Minivan musings

[One Awesome Inch]

Are you still happy with the older style Connect?  Do you feel it is big enough for what you want or are you thinking of a full size van? Any thoughts about what you'd look for?

I'm still debating this whole minivan vs full sized thing... obviously. 

I've been in my connect for about 6 months. Hightop Express before that. No regrets making the switch. Just have to be a minimalist. More floor to ceiling height vs a minivan.

 

[user 37446]

Thanks for letting me know of your success with the TC.  I was walking around Abbottsford (BC to those from down south) and have seen several of the older TC's, a couple of the newer body style (since the 2014 redesign of the TC), and also just saw my first Dodge Promaster City.  The PM City appeared longer than the TC.  I'll need to read up on it.  Aside from them being kinda new (and costly, as their first year was 2015), here's what Car and Driver said:

[font='Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Begin quote:[/font]

[font='Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]"[size=medium][font='Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]History[/font]

[font='Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Introduced for the 2015 model year to replace the Dodge Caravan-based C/V Tradesman, the Ram ProMaster City is based on the Fiat Doblo, which has been on sale since 2000. The first-gen Doblo was sold in various world markets under different names. While the second-generation Fiat Doblo debuted in 2010, the ProMaster City didn’t arrive until its mid-cycle refresh in 2015.[/font][/font][/size]
[font='Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]With its 122.4-inch wheelbase and 131.7 cubic feet of cargo volume, and 1883-pound payload, the ProMaster City compares favorably to the redesigned 2014 Transit Connect (103.9-128.6 cubic feet of cargo volume, 1710-pound payload) and NV200 (122.7 cubic feet of cargo volume, 1477-1500-pound payload). The ProMaster City matches the Transit Connect’s 2000-pound max tow rating. The NV200, on the other hand, is not rated for towing.  ...[size=medium][font='Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]The brakes consist of 12-inch front discs and 10-inch rear drums with heavy-duty pads and shoes."[/font][/font][/size]
[font='Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]End quote[/font]

[font='Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Hmm, rear drums is a step backwards in design.  I thought almost every vehicle sold domestically now was 4 wheel discs... Just 5.1 inches of ground clearance, definately a hindrance for BLM roads...[/font]

[font='Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Anyway, maybe all that will help someone.  Still too much $ for me, cause they are too new. That's where the Fords, (I've seen 2010's with 100K miles for less than $10K) are better.[/font]

 

[PineyCruisin]

My biggest hang up on a true minivan is ventilation. I've watched many minivan YouTube videos and no one talks about that. It's unreasonable to plop a F fan in the roof, I'm not cutting holes in the floor, so am feeling a bit stuck. Do most minivans side windows (back) pop out an inch or so?  I'm looking at 1999 - 2004, any brand will do. 

Don't know if you are still interested in this info TWIH, but all minivans that we've owned (Chevy, Dodge, and Plymouths between 1997 - 2005) had side and back windows that opened. 

Ventilation was extremely important to us, too, when looking for a vehicle to convert. So when we were looking at full-size passenger vans for possible camper conversion, we were shocked to see that many,especially the newer models, had absolutely no windows that opened except for driver/passenger doors. Sometimes the back windows had hinged opening. We even noticed some Chevy conversion vans with no opening windows.

 

[user 37446]

Don't know if you are still interested in this info TWIH, but all minivans that we've owned (Chevy, Dodge, and Plymouths between 1997 - 2005) had side and back windows that opened. 

Ventilation was extremely important to us, too, when looking for a vehicle to convert. So when we were looking at full-size passenger vans for possible camper conversion, we were shocked to see that many,especially the newer models, had absolutely no windows that opened except for driver/passenger doors. Sometimes the back windows had hinged opening. We even noticed some Chevy conversion vans with no opening windows.

Yeah, I've noticed that same thing, and many older minivan back passenger windows open from the side, opening out so that rain can come in as opposed to the 80's and some 90's full sized vans very back door windows that opened from the bottom, thus allowing most rain to drip down and not in.  

