I’ll throw my two cents in.
I own a 2015 Ford Transit. 3.5L twin turbo eco boost v6. RWD. Long wheelbase, mid-length, mid-height. Installed a partition in it this year and I’m very happy with it. Partition cut down noise while driving and the cab warms up faster now on a cold day. Did lose some legroom but staying alive and being able to stack gear higher is worth it to me. Great visibility with lots of glass around the front and well-placed mirrors plus backup camera. It hauls all my gear with ease, lots of power. The LED interior lights make day out of night which helps at load-out. First “new” vehicle I’ve ever bought and I have zero regrets. I use a bifold 30”x8’ ramp for loading and unloading by myself. Got notice of a recall on the driveshaft a few months back. I’m quite a safe margin below the mileage that they said to start worrying (85,000 km IIRC?) so I haven’t gotten that addressed yet.
Planning a road trip/camping excursion with it this coming spring down the Oregon coast. Should be lots of fun.
Before this, while my rig was growing I had a 2010 Transit Connect. It was cute if you’re into that, but had no power and I ran out of space quickly even for smaller events. I had it about four months. When I tried to park it in a city parkade I was let down when I scraped the roof. At 6’ tall it was just too tall for what I was hoping it would be perfect for: quick in and out gigs downtown.
Prior to that I used to rent as needed. It took me roughly an extra 4 hours per gig to pick/drop off/wait in line/refuel/clean each time. A couple times I lost small gigs because I couldn’t secure a rental in time (end of the month when everyone is moving is especially tricky). Decided enough was enough and bought. Same reason I own my main gear. Familiarity, availability, suitability.
Prior to that I worked for an outfit that owned a Grumman ice cream truck looking beast, and an Astro van. We got a lot done with those two. I have not-so-fond memories of that (very steep) ramp on the back of the Grumman with bass bins coming at me. The Astro got us out of snow a couple times but was limited to smaller gigs. It will fit two JBL SRX 2x18 bass bins, two 2x15 tops, amp rack, 32ch Midas Venice and some outboard if you know what you’re doing
We rented cubes for bigger (for us) events but it hurt the bottom line just the same. Hauling amps out of the Astro while hunched over or crawling on my knees got old which is why I went for the 6’ interior height on my Transit. I can stand up in the back, makes a great green room during downtime too. Thank goodness for the limo tint in the back windows! I’ve gotten changed in there during many gigs (transit that is).
Prior to that, I was a music creator (starving musician). Ford Clubwagon XLT, Jeep Wrangler with a 6x10 trailer, been there done that. Never really enjoyed pulling a trailer, and turning the keys and having the engine start is something I have grown to value in a vehicle which is what made me pony up for the new van.
On a side note: I think everyone should own a VW Corrado at least once in their lives to teach them to appreciate reliability and why having a car you don’t see very often isn’t always as cool as you thought it might be when you can’t find parts.
In my other life I work in plumbing/HVAC sales, and see all kinds of service vehicles come and go out my office window every day. I talked to a few sprinter and transit owners before taking the plunge. From my limited polls, the Transit owners paid less and were happier. I’ve seen all kinds of start-ups come around with their fancy new trucks and tools, they’re usually the first to miss their supplier account payments. We joke that we should be in the truck decal business.
Good luck with your search! I watched endless YouTube videos and reviews as well in my quest for the perfect gear-mover. My girlfriend was overjoyed when I came home with those keys because it meant she didn’t have to listen to any more annoying videos about vans!!
