‘Project Singletrack New Van’

Ford has sent us a van to review as part of our ‘Project Singletrack New Van’

I wonder what the etiquette is here, assuming that Ford have just given one over
(pressumably to try and push themselves as the new “cool van” get at least some of the safe-seats occupied by the Haemorrhoid that is the VW Transporter)

Are they/you allowed to review it after a few months:

“to be honest it was bobbins, plastic inside, uncomfortable and gutless, buy something else”

or do they HAVE to be nice about it?

just curious. New transits are pretty and I quite fancy a van (pipe dream, wont be happening)

I wonder what the etiquette is here,

Honesty?

Do you think that Singletrack write dishonest reviews about bikes, components and clothing they’re sent? Why would they act any differently about a van?

Nice though, I like those.

First time I’ve ever heard a van described as a hemorrhoid.

MBUK got a Merc in much the same way, for most of the year they just mentioned it in every issue in really wedged-in ways, accompanied by bits of Vito branding, “We’re off to ride our bikes at Coed y Brenin IN THE NEW 2.0 MERCEDES VITO with Daffyd Davis IN THE VITO” sort of thing. Then at the end of the year did a wee review which basically said “Our old van was horrendous, so anything would be an improvement. We know ****-all about vans. If Mercedes offer you a free one you should say yes though”, which was quite good.

I fully expect STW’s next article to be a road trip of Norway. Which will include a surprisingly high amount of amazing fjords being mentioned. 8)

Whenever I see a new transit custom on the road I wonder why the marketing guys at Ford are not pushing them very hard to cycling/sailing/surfing community. I guess they are. Its a very nice looking van.

petrieboy +1

I doubt they will give it a good review unless they start advertising in the mag!

Jamie
I fully expect STW’s next article to be a road trip of Norway. Which will include a surprisingly high amount of amazing fjords being mentioned.

brilliant^^^^ !! they should do that!! Just got to find somewhere to go with the T5 (heathrow??) and the Vito (to danny de-vito’s house?)

(OK i was reaching somewhat at the end there tbh…….)

One of the undertakers who come to work has a black one, plenty of room in the back for er…lying down.

Double post 🙁

The van is outside my house right now. We are just deciding where to go riding on Sunday in it. On Monday I’m handing it over to Dave for a week. Then Chipps gets it for a week. We are getting a Vito and a T5 in a few weeks. The van we like best we will buy. With our own money.

Ford, VW and Merc know this. They haven’t made us any offers and the bloke who dropped off the transit didn’t give us any terms and conditions or make us sign anything other than a receipt of delivery. He just drank some coffee and went for his train. We expect the same from VW and Merc.

That’s it.

No really.

Sorry to all conspiracy theorists but that really is all that’s happening here. We will simply drive 3 vans and pick our favourite then buy it. In the process we thought it would be of use to our readers if we reviewed all three from the pov of being mountain bikers.

I’m really sorry.

Tell you what, let me have it for a few weeks and I’ll forgive you

I think it’s a great idea for a story tbh. Like i said, add in some cheesily tenuous links to some place names to visit and i’m sold!

you impartial ba5tards.

Sorry to all conspiracy theorists but that really is all that’s happening here. We will simply drive 3 vans and pick our favourite then buy it. In the process we thought it would be of use to our readers if we reviewed all three from the pov of being mountain bikers.

It has begun…

Interesting article actually if you’re a van geek like myself. Should I swap my VW for a Tranny so I can have decent cup holders?

There’s two (2) huge cup holders in the tranny. They seem to be designed for 2 litre pop bottles!

the Transit will drive the best …but you’ll end up with the VW

They seem to be designed for 2 litre pop bottles!

If you’ve been to any construction sites lately you’d know that two litre bottles of coke/irn bru have replaced mugs of tea. Sign of the times!

Cool project and definitely worth an article. I particularly like the fact it will be purchased “with our own money”

or

Yeah…you’ll end up with the VW, a mate has just bought a new VW Transporter Sportline in reflex silver with the 18″ alloys and it’s awesumz to drive, brill position and very comfortable leather seats….a ford is? ………just a boring ford and all you need to accessorise it is a copy of the sun on the dashboard along with a sandwich box, a merc will rust through after a few years and rattle itself to bits but the VW will be a pleasure to drive, and maintain it’s value.

Have you actually seen the price of a T5 Sportline?

Have a drive in the transit they are awesome, really well thought out cabins, my t5 feels like a tank by comparison.
R

I’ve got a Transit Luton sat outside the house at the moment for a roadshow I’m doing and it’s pretty damn good – certainly the best Luton I’ve ever driven. We have a VW LT35 and regularly hire in extra sprinters but I think the Ford beats them both. We’ve had a Vito in the past which drove very well and was reliable but rusted away before our eyes.

Have you actually seen the price of a T5 Sportline?

Yeah, admittingly they are quite expensive if you are buying them privatly, he uses his for business (skipper of a £3m+ fishing boat) so i guess it’s a legitimate business expense as it’s used for transporting gear and the crew around the country.

somafunk – Member
Yeah…you’ll end up with the VW, a mate has just bought a new VW Transporter Sportline in reflex silver with the 18″ alloys and it’s awesumz to drive, brill position and very comfortable leather seats….a ford is? ………just a boring ford and all you need to accessorise it is a copy of the sun on the dashboard along with a sandwich box, a merc will rust through after a few years and rattle itself to bits but the VW will be a pleasure to drive, and maintain it’s value.

Drinking a lot of marketing/trail centre coolaid went into that post. In contrast my mates (private) T5 is gradually falling apart and is leaking/rusting all over the place. Our Vito is currently faultless after 2 years (company van so no reason to be biased about it). Your Ford comment is just stupid though, all vans are boring kit – maybe with the exception of the V8 Brabus Vito….. and the A-team van.

and that Transit with the Cosworth V8.

And Lee Van Cleef.

He’s cool as ****.

Nae Jim Jones preacher in sight legend, Mate changes his vans every year so i’ve sat in and drove all of them from one end of the country to another, fully laden wi assorted scallop dredges/fishing gear and 5 drunk crew members or totaly empty. But that’s what great about opinions – we all have them 😀

Then Chipps gets it for a week. We are getting a Vito and a T5 in a few weeks. The van we like best we will buy. With our own money.

Aha, that changes things entirely then! I wasnt sure if it was a case of “have a free van, it would be nice if you could be nice about it, seeing as we have given you a free one”

Should be a good article, good luck to ford trying to bust into the market, the new stuff does look lovely.

First time I’ve ever heard a van described as a hemorrhoid.

: VW T4/5: Every A***hole gets one sooner or later

@Jamie 😀

I was wondering if these new Transits were going to catch on with the ‘lifestyle’ van users (mountain bikers etc.). They are a nice looking van and the old Transits are normally pretty decent to drive.

I’ll be interested to see the outcome of this as I need to replace my Trafic, which has been a cracking vehicle for the last 100,000 miles, lovely to drive, very comfortable and pretty cheap to run too.
Hasn’t got the image of a transporter, but just as practical

Picked up my new transit on Friday! It’s got cruise control, WTF! Everyone knows a van is designed to be driven from a to b and max possible speed! Cruise control 🙄
That said tho its the old shape so the interior is nigh on exactly the same as the 6 yr old one its just replaced! Horrible to drive without any weight in tho…

Lee van cleef

🙂

Yeah…you’ll end up with the VW, a mate has just bought a new VW Transporter Sportline in reflex silver with the 18″ alloys and it’s awesumz to drive

Should have gone 650b really.