Vans!

I get the boo! However I get the reasoning. No fleet would want one since they would be driven by abusive drivers and need a new clutch every few months. Anyone who lives in a big city would likely not want with the stop-and-go traffic. So the market for standard transmissions would not be huge, so why import them? I get it, though I wouldn't buy one I wish others could.

As I understand it the Transit vans in Europe have been offered with stick shifts for years, and still are.
I really hate automatic transmissions but you can’t even buy a lot of new cars or trucks in the USA with a standard transmission anymore. That just ain’t right.
Manual transmissions seem to last forever even with zero maintenance. I admit that I did have to change the clutch on my old snow plowin’ 1971 Bronco last year. It was a fleet vehicle from new where I worked. Had a hard life from new, then I got it in ‘76 or ‘77 for plowing snow & it’s life got a lot tougher. Original clutch, had seen 40 years of very hard use. It would still be in there if one of the three pressure plate finger bolts had not broke.
Pic to clarify that if you want to see it.
https://www.advrider.com/advrider-photobucket-images/images/T/TomIII_VAN_Broncoclutch4.jpg
The clutch disk was overdue anyway.
Edit: Fixed link to clutch pic

Right, there are no big cities with stop and go traffic in Europe.
I think it's more of a cultural problem. North Americans in general did not grow up with small
cars that had manual transmissions so the auto makers don't feel the need to change.

Your parents and their parents grew up with sticks in pretty much everything. It wasn't till the 50s/60s that automagics took over.

Watch Top Gear (UK) lots of the cars (till just this last season or two) are/were manuals. Most of the low-end stuff on Fifth Gear is still a manual trans.

If the Brits can do it...

I wanna row my own thankyouverymuch.

M

Damn right!
But GP640 does have a point. There are now a lot of people that can’t drive a stick shift car. That don't seem right either.
Even some that I *think* can drive a stick shift are completely baffled when faced with a “Three on the tree”. Seen ‘em!
Here is something I saw that’s even worse.
Pulled in to a local MC dealer & noticed a guy on a bike in a parking lot across the street & one lot down. May have had a friend in a car with him. I was wondering what the guy was doing when a MC shop employee walks up to me & says the guy had just bought a new sport bike. When it came time for him to ride his new bike away from the shop he just kicked it into gear. Didn’t know that he had to use the clutch. Sad. Very sad.

Camper "van".

The "DecoLiner"


Got 11:30 to spare?


<iframe width="853" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/JUzqXJjpq94?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>




.

Hey, I'm not saying I don't want a manual. My parents never owned a manual and the last one my dad
drove was a Willys Jeep when he was in the artillery. My grandfather owned automatics as soon as he could
and most of the Ramblers he sold at his dealership had autos.

Now back to vans....

I agree- back in Europe I killed only 1 clutch in a VW van, but that was due to overwork. An automatic transmission would've died much sooner.

I can see why some folks like the automatics, nothing wrong with that, but would be nice if they'd see nothing wrong with my wish to drive a stick.

After getting my first van in Canada I didn't know what to do with my left foot and right hand, I can't even rest my hand on the shifter

Too bad, I really hoped they'd provide the diesel with a manual... Now I'm not sure whether to wait one more year before selling my E350, or shall I wait in the hopes that Iveco is brought over. Although those vans are too overenginereed to compete on price with the Sprinte/Transit, they'll probably bring Ducatos.

Ko

I rent quite a few vehicles for work, so I test as many models as the rental companies have. I tried the Escape with the 2.0 Eco, and while the drive was OK for an SUV, the mileage was not. With sane driving, empty car but me, I got about 26mpg. With more spirited driving, same load, same route, different ambient temps but not by much, the mileage went down to 22mpg. Now load the thing with few people and luggage, and one should expect not much higher than 22mpg- highway.

I can't see how I'd be happy with an Ecoboost engine in a van, but then perhaps my expectations are much higher than others' because I got spoiled by the better mileage one gets with vehicles in Europe.

Ko

I think the problem is that they would end up eating warranty work since lots of people don't know how to use a clutch, especially a torquey diesel. I've seen clutches burned out in less than a week buy those who were clueless. Build a strong enough auto and you get past the warranty date and keep your profits.
My diesel van is much preferred as an auto by most as the trans is "bulletproof" and the manual option was geared differently, resulting in worse fuel mileage.

Ford Transit Diesel

Driven one have you?
I've got an f150 with the ecoboost and it does quite well. That engine in a full size van
might be pretty good.

Curious, I know the ecoboost are good engines and get good mpg. My friend gets low 20's with his F150 but doesn't haul with it at all. I wonder if the small turbo 6 gets worse gas mileage than a bigger v8 when hauling.
I just don't know, here are some made up numbers to explain my question
Ford 5.4 E250 unloaded 17.4 loaded with three bikes, gear and three guys get 16.2
Same van with an ecoboost might 19 unloaded but 15.1 loaded because the engine has to work harder to carry the load.
Totally made up numbers but anyone see numbers compared loaded or towing?

I'd see where the numbers like that wouldn't be that bad depending on the usage.
Our truck gets used as a family vehicle and doesn't see much of a load most of the time.

For a fleet vehicle travelling loaded most of the time, the diesel would probably be better.

I've towed my Melges 24 (about 3000 lbs) with a Subaru Outback 3.0R and a Chevy Express 2500.

At 70mph, they both get 13.5 mpg. Unloaded the OBW gets around 23 and the van about 15 or 16.

I did a trip with a friend in his eco boost F150 with 4 people and luggage. We got a bit over 19 running around 77 mph. When he tows his Jeep on a trailer he gets around 11, but it pulls really well and that transmission is awesome.

So long as they don't cross swords, they won't be annihilated. That's what the girl is for.

I tried to hold out for a 2014 fullsize Ford Transit but could not wait until the third quarter of 2013. Thought about buying a Nissan NV 200 as a small work van and it would be big enough for one race bike. But NO !! Nissan pushed back production until late first quarter or early second quarter of 2013 .

I went down to Mercedes and got a Sprinter 144" short roof today ! I got tired of waiting for the big three ( Ford/GM/Dodge) to make a euro style van for the US market and then having to wait a year or more to get one !
I walked into the dealer and the Sprinter sales guy wasn't a dick ! Then he introduces me to the GM who is a KTM rider , not bad ... We go back to service and the lead service tech has his BMW Single parked in the back of the Sprinter bay... Then we go to the service manager and he rides a BMW 800 Adventure .
So we go in to make the deal and the sales guy says makes me a sweet deal on the van . It was like " Pinch Me" , I must be dreaming.... The paperwork was painless , no bullshit upsale from anyone and I had errands to run and will go back this afternoon and pick up my new van . Load it up in the morning and go racing this weekend .


I have been dreading buying a new van and I was prepared for alot of bullshit car dealer crap , but they made me feel at home and when I left the dealer I felt like I wasn't raped and begging for a new van so I could just leave ! What a concept ! Customer Service !!