[Yater]

I currently own a nissan titan and a toyota sienna (minivan). I ride/race mountain bikes and kayak fish and the minivan is pretty good for both. I throw an air mattress in the back and manage fine when camping. It's decked out with leather and all the do-dads...gets 16-17 mpg with the 3.3 v6 and has 39k miles. The titan is also loaded and gets horrible mileage. I do lawn care as a 2nd job and it pulls my trailer...53k miles on it. Both vehicles are paid for and I plan to pay cash for the transit.

I'm considering replacing both with a diesel transit. I think it can do both jobs better. I can lock my handhelds in it for work and it's obviously an outstanding platform for camping and hauling bikes and toys. I'd look at used with <15k miles and maybe extended warranty? Is there anything I'm not considering? I plan to keep it 10 years...maybe more, depending...

 

[Andre Jones]

I currently own a nissan titan and a toyota sienna (minivan). I ride/race mountain bikes and kayak fish and the minivan is pretty good for both. I throw an air mattress in the back and manage fine when camping. It's decked out with leather and all the do-dads...gets 16-17 mpg with the 3.3 v6 and has 39k miles. The titan is also loaded and gets horrible mileage. I do lawn care as a 2nd job and it pulls my trailer...53k miles on it. Both vehicles are paid for and I plan to pay cash for the transit.

I'm considering replacing both with a diesel transit. I think it can do both jobs better. I can lock my handhelds in it for work and it's obviously an outstanding platform for camping and hauling bikes and toys. I'd look at used with <15k miles and maybe extended warranty? Is there anything I'm not considering? I plan to keep it 10 years...maybe more, depending...

Two factors that you may not be considering are the higher maintenance that is inherit with modern diesels unless you drive a ton of miles it may not work out better. As well you will be harder pressed to find a diesel on the used market and the markup could be worse than when new.

I do think a Transit can certainly replace both vehicles but a 3.5 is probably a better option (depending upon how loaded the trailer is, maybe a 3.7).

 

[surly Bill]

Yard maintenance trailers aren't very heavy, any engine in the Transit line-up would work just fine.

I second the opinion on the diesel; they really have lost their economical edge over gas engines due to emissions standards. Higher up-front cost, higher maintenance cost, and maybe 10-20% better fuel economy, 25% at best. And modern diesels (with DEF etc) don't like to be idled for very long, they tend to gum up the intake and associated sensors. Diesel fuel also seems to be more volatile in cost; sometimes lower than regular, sometimes higher than super. If it happens to rise to the cost of super or above, any savings due to MPG are thrown out the window.

As a former Pickup guy, now a Van guy, I can attest that the utility of a full size van you can stand in surpasses any collection of positives of a Pickup. Camping, roadtrips, hauling, etc. If you're going to have landscaping equipment inside, I'd recommend a large plywood box that slides into the back accessed via the back doors, to keep the van clean and to minimize gasoline and grass smell in the cab. It would also keep tools out of sight from crackheads and tweakers.

 

[Yater]

It's certainly true that the used diesels command a premium (closer to $30k than $20k like the 3.7). The 3.7 will do anything I need. The diesel is part "want". I do my own basic maintenance.

 

[Byron the Painter]

Nah...get the Ecoboost engine. When I first got my van, I thought it was overkill...way faster and powerful than it needed to be. I thought (briefly) that the 3.7 probably would have been fine...briefly, I say. I got over that real quick, it's twin turbo or nothing for me. It's getting 15.5 mpg around town with a thousand pounds in it and ladders on top.

I have two vehicles as well, my work van and a F-150 4X4. I bike, camp as well.

Since you're "personal" vehicle is already van like, I think it's a no brainer. Get rid of the Titan while it still has value.

 

[Yater]

Nah...get the Ecoboost engine. When I first got my van, I thought it was overkill...way faster and powerful than it needed to be. I thought (briefly) that the 3.7 probably would have been fine...briefly, I say. I got over that real quick, it's twin turbo or nothing for me. It's getting 15.5 mpg around town with a thousand pounds in it and ladders on top.

I have two vehicles as well, my work van and a F-150 4X4. I bike, camp as well.

Since you're "personal" vehicle is already van like, I think it's a no brainer. Get rid of the Titan while it still has value.

I'm interested in the ecoboost for sure. I've been happy with the minivan at 16mpg, considering the room I have for stuff/sleeping. If the EB really gets similar mileage, that's incredible considering its size.

 

[asdrew]

We get 16-17 mpg in our 12 passenger with the 3.7, just under what we got with the lager 3.8 in our smaller Town & Country. The Transit can definitely replace those two vehicles and provide even more utility for you.

