Before you buy a 2014 FORD Transit Van in Uganda

by Edwin

2014 FORD Transit Van
There’s a big shakeup taking place in the full-size van and truck market as Ford prepares to replace its wretched Econoline with a far superior vehicle called the Transit. At first, the setup for the new Transit seems all wrong, as a uni-body is the polar opposite of the traditional body-on-frame truck construction.

The Transit is indeed a big change for a group of hard-working van buyers who are scarily familiar with all the gritty details of the Econolines they’ve run for the last 50 years. The Transit, at first, looks like a botched Euro import, but in fact, Ford’s spent years of planning, engineering and customizing the global Transit line to make sure it answers every question asked of the Econoline by American van buyers.

Before you buy a 2014 FORD Transit Van in Uganda

Part of the admirable and smart “One Ford” strategy, the Dearborn teams take a long, hard look at which of their worldwide models is best fit to tackle global challenges. In the case of the large commercial van market, the Transit is simply a far better model than the Econoline in terms of fitness for purpose, modern safety and efficiency needs.

Click here to buy a FORD Transit Van or FORD Transit Van spare parts in Uganda

Buying a foreign used 2014 FORD Transit Van from a Ugandan car bond

If you opt to buy FORD Transit Van from the a car bond in and around Kampala, then things could be a little bit more simpler for you because you will not have to face all the lengthy processes and journeys to the port of Mombasa to bring your van. Here most of the work has already been done for you. Most taxes have been cleared. All you have to do is simply pay for the car from the car bond and drive home. However, you can also find that some cars have only cleared the CIF fees only. So it would mean that if you want a FORD Transit Van then you will have to clear the rest of the taxes. You can find the Cost, Insurance and Freight of a premium FORD Transit Van (that is from Japan to Kampala) to be around $ 8,051 or even above. However, the total sum of the CIF can change due to year of manufacture, condition of the car, mileage and the dealer.

Importing a foreign used 2014 FORD Transit Van from Japan

Importing a foreign used FORD Transit Van from Japan is different from buying from car from the car bond here in Kampala. You can prefer to import your own mini-bus directly from Japan. This means all the costs are going to be met by you the owner of the bus right from say Japan to Mombasa up to Uganda. Here, you will need to determine the cost of the bus while still in Japan from which the Cost, Insurance and Freight (CIF) are calculated. For example a FORD Transit Van costing $ 4,814 will make a total CIF of $ 8,051 to be brought up Kampala, Uganda. After arriving in Kampala, then the required taxes have to be cleared. The taxes charged by the Uganda Revenue Authority include Import Duty, Value added (VAT), Withholding Tax, Environmental Levy, Infrastructure Levy, and Registration Fees.

Click here to buy a FORD Transit Van or FORD Transit Van spare parts in Uganda

Availability of 2014 FORD Transit Van spare parts in Uganda

With an authorized distributer in Uganda, Ford spares can be accessed with a lot of ease. You can get refurbished in Kiseka market or brand new from the authorized distributer.

General 2014 FORD Transit Van reviews in Uganda

Exterior
The Transit online configurator is pretty wild because of all the variations available in wheelbase and roof height, as well as configurations for passengers or cargo. Three lengths and three roof heights are available, with the middle option from each proving the most palatable.

Moving to the profile of the vehicle, the slab sides are broken up by a modest swage line running the full width of the van. Modest fender flares and some interesting creases break up what is a large, blocky shape. In terms of physical presence, the Transit is far lower to the ground than any previous Econoline, but the small wheels look seriously overwhelmed by the huge mass of van above them. The black plastic molding extends across the body sides and meets another scratch-resistant bumper out back.

From the rear view, simple vertical taillights ride on the outmost edges of the truck. That lower ride height and steel uni-body construction allow a door opening that spans the full width of the vehicle and offers an extremely low floor and loading area. The doors swing out 180 degrees at minimum and up to 270 degrees in certain configurations.

