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Any thoughts on a 2018 Ford transit connect XL van
September 26, 2026, 02:16 PM
old rugged crossAny thoughts on a 2018 Ford transit connect XL van
I sold one one of my Astro vans a few years ago and wrecked my other shortly after. Loved them. The utility of them was always appreciated. Saw one of these for sale locally for what I thought was a good price with low miles. In some ways reminded me of my Astro vans.
Maybe poor quality and gutless with the 2.5l 4 banger. Fwd, Any thoughts. Thanks guys.
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September 26, 2026, 04:30 PM
rizzleThat being a "connect" it's totally different than the larger transit. Most likely a better choice, even being built in Spain and almost 10yrs old.
I've never seen one, if you have a shop to check it out and is willing to work on it down the road and it has a service history, it might not be a bad choice.
September 26, 2026, 04:43 PM
lymanquite a few of them in this area with folks running Services, (repairs, electricians etc)
tho since Ford stopped, they don't seem to be as many as in the past,
I gave one some thought before I bought my 2023 T-250, but it was too small for what I needed
Chevy still has one I think, and IIRC Nissan dropped them and the full size as well
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September 26, 2026, 06:05 PM
egregoreI've only seen a couple come into my former workplace, no experience driving them.
quote:
,,, gutless with the 2.5l 4 banger
"Gutless" is in the eye of the beholder. It's a
far better engine, in terms of reliability, than the POS 1.6 Ecoboost turbocharged.
September 26, 2026, 06:25 PM
12GAI've been driving a 2019 Ford Transit Connect van since December 2025 and besides the incredibly uncomfortable seats it handles poorly in the rain and even more poorly in snow.
I drive it for my part-time deliveries job Monday through Friday averaging around 150 miles per day. I would never buy one.
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September 27, 2026, 10:50 AM
old rugged crossThanks guys. At the price and low mileage I would suspect it would be a serviceable vehicle that would well pay for itself over 150-200k miles. Comfort and amenities on this type of rig would not be expected. I am assuming traction issues on slick roads are due to lack of weight on the back half of the vehicle. That could be mitigated some.
As I mentioned my Astro's were solid rigs. This would probably fall somewhat in that category.
I liked a simple smaller van as a throw and go rig. Easy to load and unload. Dogs, gear, furniture, junk, garbage, even a deer in deer season. Gas mileage over the trucks also a plus.
might have to have a looksee. Thanks all.
"Practice like you want to play in the game"
September 28, 2026, 07:35 AM
HumbugI have a 2017 Transit Connect XL. I put Michelin Cross Climate II tires on it and it works better in rain and snow than I would expect for this type vehicle. Mine is a keeper.
September 28, 2026, 08:36 PM
MikeGLII looked at these pretty hard right before Covid. I had my mind pretty much made up on the Connect, but when I looked at the Transit 150/250, they were only a few thousand more than the Connect but significantly more space. Ended up with a 250 and it was the best decision I could have made. The connect would have been way to small for my intended purpose.
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