Transit connect

Anyone own one of these and what do you think?

Thinking getting shot of my primera. The back seats are only ever down and used as a van. Thought I might as well drive one.

NB These are speed limited like a normal sized transit on dual carriageways 60mph (loads of drivers get caught on this one). Unless the rear panels are glazed the lower van limit applies.

Thirsty, not particulaply cumfortable and the passenger seats are a joke.

Partner is ok below 70mph.

null

The connect is made in a factory in the jungle somewhere, theyre mostly sold to van hire companies, they have huge windscreens and unless you have AC, theyre unbearably hot, and noisy, avoid, never buy a white or red one, hire van, or post office.

I had this thought a couple of years back, and got a vauxhall combo instead. Car speed limits, very frugal (about 48mpg actual use from the 1.3cDTi) and longer in the back than a connect. Bikes only go into a connect (or a berlingo) diagonally whereas they will go straight into a combo. Means that you can get 6 or 7 bikes in there without a problem, handy if there’s a car and van load of you off somewhere.

The connect isn’t brilliant for fuel economy, the seats can be uncomfortable, but i’ve had one for a while now & its been great, would get another.

Cheers for info.

These are speed limited like a normal sized transit on dual carriageways 60mph

Hadn’t thought about that. I’d better do some research about what vehicles this applies to.

If a vehicle is van derived you are limited to 50mph on single carriageway, 60mph on dual carriageway and the normal 70mph on motorways.

Van derived = Transit Connect, Fiat Scudo, Citroen Despatch and all the larger vans. Possibly Fiat Doblo as well?

Car derived vans are a van based on a car chassis and have standard speed limits = Citroen Berlingo, Ford Combi, Vauxhall Astravan.

As far as I know, glazing in the rear doesn’t make a difference to speed limits unless for example the van is a campervan conversion and is classed as a motor caravan on the V5. Even then its a grey area, I think someone has lost a case in court and got prosecuted for speeding in a camper with glazed rear.

fiat doblo are also cars,and taxis.

VW T4/T5 Kombi…. 6 seats, loads of room, taxation as a car…. good build quality.. drives like a big car… not too bad on fuel if you avoid the 174 bhp variety..

Pretty sure the Doblo is van derived so even as a car/taxi it is subject to the lower speed limits, just like all the Scudo and Despatch Taxis.

Saying that, I think its pretty rare to get caught.

I drive a big transit luton thing and haven’t had any trouble so a small van is even less likely to attract the wrong attention for doing 60mph on an A road.

What does a VW Caddy count as? Van or car?

Caddys are based on the Ibiza/Polo/Fabia platform so is a car-deirved van. Scudo/Dispatch/Jumpys are really C8/Ulysse/807 in better fitting clothes.

1.9tdi 104bhp VW Caddy will do bewteen 45 and 48mpg and 650miles out of the tank (at least).

Old Caddy was polo based but current generation is Golf based.

Whats the caddy like getting bikes in the back?

Not really tried many in it but most bikes will go in normally but longer wheel base ones are a tad long, but you just turn the bars a bit. Think I’ve got 4 in like that before. 6 should be possible with pedals and front wheels removed. But it’s a work van so don’t use it for transporting bikes.

Pretty much the only thing that decides if it is car derived is the GVW. Under 2 tonnes laden GVW = Car Derived Van.

Therefore Berlingo, Kangoo, Astra = Car Derived.

Most Doblos, Dispatch, Caddy, Connect = Light Commercial = lower speed limits. This is especially crazy as some of the Doblos have a GVW of 2010 kg (10 kg over the limit!)

Now go and look at what an UNLADEN Range Rover weighs yet still classed as a car…….

We have a new Dispatch Combi (ace van by the way – 6 proper seats, and room for 6 bikes with just front wheels out, wipe clean rubber floors and huge tailgate to shelter under). Because it is a factory built Combi, it has been homologated as a car – therefore my V5 says body type = MPV and taxation class = diesel car (so regular car speed limits apply).

For Connect etc, bare window vans still class as Light Commercial. But windows (small ones in sides and rear door) plus rear 2+ seats = dual purpose vehicle and back to regular speed limits again. New vans of this type should (but don’t always) come correctly described on the V5 (because it is the V5 info that the police convict off). A van converted with seats etc after registration needs an SVA inspection to get V5 updated.

If you want to be legal at regular speeds in a Connect, then need to get a Crew Van with glass in all the doors (make sure it is correctly registered). We were pretty impressed with the Connects we tried but was 14 weeks delivery from Turkey. Ford also do an aftermarket steel tube / mesh bulkhead for behind the rear seats – unlocks and slides forward if you fold the rear seat (handy to keep bikes and people separate) Not as well finished as the Dispatch.

Is that enough detail? 😉

Had a connect for 2 weeks over christmas. Basically the same as people say above. It’s noisy. The front is huge but a bit uncomfy. It’s a great space for getting changed in on cold days! The back is really big, you can fit in 4 bikes and a load of gear (handy for those weekends when you’re doing some DH and some XC with a mate). It drives terribly though. It understeers like nothing I’ve ever driven, including an old volvo 440 turbo that was really bad. It’s really not confidence inspiring for ‘making progress’ on twisty roads.
The fuel consumption (base diesel model) wasn’t great but not terrible. That was based on a few trips up and down the A9 at about 80mph.

In short, I’d look elsewhere but I’ve no recommendations because I’ve not driven anything else similar.