enough picture for me. 3-d cad
Its for the Euro version, but answered my question.

The promaster comment is funny, on a F350 tow truck

 

[ted]

The cad drawings posted here by another member had a good enough picture for me. 3-d cad
Its for the Euro version, but answered my question.

The promaster comment is funny, on a F350 tow truck

I seen them too, thankfully we have someone on this forum that can do that stuff

 

[VanMan]

What I liked about those cad drawings where the drill/no drill area's
I liked looking at the AWD-6-speed.
Looks like all the Euro (big) Transits are 2.2l diesels/manuals
I liked the 3-D underbody view

I saved it on my pc,no USA version yet (for us atleast)

 

[VanMan]

The promaster is DOOMED from the start, look @ what they are trying to replace?
The Benz Sprinter with a dodge grill, a Ducato with a "ram" badge is not going to do it.
Aside from the prices and the "remote" service centers, the Sprinter was the benchmark for the "new" American Van. This is why Ford picked it to improve on.
Do you think when GM jumps in they are going to use a promaster to work from?
If I was in charge of the GM replacement, I would use both the Best features of the Sprinter and the Transit.
"sorry, just the booze talking"

 

[Todd]

Booze Talking... Sounds like logic to me.

 

[Longboard]

When I was about to purchase the brand new '94 E-150 conversion van some friends that are car but not van guys asked "Why the Ford rather than the Dodge or Chevy/GMC?
I told them at the time that it was a no brainer, there was no question that for a family travel conversion van the Ford was clearly best in class. Nobody at GM or Chrysler would have even argued that point.
One of the same guys told me a few weeks ago that there were a ton of "Sprinters" parked at our local Dodge dealership. I informed him that they were indeed Promasters by Fiat AKA Ducatos and he told me I should seriously consider one. I gave him the same answer I did back in '94..........
I'm not stupid, in '08 I also did the right thing.......and bought a Sprinter.