I saw one of these on the freeway today:
It was coming up in my lane from behind and the grille threw me off, I had no idea what it was. Then it passed me and I still had no idea what it was.
Apparently they hit the market last model year, I'd never heard of it or seen any photos or anything.
Anyone else see these things on the road?
I've seen a lot of them, and still think they're fugly.
See them all the time at work. We're the only dealer in our area that can sell them, so that helps. Titan with a box, and higher load capacity. Available with a 4.0 V6 or the 5.6 V8, all auto. Quigley allegedly offers a $10K 4x4 option/upgrade when buying new. We've got a couple LARGE families that drive the versions that seat 12. Most of the rest of the customers area all some sort of business/commercial/industry like most would expect.
alex
UltraDork
4/26/13 7:31 p.m.
The high top versions are especially homely. I'm sure they're functional, but wow - face only a mother could love.
I see them all the time(in fleet white), and think they look like a molar. Probably nice vans, but man they are pretty homely.
They've been around the Philly region for more than two years.
yamaha
UltraDork
4/26/13 8:08 p.m.
Is the only bonus is they're a like a truck to work on?
I'd rather keep my 2500 express at work.....heck, I'd downsize to a transit connect or justify 50k for a sprinter before I'd even consider one of those.....
When I was shopping for a cargo van, these seemed to be quite a bit cheaper that a comparable year/mileage Ford or Chevy. Unfortunately they were still way beyond my price range.
Speaking of Nissan vans, I saw one of these nv200s yesterday, I didn't know that they were available in the US market yet.
I also find it hilarious that Nissan, who makes a pretty good forklift themselves, has a Yale forklift in their own advertisement.
Lesley
PowerDork
4/26/13 8:27 p.m.
Yep, I was on the Miami launch for those things a couple of years ago. Ugly, but roomy as hell.
Hal
Dork
4/26/13 8:33 p.m.
I would like to see an NV200. I hear they are close in size to my Transit Connect.
Parked next to one of the larger ones the other day. It made the TC look like a toy! The guy had the back open and I swear I could have put my Focus in there.
They build the NV series here at Canton, next to the truck line. I understand there's quit a bit in common between the two. I've seen plenty of the big-top NV3500 versions running around. It's like a huge cave.
We have a few of them owned by contractors at my agency. I see them parked around back of the engineering building when I go out to the smoking hut. I think they make them hide back out of view (much like the smokers), probably because those are some ugly vans. And they're uglier in person than in photos....though I guess who cares. Not like other work vans are beauty queens either, and these are apparently more utilitarian than standard work vans.
As far as boring work vans go I think they look pretty sweet! If I had any need for a cargo van it would be the only one I consider...I can't stand those stupid "dog houses" and slicing my hands on the sides while changing spark plugs!
Perfect work vehicle? The drivers don't want to be caught dead in something so ugly, so logged miles are kept to the bare minimum.
EvanR
HalfDork
4/27/13 2:01 a.m.
I'm waiting for a bargain on a used high-roof. I think it would make a perfect small RV.
Lesley
PowerDork
4/27/13 7:17 a.m.
The ones with the built-in cabinets are pretty sweet too.
I have seen a couple of them. For a work Vehicle, I do not find them that offensive. They are just different looking from what most people think a van should look like. The Focus based Transit Connect is more ugly imho.
Still waiting to see the big Transit Ford is promising
Ian F
PowerDork
4/27/13 8:21 a.m.
While I appreciate the utilitarian aspects, to me they are simply too big for the amount cargo room you get compared to other vans. I'd rather have a Sprinter or one of the domestics. I can live with the dog house and confined engine bay for the cargo room to wheelbase ratio.
I thought it was the ugliest van you could get. Then I went to the auto show and saw that the Dodge Boys had really raised the ugliness bar. I don't know taht anyone can top them.
Lesley
PowerDork
4/27/13 8:48 a.m.
LOL, oh yeah, the ProMaster. It ain't pretty.
I'm a big fan of the Sprinter. Drove one from Anchorage to Coldfoot and back. Pretty damned comfortable for a big honkin' utility vehicle.
cwh
PowerDork
4/27/13 8:56 a.m.
Anchorage to Coldfoot. THAT had to be an adventure!
Around here you will see 100 Fords, 30 Chevys and 1 Nissan. Ugly is a good way to put it. Something about the proportions. It's like the took the front two feet of a Nissan truck and grafted it on a Sprinter box. Yuck.
With the Econoline going away, they may sell a bunch of them. I have my doubts about the Transits durability. The front end seems a little weak to be bouncing over curbs and through job sites loaded. If so, the Titan based Nissan and the Chevy will be the go to van for the construction crowd. Time will tell.
I love them. I love working on them, and I love the amount of room in the high roofs. We have one customer who legitimately lives in his.
The ones with built in cabinets and such are really cool, and the passenger ones are actually rather nice. We don't sell too many of them, but I figure they would have to be the future of church vans and other shuttle type deals.
We just got a two nv200s a couple weeks ago, they are pretty neat. I'm a bit worried about how they'll move on the road with the puny little 2.0, though I'm sure highway mileage will be awesome. They seem to be a little bit larger than the Transit Connect.