New Dodge Promaster VAn

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
Weird how different people seem to get different preferances from similar experience. I would take fwd drive in the winter long before rear wheel. I find fwd much more surefooted in most aspects of foul weather driving.

Sent from my Fisher Price ABC123 via EO Forums

I would, too. FWD has two major advantages over RWD. One is the components are lighter (better fuel economy), cheaper, and easier to install on an assembly line. The other is, dramatically better traction, handling and stability in foul weather.

The big disadvantage is, the solid lump of iron on a RWD axle is bullet proof, but the axles of a FWD will bruise like a peach if you just leery them look art a deep pothole or a curb. You're more likely to have expensive axle repairs with a FWD.

Having said that, the electronic stability programs on new cars pretty much make it a coin toss as to which one is better.

Incidentally, FWD Sprinters and similar vans are quite popular in Europe. Loaded or unloaded they have better traction and control than the RWD models, especially with the ESP controls. But they also have better roads, no Detroit potholes.
 
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LDB

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
I suspect 4Motion is a 4 wheel drive system/company and that 500k refers to getting 500k miles service life. At this stage I'd think any properly maintained vehicle should be a 500k vehicle. At this point I think we should be looking for 750k as an expectation.
 

Ragman

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
. . . no Detroit potholes.

potholes.bmp
 

xmudman

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
I suspect 4Motion is a 4 wheel drive system

4Matic is Mercedes' trade name for its all-wheel-drive vehicles. 4Motion is the same, but for Volkswagen.

I suspect M-B has enough on its plate with quality issues on the Sprinter (at least here in the States) as to scare them away from dealing with the added complexity of all-wheel-drive on a commercial-platform vehicle.
 
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xmudman

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator

xmudman

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
Found some numbers here:

http://www.fiat.com.au/images/docs/fiat-commerical-specifications.pdf

Highlights, converted to American coin:

Fuel tank: 90L/23.7 gal
Wheelbase: 4035mm/158.9"
Roof Height: 2524mm/99.4"
Overall Length: 6363mm/250.5"
Width: 2050mm/80.7" (Time for clearance lights!)

The numbers we're really interested in:

Load floor length: 4070mm/160.2"
Inside height: 1932mm/76.1" ( You can dress standing up if you're < 6'3" :) )
" width: 1870mm/73.6" (A foam mattress will fit 'cos it'll mush a little)
And the all-important wheel well width: 1422mm/56.0"

The weights, which are most likely subject to change, are:
GVW: 4005kg/8830 lbs
Payload: 1914kg/4219 lbs.

Price? Haven't a clue.

Of course, these numbers will change when Chrysler gets the van on the road, but at least it'll be competitive with the Sprinter, without those pesky wheel wells :D

It will probably be 2016 before I need another van, but this one is lookin' pretty good for right now.
 

chefdennis

Veteran Expediter
My thoughts are 4 Motion is a cuties way of saying Ford Motor Company...and the 500k is what he is saying is the life of the typical Sprinter...But i could be wrong...I slept in my truck last night, not a Holiday Inn Express...
 

DST001

Expert Expediter
Well the Ram Promaster looks good. It doesn't look as long as a sprinter but it sounds like it will be cheaper to maintain that should be a bonus :D we'll have to wait for the transit to hit the dealerships and compair the Ram VRS the Transit
 

moose

Veteran Expediter
now you guys do realized that on the CB it will be called
'the Expediters Pornstar Hami Van'...
 
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Moot

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
I like it, especially the 159" wheelbase and the ladder frame! The 3.6 gasser might be a bit wimpy in the mountains pushing the gross though. Hopefully the 12,500 gvwr is for the drw model and the srw comes in at just under 10,000.
 
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