Sadly, this whole ventilation thing is pushing me towards a full sized cargo van, and I'm not too pleased with my anticipated gas bill, due to my need to drive 20-30 miles 6 days a week, plus about 10-15 the 7th day, all year long.  That's about 2 gallons of gas a day for the typical full sized V8 van as opposed to 1 gallon for a 4 or 6 cyl minivan. 

I know that I can financially make it but just wish there was an alternative that was bigger than a Transit Connect or Astro but got TC mileage.  Might as well wish that pigs fly too... 

 

[Gideon33w]

Ya know, in the Mechanical section I have a breakdown on common minivans and full size vans ...

As far as ventilation the ol' roof fan and front window rain guard combo is just as good on a minivan compared to a full size. I wouldn't worry too much about opening the rear windows as that tends to blow stealth out the window (pun intended) and unless there's a heck of a breeze it's really no more air movement compared to a roof fan venting air drawn from cracked front windows with rain guards over them.

That said, do keep in mind that an extra gallon of gas per day is less than $1,000 per year and is spread out. Now, factor in the cheaper maintenance costs and longer lifespan of full size vans and you'll find that it really just balances out in the end. Also, minivan fuel economy will suffer greatly when heavily laden whereas full size vans are made to haul heavy loads.

 

[John61CT]

Just get over your hangup about cutting sheet metal, really not a big deal if you get creative.

Get enough smaller fans incoming from the bottom you can get away without a big one on the top. Cracked windows with rain guard there's enough outflow.

I gotta go that way to maximize roof rack and solar, otherwise I'd put a Maxx Air up top and be nice and cool no worries.

If you really want tobe sneaky, get a guy knows how to hack into the built-in ventilation system see if you can get that going with ignition off.

The Webasto/Espar parking heaters that work off the engine cooling system do that, so for sure it can be done.

 

[Gideon33w]

If I were to do a minivan and wasn't in a place where pavement can be used for cooking I very well might do the floor van idea.
It's also nice because you can go from bottom rear to top front for the most airflow possible.

Don't try to run a vehicle blower as your fan though. They are extremely inefficient compared to virtually any other real option.

 

[user 37446]

I guess I could put enough fans blowing air out the bottom to have a kinda' hover-van...

The following taken from Autoblog.com website dated 7-29-2013:

"Top Gear walks a very narrow line between documentary, sitcom and reality television. And while some aspects of it are true, it shouldn't be a huge shock that there are plenty of staged elements. Still, there seem to be elements of the British public that think everything shown on the telly is true, which makes the latest controversy over Top Gear's fakery seem rather silly to us.

The anger stems from the July 21 episode, which actually airs tonight on BBC America (spoiler alert from here out), where Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May attempt to convert a Ford Transit into a hovercraft. The resulting hovervan can work on the road, and can kind of work on the water, as demonstrated during an extended cruise on the River Avon.

This is where people are getting angry. In one scene, the trio pass a riverside restaurant and decided to stop in for a bite. Patrons sitting on the water's edge are then mercilessly blown and splashed by the jet wash of the hovervan's fans. Here's the controversy – those "patrons" were apparently staged actors. Yes, Top Gear is in trouble with the British public because they used actors for a segment rather than ruining the days of unsuspecting people."

End of quoted segment

 

[Gideon33w]

Floor fans would be for intake not exhaust. You'd also have to get a little creative to keep the sealed while driving. The underside of a vehicle is a low pressure area so thet opening will create massive suction while driving if not close.

 

[John61CT]

Don't try to run a vehicle blower as your fan though. They are extremely inefficient compared to virtually any other real option.

Wonder about replacing the stock fans?

 

[Gideon33w]

That is going to be a huge amount of work for nothing. Most blowers sit in injection molded boxes designed to fit into the given space. That's why replacing them tends to be a pain. The only advantage would be that you can pull the waste heat off the heater core but you're still not cycling coolant so even that wont last long. Stick to what is tried and true and space/power efficient.