 

[catguy]

I would like to do something similar. We have a Chevy Silverado pickup (4X4) and just bought a 2016 MR Transit. Our problem/concern with only having the Transit is winter road driving. We live in a rural area and I would hate for my only transportation to be a rear wheel drive. I've been getting about 19 MPG with the 3.5 engine and have been very pleased with it's power but for now we'll hang on to our 4X4.

 

[sschefer]

I'm interested in the ecoboost for sure. I've been happy with the minivan at 16mpg, considering the room I have for stuff/sleeping. If the EB really gets similar mileage, that's incredible considering its size.

The mileage is pretty consistent amongst owners. There are times when you can do better and times when it's worse but on average it's decent. I kept my 2014 F150 super crew with EB. I was lucky to have had a test platform so when I went looking for the van the EB was a no brainer.

What you may have not yet considered is which of the 3 available roof heights you want. By far, the most common is the medium roof. It's a little over 8' tall without a roof vent so you can run into parking limitations if you're in a crowded city where parking garages are the norm.

I have the long wheel base but not the extended body. I have been amazed that it's actually easier to park than my F150 if I can find a parking lot. I've stuck it in spots that I've seen others pass up. The exterior door ding guards are awesome at preventing tight parking damage. It also fits in a normal parking space without extending into the driving lane behind.

I find myself driving the Van more than the F150 and I'm thinking that I might get rid of it. Time will tell, I'm not ready to give it up yet.

 

[surly Bill]

As for MPG, I get about 16 in mixed urban driving and 19+ on the freeway (staying under 70).It appears that the ecoboost gets essentially the same MPG when driven normally. The enticement to drive it hard and fast my result in lower MPG numbers seen on some threads. STILL flogging that dead horse suggesting the 3.7 should be replaced with the 2.0 ecoboost (higher HP, more torque). It wasn't too long ago that I said I'd never buy anything that didn't get at least 20mpg, but times and needs change. I suspect that in 10 years we'll laugh about being proud to get "nearly 20mpg" as we zip along in over-powered electric hybrid vans (electric assist on the driveshaft, not as primary motor, like in bicycles)

 

[xphobe]

Yard maintenance trailers aren't very heavy, any engine in the Transit line-up would work just fine.

I second the opinion on the diesel; they really have lost their economical edge over gas engines due to emissions standards. Higher up-front cost, higher maintenance cost, and maybe 10-20% better fuel economy, 25% at best. And modern diesels (with DEF etc) don't like to be idled for very long, they tend to gum up the intake and associated sensors. Diesel fuel also seems to be more volatile in cost; sometimes lower than regular, sometimes higher than super. If it happens to rise to the cost of super or above, any savings due to MPG are thrown out the window.

Engine choice should be based off of your personal application and your comfort level with diesels. If you do a lot of towing or have high loads, and aren't afraid of diesels, I personally believe the diesel is the best choice. I get about 17-18.5mpgs driving in Chicago with loads of about 8000-9000lbs. My partner just purchased a low roof version with the Ecoboost, and with about the same load, he is only achieving 11-13mpgs in the City. (not a fan of the low roof either)


Although I work on my own diesels, maintenance cost isn't as high as some people on this form think it is. It is only about $20 more for oil (full synthetic) over the Ecoboost when general maintenance comes around. The newest generation of the EGR and DPF designs are being proven to be leaps better than what was being designed for diesels 5-6 years ago. There are also many states that do not perform emission tests on diesels, so an emission free Transit is possible.


If you would rather go for a gas engine I would personally go to a dealer and test drive the 3.7 and the 3.5. If you are not keen on passing all the "Sunday drivers" the 3.7 is very dependable. If you really like to "get up and go" the Ecoboost would probably better suit you.

 

[Yater]

I would like to do something similar. We have a Chevy Silverado pickup (4X4) and just bought a 2016 MR Transit. Our problem/concern with only having the Transit is winter road driving. We live in a rural area and I would hate for my only transportation to be a rear wheel drive. I've been getting about 19 MPG with the 3.5 engine and have been very pleased with it's power but for now we'll hang on to our 4X4.

I've always had a 4x4, and my titan is 4x4. I live in Texas and can't say that I've EVER needed it. I've used it for fun, but very rarely. When I lived in Colorado I didn't "need" it...so I can definitely do without.

I like what I'm reading about the ecoboost. The van will likely be a medium roof. I'm 5'7" and used to a minivan so anything as large as a transit (even low roof) will be huge. I'm not concerned with towing mpg, my routes are short <10miles/day and I don't tow out of town. From what I see, the medium and low roof get similar mpg?

 

[orton]

Do the math on the diesel choice. Unless you drive a lot of miles every year then it is hard to justify. Another aspect on the diesel is how many locations are available with a trained tech who knows the diesel? The diesel has more emmission hardware and software than a gas engine so potentially more things to fail. I had a diesel Sprinter and one of the major reasons for selling it was to get rid of diesel.

