Ford TRANSIT CONNECT Parts | 2013 - 2018 | Duratorq EcoBoost #8846K825K
Ford the second generation Transit Connect Mk2, is a compact van - with big ideas. Here, we will analyze this model in the pre-facelift phase 2013-2018, as a regular purchase. It costs as little as possible to operate as a smaller VCV, but if specified correctly, it can swallow a load almost as large as a medium-sized model from the next class. It will take passengers as well as packages, handle long loads in its step, and take care of your life with its smart SYNC telemetry. In short, if you were shopping in this segment looking for a van manufactured in the period 2013-2018, you should consider it. models compact truck (1.6 TDCi diesel / 1.0 EcoBoost petrol) History Transit Connect compact by Ford was the LCV that truly galvanized the small van sector when it was launched in the UK in 2003. To understand the impact this Connect model had on the commercial vehicle sector, you need to remember that before its original introduction immediately after the turn of the century, most compact vans were just small superminis or family hatchbacks with covered windows. Instead, the first-generation Connect model was one of the first purpose-designed small vans. True, it used a lot of mechanical parts from Fords passenger car line - mainly from the supermini Fiesta - but the LCV stuff for the load bay, the really important part of the design, was properly created according to the needs of business buyers. However, competitors rushed to copy the concept - and develop it further with an even smaller sub-segment of vans aimed at boutique operators and city center businesses. Which, by the end of the first decade of the Noughties, left the Connect trying, quite embarrassingly, to be all things to buyers in the compact LCV segment. It needed a new lease of life, where it could again be considered a smart tradesmans tool. This second-generation project. Launched in 2013, aimed to offer exactly that, part of a four-model Transit line that also includes the smaller Courier model and the larger custom and fully Transit models. In both areas that matter - operating costs and load bay practices - it scores well, with plenty of cargo bay permutations and high-tech technical intelligence. The original version of this MK2 model sold until mid-2018, when it was replaced with a substantially updated version. What you get You dont realize how much of an aesthetic step this second-generation Transit Connect van represented until you see this model in front of its rather plain predecessor. What is common between the two vehicles is a prioritization of function over form and a boxy, practical look, but with this MK2 model, the front is sleeker and smarter. And one with much more Focus, not least because the third-generation version of Fords best-selling family hatch provided most of the underpinnings here. Inside, of course, it is very car-like, though in a practical, utilitarian way. View a clearly presented set of familiar Ford instruments through a four-spoke wheel that moves both for reach and rake. And immediately appreciate a supportive drivers seat, which can be adjusted in eight ways on most models, making it easier to get more comfortable than it would be in some competitors. The central console layout, inspired by mobile phones, comes directly from a Fiesta of this period and is relatively simple to use once you get used to a rather awkward range of buttons and the fact that the infotainment screen at the top of the dashboard is a bit small. On the positive side, the buttons are quite large, so you can use them while wearing work gloves. The high quality from the Spanish factory in Valencia seems very strong, and the clean wipe plastics seem tough and durable. There is also a lot of practicality, though its a shame that the base model doesnt get the lockable glovebox you find further up. Otherwise, there is decent storage space for the paraphernalia of everyday life, including reasonably sized bins, plus two cup holders and a coin holder by the gearstick, as well as a useful deep cubby back there, where there are optional aux-in and iPod sockets. There is also an overhead storage area. Original buyers were offered the option to swap the two standard cabin seats for a three-person bench, which could be ordered with or without a useful load-through hatch to pull longer items from the load area. With the double passenger bench, there is a central part of the rear seat that you can fold down to make a desk. Or you can fold back the passenger side seatback and create a storage point for boxes you might not want to ship in the cargo bay. For this reason, we would actively seek a Connect equipped with the double passenger bench. Right, lets take a closer look at the practicality of the load bay. The amount you can carry will obviously depend primarily on your choice between the short "L1" and the long wheelbase "L2". Both body styles offer 1,269mm of load space height and 1,538mm of load area width, a figure that narrows to 1,249mm between the wheel arches. "L1" offers a cubic capacity of 2.9m3 and a load space length from door to bulkhead of 1,558mm. Thanks to an extra 400mm in length, the "L2" version offers 3.2m3 of cubic capacity and a load space length from door to bulkhead of 1,958mm. Which means that in an "L2", you can accommodate two euro pallets rather than one. Specifying the useful load-through hatch in the cabin allows you to significantly increase the load length - to 3 meters in L1 or 3.4 meters in "L2". A sliding side door is standard and in "L2", it is wide enough to allow you to load a euro pallet from the side. As for the weight this van will carry, you can maximize it if you find a Connect whose initial owner ticked the box for the "Gross Vehicle Mass" option available for each of the body styles. "L1" can offer a maximum gross payload of up to 865kg, depending on