"ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com" (ita97)
07/15/2016 at 17:29 • Filed to: None
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"ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com" (ita97)
07/15/2016 at 17:29 • Filed to: None | 1
| 1 |
At work a few days ago, duty called that I drive a rented 2016 Ford Transit van to a small city 200 miles away, luncheon with a historical society board, pick up a donation of books and papers from a donor, and return another 200 miles back to the university. Because we were picking up around 1,200 pounds worth of books and papers, we rented a 2016 Ford Transit 250 with 19k on the odometer from Enterprise. Having had the unfortunate experience of driving a variety of older full-size cargo vans, I was curious to try out a more modern alternative to the Econolines of old. The trip would take us 200 miles from one hot desert basin, over a mountain range, through another hot desert basin, over a much bigger mountain range, then down into yet another hot desert basin and then back again. This gave plenty of opportunity to transit the Transit in a variety of environments.
In terms of driving dynamics, the Ford Transit is a vast improvement over it’s predecessors being driven around by low-rent plumbers everywhere. The ecoboost engine was peppy unloaded and perfectly capable when loaded. This jalopy could move out of its own way and over mountain passes just fine. Somewhat surprisingly, the brakes inspired confidence and the handling was much better than what one expects from a 3/4 ton van. While sporty never enters into the lexicon, the steering was tight on-center, reacted well on turn in and hit an apex with far less body lean than one might expect. There was even minimal, yet definitely present feedback through that god-forsaken steering wheel (more on that wheel later).
The interior dynamics of the Ford Transit are where it fails. While loud and booming is to be expected from a cargo van, driver ergonomics seemingly designed for hobbits, or seven foot tall amputees, are less forgivable. The high seating position, expansive windshield and dropping belt line provide for impressive vision for the captain’s chair. As attention turns to the controls in front of the captain, things go south quickly. While the steering wheel has both tilt and telescoping adjustment, the range of adjustment suggests someone at Ford Global phoned it in. Even at the limits of adjustment, the steering wheel seemingly does not tilt below about a 30 degree angle, and it never telescopes far enough out to achieve anything remotely resembling either a proper or comfortable seating position for my 5'7" self. The steering angle left me feeling like I preschooler turning the steering wheel on an arcade game whose seat I had not yet grown into. Moving the seat far enough forward to properly reach the steering wheel was impossible, as my femurs are not of the collapsible variety. Along with cruise control, adjustable pedals were not an adornment of this particular Ford Transit. The last time I sat in a car with similar ergonomics, there was a giant wood-rimmed steering wheel in front of me with an Alfa Romeo badge on it. That Alfa Romeo did not run, either.
Not to be outdone by the steering wheel was the armrest on the driver’s seat. The seat itself offered descent support and was comfortable enough, but the armrest was positioned way too high. If you are not tall enough to play under the basket at a D-1 school, then you’re probably not tall enough to be comfortable with that armrest in a Ford Transit.
Overall, the Ford Transit is vast improvement over your plumbers van. However, the ergonomics are dastardly for us humans of more normal shape and size. Even when I visited Ireland in the 90's as a kid, I don’t remember seeing Hobbits, so I don’t know who Ford Global thinks will be comfortable in it. Maybe that is the point: keep the delivery driver uncomfortable so that he will not be motivated to dawdle on the company’s time.
“Hey you, wasn’t there something about UFO’s in the title?” Why yes reader, UFO’s also figured into my field trip at work. Because the small city of our destination was Roswell, NM, and because we got there about 45 minutes earlier than expected, we took the opportunity to tour the International UFO museum. While I would not pay too much to see it, it turned out to be an okay way to kill 45 minutes and only spend $3.00 in the process. They even have a reference library and research center, so long as you are willing to stretch your definition of the two terms while simultaneously suspending your belief in reality. There is also a gift shop, because museum. In the end, I actually got paid to visit the UFO museum, which feels like it should be some kind of notch in the brief case.
If you have to spend a day in a cargo van, one could do a lot worse than a new Ford Transit, although you might try to snag the passenger seat. I’m told it was far more comfortable, and maybe in large part because it did not have an armrest at all. In the end, the best feature on this particular Ford Transit was what it didn’t have; the lack of a government plate and university logos on the side increased our average speed for the trip.
OPPOsaurus WRX
> ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com
09/16/2016 at 13:44 |
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so your saying aliens dont exist?