Transit awd

[Tacagni]

Help.Going friday to look at an awd transit ltd (at a dealer, ex demo, with a view to purchase) has anyone driven one off road, are they capable enough?

[DanGPR]

http://www.fleetnews.co.uk/news/2008/10/21/first-d...

Seems to be pleasantly surprised with how good is was off-road.

It seems a pretty random thing to need, how much stuff do you need to carry uphill and down 'dale?

[Tacagni]

I live 4 miles off the main rd up a steep single lane (with a few passing places) had to leave my van by the main rd and "commute" for the last few weeks, so had enough of that, also existing van is going to need money spent on it soon

[Pigeon]

I'm not sure whether to be amazed that it took them so long to come up with a 4WD version of a vehicle which is so likely to inhabit building sites churned into mire by much larger machines, or to be amazed how well the 2WD version copes with them

[MJK 24]

Pigeon said:

I'm not sure whether to be amazed that it took them so long to come up with a 4WD version of a vehicle which is so likely to inhabit building sites churned into mire by much larger machines, or to be amazed how well the 2WD version copes with them

4x4 Transits have been available for over 20 years. Ford would take a 'built' Transit and send it to a 3rd party company who'd convert them to 4wd. Back then they'd be sending power to the front wheels as they were all RWD as standard. Very popular with MANWEB who had several.

These days, I still think it's a 3rd party conversion however, as you can buy FWD or RWD Transits off the shelf, I assume the job is a lot easier these days and the major expense is a gearbox.

I drove a new Transit 4x4 last year and was very impressed with how it drove compared to the ones 20 years back which would be tugging at the steering etc!

[martin mrt]

Back in the day it was County (tractors) that converted the Transits to 4wd.

[Bill]

Tacagni said:

I live 4 miles off the main rd up a steep single lane (with a few passing places) had to leave my van by the main rd and "commute" for the last few weeks, so had enough of that, also existing van is going to need money spent on it soon

Do a search on winter tyres on here, and VW do a 4x4 Transporter that's worth considering.

[MaximumJed]

MJK 24 said:

Pigeon said:

I'm not sure whether to be amazed that it took them so long to come up with a 4WD version of a vehicle which is so likely to inhabit building sites churned into mire by much larger machines, or to be amazed how well the 2WD version copes with them

4x4 Transits have been available for over 20 years. Ford would take a 'built' Transit and send it to a 3rd party company who'd convert them to 4wd. Back then they'd be sending power to the front wheels as they were all RWD as standard. Very popular with MANWEB who had several.

Saw this Police one in Norwich a while ago:

[k-ink]

They've been making a 4x4 Ford Transit for absolutely years

[Tacagni]

Not much feed back from you guys, so i bought it anyway!

[daydotz]

rare things still sort after to the right people production ended years ago

pay a visit to http://fordtransit.org/forum/ im sure they will be very interested in your mk7 awd
feel free to post some pics i lurk over their an fancy a nose

Edited by daydotz on Friday 31st December 16:06

Edited by daydotz on Friday 31st December 16:16

[ChrisRS]

Tacagni said:

Not much feed back from you guys, so i bought it anyway!

Thats the way to do it! Have you got any pics? (I'm a closet van enthusiast!)

[busta]

Tacagni said:

Not much feed back from you guys, so i bought it anyway!

Will be interested to hear how you get on with it! I've been looking at them as an alternative to a double cab pickup on the farm.

[busta]

From that article posted up earlier:

The AWD transit only weighs 50kg more than the standard one.

The AWD transit costs £3995 more than the standard model.

So £3995 for 50kg of bits? What's it made of- unobtanium?

[k-ink]

£500 of differential and £3500 of marketing.

[Tacagni]

Picking the van up in approx two weeks, having bulkhead removed and a single passenger seat put in, i'll try to get a few before and after shots.Its fully loaded with all the toys, the only thing im not sure of is the colour its Chill which looks beige/green in the brochure so looked around the forecourt and found a mondeo estate in that colour which looked ok(blue/grey/gold hard to explain) so im hoping it will be ok on the transit.

[busta]

Tacagni said:

Picking the van up in approx two weeks, having bulkhead removed and a single passenger seat put in, i'll try to get a few before and after shots.Its fully loaded with all the toys, the only thing im not sure of is the colour its Chill which looks beige/green in the brochure so looked around the forecourt and found a mondeo estate in that colour which looked ok(blue/grey/gold hard to explain) so im hoping it will be ok on the transit.

If it's the colour I'm thinking of it looks a bit grey and dull on overcast days but looks really nice in good sunlight. Never seen it on a van though.

[Tacagni]

Just had a call from the dealer van due in late today going to inspect it tomorrow.Will take a few photos, still not sure what the colours going to look like on it though!!

[fm1]

Hi - just wondered how you were getting on with your Transit AWD - is it a LWB 3.5 tonne one - I was thinking of getting one but wondered what the fuel economy was like compared to normal transit and what the off road performance was like ...there's an ownwer review on transit forum but doesnt't seem very impressed - http://fordtransit.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&amp...
Many thanks

[Tacagni]

Hi fm1 My transit is the awd 3.5t lwb 140 ltd.Im getting on great with the transit ive looked at the other forum and agree with whats said, you have to look at what you want the transit to do for you, for me i wanted to be able to pull off the road onto grass and not get stuck and to get up my very steep drive (both of which i do every day). im not expecting it to behave like a full 4x4 and i wont be towing with it ( i have an isuzu for that). As for mpg on an A road run 55-60mph im getting 30mpg,on the motorway at 70mph with cruise on im getting 28mpg and about 26mpg on a busy motorway going from 60-80 ect. Hope all that helps.