2012 Ford Transit Connect 2WD

2012 Ford Transit Connect XLT, clean with low milage. We recently converted this amazing little van for summer weekend road trips. We are now planning to do some international travel and don’t have the immediate need for it anymore.

VIN: NM0LS7DN0CT109449

94,400 Miles

4 cylinder, 2.0 Liter, FWD

The good/what we love about it:

1. We’ve had very few issues with the van. Only servicing that we completed was replacing the upper radiator hoses (November 2024), and a new valve gasket cover and spark plug boots (June 2024). A brand new battery was purchased in November 2024.
2. Prior to our purchase, the original transmission was replaced with a ford transmission at 88,651 miles. The warranty on the new transmission provides some peace of mind. Warranty is good for 36 months or 500,000 miles from installation date of July 13, 2023.
3. The first generation Ford Transit Connects (2002-2013) have a higher roof which makes it better suited for converting and living in. There is plenty of headroom while sitting up in couch mode.
4. Regular oil changes with full synthetic oil and maintenance. This van was a fleet vehicle before we purchased it and was regularly serviced.
5. No leaks, no suspension or steering issues.
6. This smaller camper van is way more subtle for discrete overnight packing than your typical massive sprinter van.
7. Great fuel economy. We averaged around 26-27 mpg on the highway.
8. Michelin tires with good tread life.
9. Heavy duty roof rack.

Our van’s build:

1. Van floor is insulated with ½-inch FOAMULAR, ½-inch birch plywood, and rolled on vinyl.
2. Kilmat 80 mil sound-deadening on van walls, floor, and roof to reduce road noise and vibration.
3. 3M Thinsulate added to the walls, ceiling, and all the nooks and crannies to add extra insulation and sound dampening.
4. Built an overhead storage shelf above the cockpit, which is perfect for storing tents, sleeping bags, extra blankets, etc.
5. Installed a MAXXAIR ventilation fan with lid and manual opening. Keypad control fan speed settings and in/out reversal. It's been amazing to have ventilation for camping in hot places overnight.
6. Custom made blackout window coverings and curtains for privacy and blocking out the sun.
7. Ceiling made from cedar tongue and groove v planks installed with 4, dimmable, recessed puck lights. Dimmer switch is manually mounted on the side of the van wall. All wiring was done with 12-gauge marine wire.
8. Slideout bed/couch that includes the 4 inch foam bedding and covered cushions made from outdoor fabric. Storage space for bins/gear under the bed.
9. Storage compartment/bench.
10. Blue Sea systems fuse block 6 circuit with ground. Currently wired to ceiling lights and fan. Additional electrical components can be added if needed.
11. BOSS audio receiver package with Apple Carplay, Android Auto, and backup camera.
12. Cargo netting for gear and softgood storage.
13. Carpeted van walls.

Good to know:

1. It is a 4 cylinder 2.0 liter engine. While it may not be the fastest, it was always reliable and got us where we needed to go.
2. To turn on the backup camera, a button needs to be manually selected on the touchscreen. I was going to wire it to automatically turn on when placed in reverse gear, but I wanted to be able to use the camera while driving if needed.
3. I initially suspected there to be a small parasitic battery drain from the van’s electrical components. The previous battery was old and may have been the culprit. Since replacing the battery there haven't been any issues.
4. Since we only used this for weekend trips, we didn’t see the need to install a fully dedicated solar-charging battery system. To save storage space and weight, we used a Bluetti AC70 portable power station (not included). This had plenty of juice to run the fan overnight, lights, and charge laptops for multiple days. The van’s current wiring is set up to run DC from a 12V outlet. Wiring from the car’s battery to the back of the van was also set up (but currently disconnected) if you wanted to build a secondary power system from the car’s alternator.
5. Small paint chips and imperfections.