carringb wrote: Since the Transit will share the F150 assembly line, I'm pretty sure all the running gear (brakes, rear axles, powertrains) will be common to the F150, so I don't have any concerns about reliabilty, or excess maintenance costs.
Sorry that is wrong. The Transit will have its own assembly line. Same line they are using for the Escape. Or should I say on the same side of the building. They are going to come in and tear out everything and start from scratch! Very exciting time here in KC!
dewatkins wrote: When I bought my new 2011 F250 I looked at the E350 until I noticed the diesel was not an option. I have owned 3 different E350's over the years for towing and loved them. They are so practical take out the back seat and you have all kinds of storage, both of my kids had their own seat so there was no he's on my side well she started it. I took 9 scouts to Philmont on a back packing trip with all the gear on top. The only thing that you can not do that a pickup can do is carry tall things but for those times you take an open flatbed trailer.
In order to get the last E-350s built with the 6.0, you had to be a commercial customer.
Most went to ambulance builders.
Production ceased around October/November 2009 when they ran out of engines.
No DPF, no SCR, they paid a fine each one sold to EPA.
dewatkins wrote: When I bought my new 2011 F250 I looked at the E350 until I noticed the diesel was not an option. I have owned 3 different E350's over the years for towing and loved them. They are so practical take out the back seat and you have all kinds of storage, both of my kids had their own seat so there was no he's on my side well she started it. I took 9 scouts to Philmont on a back packing trip with all the gear on top. The only thing that you can not do that a pickup can do is carry tall things but for those times you take an open flatbed trailer.
In order to get the last E-350s built with the 6.0, you had to be a commercial customer.
Most went to ambulance builders.
Production ceased around October/November 2009 when they ran out of engines.
No DPF, no SCR, they paid a fine each one sold to EPA.
I think that the Emergency Vehicles can be exempt from some or most of the EPA restrictions that are on other vehicles. I am not so sure that Ford would have to pay the fine if it went into Emergency service. Or at least Ford would have passed that fine along to the customers.
The City that I worked for had dozens of 7.3L ambulances, many with single rear wheel van based, (they probably exceeded the 9,200 GVWR) but then went to a dually van based cab and chassis, about the time the 6L came out. I think the mechanics like the 7.3L much better, less things broke on it.
I am really looking forward to the new Transit van, especially how well it will be received by the ambulance manufactures, in the snow countries, with all wheel drive. The 350 HP Ecoboost should also do well in ambulance service!
SoCalDesterRider wrote: The new Ford full size vans will look like the Dodge/Freightliner/Mercedes Sprinter vans. Also like a bigger version of the current Ford Transit Connect van.
That concept van looks much better than the Sprinter or Transit
Interestingly Ford Australia is NOT Interested in the Ford Tourneo. This Van would compete against the Hyundai ILOAD and Toyota HIACE, both can be commercial or personal vehicles with small slighly bigger than 2 Litre diesels. Both go very well. Hyundai ILOAD Toyota HIACE
Golden HVAC wrote: Dodge was the first to drop the old rear wheel drive full size vans, then I think Ford will drop them too. Yet there will always be a market for the E-350 and E-450 vans in motorhome use and heavy duty cargo use. Somehow I think that the Transit will fill those needs by using a heavy duty version, probably rear wheel drive, perhaps all wheel drive, and do it well, with plenty of cargo rating for those vans that need it.
The current Transit has RWD, FWD and AWD. It is also a Cab Chassis. What intrigues me is the "T250, T450 and T550" models. They do not exist anywhere. Is Ford looking at a Global Motorhome chassis , much heavier than the current Transit?. This would be the cat amongst the pigeons for Fiat,IVECO Mercedes, Renault etc
I am really looking forward to the new Transit van, especially how well it will be received by the ambulance manufactures, in the snow countries, with all wheel drive. The 350 HP Ecoboost should also do well in ambulance service!
Fred.
Ambulances have grown heavier and fatter over time.
I am not so sure that the 350 is still a valid model.
The lighter weights ones, maybe.
Think the market is now for boxes that can be remounted on a new chassis when the chassis wear out.
Since the Transit is not built on a frame, there is no remounting option.
Going to be interesting ---- Sprinters save fuel, but there is no performance to speak of.
NewsW wrote: Going to be interesting ---- Sprinters save fuel, but there is no performance to speak of.
In what respect? They use them here for General Ambulances. they used to have F250/F350's as Ambulances in Australia.
NewsW wrote: Since the Transit is not built on a frame, there is no remounting option.
They have a cab chassis variant in Australia.
In some Australian States some Ambulance services use the F350 for a light support vehicle. Western Australia
General Ambulance Western Australia
Elsewhere they have heavier duty Japanese trucks for support and rescue teams.
* This post was
edited 03/10/12 01:42pm by RobertRyan *
I am really looking forward to the new Transit van, especially how well it will be received by the ambulance manufactures, in the snow countries, with all wheel drive. The 350 HP Ecoboost should also do well in ambulance service!
Fred.
Ambulances have grown heavier and fatter over time.
I am not so sure that the 350 is still a valid model.
The lighter weights ones, maybe.
Think the market is now for boxes that can be remounted on a new chassis when the chassis wear out.
Since the Transit is not built on a frame, there is no remounting option.
Going to be interesting ---- Sprinters save fuel, but there is no performance to speak of.
I haven't seen a new E350 ambulance in years...the new ones are E450's, GMC 4500 vans, F550's, or medium duty trucks.
John and Elizabeth (Liz), with 3 nutty cats
My beloved St. Bernard, Marm, lost him 1/2/12
Current rig:
1992 International Genesis school bus conversion
carringb wrote: Since the Transit will share the F150 assembly line, I'm pretty sure all the running gear (brakes, rear axles, powertrains) will be common to the F150, so I don't have any concerns about reliabilty, or excess maintenance costs.
Sorry that is wrong. The Transit will have its own assembly line. Same line they are using for the Escape. Or should I say on the same side of the building. They are going to come in and tear out everything and start from scratch! Very exciting time here in KC!
From Ford media release, Conceived as Ford’s first pan-European product in the mid-1960s, the next generation Transit will become a global asset with the availability of the full-size rear-wheel versions in the US.
To get ready for production in the U.S. by 2013, Ford is investing $1.1 billion in its Kansas City Assembly Plant, where the Transit will be built alongside the F-150.
So is Ford not using flex assembly lines? One line for each product line? That is a big waste of space and resources. I find it hard to believe ford is putting in a new line just for this van.
Don
Perrysburg Dodgeboy 2004 Dodge Ram 2500 Quad Cab SLT Cummins HO
2005 Keystone Cougar 304 BHS
Chrysler the only one to pay back 100% of their loans from the Government. *The Old Car Company" still owes 1.6 billion. Is that better Chuckles
In what respect? They use them here for General Ambulances. they used to have F250/F350's as Ambulances in Australia.
They have a cab chassis variant in Australia.
In some Australian States some Ambulance services use the F350 for a light support vehicle.
In the North American setting, Ambulances need high torque and horsepower to get up to cruising speed over 70mph frequently.
Euro style Sprinter has a limpid motor for that application, not enough torque or hp.
While in Europe and elsewhere that low performance is acceptable, in North America, it is not.
Try getting on a busy freeway with traffic at 70 in the slow lane with a fully loaded (or overloaded) ambulance without the flashers and sirens running.
AFAIK, the chassis cab variant is not coming to US in near future --- it directly compete with the F and E series.
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