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General => General discussion => Topic started by: justalex81 on 07 November 2011, 19:23

Title: transit connect
Post by: justalex81 on 07 November 2011, 19:23
are they any good?

i'm looking at getting one for work as my current van is too uncomfortable to drive and is causing lower back problems. I sat in a connect the other day and it's more like a car driving position so will be better for me. I'm looking at getting a LWB hi top with the 90bhp engine. Anyone had any experience with them?
Title: Re: transit connect
Post by: Bellend on 07 November 2011, 19:30
POS.

Save and get a Caddy/Inca.
Title: Re: transit connect
Post by: justalex81 on 07 November 2011, 19:30
caddy isn't big enough. I need to be able to get 3m bundles of pipe in it. with the connect the passenger seat folds flat and enables me to do just that.
Title: Re: transit connect
Post by: Bellend on 07 November 2011, 19:32
Hmm. Any Pug vans big enough?

Don't rate Connects at all.
Title: Re: transit connect
Post by: justalex81 on 07 November 2011, 19:33
i currently have a peugeot expert but you can only get 2.5m in that. plus it's uncomfortable to drive. quick with a remap though  :grin:
Title: Re: transit connect
Post by: raferackstraw on 07 November 2011, 19:34
what you got now mate? i had normal transits and they are like driving a car but a vivaro was awesome so easy to drive, currently got a mk5 caddy and very much like a car but i cant stand the thick a pillar beams, really create a blind spot. ffs how come you lot type so fast
Title: Re: transit connect
Post by: chrisowen85 on 07 November 2011, 19:35
Iv got that exact connect, great van with a big load space and is comfy to drive. Its quite quick for a van too!
Title: Re: transit connect
Post by: justalex81 on 07 November 2011, 19:37
what you got now mate? i had normal transits and they are like driving a car but a vivaro was awesome so easy to drive, currently got a mk5 caddy and very much like a car but i cant stand the thick a pillar beams, really create a blind spot. ffs how come you lot type so fast

vivaro's have plastic gearboxes. only good one out of that range was the nissan primastar but they're out of my price range. have about 4k to spend. needs to be LEZ compliant so after 2002.
Title: Re: transit connect
Post by: topher on 07 November 2011, 19:37
nothing wrong with connects, i know a few people with them who rave on about how awesome they are. I tell them to stfu and buy a caddy.. but then i'm rather biased. raferackstraw if you're not already registered then get on caddy2k forum :afro:
Title: Re: transit connect
Post by: justalex81 on 07 November 2011, 19:38
Iv got that exact connect, great van with a big load space and is comfy to drive. Its quite quick for a van too!

what year is yours? i'm looking at between an 05 and 07 plate depending on mileage.
Title: Re: transit connect
Post by: Bellend on 07 November 2011, 19:38
Transits are alright. Dislike connects though. They drive horriible, noisy, uneconomic, unreliable uncomfortable things. Gutlessness too.

Brother had one as a small business van and its been back to Fords so many times. Plus have a customer has one and its cost him a fair whack now, fuel pump and injectors.
Title: Re: transit connect
Post by: JC on 07 November 2011, 19:39
Do not get a vivaro  :lipsrsealed:
Title: Re: transit connect
Post by: justalex81 on 07 November 2011, 19:40
Transits are alright. Dislike connects though. They drive horriible, noisy, uneconomic, unreliable uncomfortable things. Gutlessness too.

Brother had one as a small business van and its been back to Fords so many times. Plus have a customer has one and its cost him a fair whack now, fuel pump and injectors.

the earlier models with the 75bhp engine were not so good from what i have read. The newer ones had a better engine from what i gather
Title: Re: transit connect
Post by: justalex81 on 07 November 2011, 19:40
Do not get a vivaro  :lipsrsealed:

don't worry chuff. no danger of that  :grin: :grin: :grin:
Title: Re: transit connect
Post by: JC on 07 November 2011, 19:42
Do not get a vivaro  :lipsrsealed:

don't worry chuff. no danger of that  :grin: :grin: :grin:

:afro:
Title: Re: transit connect
Post by: chrisowen85 on 07 November 2011, 19:42
Mine is a 56 plate 90ps with about 75000 on, only problem iv had in the last 10000 miles is a wheel bearing. Only problem I have with it is the lack of storage in the front really
Title: Re: transit connect
Post by: Bellend on 07 November 2011, 19:43
Do not get a vivaro  :lipsrsealed:

Plus a billion.

