New vehicles that look old

[CMNTMXR57]

We explained why above...

With that said, GM sold nearly 100k of them last year (2017). 98,843 to be exact... This includes both the Express and Savana. And before you say you're shocked. That is actually UP 11.5% over 2016 (88,614 sold).

And while they're selling these, GM is laughing all the way to the bank because I'm sure the R&D costs have long since been paid off, they virtually spend nothing in marketing and they have to invest so little each year to keep them up.

People are probably buying them because of K.I.S.S. GM small block V8, simple transmission, simple everything and they're cheap and have a known depreciation cost over the expected life of the vehicle. They can go into smaller places like in the Loop in Chicago. I was behind one of those Transit 350 dually's the other day down North Ave, that thing is the size of a freaking semi. I was waiting for it to get it's roof torn off going under a bridge at 55mph.

Adding Feb YTD GM full-size van sales;

2018 = 14,525
2017 = 12,658

A YoY increase of 1,867 vans or 14.7% increase.

:shrug:

Someone likes them evidently.

 

[Rent Free]

5th and 6th Gen Camaros

 

[ragingclue]

5th hell yeah but not 6th, nope. But 5th isn't new anyway.

 

[CMNTMXR57]

So says the mustang owner...

 

[IDAFC21]

09 GTR

2018 GTR

 

[Jeffs FRC]

We explained why above...

With that said, GM sold nearly 100k of them last year (2017). 98,843 to be exact... This includes both the Express and Savana. And before you say you're shocked. That is actually UP 11.5% over 2016 (88,614 sold).

And while they're selling these, GM is laughing all the way to the bank because I'm sure the R&D costs have long since been paid off, they virtually spend nothing in marketing and they have to invest so little each year to keep them up.

People are probably buying them because of K.I.S.S. GM small block V8, simple transmission, simple everything and they're cheap and have a known depreciation cost over the expected life of the vehicle. They can go into smaller places like in the Loop in Chicago. I was behind one of those Transit 350 dually's the other day down North Ave, that thing is the size of a freaking semi. I was waiting for it to get it's roof torn off going under a bridge at 55mph.

Adding Feb YTD GM full-size van sales;

2018 = 14,525
2017 = 12,658

A YoY increase of 1,867 vans or 14.7% increase.

:shrug:

Someone likes them evidently.

Yes that's great. As an end user of these work vans I still can't believe companies buy them. They're junk compared to the new Transits.

 

[Yaj Yak]

Ridgelines looks like 80s Japanese vans

still want.

I can’t figure out why people buy these. They used to be cheap and reliable as their only attributes. But now they are hella expensive and just suck as a work van. Everybody knows how to break into them, the dash is 900 feet deep so you lose stuff on it. The seats are the same since 1992 and are made of cheap materials that instantly break and have barely any adjustment. The hinges on the outsides of the doors rust solid. And you can’t even stand in the rear without some kind of uncomfortable crouch going on. Seriously Chevy needs to make a sprinter or euro style work van.

Agree totally! I've had those Chevy vans and the Econolines and our company now uses the long wheelbase Transit 350's with Ecoboosts. I'm not sure how GM sells any of those pos's???

Yes that's great. As an end user of these work vans I still can't believe companies buy them. They're junk compared to the new Transits.

I'll field this van thing... for us it's reliability and cost. we got a new one for 24k otd last i checked. 24k vs the 32k otd the new transit cost us is whatever... what's more important to us is the thing staying running always no matter what. unlike our sprinter which won't start when cold or likes eating glow plugs.

we also can transfer old van's roof racks and shelving into them... and they are absolutely reliable as FUCK. we have several closing in on 300k with basically nothing replaced ever. they are 100% an appliance and just expected to work, and that's why our owner likes them.

we do have a newer sprinter- thing has balls, a lot of space in it, and gets better mpg, but it's negligible when you factor in diesel being more expensive most of the year...

we have a new transit "250" also. it's working well so far. ive heard stuff about them eating brakes? but we haven't seen that yet. they run good but the driver position seems more cramped than an express van somefucking way. no fucking clue how.

we tried out the promaster van for a little while, but they ride like hay carts albeit they HAUL FUCKING ASS

one that i REALLY wanted to get one of but didn't get much traction with boss/worker bees- was a new metris. basically astro van sized... insane load capacities, and really well thought out ergonomics/van shit/etc.

and they haul balls with the turbo gas motor in them. really surprised we aren't seeing more of these out there, especially with current incentives, and the warranty they are throwing at them.

