They seem very popular with the trades, the plumber opposite has recently upgraded his two vans to new Transits (from Transporters) and a window fitter/repair man I use has also got one. They seem to be the 'van to have' at the moment. Maybe Ford are doing an attractive business lease?

Just spent a few weeks driving an e-Transit Custom. No wet belts, no turbos, no issues. I’m still not convinced on electric vans going up and down the country with a mini digger on a trailer behind them, but for most people it’ll have enough range. I do still have a very painful right elbow from resting it on the distinctly non-radiused top corner of the door cap..

I learned to drive in a 60's Diesel Transit, covered thousands of miles on L plates, slowly, as the Perkins 4108 engine only boasted something like 40bhp on a good day.

In my late teens i drove twin wheel transits for a couple of years covering the whole country, either the 2 litre V4 low compression petrol or the 2.4 York Diesel, a vast improvement on the Perkins thing, superb handling vehicle in twin wheel form could match a Mini for throwing around.

Only rarely driven later ones, mainly when delivering them in my previous work, understand they've had some silly designs now and again iver the years, ie discs fitted from behind the hub making disc changes a faff and likely to include new wheel bearings if the old ones fall apart when the hub comes off, some noughties Hyundais had this daft set up also Matiz.

Wouldn't have a modern one as a gift, nor Ranger which i short listed at one time, but then i wouldn't entertain any vehicle with a wet belt, and would always avoid timing chains sited at the back of the engine.

Edited by gordonbennet on 10/08/2025 at 23:23