Lovely to drive, handy because you'll be driving it onto an AA truck often. Later ones weren't as bad but the early ones were shocking. That said brothers main work van is an 08 plate Vivaro and after two years all it's needed was a horn.

As for the late connects, customers is 07 or 57 and brothers is an 09. Will be going soon tho.
Title: Re: transit connect
Post by: MrBounce on 07 November 2011, 19:45
One thing to remember about a Connect - they are not "car-based" and are over the 2000kg GVW weight limit so the speed limit on a dual carriageway (NOT a Motorway) will be 60mph. Don't want to see you guys getting speed-gunned unnecessarily.  :nerd:
Title: Re: transit connect
Post by: Bellend on 07 November 2011, 19:46
One thing to remember about a Connect - they are not "car-based" and are over the 2000kg GVW weight limit so the speed limit on a dual carriageway (NOT a Motorway) will be 60mph. Don't want to see you guys getting speed-gunned unnecessarily.  :nerd:

Same as Caddy's, Berlingos etc.
Title: Re: transit connect
Post by: justalex81 on 07 November 2011, 19:48
cheers bounce. i did know that one already as i saw that twit on police interceptors nicking people for it  :grin:

Title: Re: transit connect
Post by: Toby on 07 November 2011, 19:51
Right!! I have one,

Where do i start?

Fuel - drinks loads i do around 1000 miles a week, long dist and pottering about, adverage £250+ a week on fuel.

Its to small once racking is in there.

Driving position, i find i get a back ach due to seat position.

Not the fastest van in the world.

If u want ill take some pics of the racking tomorow.

I have a 57 reg and just hitting 95000 miles.
Title: Re: transit connect
Post by: ortega277 on 07 November 2011, 19:52
How about a caddy maxi nice size good engine plus it's a vw lets not forget
Title: Re: transit connect
Post by: justalex81 on 07 November 2011, 19:57
How about a caddy maxi nice size good engine plus it's a vw lets not forget

sounds great. you paying?  :grin: :grin: :grin:
Title: Re: transit connect
Post by: NYSoul on 07 November 2011, 20:09
I have a Connect 06 Tddi (swb) I wanted the TDCI but I also wanted no side door and less than 40,000 on the clock which made my search a little difficult. Something had to give after 2 weeks of searching and a good TDDi came up.

Have had it 4 weeks, replaced an Astra van which blew up on me with 72,000 on the clock.

Connect was gutless and thirsty til I had it mapped last week. Now pulls a load better and I am not dropping through the gears all the time so I am getting about 40 to the gallon now.

The drive is not as good as the astra but on the plus side I can open the door without feeling like the handle is gonna come off in my hand.

I got lower back pain in the Astra as I was too big for it, Transit is fine, much better position to be sat.

In an ideal world it would have better spec, tape player and manual windows get on my nerves. Would also be nice if it had another gear, it will happily sit at 90 on the motorway (the private one i own) but I always feel like I am pushing it a bit hard.

In a really ideal world it would be a Caddy but I was looking at another £1500 for a good one of those  :sad:
Title: Re: transit connect
Post by: raferackstraw on 07 November 2011, 20:10
at the end of the day any work van ive had i looked after like its a tool of the trade, ie not thrashing down the road like a car check levels and generally look after it
the vivaro i had i put 30000 on that in a year and had no problems altho it had less than 10000 when i got it. as with any work horse looked after and it will run and run.
as for the caddy i have a lwb version and im sure if you got the cage divider between cab and load area then there is an openable section for long material, but as you say i dont think seat folds flat. my british gas caddy is ok but a vivaro size van for me would be much better
as for caddy forums fark that i only drive it.
i have not had a work van break down on me in my working life except for punctures  :wink:
Title: Re: transit connect
Post by: ortega277 on 07 November 2011, 20:22
Hmmmm ok scrap the maxi idea then  :grin:
Title: Re: transit connect
Post by: richw911 on 07 November 2011, 20:33
Connect will give you back ache ( i am rather tall though  :laugh:) and they are crap on fuel.
Title: Re: transit connect
Post by: Bellend on 07 November 2011, 21:02
Customer moans about back ache. Never drive end one on a massive journey myself though
Title: Re: transit connect
Post by: dan_apps on 07 November 2011, 21:26
fiesta tdci vans ftw :laugh:
Title: Re: transit connect
Post by: Organisys on 07 November 2011, 21:33
T5