 

[Jeffs FRC]

I'll field this van thing... for us it's reliability and cost. we got a new one for 24k otd last i checked. 24k vs the 32k otd the new transit cost us is whatever... what's more important to us is the thing staying running always no matter what. unlike our sprinter which won't start when cold or likes eating glow plugs.

we also can transfer old van's roof racks and shelving into them... and they are absolutely reliable as FUCK. we have several closing in on 300k with basically nothing replaced ever. they are 100% an appliance and just expected to work, and that's why our owner likes them.

we do have a newer sprinter- thing has balls, a lot of space in it, and gets better mpg, but it's negligible when you factor in diesel being more expensive most of the year...

we have a new transit "250" also. it's working well so far. ive heard stuff about them eating brakes? but we haven't seen that yet. they run good but the driver position seems more cramped than an express van somefucking way. no fucking clue how.

we tried out the promaster van for a little while, but they ride like hay carts albeit they HAUL FUCKING ASS

one that i REALLY wanted to get one of but didn't get much traction with boss/worker bees- was a new metris. basically astro van sized... insane load capacities, and really well thought out ergonomics/van shit/etc.

and they haul balls with the turbo gas motor in them. really surprised we aren't seeing more of these out there, especially with current incentives, and the warranty they are throwing at them.

Our standard fleet ordered Transit 350 stickers for about 40k. I can attest to them eating brakes. Mine had the rears done at 30k miles, but maybe Ford changed the compound or something because van currently has 70k and rears are still good.

The Ecoboost Transits absolutely haul ass compared to the old Econolines and the current Chevys. Typically our vans equipped with tools and ladder racks weigh 8-9k lbs. I would normally get about 15-17 mpgs, which was a huge improvement over the 9-11 mpg's the old Econoline 350's got. Cant remember what the last Chevy Express I had got but I seem to remember about 12mpgs. The Transits ride a lot better too!

Our company had a couple Sprinters and they were complete garbage. Needless to say no more of those around! lol

 

[Stink Star]

My point is why not use the reliable as fuck running gear of the express vans but with more ergonomic interior and a taller, more euro cargo area?

 

[Yaj Yak]

My point is why not use the reliable as fuck running gear of the express vans but with more ergonomic interior and a taller, more euro cargo area?

because gm and logic escapes them

 

[CMNTMXR57]

Our standard fleet ordered Transit 350 stickers for about 40k. I can attest to them eating brakes. Mine had the rears done at 30k miles, but maybe Ford changed the compound or something because van currently has 70k and rears are still good.

The Ecoboost Transits absolutely haul ass compared to the old Econolines and the current Chevys. Typically our vans equipped with tools and ladder racks weigh 8-9k lbs. I would normally get about 15-17 mpgs, which was a huge improvement over the 9-11 mpg's the old Econoline 350's got. Cant remember what the last Chevy Express I had got but I seem to remember about 12mpgs. The Transits ride a lot better too!

Our company had a couple Sprinters and they were complete garbage. Needless to say no more of those around! lol

I bolded what I wanted to speak to.

When I was in a fleet management company, none of those ordering vehicles like this specified speed as a high priority. I get that these turbocharged wonders are quicker than the old V8. But the V8 is more than adequate for the job, is cheap to maintain, parts are cheap and readily available and you know what you're going to get with them.

You want to get the most for the cheapest up front, you want reliability and known maintenance costs and preferably the lowest operating costs at that, and you want to have a fairly good idea on what it will be worth after it's useful life. None came in asking for a van that fully loaded could run the 1/4 mile in a certain time... I get the ergonomics of these newer vans trump the old GM's, but bottom line dollars is often more important.