the variant. For "L2", the figure is up to 834kg, again depending on the variant. What to look for This Transit Connect generally has a strong reliability record, but our ownership survey showed a few issues to resolve. The interior is not the last word in refinement, but it is tough. Check for rattles, worn rear suspension, worn clutches, and brakes, and make sure the load bay ties are not bent or broken. As usual, look for a full service history, with vehicles as recent as the MK2 Transit Connect, there are not many excuses for skimping on maintenance. Watch out for rust on the rear door hinges and check the rubber boot covers of the outer CV joint. They wear, and if they let in water, the CV joints will wear quickly. Check that the tires are not worn or damaged on the sidewalls. If there are signs of uneven wear, it could mean the tracking is out and damaged sidewalls or wheels also signal abuse. Check the clutch for slipping or juddering by rolling in second gear at low revs. If there is any evidence of this, then negotiate a discount or have a new one fitted before purchase. On higher mileage examples, check if the timing belt has been replaced. It should have been done every 60,000 km or four years, whichever is sooner. Listen for any noise or drone from the wheel bearings on the test drive. Make sure you run the van, from city speeds to dual carriageway speeds. A new wheel bearing, fitted, will cost around 250 euros. Check how the vehicle you are looking at has been used and dont be afraid of higher mileage examples. 70,000 km doing short drop city driving can be mechanically in tougher condition than an example over 100,000 km that has spent most of its time traveling on motorways. Finally, take a good look around the cabin for any water ingress; lift the carpets, look under the seats, and check under the floor mats. Check that the windshield drain holes are not blocked. Spare parts Approximate prices based on a 2015 Transit Connect 1.6 TDCi 75 HP van. As with most Ford models, spare parts are reasonably priced and very abundant. The front brake set sells in the package for 22 euros - 33 euros - the rear pads around 25 - 40 euros. Front brake discs range between 68 euros - 139 euros (rear ones range between 56 and 85 euros). An air filter is between 8 - 13 euros, a fuel filter is around 21 - 33 euros, and an oil filter is around 7-9 euros. A set of front wipers somewhere at 32 euros. A thermostat is at 39 euros, a water pump from 48-70 euros. A water radiator is approximately 165 euros. 195 euros for an alternator. The oil and filter service package Ford 5w30 somewhere at 140 euros, a distribution with original Ford water pump somewhere at 330 euros. On the road Dont buy any van that prioritizes ride and handling, but with Fords strong reputation in this department when it comes to passenger vehicles, then its fair to expect this Transit Connect to be dynamic, to be one of the class leaders in the light van segment from the 2013-2018 period. Which broadly it is. Like any LCV, it handles better fully loaded, but even in an unloaded state, the cornering is predictable and body roll is well controlled. Once youve dropped the load, you can even imagine rather enjoying the drive home around the twisties in one of these. Up to a point. Part of the reason for this is due to the use of the same torque vectoring system that does so much to improve the cornering bite of Fords compact cars: essentially, its able to transfer power to the front wheel best able to use it, pulling you from bend to bend. Of course, to some extent, the fun you can have is limited by the modest outputs of the engines offered - practically all diesels, as is usually the case in this segment. For this pre-facelift generation model, the second generation was powered by a 1.6-liter TDCi Duratorq unit, offering a selection of outputs of 75, 95, and 115 hp. It is the 95 hp unit that was by far the most popular of the trio and you can see why. It costs very little more than the base 75 hp variant, and in-gear performance is usefully more eager thanks to the flexible 230 Nm of torque, enough to facilitate a braked towing weight of up to 1,200 kg. A pity that you only get a five-speed gearbox: you need to stretch to the top 115 hp powerplant to get a sixth gear that makes motorway cruising more refined. Go for this unit and the pulling power improves to 270Nm. We should also point out that there was a petrol option offered, but its a rare find. Ford decided to insert the award-winning 1.0 Turbo EcoBoost 100 hp unit into this van to make a rather tempting package if you dont have a kind of business that needs to carry heavy payloads and therefore will need the pulling power only a diesel engine can give. The lighter EcoBoost engine takes weight out of the front, so the steering feels a little lighter - though still gives you enough connection to whats happening under the front wheels. Overall After correctly establishing the van segment, this Transit Connect model further developed it in MK2 form. True, other competitors from this era can rival the spaciousness of the load bay, but few can match the pure versatility of this models design. Get the right variant and theres space for three people in front, space for surprisingly long items to be pushed from the back, and even the option to forklift a euro pallet from the side. When the initial version of this Connect was first launched just after the turn of the century, we would never have imagined that one day, a compact van would be able to do all these things. The thought of it would have been as ridiculous as imagining a VCV that could automatically alert emergency services and deliver them to your exact location in the event of an accident. Yet this Ford model can do all these things. However, it may still be an odd van, but in this form, a very smart one.
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