/End Thread
Title: Re: transit connect
Post by: Jord_GTI on 07 November 2011, 21:56
T5

/End Thread



For 4k?
Title: Re: transit connect
Post by: justalex81 on 07 November 2011, 22:43
well all this talk of backache is making me feel old  :grin:

i'm 6ft 2" and 22 stone of brick sh1thouse. The peugeot expert has such a crap driving position that it causes me to slouch and put excess stress on my lower back. This has caused me to not train for a month and this makes me unhappy. Admittedly when i sat in the connect the other day it wasn't for long but it felt a lot more comfortable than my peugeot. So what do i do?!!! you lot are saying they're not comfortable but what are the alternatives?
Title: Re: transit connect
Post by: Bellend on 07 November 2011, 22:50
Fiat Scudo /Pug Expert?
Title: Re: transit connect
Post by: Ant1981 on 07 November 2011, 22:56
I had a drive of a Connect, nice van to drive actually, lots of headroom too.
Title: Re: transit connect
Post by: Bellend on 07 November 2011, 23:06
Blimey price of T4's are pretty much low end T5 prices.  :shocked:
Title: Re: transit connect
Post by: The Doc on 07 November 2011, 23:16
T5's break  :lipsrsealed:

Kangoo is good

Vito is good
Title: Re: transit connect
Post by: Bellend on 07 November 2011, 23:30
T5's break  :lipsrsealed:

Kangoo is good

Vito is good

True!

How big are they compared to the Caddy?

Vito's are alright. Had one in today actually. When it was brand new had an issue with the electric window but hey ho nothings perfect, been completely fault free for 6 years and 50K miles though and he's selling it.  :grin:

Plus he's local and has a fresh 12months.  :grin:

Title: Re: transit connect
Post by: hobbiniho on 08 November 2011, 16:29
i had a connect at work it was slow and the seat position is shocking gave me so much back pain i told them i wasnt going to drive it anymore so they gave me a combo instead  :laugh: you say that you need a big van to get 3m lengths of pipe in can you not just get a roofrack and get some 4inch pipe and make a box on the roof thats what i few folk i know do one guy i know uses a defender 90 ffs and he manages just fine  :grin:
Title: Re: transit connect
Post by: MrBounce on 08 November 2011, 17:51
I have a Vito at work. Stupid foot-operated parking brake.  :rolleyes:
Title: Re: transit connect
Post by: justalex81 on 08 November 2011, 22:28
i had a connect at work it was slow and the seat position is shocking gave me so much back pain i told them i wasnt going to drive it anymore so they gave me a combo instead  :laugh: you say that you need a big van to get 3m lengths of pipe in can you not just get a roofrack and get some 4inch pipe and make a box on the roof thats what i few folk i know do one guy i know uses a defender 90 ffs and he manages just fine  :grin:

this is all well and good but a pikey has recently moved into the sh1t flats next door. He's a scrap man (shocker!) and i don't want him knowing what i do or that there maybe something of value in my van.
Title: Re: transit connect
Post by: wessexgti on 09 November 2011, 18:27
i had a connect at work it was slow and the seat position is shocking gave me so much back pain i told them i wasnt going to drive it anymore so they gave me a combo instead  :laugh:

funny that,cos i refuse to drive the combo's at work and love the connect ive driven for the last 4 years for the same reason-you sit 'on' the seat in the connect,were'as you sit 'in' the crap seat in the combo' .

ive had 1 wheel bearing go,the power steering leaked,they chew front tyre's up far to quickly,and thats about it,on 84k miles.considering its restricted to 70 mph,i find it quite nippy-BUT im not doing motorway journeys,its on a 50 mile rural post round so carnt really comment on the fuel side,as its all stop/start,but get about 300 miles between fill ups (derv obviously).

if i was getting a works van (ie,as a distance courier) id get one minus the limiter.
Title: Re: transit connect
Post by: justalex81 on 09 November 2011, 23:01
transit connect is out the window. got offered a caddy today at an attractive price. little out of my budget but it looks like a good deal!