So I sat in a new Ford Custom (T7 Transporter) and here's my thoughts.
Unlikely, given the engine sits at the rear!So thankful that the engine was saved
Heard only yesterday of a 20 plate Custom with 46,000 on the clock that snapped it's belt and lunched on it's own engine.
No good will from Ford as it had been serviced by an independent.
I feel belt anxiety is a heavier weight on Ford owners than range anxiety is on Scalextrix jockeys.
An AA person told me that 100k miles was expected. His Transit's belt broke at just over 90k.
Still want to know what they are actually like to drive/sit in etc. Can't be bothered trying it myself as not in the market at the moment and things will change by the time I am back in. Hopefully in a good way.
Most commercial vehicles, strangely enough, are fleet. They are leased for 3 years. No one really gives a toss about a van after that - not the companies' problem any more, and not Ford's problem any more as it is out of warranty.
Worse than that - Ford end up selling more engines and all the gubbins that come with it, after 3 years as belts start snapping on the ex-fleets. Leaving new owners with £15k (?) bills or an expensive paperweight.
Very throw away. Disgusting.
(gone are the days when you would get a secondhand one from the scrappy for £40 and fit it with a mate in a day - and of course the old transit would take an old capri engine)
Still want to know what they are actually like to drive/sit in etc. Can't be bothered trying it myself as not in the market at the moment and things will change by the time I am back in. Hopefully in a good way.
Most commercial vehicles, strangely enough, are fleet. They are leased for 3 years. No one really gives a toss about a van after that - not the companies' problem any more, and not Ford's problem any more as it is out of warranty.
Worse than that - Ford end up selling more engines and all the gubbins that come with it, after 3 years as belts start snapping on the ex-fleets. Leaving new owners with £15k (?) bills or an expensive paperweight.
Very throw away. Disgusting.
(gone are the days when you would get a secondhand one from the scrappy for £40 and fit it with a mate in a day - and of course the old transit would take an old capri engine)
Last edited:
The best way forward with perusing a new model is not to buy one in the first rush! Sit back a year or more and take note of any negative and positive reports and analysis. Even better to wait for a new model update. Then most of the potential failings will be known and sorted and that any new owner is forewarned and forearmed for new ownership. Mass commercial ownership will test the new model to its limits with minimal and poor maintenance. That way new ownership should be easier and less problematic. New owners can then plan a maintenance schedule that is appropriate for that model on the use they put it too.
Tony Shotgun
New Member
To be fair, I was given a manual which felt just like a transit van. Didn't like the seats, nothing comfortable about them, electronic touch heater settings rather than dials made me almost crash whilst trying to turn down the fan and heater when driving away from the garage, cant beat normal turn knobs, stereo sound quality was poor. as for the wet belt engines, I was watching a youtube video couple of weeks ago on these T7's and the person on the video mentioned that these engines with wet belts have improved and that little did us T6 and T6.1 owners know that they also have wet belt engines unless we was taliking out of his arse.
I'm sure they'll improve the look of these and bring out a nice Kombi auto version but FORD engines, come on!!
Tony Shotgun
New Member
Answer to your question if you meant the new T7 (Still want to know what they are actually like to drive/sit in etc) Just like a Ford Transit Van no different whatsover
We don't have wet belt engines as such in the 6/6.1.
The cam train is conventional belt. However, the oil pump is driven by a wet belt, difference being the load and inertial forces it has to handle are miniscule and theure generally quote trouble free.
Glad to see they've binned the comfy Transit seats and fitted typically uncomfortable VW bum perches.
The cam train is conventional belt. However, the oil pump is driven by a wet belt, difference being the load and inertial forces it has to handle are miniscule and theure generally quote trouble free.
Glad to see they've binned the comfy Transit seats and fitted typically uncomfortable VW bum perches.
My neighbours snapped 2 weeks ago £5,500 repair bill
If by different seats, different interior trim, different suspension rates (both springs and dampers) different steering ratio, loads of other detail changes, and lower list prices for most versions, you'd be correct - it's no different
An occasional vehicle with unknown displayed history presenting with problems is neither here nor there but if many vehicle having the same problem then tat might be cause for concern. Some owners might also deflect blame for some types of failure.
Tony Shotgun
New Member
I dont know guys, but do you reckon thats it now with VW Transporters, THE END?
Yes.
Nah - I'm sure they'll be doing the Citroen T8 in 2030 and, in 2035 welcome to the all new Tesford T9. (Yes, of course Tesla and Ford will have merged the year before)
The T9 will also have a wet belt even though it doesn't need one. The only difference is that the belt will be dipped into a tank of lithium slurry. Don't worry - guaranteed for 25,000 miles.
The T9 will also have a wet belt even though it doesn't need one. The only difference is that the belt will be dipped into a tank of lithium slurry. Don't worry - guaranteed for 25,000 miles.
Tony Shotgun
New Member
VW Massive company, decades of manufacturing the best vans ever and now it has to come to this. All a load of B**Ks and crap. SAD END TO A BEAUTIFUL ERA. I HOPE MY T6 LAST FOREVER
When I finally pay off my corp tax I'll put aside for the full ABT body kit. Love it. Got the rear tailgate spoiler only at the moment. Paid £75 for an ABT copy which looks the nuts. Genuine ABT rear tailgate spoiler was £400 odd. At the time of purchasing the rear spoiler I also purchased the ABT copies of the front bumber spoiler and side fins but I sent them back as it was a terrible fitting. Only paid £200 and F**K me the genuine one was about £2000 or so. I also like love to get the ABT side skirts and their about £2000 or so as well. More actually come to think of it.
When I finally pay off my corp tax I'll put aside for the full ABT body kit. Love it. Got the rear tailgate spoiler only at the moment. Paid £75 for an ABT copy which looks the nuts. Genuine ABT rear tailgate spoiler was £400 odd. At the time of purchasing the rear spoiler I also purchased the ABT copies of the front bumber spoiler and side fins but I sent them back as it was a terrible fitting. Only paid £200 and F**K me the genuine one was about £2000 or so. I also like love to get the ABT side skirts and their about £2000 or so as well. More actually come to think of it.
It might well be "The End" if we keep pushing or luck on the international scene, Transporters might be the least of our problems,
This and the self-deleting 204hp T6s ties in with what the recent studies on longevity of ICE bs EV have shown - batteries and electric motors are more reliable and last longer. It’s also actually very straightforward to rebalance a battery pack or re-wind a motor.
I just don’t think engineers have the clout they used to and the beam counters have been calling shots on cars and vans for a long time now. Either that or it’s built in obsolescence. Engineers can’t mess up a battery, wires and a motor so much - we used to stick those together in primary school.
Someone was selling a front bumper with the ABT spoiler on it on here and sure it was same colour as your van too.
