First Published on 3/18/2015
1981, I think. Last time I bought a new vehicle for myself. I’ve had a couple of used Jeep Cherokees since that last new Ford Bronco II. Most recent Old Jeep now resides at Big House and will stay there in running condition. I’ll need it to transport me on demand, like past weekend, when Spring mud was deep.
I ordered new Ford Transit Connect last September, about the third week. “You can expect it in at least six, but probably closer to eight weeks”, the salesman said. I’m sure he said weeks and not months, but I finally took delivery last Saturday, nearly six months after the order.
I called dealer in November. He hadn’t heard anything new, but he’d check the computer. Good news. It’s been built, it has a vehicle identification number and it has been cleared for shipping, all from Valencia, Spain. A couple weeks ocean shipment and port sorting and my new ride should appear.
It didn’t. I called again. Surely by Christmas. Maybe Santa will come dashing up in it. Nothing.
I checked world maps and Google Earth on my computer. Valencia is around on East side of Spain on the Mediterranean Ocean. Still a fairly quick shot out through Gibraltar and back across the Atlantic to East coast American ports. But maybe ship had business further East of Spain, went deeper into the Med. and out through Suez Canal. Such routing would put my truck into Indian Ocean, eventually crossing the Pacific and ending up on American West coast.
That’s where we’ve had union labor disputes with work slowdowns, piling cargo plus ships turned away, because no way to unload them. I added to my distrust of labor unions with no concrete reason, because that was only reasoning I could follow to what amounted to six months wait for my truck. Dealer finally found it in Trenton, New Jersey and a little over a week later they called to say come and get it. No explanation on where it had been or reasons for delay.
It’s a neat little white truck. An open van body with driver and one passenger seat. I took delivery on Saturday and buried it in the mud Sunday morning. Pulled it out on grass to warm in the sun so I’d be comfortable reading the manual and learning about it. Finished reading, I started up, began to pull out and down it went. Front wheel drive and front end was resting on what serves as a bumper. Exasperation. Had to jury rig a hitch to drag it out with my Kubota.
Running empty, it’s a little choppy riding on the road. Loaded with bundled newspapers rides like a small dream. Great to deliver papers out of too. Two sliding side doors and double back doors make it super handy to work around and in.
No hidey holes. Not many places to park gadgets within easy reach like Jeep has. Bottle opener and ear plugs won’t hang on Transit’s knobless radio. Corn shucking peg, windshield scraping and flash light don’t work quite well on floor mounted shift lever. Measuring tape pitched up on the dash slides off in my lap when I concentrate. Two cup holders down on console between seats and the book says beware of obstructing driver’s vision with tall cups.
Speaking of the dash, there’s at least a quarter acre under the long sloping windshield. I’m not known for keeping a clean vehicle anyway, but that dash will collect enough dust to plow and with plenty of glass above for sunlight access. Distracted gardening maybe?
At any rate, I finally got my truck. You’ll recognize it when you see it, especially after I get my new license plate. Maybe best thing about my Transit Connect is that it makes me feel just a little younger when I drive it. Oldman in old Jeep on the old home place all fits nicely. New little van on open road, opens possibilities both work and play in everyday life.
So far, so good.
