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New Transits are on the lots


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This deserves a new topic.

 

Drove by a Ford dealer around noon today, Three new Transits flanked an E250 on the front line. Did not notice the model, but all there looked to be mid roof height. All in white, they look good.

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The... Sprinter? ;)

Which tells me how many they sell around here, or I might have known that.

 

...or maybe the Freightliner equivalent the, ummm <ahem> Sprinter..... :hysterical:

I suppose they were looking for a volume discount on "Sprinter" appliques.

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Our dealership got our first two 2015 Transit's... T-150 MR & T-350 MR (Medium Roof) units late last week with a T-250 MR due in the next few days. Very impressed with the vehicles and expect to continue its' leadership with these successors to the market leading Econoline series. I expect our volume selling models to be the low roof models though.

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Our dealership got our first two 2015 Transit's... T-150 MR & T-350 MR (Medium Roof) units late last week with a T-250 MR due in the next few days. Very impressed with the vehicles and expect to continue its' leadership with these successors to the market leading Econoline series. I expect our volume selling models to be the low roof models though.

one word......................HUGE! Im also senseing once the passenger versions start hitting the lot, that there will be a serious injection of interest in what has been a dwindling market segment....

Edited by Deanh
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one word......................HUGE! Im also senseing once the passenger versions start hitting the lot, that there will be a serious injection of interest in what has been a dwindling market segment....

 

IMHO, give it 12 months and both the Transit and the Transit Connect are going to establish a fair chunk of market. :)

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Guys I sure hope you are all right. My only concern is just look at the success of the Sprinter. regardless of a MB badge or a Freightliner badger, what are the numbers-not huge and more importantly what is their sales growth record? I don't think it is impressive. I look at the Transit and I see the same thing-a light duty van. I know, Iknow- the specs read "heavy". I guess I should see a "heavy" version before I panic.

 

Yesterday I'm in back of a NV 2500 mid roof with big ladder racks and an access ladder on the back door-electrical contractor.. Big rubber, the appearance of a "work truck". I could have been following an E-350.

 

As I've posted before, a mechanical contractor that I am familiar with was an all Ford E fleet-not anymore- they have been buying NV's with no issues-it will be interesting to see if they go back.

 

Other side of coin, my old company had bought five NV's and they are done with them-because of mechanical issues. Back to F-250's with a closed utility body.

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Guys I sure hope you are all right. My only concern is just look at the success of the Sprinter. regardless of a MB badge or a Freightliner badger, what are the numbers-not huge and more importantly what is their sales growth record? I don't think it is impressive. I look at the Transit and I see the same thing-a light duty van. I know, Iknow- the specs read "heavy". I guess I should see a "heavy" version before I panic.

 

Yesterday I'm in back of a NV 2500 mid roof with big ladder racks and an access ladder on the back door-electrical contractor.. Big rubber, the appearance of a "work truck". I could have been following an E-350.

IMO the problem with Sprinter vans is price..they seem pretty pricey for what you pay for them. If there is one thing Ford gets right almost all the time is making work vehicles...like the F-series and the E series van...I think the Transit will have no problem picking up and mantaining the market share that the lighter weight E-series has...and might even grow it.

 

I've barely seen any NV vans...I think I've seen less then half of dozen of them in over the past 3 years or so. Not impressed by them.

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Guys I sure hope you are all right. My only concern is just look at the success of the Sprinter. regardless of a MB badge or a Freightliner badger, what are the numbers-not huge and more importantly what is their sales growth record? I don't think it is impressive. I look at the Transit and I see the same thing-a light duty van. I know, Iknow- the specs read "heavy". I guess I should see a "heavy" version before I panic.

 

Yesterday I'm in back of a NV 2500 mid roof with big ladder racks and an access ladder on the back door-electrical contractor.. Big rubber, the appearance of a "work truck". I could have been following an E-350.

 

As I've posted before, a mechanical contractor that I am familiar with was an all Ford E fleet-not anymore- they have been buying NV's with no issues-it will be interesting to see if they go back.

 

Other side of coin, my old company had bought five NV's and they are done with them-because of mechanical issues. Back to F-250's with a closed utility body.

Bob, sprinters issue is its $6-7000 at a dis-advantage right off the bat...Diesels only...and as far as the NVs go, your mechanincal contractor is a nickel and dime guy, because they werent selling Nissan came out with some VERY competitive programs...including a good old proper lease...Ford doesnt subsidize or lease commercial vehicles.....

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Guys I sure hope you are all right. My only concern is just look at the success of the Sprinter. regardless of a MB badge or a Freightliner badger, what are the numbers-not huge and more importantly what is their sales growth record? I don't think it is impressive. I look at the Transit and I see the same thing-a light duty van. I know, Iknow- the specs read "heavy". I guess I should see a "heavy" version before I panic.

 

Yesterday I'm in back of a NV 2500 mid roof with big ladder racks and an access ladder on the back door-electrical contractor.. Big rubber, the appearance of a "work truck". I could have been following an E-350.

 

As I've posted before, a mechanical contractor that I am familiar with was an all Ford E fleet-not anymore- they have been buying NV's with no issues-it will be interesting to see if they go back.

 

Other side of coin, my old company had bought five NV's and they are done with them-because of mechanical issues. Back to F-250's with a closed utility body.

Bob, from what I see the Transit specs pretty close to the E Series model for model, even though the "wrapper" may have a pretty face.

And on the NVs, the lighter use fleets seem to have the best experience with them. A friend has a shop that does PM and repair for a number of fleets in the 6 to 10 truck range. One of his good customers (a dry cleaner with a fleet of 8 or so vans) switched from a mix of Dodge and Ford vans to Sprinters years back, mostly beacuse of the high roof. Over the last 3 years they switched to the NVs due to rust problems and high maintenance costs of the Sprinters. Not to mention the higher cost of the Sprinter itself. Just all lead to a total higher cost of operation for the fleet - bad news in todays economy. They love the NVs (2500 high roof models) for the lower maintenance costs and overall lower cost of operation. This is a lighter duty application. It will be interesting to see if they get into Transits eventually - they rejected the Promaster.

 

The Transit may force Daimler to be more agressive in pricing the Sprinter to hold onto their market share. Ford has a great reputation for durability and reasonable total cost of operation and that will help the Transit in the market.

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"The Transit may force Daimler to be more agressive in pricing the Sprinter to hold onto their market share. Ford has a great reputation for durability and reasonable total cost of operation and that will help the Transit in the market."

 

The Sprinter is a 10 or 12 year old design that has only had one key change over the years - a 5 to 6 cylinder engine. The driver ergonomics of a Sprinter are terrible. I'm sure they are OK for a work and delivery use, but mine is a Winnebago motorhome. 6 or 7 hours driving it a day is long.

 

Odd instrument panel, climate and radio controls hard to find and reach, no controls on the steering wheel, cruise control lever that is awkward to use and too close to the turn signal lever. easy to hit the wrong one. But the worst are the brakes. They feel like marshmellows, and the Sprinter mechanics admit that everyone complains about them and they cannot improve them. Not a firm, solid feel like Ford brakes.

 

I'm hoping the Ford gets some desing wins soon from Winnebago and the other RV builders. It won't ever be a big part of their sales, but sure would get me back into the RV shops to buy.

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