|
01-28-2025, 07:14 PM
|
#1
|
Gold Member
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: Sydney Australia
Posts: 83
|
What is more popular as a base : Ford Transit or Promaster?
Where I come from in Australia, Ford Transit is a very much non starter. Interesting to see the breakup in the US between the Transit and the Promaster.
Here the bases are primarily Sprinter and Ducato. Now get Renault Master and the LDV Chinese Van. Interestingly they appear to be everywhere, the VW Crafter has only one conversion done by Jayco at VW dealerships
|
|
|
01-29-2025, 01:54 AM
|
#2
|
Platinum Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 979
|
I think it depends on the area of the country. In the West, particularly the Southwest, particularly in areas where boondocking is common, there's a PM everywhere we look. We've seen as many as half a dozen in a small grocery parking lot. Transits are rare beasts there.
East of the Mississippi, we see fewer PM's, more Transits.
|
|
|
01-29-2025, 09:56 AM
|
#3
|
Gold Member
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: Sydney Australia
Posts: 83
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by MsNomer
I think it depends on the area of the country. In the West, particularly the Southwest, particularly in areas where boondocking is common, there's a PM everywhere we look. We've seen as many as half a dozen in a small grocery parking lot. Transits are rare beasts there.
East of the Mississippi, we see fewer PM's, more Transits.
|
I think the VW Crafter will become more popular as a base in the next couple of years
|
|
|
01-29-2025, 04:36 PM
|
#4
|
Platinum Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Chaska MN
Posts: 1,792
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by RobRyan
I think the VW Crafter will become more popular as a base in the next couple of years
|
VW dealers are very rare, so I doubt this will ever be seen in the US.
I would say that Promasters are the most common for a few reasons. They got into the Class B market as soon as it appeared and won on price (and interior space... those few inches wider make it so much more comfortable). I haven't checked prices lately... since Promaster added all the mostly useless bells and whistles.
Then Transit verrry sllooowwly got in the B market. For long periods, there were just none available while the world waited for chips.
__________________
2021 Promaster 1500 118wb conversion
2019 Roadtrek Simplicity SRT (almost a Zion)
2015 Roadtrek 170
2011 LTV Libero
2004 GWV Classic Supreme
|
|
|
01-29-2025, 07:10 PM
|
#5
|
Gold Member
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: Sydney Australia
Posts: 83
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by mumkin
VW dealers are very rare, so I doubt this will ever be seen in the US.
I would say that Promasters are the most common for a few reasons. They got into the Class B market as soon as it appeared and won on price (and interior space... those few inches wider make it so much more comfortable). I haven't checked prices lately... since Promaster added all the mostly useless bells and whistles.
Then Transit verrry sllooowwly got in the B market. For long periods, there were just none available while the world waited for chips.
|
Here the VW is like the current Sprinter but there is no 4x4 version. It has been surprisingly popular very common on Sydney streets. Sprinters have fallen off, Toyota Hiace very common, with the Chinese LDV. Ducato's less so, Ford Transit's, where are they? Ford Australia sells 90%Ford Rangers and the SUV version and a few small cars and Transits the rest.
Chinese LDV Van does it look familiar
|
|
|
01-30-2025, 03:44 PM
|
#6
|
Platinum Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Chaska MN
Posts: 1,792
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by RobRyan
Here the VW is like the current Sprinter but there is no 4x4 version. It has been surprisingly popular very common on Sydney streets. Sprinters have fallen off, Toyota Hiace very common, with the Chinese LDV. Ducato's less so, Ford Transit's, where are they? Ford Australia sells 90%Ford Rangers and the SUV version and a few small cars and Transits the rest.
Chinese LDV Van does it look familiar
|
Ford apparently looked at the glutted market for vans in Oz and thought... why bother. lol Of those you listed, we only have Sprinter and our version of the Ducato.
