Carlton Supporters Club

Very popular with the Van life movement are Ford Transits...

I would imagine they would be, once you breakdown you can camp there. If they ask you to move, well, you can legitimately say it doesn't drive. If they tow you to a mechanic, the repair bills are so expensive you will end up camping out the front of the mechanics for years. Solve the rental crisis and emissions all at once.

You have to hand it to Ford, they really are ahead of their time.

Fords service and support is woeful, if it wasnt for the Ranger they would go the way of Holden in this country.
Transits rust out badly and have a lot of cooling system issues but are popular for Van Builds as they have good headroom.

I have only owned one Ford in over 40 years. It was an old EA wagon which I bought as a bit of a working hack. It suited that job but I would not have trusted it to do a long trip. Eventually the motor blew up, The bodywork was pretty tatty and rattly by that time.

Had an XE and an EF.

Both were good cars, the former was bought just after I was born, the latter was my upgrade when it died when I was 20.  I drove the EF Until 2008, when the transmission was going.  At the time was doing lots of city driving and parking so bought a 08 Mondeo diesel as I was going long distances on weekends. 

Mondeo is still going and touch wood is still reliable enough, but im starting to look for an upgrade.  It's had its time.  It could keep going a few years but will need some money im not sure is worth spending.

My newish diesel truck does under 6 litres per 100 in the country plus my bullbar comes in handy with the plethora of skippys in my part of the world.  Vehicles are another tool like an axe or a spanner- use something fit for purpose, not because your ass looks better in it- as a society we are obsessed with status and appearances.

Nothing wrong with a dual cab/4WD in the bush with a bull bar etc, my gripe is in the busy suburbs where there is no need for the them and as you say its more about the look and status than the practicalities.

Bit of a generalisation there EB, not everyone buys them for status.

Not many Kangaroos or off road tracks in my suburb GTC.
Bloke next door to me has three vehicles, an Alphard people mover, a Kia Sportage for his wife and a Prado.
The Prado only comes out on the weekend when they go to church....must be a wild carpark at that church. He has two small daughters and his wife so he doesn't need a large 4wd to navigate the local roads or transport his family. No boat or caravan to tow either. I just dont get why you need a large 4wd in the suburbs if there isn't a practical element to your reasoning.

@EB
Some people think that they are safer in a 4WD or SUV. If you're driving a small sedan and you hit one of those you are likely to come off 2nd best?

I get that Cookie but its a vicious cycle then of everyone having to own one to feel safe......and so we all have to have a Borderline truck like a RAM to be safer than the rest. This the American way of life creeping into Aus and I hate it.....