This is the forth cargo van review that focuses on the 2015 Nissan NV, Ram ProMaster, Ford Transit, Chevy Express and MB Sprinter. It is part of the buying process of a new van, that will be converted into a nicely finished, one-person RV.
Ford Transit Review
Ram ProMaster Review
MB Sprinter Review
These reviews emphasis the elements of a van conversion, and are strictly my personal opinion and how that impacts on my conversion needs.
Continue reading First Look: 2015 Nissan NV Review
The three major brands have introduced their new European style Cargo Vans to the American market and I am finally ready to pick the best one that fits my requirements. Yet I may have to hold off for a little longer, as rumors persist of several new entries that may tease the American buyer.
As I wrote here before, the Hyundai H350 was introduced in 2014 to the European market and now it has been spotted, disguised and all, driving around in California. Other manufacturers, like Nissan with its NV400 Euro Van, would also like to grab a piece of Ford’s and GM’s market share. And the declining sales of the Chevy Express may force GM to quickly introduce its European Movano (based on the Renault Master).
Choice is always good, but these vans really lack much variety and for the untrained eye, they all very much look alike. Only a substantial price discount may attract buyers to these new models and that’s what we may get with the Hyundai H350.
New introductions do carry a risk; production problems will occur during the first few years and the lack dealer support has to be addressed too. Should I consider waiting….?
With the new Ford Transit and Ram ProMaster cargo vans now for sale at your local car dealership, it was time to compare the five most popular cargo vans.
With the European styling of the current models, a substantial shift in their use as a RV conversion is happening. Changes in exterior AND interior height, available floor area and engine choice will influence new buyers to forget about the old American work van.
It’s time to buy a new van and after having done some of the preliminary work, I’ll have to visit a few dealerships to clear up some remaining questions and, after choosing the final model, to actually see where I can get the best deal.
The first step, in this two-step process, is getting a feel for actual size of the different models. My current van is a Dodge B-250 that has served me well for a long time, but it has no standing room and as an RV, is fairly short. More comfort translates into a longer and taller vehicle and that’s all nice on paper, but now is the time to actually experience the real thing.
Continue reading What Do Ford, Mercedes Benz, GM, Chrysler and Nissan Have In Common?
OVERALL SALES NUMBERS OF COMMERCIAL VANS AKA CARGO VANS, ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE AS SALES OF OLDER MODELS ARE RAPIDLY DECLINING.
Sales of the newer European-Style vans have been rising steadily, beginning with the MB Sprinter that has been on the market longest, but still account for a small part of the total market.
With less than 26,000 vans sold in 2014, it is only slightly more than the Ram ProMaster with 18,000 and 15,000 for the Nissan NV.
With the Ford Transit selling more than 10,000 vans in December alone, it became the best-selling full-size van for that month. And with almost 124,000 full-size vans, including the old E-Series, Ford took the lead in 2014.
Continue reading 2014 Van Sales: Ford Transit Is The Big Winner
For many years, the Cargo Van market has suffered from a lack of innovation; this dry spell ended recently with the introduction of the Nissan NV200, the RAM ProMaster and the upcoming 2015 Ford Transit.
Now Nissan is introducing a larger NV400 van into the European market, which looks very similar to the Transit and ProMaster, that share the same European origin. After a closer look however, the cargo van appears to be a variation on the Renault Master MKIII van, also known as the Opel Movano and Vauxhall Movano.
Its configurations are similar to the Ford Transit: four lengths, three heights and three different wheelbases. With a cargo volume of up to 600 cubic feet and a 2.3-L 4-cyl. diesel engine, this van also comes with front, rear and all-wheel-drive versions.
Will Nissan bring the NV400 to the US and do we really need more choice for our van conversions?
With the new Ram ProMaster cargo van now for sale at your local car dealership and the new Ford Transit coming early 2014, it was time to compare the 5 most popular cargo vans.
With the European styling of the current models, a substantial shift in their use as a RV conversion may occur. Changes in exterior AND interior height, available floor area and engine choice will influence new buyers to forget about the old American work van.
