✅ MECHANICS: Which is more reliable and easier to work on - Ford Transit or Dodge Promaster?

[magentawave]

MECHANICS: In your personal experience and from what you’ve heard from reliable sources, here are questions about the FULL SIZE Ford Transit vs the Dodge Promaster...

1) Which engine is more reliable?

2) Which engine is easier for NON mechanics to maintain (oil, oil filter, plugs, change trans fluid, etc.)?

3) Which van is easier for NON mechanics to replace parts that typically need replacing after 100k+ miles, like starters, water pumps, radiators, alternators, etc.?

4) Which one has a transmission that will last longer?

Thank you!

 

[Ric G]

I'm currently looking to buy either a Transit or ProMaster and would LOVE to know the answers to those questions as well. Thanks for asking.

 

[abnorm]

I can only tell you about the Transit..........I've got a '17 with 100,000 miles.......no ecoboost

I'm overloaded in the WEST......so good tires and brakes are always challenge.........

Recently required Transmission "service"......drop the pan, gaskets, filter and re-fill....$1000 (There's NO topside dipstick for the Trans....4" long at the transmission while the van's running).....that's the First a professional had her in the shop.........

I would not have a Full size FrontWheelDrive van on remote land

 

[magentawave]

I would not have a Full size FrontWheelDrive van on remote land

Why not? Probably eats tires but FWD should be better in sand and snow, right?

 

[Calaverasgrande]

The Transit has a pretty well known engine. The 3.7L and 3.5L 'Ecoboost' are both in a ton of other vehciles. So you won't have any trouble getting those parts. The Transmissions, at least the older 6 speed ones are also in a lot of Ford trucks.
But there are a couple wonky things about Ford's drivetrain in the Transit.
First was the guibo. Thats a rubber disk that connects the trans to the first driveshaft.
The second is their approach to ATF fluid.
The guibo has a recall notice for several years of the transit, including mine.
Apparently there is a possibility of the rubber disk disintegrating and the drive shaft flopping out.
That will total the vehicle if you are at freeway speeds.
So I was happy to get that recall done.
The ATF fluid thing is strange. Ford claims it's "lifetime". Only needing to be changed after 150k. Which has to be done at Ford according to them.
Transit owners are finding that it really only lasts about 60-70k. Then you start getting rumble strip vibrations from the torque converter thanks to the degraded AT fluid.
I though my transmission or TC was failing. Got my ATF changed based on what other transit owners have said. Fixed it right up.
OTOH I get pretty good MPG. It handles well. Ford has dealerships and service centers all over the place. Enough of these vans (and related Ford trucks) are out there that you won't have any trouble finding someone to work on it.
Dodge I have poor opinion of based on a light truck and a minivan I had years ago. Funny how some negative experiences color your perception for a long time!

 

[Tony's Dream]

I have a 2016 Ford Transit Connect. I took a risk to buy one with a recall title (or whatever the call it) because it had been returned for service issues to many times while under warranty. I have had it for over a year, though I haven't driven more than about 5,000 miles since I bought it, but it's been a good van for me. Took it on a weeklong trip throughout Wyoming (about 2600 miles) and it handled very well. Averaged 37 MPG.

 

[dhuff]

Why not? Probably eats tires but FWD should be better in sand and snow, right?

Strangely, no. Camper van setups have more of their weight on the rear axel than the front, so rear-wheel drive provides better traction in that scenario.

 

[seal]

Im not sure which transmission the 2WD transit has but the 10 speed that comes in the AWD seems to be a lemon.

 

[GoingMobile]

Im not sure which transmission the 2WD transit has but the 10 speed that comes in the AWD seems to be a lemon.

What are you basing that statement on?

 

[SpinnerUp]

Spend some time talking to the drivers of commercial Transits and Promaster vans that you run across during the day in the Lowes/Home Depot parking lots. If you plan on buying used, that's the type of service a used van will have most likely seen prior to your purchase. Ask those folks about reliability and problems they've had. I really wanted a tall van but after talking to a bunch of those folks I ended up with a LWB Savana. Since it's just me soloing around it works just great. I can get it repaired, if needed, anywhere and much less expensively. Just my 2 cents.

