Test Drive Ford Econoline 1992 - 2002

Ford Econoline House, Cute House

We haven't had such a car on the tests yet, but it seemed that we had already traveled everything that was moving. Although what it is, in fact, the car: a mixture of the bus with a country cottage installed on the frame with wheels and the engine equipped. In the cabin - curtains, blinds on the windows, music center, TV, video. This is not a car, it's a house on wheels ...

This is something called Ford Econoline 150 Club Wagon, full-size luxury VEN - typical products of the American auto industry. Year of release - approximately 1992 (failed to determine exactly). The basis for this house created by the order was the Ford Econoline frame with a gasoline six-cylinder 4,9-liter engine and an automatic transmission. This car is produced in a variety of options, including both a delivering van (in this capacity it flashes in almost every state militant), and even as a collector car - look at our streets, it is often found in the form of a mobile currency exchange point. But in this case, Econolain appears in front of us a luxurious palace on wheels.

In this car strikes everything: dimensions, weight - even the essence of this car itself. Agree, for the European market, it is still exotic: a low-tonnage van, turned into a luxurious office on wheels and partially adapted for travel. Although the European market also has similar models created on the basis of Mercedes-Benz Sprinter or VW LT. But only offices prefer in Europe, and mobile cottages, so-called campers. They have everything you need for a long journey: full sleeping places, washbasin, stove, microwave oven, dining table, etc. Most of these models have the top of the passenger compartment made of the lifting - the roof is declined and lifted, and thus the tent is obtained, which can also sleep. But back to our American ...

First of all look into the salon. You open the heavy door and, as if on the bus, become on the step to get into the salon. Moreover, if the step is not relevant for the rear side doors, access is so convenient, then to get to the driver's or front right place without using the step would be problematic. Go to the salon - and choose yourself a chair. In this car, inside you can move almost unhindered, so it does not matter, through which door you got inside: through the driver or side. The first thing you pay attention to is abundant panshics throughout the salon. A tapestry lounge is almost everywhere decorated with wooden panels, imposing memories of the grandmother's board. The lamps are still affected throughout the cabin - they are the original shape and little remind of automotive lighting plaffers. They rather cause associations with the interior of some fashion boutique.

Such cars, in luxury versions and with a non-standard seats, are usually made under a specific order, and you will not meet them in free sale. Moreover, such cars are not even created in factory workshops, but in a specialized studio. That is why it is almost unrealistic to meet two absolutely identical offices. Each car is created taking into account the wishes of a particular customer. The person who ordered the car we tested, preferred not to make a coup in the automotive industry, so the enclosure of Econoline can be called moderate. Salon, with the exception of upholstery and finishes, practically standard. Two chairs of the middle row in general, it seems, remained from the basic version. They were not even unfolded against the move of the car, which somewhat complicates the landing on the last row. Both of these chairs are equipped with seat belts and can be adjusted over the corner of the backrest and in the longitudinal direction. But the third row, also having seat belts, is not separate armchairs, but a chic leather sofa. Which can be laid for overnight or so ...

The height of the car allows you to move around the salon in full growth, not even bending your head. Look, let's see ... on the side windows - curtains and blinds. On the side, near the left armchair of the middle row, in the wall - a music center with an amplifier. And on top, above the driver and front passenger - TV, video recorder and TV tuner. In addition, there are also automagnets and CD changer: do not bother on the road. But most of all I was interested in the device located on the wall near the rear sofa - judging by the inscription, previously it was an internal intercom, so that the passengers of the rear row could ... communicate with the driver. Indeed, do not shout through the whole house ...

Go from the rear sofa through the entire salon and find ourselves at the driver's seat. Yeah ... Americans live well, there was no more squeezed interior. The tidy itself is just like a 15-inch monitor, and all other switches and sinks are scattered throughout the panel. But even with such an extensive area of \u200b\u200bspace under the CD-changer, it was not enough - it had to be installed on the ceiling console. As the Americans believes, in addition to the obligatory cup holders, it turned out not so much, Econoline is barely unfastened by options: power steering, automatic transmission, power windows, and even air conditioning, with a very archaic slider control.

We start. If at this moment the car did not swing on my soft suspensions and did not succeed air conditioning, I would not understand: does the engine work or how? In the cabin it is not heard and not felt at all: there are no vibrations or noise. The power unit installed on the frame is completely not communicating with the body, because it is also installed on the frame through his pillows, so that with noise and vibration insulation, the designers are particularly fighting and did not have to. Immediately after starting the engine, I drew attention to the power steering: here's a real American. They say a lot about the fact that in American cars the steering wheel can be twisted with one finger, but only in Econolain I realized how true it is. Here you can really turn the ram with one finger, and quite quickly and without applying any effort at all. If you sharply rotate the steering wheel, then it will take another half-turn to the energy - the hydraulicel is very powerful. So powerful, which deprives the driver by any feedback. It is possible to guess about the position of the wheels only in the direction of the car movement, and no other way. And this is in principle normal: this setting of the hydraulicer completely coincides with the ideology of this car.

The start of the start can be compared with the ship outlet from the harbor. Under the formidable uniform boom boom-boom, the engine published and audible only outside, Ford Econoline slowly and smoothly sails from the parking lot. Feelings are really awesome, even though you order an orchestra. But those who are driving, not to fun: now he has to manage almost three-ton mahina of immense dimensions. And in the city it is not easy to do it, as the outer mirrors, the gift that such large, the picture is almost not allowed, and the salon mirror as unnecessary can be removed at all. It is necessary to drive like on a truck, that is, with a reference view through the side window at each maneuver. But when you break off with close urban streets on the square, the soul does not redeem: this is really absolute comfort. Pendants - both on Rolls Royce, and even a little softer. The engine is heard only on acceleration, and his solid baritone is perceived at that moment as a wonderful music - there is no such rolled low-frequency sound even at Dodge Viper! True, at high speed, especially on our regional roads, Ford Econoline begins to rock passengers: soft suspensions constantly rock the car, as if it is not at all Ven, and some ocean yacht during a small storm. But even more funnaya becomes when Econolane enters a narrow, winding track: just an elephant in the dishwasher. And although from the inside the rolls seems to be strongly not felt, it seems that the car is about to chirknet on asphalt mirrors. But on returning to the track, the status quo restored: the car again pleases the incredible, just fantastic smoothness and absolute silence in the cabin. So if you like to travel, better Ford Econoline You just do not find - this is really a house on the wheels.

A source: Autogase / N 29 (421) dated 19.08.03