__________________
2021 Promaster 1500 118wb conversion
2019 Roadtrek Simplicity SRT (almost a Zion)
2015 Roadtrek 170
2011 LTV Libero
2004 GWV Classic Supreme
|
|
|
01-30-2025, 07:40 PM
|
#7
|
Gold Member
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: Sydney Australia
Posts: 83
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by mumkin
Ford apparently looked at the glutted market for vans in Oz and thought... why bother. lol Of those you listed, we only have Sprinter and our version of the Ducato.
|
There is actually more, the Hyundai Staria, Peugeot Boxer, which are similar in size to the Hi Ace( about the size of the Chevrolet) and of course the biggest Van you can get the IVECO Daily. It is used as a Class C and Expedition Vehicle Base. GVCWR is 23,400lb
Bit off my original question what is most used r the Promaster or the Transit, but Class B's in Australia are a bit more complex than in the US or Canada
This is the IVECO Daily as a Van an A 4x4 Expedition Vehicle
|
|
|
01-30-2025, 09:46 PM
|
#8
|
Platinum Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 979
|
That is a terribly long snout.
|
|
|
01-30-2025, 10:01 PM
|
#9
|
Gold Member
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: Sydney Australia
Posts: 83
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by MsNomer
That is a terribly long snout.
|
Slightly longer than the Sprinter. It is to do with crash safety
|
|
|
Yesterday, 05:28 PM
|
#10
|
Platinum Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Chaska MN
Posts: 1,792
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by RobRyan
Slightly longer than the Sprinter. It is to do with crash safety
|
I agree with MSNOMER. We are used to the pug nosed Promasters. lol As to safety, Promaster does a very good job of protecting people in the cab without having a long snout. The woman who purchased my Roadtrek Simplicity got hit near head-on at high speed this past summer. The van was totaled, but she only got bruises from the belts. The driver who hit her in a car was badly hurt.
As to Promaster versus Transit conversions. Clearly there are more Promaster conversions. They got a head start. I'm not sure about Sprinter's position. It started way ahead of Promaster as it started way before, but the increasing issues after DEF requirements and other things that I didn't really have to understand. But a number of my friends dumped their Sprinter RVs because they were tired of dealing with their issues. (and high maintenance costs combined with a dearth of service facilities)
__________________
2021 Promaster 1500 118wb conversion
2019 Roadtrek Simplicity SRT (almost a Zion)
2015 Roadtrek 170
2011 LTV Libero
2004 GWV Classic Supreme
|
|
|
Yesterday, 09:14 PM
|
#11
|
Gold Member
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: Sydney Australia
Posts: 83
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by mumkin
I agree with MSNOMER. We are used to the pug nosed Promasters. lol As to safety, Promaster does a very good job of protecting people in the cab without having a long snout. The woman who purchased my Roadtrek Simplicity got hit near head-on at high speed this past summer. The van was totaled, but she only got bruises from the belts. The driver who hit her in a car was badly hurt.
As to Promaster versus Transit conversions. Clearly there are more Promaster conversions. They got a head start. I'm not sure about Sprinter's position. It started way ahead of Promaster as it started way before, but the increasing issues after DEF requirements and other things that I didn't really have to understand. But a number of my friends dumped their Sprinter RVs because they were tired of dealing with their issues. (and high maintenance costs combined with a dearth of service facilities)
|
Promaster is very similar to the Ducato. IVECO is very safe. Sprinters are used a lot for Class B conversions unlike the US. Toyota HiAce has also developed a nose for the same reason as the IVECO Earlier version of the IVECO a Cab chassis towing
|
|
|
Today, 02:29 AM
|
#12
|
Platinum Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Chaska MN
Posts: 1,792
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by RobRyan
Promaster is very similar to the Ducato. IVECO is very safe. Sprinters are used a lot for Class B conversions unlike the US. Toyota HiAce has also developed a nose for the same reason as the IVECO Earlier version of the IVECO a Cab chassis towing
|
Sprinters are still used a lot in the US, but not sure if they are still the most used or not. The rest of them aren't even an option as we don't have them.
The Promaster is pretty much just a Ducato with a Ram engine and drivetrain... and following US safety rules. Same Stellantis company...