My point is why not use the reliable as fuck running gear of the express vans but with more ergonomic interior and a taller, more euro cargo area?

This. Actually, I believe there is one coming. GM is just riding out this horse as long as they can. And since sales are consistently up YoY, what is the impetus to bring something to market that'll take awhile to be profitable in such an already crowded segment? It would be different if they were the only game in town. Kinda like how the Sprinter's were so successful initially. They were different and the only game in town like that.

 

[Jeffs FRC]

I bolded what I wanted to speak to.

When I was in a fleet management company, none of those ordering vehicles like this specified speed as a high priority. I get that these turbocharged wonders are quicker than the old V8. But the V8 is more than adequate for the job, is cheap to maintain, parts are cheap and readily available and you know what you're going to get with them.

You want to get the most for the cheapest up front, you want reliability and known maintenance costs and preferably the lowest operating costs at that, and you want to have a fairly good idea on what it will be worth after it's useful life. None came in asking for a van that fully loaded could run the 1/4 mile in a certain time... I get the ergonomics of these newer vans trump the old GM's, but bottom line dollars is often more important.
.

I was simply replying to someone else that talked about other vans that were decently quick. Obviously its not a MAJOR selling point, but having a loaded van that can get out of its own way is nice...

So the GM vans are cheap and reliable? Great! They should be seeing as they've been out for 30 years now...lol

Once again, as an end user that has used both, I'd rather have a Transit than the dinosaur GM. Much nicer to work out of and just driving them in general.

I bolded my main point for you

 

[CMNTMXR57]

Obviously GM's year over year sales increases tell a different story.

 

[Yaj Yak]

well cuz i think people making those decisions don't give a fuck what the worker bee's are driving typically...

 

[Jeffs FRC]

Obviously GM's year over year sales increases tell a different story.

Tell a different story about a Transit being a far better work van? lol ok

well cuz i think people making those decisions don't give a fuck what the worker bee's are driving typically...

Exactly. They're cheap as hell. That's it. End of story. I'm happy my company splurges a little extra for something nicer and more capable.

 

[Yaj Yak]

yeah that's why our two latest purchases were transit vans.


two of the most reliable things we have are like 2013 v6 regular cab long bed 2wd f150's also... fuckers just go and don't need anything. ever. they are awesome. and were cheap as fuck. truck for 19k, ladder rack and cap for 3k with a bedslide. boom go.

 

[Jeffs FRC]

yeah that's why our two latest purchases were transit vans.


two of the most reliable things we have are like 2013 v6 regular cab long bed 2wd f150's also... fuckers just go and don't need anything. ever. they are awesome. and were cheap as fuck. truck for 19k, ladder rack and cap for 3k with a bedslide. boom go.

I've recently moved out of the field and into an office supervision role and am currently driving a 13 F150 XL single cab 2wd with a 3.7 with 97k miles on it. Thing seriously drives like new and I don't think its ever needed anything but oil changes, tires, and brakes. Not one single option though! lol

I can't wait to get my new work truck. 18 STX Scab 4wd 5.0 10 spd will be a HUGE improvement!

 

[Yaj Yak]

I've recently moved out of the field and into an office supervision role and am currently driving a 13 F150 XL single cab 2wd with a 3.7 with 97k miles on it. Thing seriously drives like new and I don't think its ever needed anything but oil changes, tires, and brakes. Not one single option though! lol

I can't wait to get my new work truck. 18 STX Scab 4wd 5.0 10 spd will be a HUGE improvement!

that's the exact same truck i'm talking about

we have one with 250k ish and the other around 185k iirc.

 

[Jeffs FRC]

that's the exact same truck i'm talking about

we have one with 250k ish and the other around 185k iirc.

Lol I believe it!

 

[Gav'sPurpleZ]

This is a 2018:

#2005 ( except for the headlights ).