Ford TRANSIT CUSTOM Parts | 2014 - 2018 | Duratorq EcoBlue #88K0K865K
Ford Transit has led the European LCV market for about half a century, its very name being synonymous with its purpose. In the past, this might have had a lot to do with tradition and the vast option of derivative tools offered, but todays sales success is largely down to product quality. Four products make up the Transit range. The Transit Connect and Transit Courier models cater to customers with more compact cargo transport needs, but here we will look at a larger option, Transit Custom. Launched in 2013, it entered the range below the largest model, known simply as "Transit", and was intended to take on the medium-sized Vito and Vivaro vans in the LCV sector volume. It is indeed a very complete commercial vehicle. Ford Transit Custom Models Medium/large truck (2.2 TDCi diesel, 2.0 Tdci) History Think of a large van and its a pretty safe bet youll think of this one, the Ford Transit, the self-proclaimed "backbone of Britain". And its true, thousands of British businesses do indeed depend on this vehicle. It has been so successful on these shores since its initial launch in 1965 that even its name has almost entered our language, a word for the vans versatility. In 2013, however, Ford realized that its transit product offering needed to be reviewed. Previously, potential customers were faced with a wide and unkempt range that tried to be all things to all businesses. Thus, things changed and a Transit product line with four models was developed. The market was offered a few compact models with "Connect" and "Courier" badges, a truly large version simply called "Transit" and the vehicle we will look at here, which fits somewhere in between - Transit Custom. Custom hits the sweet spot in the mid-range LCV market for a vehicle thats not too big - and not too small. Heres Fords answer to European market leaders like Volkswagen Transporters, Mercedes Vito, Peugeot Expert, Citroen Dispatch, Renault Trafic, and what we know on these shores as Opel Vivaro. To face such tough opposition, the Ford brand offered British businesses an enormous range of choices, with over 300 Transit Custom derivative tools. Not bad when you remember there were only 75 variants available when the original Transit model was first launched in 1965. As a result, if your vans big needs are to carry packages or people, then this Ford remains an LCV option you simply cannot ignore. A facelifted range of Transit Custom was introduced at the beginning of 2018, but here we look at the pre-facelift models from 2013-2017. These were launched with 2.2-liter TDCi diesel engines, but in 2017, Ford replaced this unit with a more powerful "EcoBlue" 2.0-liter engine that complies with Euro6. And at this point, a "SelectShift" automatic gearbox was available with the 130 and 170PS models. What you get A van needs to look smart, modern, and professional. This one does, with signature kinetic design features that bring a sportier stance and a bold rising shoulder line, clearly marking this design as a cargo carrier most of the time. Pride of place on the bold trapezoidal front grille goes to the largest badge Ford uses on any of its vehicles worldwide. Its a pity you dont get the steps provided on the front bumper, which in the previous generation version allowed owners to climb up more easily and clean the screen. When it comes to the hood, a security touch is that youll need the ignition key to open it. Inside, the cabin design is very different from the previous generation Transit, the dashboard featuring the same herringbone-style layout for stereo and phone functions and blue-lit display used in Ford passenger cars of this era. It doesnt quite have the same granite feel youd get in a Mercedes Vito or a Volkswagen Transporter, but the overall level of fit and finish is a big step forward from what youd expect from a Transit. Certainly, the cabin itself is a well-thought-out piece of design, normally a simple three-seater front panel or a two-seater front in the double cab-in-van model. Getting comfortable at the wheel is certainly easy thanks to not only the height-adjustable drivers seat but also, finally, the provision of a steering wheel that can be adjusted for both height and reach. If youre tall, it will also help that the comfortable drivers seat now has an extra 30mm of rearward travel compared to the previous generation model. Most models have the option of folding the middle of the three seats to create an improvised desk large enough for a laptop or clipboard with two cup holders, a pen tray, and an elastic band to keep your documents in place. We also like how folding the base cushions of both passenger seats opens up a spacious, hidden 93-liter storage area to hide valuables like tools. Smaller items can be stored in the glove box where you can hang A4 folders. On loading practices. Like rivals, Transit Custom models come with a pair of twin rear doors with conventional side opening that open to 90 degrees and can then go to 180 degrees. It also helps that if the load you have in mind isnt really heavy, you wont need a forklift - the loading height is, after all, just 583mm from the ground. Certainly, bulky items should be fine, even the low-roof version offering a rear door opening 1400mm wide and 1340mm high, although