Ford and VW LCV future devolpment

**Tornado T5** · 24-01-2019, 08:38 AM

@ Kiels3927

**Tornado T5** · 24-01-2019, 08:42 AM

Oh believe me they can rattle having driven vans from 1983 and had them in the family business even earlier, some we've run from Nissan Urvan to Mazda E2000, to T4, T5, Transit Custom, Trafic Crew.

It's when they're empty you hear all the noises, sliding doors shaking in their frames, rear doors, that rattle in the dash somewhere, rear diff...

**Tornado T5** · 24-01-2019, 08:53 AM

Originally Posted by Sunny43.5

Thanks for that nice to get an honest opinion . Just a short thing these vans can hardly rattle when there is nothing inside them in the first place !! , I have always begrudged the price we pay for what is technically an empty box on 4 wheels with two seats and a rubber floor mat in the front . For similar money you can buy lots of SUV,s that are fully loaded with luxury touches , yes I know they wont carry as much goods etc but hey you get the picture .

I fully agree, however it also extends to a van vs a passenger carrying version of the same van..price up a Caravelle, actually just take a bog stock no option version Caravelle and try to buy a Transporter Crew and add some things like glass in the rear cargo, body coloured exterior bumpers, rear aircon...you get my drift... and the Caravelle with fully trimmed interior, excess seating which you can sell off, etc..becomes good value or conversely the Transporter with options over-priced just as you suggested.

**Sunny43.5** · 24-01-2019, 03:12 PM

Originally Posted by Tornado T5

I fully agree, however it also extends to a van vs a passenger carrying version of the same van..price up a Caravelle, actually just take a bog stock no option version Caravelle and try to buy a Transporter Crew and add some things like glass in the rear cargo, body coloured exterior bumpers, rear aircon...you get my drift... and the Caravelle with fully trimmed interior, excess seating which you can sell off, etc..becomes good value or conversely the Transporter with options over-priced just as you suggested.

With the last four Transporters I have always sourced parts not from VW here or done the interiors myself . The last van I bought 4 side glass panelss and fitted them myself for around $700 for all four glasses , meanwhile VW wanted $700 EACH for the glass , same for genuine Cruise control VW $1200 from a VW company selling genuine VW cruise control in the UK for less than $200 . I never pay VW for anything I can find from an alterante supply source .

**Tornado T5** · 24-01-2019, 04:52 PM

Originally Posted by Sunny43.5

With the last four Transporters I have always sourced parts not from VW here or done the interiors myself . The last van I bought 4 side glass panelss and fitted them myself for around $700 for all four glasses , meanwhile VW wanted $700 EACH for the glass , same for genuine Cruise control VW $1200 from a VW company selling genuine VW cruise control in the UK for less than $200 . I never pay VW for anything I can find from an alterante supply source .

Thing is Sunny you're in the skilled position to fit these, most are not, I'm not, or a company buying one just wants to send off the Purchase order and grab the keys when it's ready, then another thing is the issue of local warranty for genuine parts but not locally supplied or factory fitted options....and good luck if the company decides your non-genuine part somehow was part of the reason for a failure for something related in the vehicle.

**Sunny43.5** · 24-01-2019, 05:50 PM

Originally Posted by Tornado T5

Thing is Sunny you're in the skilled position to fit these, most are not, I'm not, or a company buying one just wants to send off the Purchase order and grab the keys when it's ready, then another thing is the issue of local warranty for genuine parts but not locally supplied or factory fitted options....and good luck if the company decides your non-genuine part somehow was part of the reason for a failure for something related in the vehicle.

Yes have had that advice before but could hardly see any issue with fitting 4 pieces of glass especially because I fit sunroofs to brand new cars all the time anyway , the interior side is my motor trimming heritage and part of that was fitting aftermarket cruise control and lots of other goodies to customers cars . But yes you right not everyone is lucky like me , I sort of hate paying other people for what I know I can do myself . I constantly tell my relatives not to fall for the aftermarket sales people at dealerships when buying new cars , there are better prices to be had outside the dealer network . When I bought our latest van the sales lady for aftermarket must have found I was a hard nut to crack as each thing she tried to foist onto me I had a comeback on price and reason for refusing her offers , in the end she gave up and went elsewhere to shear some other poor sheep .

**Seano** · 27-01-2019, 08:43 PM

The Ford/VW team up has little to do with the past or the present. It's all about the future. Ford are on record recognising VW's skills and capabilities with respect to electric drivetrains and platforms whilst Ford brings both manufacturing scale and price per unit efficiency that VW can not currently match.

Put simply, VW have the skills and Ford has the coin and capacity and they have combined in order to transform their LCV ranges to hybrid and full electric, boost sales for both makers (remember that VW is at full LCV production capacity now) whilst maintaining current margins.

I can't see Ford or VW offering a product I both need and can afford in the future team up...

**Transporter** · 27-01-2019, 09:29 PM

I see it as another step back in quality, also I can’t see myself drive half Ford half VW. I though that when VW left the Mercedes/VW partnership in Crafter/Sprinter van and went to built their own new high capacity factory in Wresnia in Poland where a new Crafter is now built, that it wasn’t just for a very short moment.
So short lived new model independently built.

One has to ask the question, is the new Crafter the model that will exist only 3 years or so? I guess only time will tell.

**Ozsko** · 28-01-2019, 11:38 PM

Like a lot of automotive alliances now happening they are based on the expertise of the partners and you can bet that Ford and VW will be primarily looking at EV production as Toyota and Panasonic are with their announcement in recent weeks. Mazda and Toyota have announced that EV production and development is the only reason they have gotten together as well.