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2014 Transit Connect Wagon


azulejost

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It's been a few years since I last posted, and since then I went from thinking I may buy a Focus to my wife having a '13 Escape Titanium. It's a great vehicle other than the fuel economy, particularly in the city.

 

Anyway, I've have become interested in the '14 TCW. I liked the versatility of the current TC when it launched, but it lacks the amenities to make it an acceptable family vehicle. The update adds the exterior and interior styling and, reportedly, features of the C1 Fords to make for an appealing package.

 

Unfortunately, it seems the TCW has been delayed somewhat--initial news suggested Q3 but now I'm hearing early 2014. Does anyone have any updated information, final order guides/specs, or when to expect order banks and deliveries to begin?

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It's been a few years since I last posted, and since then I went from thinking I may buy a Focus to my wife having a '13 Escape Titanium. It's a great vehicle other than the fuel economy, particularly in the city.

 

Anyway, I've have become interested in the '14 TCW. I liked the versatility of the current TC when it launched, but it lacks the amenities to make it an acceptable family vehicle. The update adds the exterior and interior styling and, reportedly, features of the C1 Fords to make for an appealing package.

 

Unfortunately, it seems the TCW has been delayed somewhat--initial news suggested Q3 but now I'm hearing early 2014. Does anyone have any updated information, final order guides/specs, or when to expect order banks and deliveries to begin?

no ordering guides have been released yet....

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  • 5 months later...

I ordered a 2014 Transit Connect wagon on July 5 and still have no idea when it will be built. I knew production would not start until Sept. 30. My dealer tried to get a VIN or build date but could not get either. I call Ford marketing and was first told it would be delivered around Nov. 1 then two weeks later it would not be built until early 2014. My dealer called Ford and talked to them and was told again no build until 2014. I called Ford consumer affairs and again told my order would not be built until early 2014. I asked if I had a early order why such a long wait and they told me I got my order in too late and I should see if my dealer could trade for one of their vehicles. I looked up dealers all over the country and no one has a 2014's and will not be getting any until next year.

I just wish Ford would be honest about what the holdup is or know what they are talking about.

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I called Ford consumer affairs and again told my order would not be built until early 2014.

IMHO, you are much better off waiting !

 

All new vehicle, being built in a totally different plant. While the EU version is in production, the much more complicated US version. With all of the differences between the EU and US version, the issue is likely do to suppliers, which are out of Ford's hands.

 

You should feel lucky you order a wagon. The latest from the government is that they may demand a huge import tax on the van version.

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  • 1 month later...

Regarding the anticipated arrival at dealerships: A dealer told me last week that Ford corporate informed dealers that on 7 Nov the approval to ship Transit Connects from Valencia, Spain to USA had been received. With that info, he guessed that perhaps the last two weeks of December the first TCs might arrive at dealerships. Also said a more likely date would be after New Years. He said the first ones ordered by his dealerships were fully-optioned, high line Titanium model wagons, and he expected other dealers would do the same with their first orders.

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  • 1 month later...

Update on when we can expect the first Transit Connects in the USA: the week before Christmas a dealer looked in his inventory, shipment system and said the first USA-bound vans are sitting on the docks in Valencia, Spain, waiting to be loaded. Perhaps they gather enough of them there to fill a freighter before loading. From there, they go to Jacksonville, Florida, to be distributed to US dealers. Ford's inventory search tool for customers shows all the ones that dealers have ordered are 2.5 L engine versions. Ecoboost models must be unavailable for now.

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Update on when we can expect the first Transit Connects in the USA: the week before Christmas a dealer looked in his inventory, shipment system and said the first USA-bound vans are sitting on the docks in Valencia, Spain, waiting to be loaded. Perhaps they gather enough of them there to fill a freighter before loading.

Possibly.

 

My guess is they are sitting there waiting for Ford and the FTC to come to some kind of agreement to allow import of the TC (non-wagon version) without being subject to the chicken tax. This could drag on for many, many months !

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Hopefully they will be showing up soon. If I could remember where the storage lot/"port" is in Baltimore--I assume the same lot that held our Escape when it came off the rail car--I'd consider going to have a look myself.

I drove through the dealer lot in Silver Spring today but no sign of '14 TCs of Van or Wagon variety.

Next week is Detroit then the Washington auto show starts only a week and a half later so it's looking like that will be the first chance for me to see them.

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  • 2 weeks later...

At last it seems that a few Transit Connects have arrived at dealers' lots. Searches turn up dealer ads (i.e. on Youtube) with specific vans photographed at the dealerships vs. stock, generic photos of vans with "dealer ordered" footnote. I've seen a handful of these ads for dealers in the Eastern USA.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Bluebonnet,

 

That's good to hear. I have yet to see one at a dealer, but Ford has a basic white XLT van on display at the Washington Auto Show. It was locked and stickered "Prototype vehicle. Locked for your protection." as though it could spontaneously combust if you were to get inside. I think it's a little odd to have that displayed when it is arriving at dealer lots and is listed among the other 2014 production models on Ford's website. If it were me, having a wagon model in Titanium trim in a color other than commercial white would have been a nice way to introduce it to the public since they haven't yet seen this body style in its predominantly commercial function. But I'm not in marketing.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Still no TCs in state of Georgia. Why not? SC has some. VA, PA, FL, NJ, MD, .....but not GA. Some GA dealers claim "Just arrived" on their website, but both the Ford search inventory tool, and the cars.com search show none arrived, but plenty of them "dealer ordered."

Is it because inventory of old models is too high here? One dealer lot near Atlanta has 20+ white 2013 TCs sitting unsold, yesterday Feb 9th.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I ordered a new Transit Connect wagon on July 5, 2013. I knew they would not be built for awhile, they first estimated production would being in late September, but did not think it would take this long. At first it showed a build date of 11/6/2013 on Ford ETIS but no window sticker available. Then it showed a revised build date of 12/23/2013 and a window sticker finally showed up on-line which was my vehicle. I was told by Ford that this vehicle was shipped out of Spain on Jan. 21, 2014 and off-loaded in Jacksonville, FL around Feb. 5th. Now they say it's on hold, it could be related to customs. How long is it going to take to get these vehicles to the dealers? Most people do not want to wait 8 months to get a new vehicle. Does anyone know what the hold up is at the ports?

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Possibly.

 

My guess is they are sitting there waiting for Ford and the FTC to come to some kind of agreement to allow import of the TC (non-wagon version) without being subject to the chicken tax. This could drag on for many, many months !

 

 

Would this apply to Spanish made vehicles?

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Would this apply to Spanish made vehicles?

 

Now they say it's on hold, it could be related to customs. How long is it going to take to get these vehicles to the dealers?

Not customs. Import taxes

 

Ford taken to task by gov't for Chicken Tax end-around

 

You wouldn't mind paying a 25% import tax, would you ?

 

Let's see. Is a vehicle made in Spain an import ? YES !

Edited by theoldwizard
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  • 7 months later...

Anyone had a Wagon for a while yet? How is reliability? We have a 2005 Freestar with 150,000 miles. Looking for next car. My dad's retirement job is driving for a NAPA parts dealer. The local Napa company he works for replaced all their Dodge Caravan's with Transits. My dad likes his (to drive) , but their maintenance man says they are being worked no all the time and parts take a long time to arrive.

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