that will be higher if you opt for the high-roof option. Roof height, along with the choice between short and long wheelbases, will of course also determine the volume of loading space. At the lower end of the range, short-wheelbase low-roof customers get a very decent 6.0m3, which, thanks to a loading space length of 2555mm and a class-leading width between the wheel arches of 1.390mm, is enough to make it the only vehicle in the SWB mid-range van class capable of carrying up to three euro pallets with a one-meter load. Or to transport 8x4 construction boards (i.e. 2,440mm by 1,220mm), either vertically at the edge of the bulkhead or flat on the floor. Use all that space and youll enjoy a payload of at least 883kg. So, in short, you may not need the long-wheelbase version, but if you do, youll find that the extra 0.37m length is enough to increase the loading space volume to 6.8m3, while to match, the payload increases to anywhere between 1,014 and 1,414kg, depending on the Gross Vehicle Weight you choose. Regardless of the custom model you choose, youll get a class-leading height and width sliding side door (1,320mm high in low form and 1,030mm wide). Of course, for Double-Cab-in-Van passenger transport variants, the side door is reserved for the use of rear seat occupants - and their compartment requirement means a mandatory luggage compartment in the back - in SWB models up to 3.5m3, with a loading space length of 1577mm. Probably better in this case to go for an LWB version where the packaging compromise is less acute, these variants offering a loading volume of 4.4m3 and a loading space length of 1944mm. Once youve loaded, theres a vinyl cover to protect the floor, although it wont stop you from scratching the wheel arches or the vehicles interior sides if the van youre looking at hasnt been fitted with a full set of lining. Of course, damage is less likely if you properly tie down the load, which is possible in this Transit Custom with the help of no less than eight different anchor points. If you forget to use them and everything slides forward, youll enjoy full steel walls. At the bottom of this is a neat hatch that allows longer items - pipes, ladders, and so on - to be safely transported inside the vehicle. Spare parts (approx. prices, based on a 2015 Transit Custom 2.2TDCi 125 Hp) As with most Ford models, spare parts are reasonably priced and very abundant. Front brake discs range between 75 - 125 euros. An air filter is in the 17 - 22 euro package, a fuel filter is around 33 - 50 euros, and an oil filter is around 8 - 12 euros. Front wiper package at 27 - 32 euros. A thermostat is about 27 euros, a water pump about 170 euros. A radiator is about 245 euros. Youll pay 350 - 480 euros for an alternator and around 1,200 euros for a new turbo. On the road Driving dynamics have been integral to transit motoring since the late nineties when Ford went so far as to enlist experts like former F1 world champion Jackie Stewart to do them justice. The last generation version of this vehicle was better than its competitors to drive and this Transit Custom continued that trend, its steering being particularly impressive. Like any commercial vehicle, it handles better fully loaded, but even in an unloaded state, the cornering response is impressive and body roll is well controlled. Cornering response is perhaps easiest to explain, provided courtesy of a torque control system, perfected on Ford cars. Through corners, this constantly shifts traction to the wheels that can use it best, pulling you perfectly from bend to bend in a way you simply dont expect from a van. Meanwhile, body roll control provides a 37% improvement in torsional rigidity, which has also improved cabin refinement - by up to 9% over the previous generation model, according to Ford. Under the hood, the range from launch was based around one engine, an improved version of Fords 2.2-liter Duratorq TDCi unit developed together with Peugeot Citroen, operating with an Auto-Stop-Start system and offered in three states of tune for front-wheel-drive customers - with 100, 125, or 155 hp. All these units feel usefully more than they did in their old guises, with power from just 1,500 rpm and even the entry-level TDCi 100 developing a useful torque of 310Nm, a figure rising to 385Nm if you opt for the 155 hp version. Either way, theres enough pulling power to be able to tow a braked trailer of up to 2.0 tons. The other thing you notice at the wheel with these engines is decent refinement, partly thanks to the long-geared 6-speed manual transmission. Handling and enhanced performance make it important for the brakes to be available. This was improved by Ford in later versions of the previous generation model, which by the end of its life had disc brakes throughout. Youll also want this vehicle to be maneuverable, hence a relatively tight turning circle, which varies between 11.6m (curb to curb) and 12.2m (wall to wall). And if youre at an uphill junction, standard Hill Launch Assist will help you get out smoothly. Overall This custom transit model proved to be a straightforward choice for medium van buyers. It certainly helped that it met a wider variety of commercial needs than any other Transit derivative. Very few rivals can beat either the practicality of this Ford or its day-to-day operating costs.
2026