__________________
2021 Promaster 1500 118wb conversion
2019 Roadtrek Simplicity SRT (almost a Zion)
2015 Roadtrek 170
2011 LTV Libero
2004 GWV Classic Supreme
|
|
|
Today, 02:38 AM
|
#13
|
Gold Member
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: Sydney Australia
Posts: 83
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by mumkin
Sprinters are still used a lot in the US, but not sure if they are still the most used or not. The rest of them aren't even an option as we don't have them.
The Promaster is pretty much just a Ducato with a Ram engine and drivetrain... and following US safety rules. Same Stellantis company...
|
Promaster does not follow EU safety rules( Australian ADR's have that component) and as such would be illegal here. Petrol 3.6 would not sell here as well. Sprinters are the same though with Minor modifications
Interesting comment on a forum
Quote:
. Even a new vehicle that is a copy of a European vehicle is nowhere close to meeting European standards, not that any one is better or strict than the other, just different. Some of the differences are big, emission device type, the rear fog lights example, others are small (Color of certain lights, for the US the little glow in the dark handle in the trunk to open it from the inside). Point being, don't assume just because the van is like a Fiat, that it will meet European standards if you are required to meet them
|
|
|
|
Today, 03:30 AM
|
#14
|
Platinum Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 979
|
The PM and Ducato bodies are essentially identical. I cannot imagine the Ducato would meet European specs and the PM not??
|
|
|
Today, 07:29 AM
|
#15
|
Gold Member
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: Sydney Australia
Posts: 83
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by MsNomer
The PM and Ducato bodies are essentially identical. I cannot imagine the Ducato would meet European specs and the PM not??
|
Yes that is the case see above .Cybertruck cannot be sold in Europe, because of pedestrian issues, but no problems in the US . US Pickup Trucks need to be modified to be sold in Australia to meet ADR rules, as well as remanufactured into RHD
|
|
|
Today, 05:16 PM
|
#16
|
Platinum Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Chaska MN
Posts: 1,792
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by RobRyan
Promaster does not follow EU safety rules(
Interesting comment on a forum
|
Every country has different safety rules and thus any import from another country has to have modifications. Even Canada and the US are different. Every converter in Canada (LTV, Roadtrek, Pleasureway) has American platforms and Canadian platforms... and it has to have the platform targeted to the US to sell at a US dealer. The funniest part is that I do believe that all Promasters are built at the same factory in Mexico... lol... I could be wrong and Canada also has a factory.
For instance... on American Promaster models, you can turn the running lights on and off through the radio menu. In Canada it is a law that running lights be on, thus you can't turn them off.
How different are the rules? Very little I suspect... like the example.
__________________
2021 Promaster 1500 118wb conversion
2019 Roadtrek Simplicity SRT (almost a Zion)
2015 Roadtrek 170
2011 LTV Libero
2004 GWV Classic Supreme
|
|
|
Today, 05:55 PM
|
#17
|
Platinum Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 979
|
"I do believe that all Promasters are built at the same factory in Mexico.”
True. I wonder what the price increase will be today.
|
|
|
Today, 06:27 PM
|
#18
|
Gold Member
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: Sydney Australia
Posts: 83
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by mumkin
Every country has different safety rules and thus any import from another country has to have modifications. Even Canada and the US are different. Every converter in Canada (LTV, Roadtrek, Pleasureway) has American platforms and Canadian platforms... and it has to have the platform targeted to the US to sell at a US dealer. The funniest part is that I do believe that all Promasters are built at the same factory in Mexico... lol... I could be wrong and Canada also has a factory.
For instance... on American Promaster models, you can turn the running lights on and off through the radio menu. In Canada it is a law that running lights be on, thus you can't turn them off.
How different are the rules? Very little I suspect... like the example.
|
In Europe I think CO2 from a Petrol Engine also has to meet a certain standard not just Diesel. Outside of substantial issues, even seemingly minor issues like lights can be a bugbear. Ford found that the lights on the converted F150's did not meet ADR rules. This held up conversions for months. No F150's in Australia are basically lifestyle vehicles not work vehicles, as such ALL US Pickup Truck numbers only amount to 4% of the total number of Pickup Trucks sold in Australia
|
|
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
» Recent Threads |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|