The van should work fine as a single vehicle. If you do not buy the extended version, it is easy to park in regular parking places.

 

[altaboy]

Regarding the 3.5 (direct injection) and the 3.7 (i believe it is not DI): Be aware that there is talk on this forum as well as elsewhere that discuss premature valve failure due to specific DI air issues (egr, etc.). Worth considering/understanding.....

 

[Andre Jones]

I would like to do something similar. We have a Chevy Silverado pickup (4X4) and just bought a 2016 MR Transit. Our problem/concern with only having the Transit is winter road driving. We live in a rural area and I would hate for my only transportation to be a rear wheel drive. I've been getting about 19 MPG with the 3.5 engine and have been very pleased with it's power but for now we'll hang on to our 4X4.

Living in Maine I can't tell you how many 4x4 pickups I've passed in front-wheel drive sedans with full winters, or seen in ditches. If you throw the right rubber on the Transit this should be a minimal concern (now that the right rubber is readily available). Especially if you have the money for a brand-new MR or HR....It's a no-brainer.

4x4 or AWD does very little when it comes to turning or braking events, which are when you're more likely to run into trouble.

 

[Yater]

Regarding the 3.5 (direct injection) and the 3.7 (i believe it is not DI): Be aware that there is talk on this forum as well as elsewhere that discuss premature valve failure due to specific DI air issues (egr, etc.). Worth considering/understanding.....

Yes I saw this and thanks for bringing it up. It seems like more of a concern than a problem at this point. Has there been a failure here on the forum?

 

[Byron the Painter]

It wasn't too long ago that I said I'd never buy anything that didn't get at least 20mpg, but times and needs change.

Unless someone in the middle east lights up a nuke, I think gas will be cheap for quite a while. 15.5 mpg at about two dollars is pretty good, especially considering I like to race the thing around.

It sure did hurt when it was nearly four bucks a gallon and the 5.4 V8 in my old van was getting 12 around town. $120 to fill that puppy up...once a week on average. I drove that thing like a half blind grandma.

 

[Andre Jones]

Unless someone in the middle east lights up a nuke, I think gas will be cheap for quite a while. 15.5 mpg at about two dollars is pretty good, especially considering I like to race the thing around.

It sure did hurt when it was nearly four bucks a gallon and the 5.4 V8 in my old van was getting 12 around town. $120 to fill that puppy up...once a week on average. I drove that thing like a half blind grandma.

I have to disagree in regards to the nuke hyperbole...There are an ass ton of signs we are heading towards another recession/depression within the next 7 years. We are also building the conditions for increased demand and lower supply with increased sales of light trucks and SUVs (and people reverting their conservational habits). While the U.S. produces more oil than ever, many of the same mistakes that led to the last recession are being repeated...At least this time housing won't be the trigger, but there's a large stock bubble w/ the DOW hitting 19k for the first time. Make no mistake it will pop and all comodities will become expensive again.

 

[surly Bill]

Unless someone in the middle east lights up a nuke, I think gas will be cheap for quite a while. 15.5 mpg at about two dollars is pretty good, especially considering I like to race the thing around.

It sure did hurt when it was nearly four bucks a gallon and the 5.4 V8 in my old van was getting 12 around town. $120 to fill that puppy up...once a week on average. I drove that thing like a half blind grandma.

Yeah, but the middle east isn't the largest supplier of crude to the USA, the USA is. Then Canada, then Mexico. The middle east supplies Asia and Europe, and without it the prices of crude WOULD jump because of demand, though. The USA could ban all imports and exports of crude and exist just fine, albeit with higher transport costs and less driving for "fun" or out of boredom. Kind of like when gas got up to $5+ a while back, which is coming again pretty soon.

And we shouldn't really be thinking about pocketbooks as much as technology. I just assumed that technology would have expanded faster; burning stuff for energy is just so...primitive. Battery technology is holding back electric vehicles, once a 400 mile range vehicle the size of a pickup with a 15 minute charge time gets on the market for the same price as a dinosaur burner, say goodbye to gasoline as a popular fuel for vehicles. No, it won't increase coal burning power plants, battery technology would capture the wasted energy that is already being produced and lost on the grid, gone forever.

That said, being half Jewish and half Scottish, I DO think about my pocketbook, compulsively. I like cheap gas. when I was in grade school, it was announced that the world would run out of oil reserves by 2004 (30 years from the announcement). I think we've been doing pretty well being without oil reserves for the last 12 years.

 

[Yater]

I really like what I'm seeing about the ecoboost. It seems like the most capable for a daily driver, camping rig, and short trip trailering. I live in a smallish town and do mostly short trips during the week. Probably not the best for a choked up modern diesel. I've always wanted one and go through this everytime...just no need for it I guess