Promaster vans are or were made by a division of Fiat.

 

[GaryRgdreysa]

Hi,
I have no experience with the Transit, but have a 2014 RAM Promaster with 110,000 miles on it. I do most of my own mechanical work.

The PM has been reliable. Only significant work was to replace the oil pressure sensor, which I had done.

Just to clarify one comment above that the weight on the rear wheels is greater than the front. That is not true on my conversion.
These are my weights:

Weight Summary​

Item​	Total Weight (lb)​	Front Axle Weight (lb)​	Rear Axle Weight(lb)​
Empty Weight​	4730	3013	1717	Empty Van
Conversion Weight​	1034 (1)	154	880	Conversion parts(beds, tanks, galley, paneling, …
Empty Weight After Conversion​	5764	3167	2597	Weight of converted van without payload
Payload​	971	546	425	Payload (people, water, groceries, propane, junk)
Total Trip Weight​	6734 lbs	3713 lbs	3022 lbs

I have about 700 lbs more on the front axle. This will depend on which wheel base you get and on your conversion weight.

The routine maintenance on the PM are straight forward. Oil changes are a breeze. Brake renewal is straight forward. Transmission oil change (60K miles) is a bit of a pain, but you can replace the transmission pan with one that has a drain plug, which makes it easy.

The Pentastar engine/drivetrain is generally reliable. There are shippers on the PM Forum that have 600K miles with no major work. But, some have had transmission work at 120K miles or so.
Avoid the diesel, which is an orphan.

Work on the PM beyond routine oil changes and the like gets to be more of a pain. Most work beyond oil changes requires working in tight space and generally removing a lot of junk to get to what you want. Pretty much the way things are with newer vehicles.

The PM drives and handles very nicely. The front wheel drive allows for a lower floor, so a less tall van. The width of the PM allows comfortable sleeping across the van - to me this is major. The U-turn radius is amazing. I live way north where we have snow on the road 5 months of the year - the front wheel drive PM with good tires is very good on snow.
I guess you can tell I like my PM
There is a good ProMaster forum - lots of posts on vehicle reliability there. Search for the posts by Kip-onTruckin for some good posts on powertrain reliability and work.

Gary

 

[tzagi]

I would hold my nose and get the ford as I would not own a fiat Chrysler product for all the money in the world, Guess if you lease one and its under warranty...That may be acceptable.

 

[GaryRgdreysa]

Both the Ford Transit and the RAM ProMaster are remakes of European vans.
The ProMaster is a Fiat Ducato with the powertrain replaced with the RAM Pentastsar 3.6 liter engine, which is used in many of the Fiat/Chrysler cars.
I think that the Ducato is the best selling van of this type in the world.
The Ford Transit van was developed and offered Europe for decades(?) before being offered in the US.
They are both very good envelopes for camper van conversions and both offer full standing headroom.
There are good online forums for both the Transit and the ProMaster - probably the best place to get good info from owners.

Gary

 

[John in Montreal]

I have the ecoboost engine in my F150. Only issue was the timing chain had to be replaced at 100k. (60k miles)

 

[Catalyst1]

Spend some time talking to the drivers of commercial Transits and Promaster vans that you run across during the day in the Lowes/Home Depot parking lots. If you plan on buying used, that's the type of service a used van will have most likely seen prior to your purchase. Ask those folks about reliability and problems they've had. I really wanted a tall van but after talking to a bunch of those folks I ended up with a LWB Savana. Since it's just me soloing around it works just great. I can get it repaired, if needed, anywhere and much less expensively. Just my 2 cents.

Promaster vans are or were made by a division of Fiat.

I agree with you SpinnerUp, I have read of very expensive maintenance on both kinds of Transit vehicles, and quite a few mechanical problems. I decided against looking for one after doing the homework on them.