Interior
This interior wins the most improved award, hands down. The style echoes the latest Focus with technical surfaces and a great, compact steering wheel with Ford’s latest twin multi-function pads controlling the infotainment. Impressively, MyFord Touch will be an optional feature for the Transit. Even getting a CD player with decent speakers in an Econoline is a challenge, so this is big progress.

Other technology solutions are available, including Ford’s fleet management tracker, called Crew Chief. This allows the, ahem, crew chief back at the home office to monitor vehicle data and locations from afar, cutting wasted driving expenses and increasing productivity.

Ford’s controls couldn’t be simpler to use: the left pad controls the gauge cluster info screen while the right pad controls the central screen. The automatic transmission’s gearstick is right where your right hand falls easily, and offers more control than the old-fashioned column-mounted shifter.

Vertical air vents and a plethora of storage areas will easily hold any pocket junk, and there are also five dedicated cup holders up front and four additional wells designed to fit water bottles. Evidence of the Transit’s European sophistication abounds, especially with the adjustable headlight beams. The twin bucket seats are flat but comfortable and feature easy adjustments with giant adjustment controls that are easy to reach.

At the lower end of the dashboard are twin USB inputs/charging ports, twin 12V sockets (plus one in the back), A/V component inputs and an SD card reader. Another nod to the Transit’s utility mission are the built-in cabinets and bins that are options on the cargo models. On the high-roof models, the space above the front seats is put to use with a sturdy shelf built in as standard.

In terms of interior specifications, the passenger model has huge windows that seem almost twice as tall as the gun slits in the back of an Econoline, affording a great view and helping relieve motion sickness when packed in the back.

The minimum seating for passenger Transits is eight passengers, increasing to 10, 12 and 15 with the varying body styles. A single entry on the passenger side can come as twin swing-out doors or a sliding door.

Click here to buy a FORD Transit Van or FORD Transit Van spare parts in Uganda

Drivetrain, Suspension and Brakes
Buyers in this market often have very specific needs for the vehicle that are almost never the same across the board. As such, the Transit’s mechanical specification is also wildly configurable from the base 3.7-liter V-6 to the top-end 3.5-liter EcoBoost and 3.2-liter in-line-five diesel engine options. Rear-drive is standard and buyers needing four-wheel-drive will be directed to Ford’s extensive F-series line of commercial vehicles, all of which can be loaded with off-road goodies.

Horsepower and torque ratings are not finalized yet but expected to stay consistent with the engines already in use across the Ford portfolio. This means a 3.7-liter making roughly 300 horsepower and pound-feet of torque, the 3.5-liter twin turbo EcoBoost pumping out 350 horsepower, and the diesel making closer to 200 horsepower but a powerful 350 pound-feet of torque.

For the vast majority of Transit owners, the base V-6 offers plenty of power, a huge 25-percent jump in efficiency, and acceptable towing and hauling stats versus previous Econolines with Ford’s older 4.6-liter (revvy but gutless) V-8s.

All engines are paired with Ford’s six-speed, torque-converter automatic transmission and there’s an option for dual rear wheels, increasing payload to an immense 10,360 pounds GVWR in top spec. LNG and CNG prep kits are offered, but not a full conversion to run natural gas.

Other alternatives available in Uganda similar to the 2014 FORD Transit Van

In this category, we have the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter as the main rival. The Toyota brand doesn’t surface so much when it comes to vans such as this. Iveco Daily is another prominent van that Ugandans embrace in the field of vans like the craft.

Click here to buy a FORD Transit Van or FORD Transit Van spare parts in Uganda

Our Verdict

On the comfort and convenience front, the Transit will be the most civilized large van ever created. The biggest hurdles the Transit is likely to face are buyer perceptions that perhaps the truck is not as strong or durable as Econoline vans.

The truth is, the Transit will out-haul, out-mile, and out-last all those nasty and awful Econolines - all while providing a comfortable cabin and tech solutions the 1980s-era E-series couldn’t fathom in its wildest dreams.

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