Size, features

Gas milage considering 16" wheels and electronic OD transmission

Excellent overall. It does all I reqire of it. No significant repair problems to date. Improved ride and road noise by replacing tires with top end Michelin MXV4 Plus tires at 45000 miles.

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VW Camper

Very comfortable and easy to get seven people in and out. Drives smoothly.

In the past two months I have had to take my van to the Ford dealership for a wide range of things to be fixed. Lock tumblers had to be replaced, sliding door lock mechanisms had to be replaced, a coolant leak, a bushing underneath the vehicle had to be fixed and the latest (for which I will shell out over $1000 on top of the $1600 already put into it) the head gasket blew at 75,000. Ford mechanics told me that this was a problem in the earlier models and they have not seen them in the 1997. Well, after a little bit of research I have found that I am not the only 1997 Windstar owner with the head gasket blowing. Ford should really step up and take responsibility for a series of bad engines.

I would definitely recommend that anyone considering purchasing a Windstar think real hard about it. I loved my van until two months ago.

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None

can't think of any right now

there's not enogh room to list all its weaknesses

brakes needed replacing sfter 20000 km,tires at 40000km tranny replaced at 73000km power door locks make ratcheting sound they have for the last 6 months interior windows frost up to the point that we need to scrape the ice off just to be able to see[the outside is frost free]power steering rack needs to be replaced[van currently has 100000km]the list goes on and on so many little problems that are nickle and diming me to death the dealership where the van was purchased once made the comment to me that they don't make any money in sales that the make up for the loss with service calls.

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drove an astro till it reached 500000km did not have nearly the amount of headaches the windstar has given me

Roomy, fits my family of seven very well. Good room in cargo area, looks nice, paint has held up very well

I wil never buy another Ford again. Not just because of all the problems I have had with this car (Head gaskets, engine replacement (that took 4 months to find one)) It was the way FORD did not own up to anything, or offer with assistance on rental or loaner car or locating an engine. There is nothing they can do. Well there is something I can do, never deal with their company again

I would definitely not recommend any Ford product as they are not accomodating and do not admit to their mistakes.

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I also have a Mitsubishi Galant which I love, I will look at a montero for my next vehicle.

the car has a great stereo system and great clmate controls. i especially like the rear radio and climate controls.

rumbles when going from 2nd to 3rd gear. we had it in 2 times and the problem is still not fixed. the trim molding on the side doors around the windown also keeps coming loose.

i wouldn't recoment this van to anyone. Ford is not very cooperative in helping us solve this problem. besides the transmittion problem and the molding the car is great. the only problem is the transmittion is waht makes the car and w/o it there is no car.

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We used to have a 1989 astro van and it doesn't compare. in the 11 years we had the astro the problems we are facing now with this van we never had with the Astro. We wish we had kept the astro.

space

brakes are light duty, abs malfunctions, rear power windshield wiper motor burn out, cargo door rubber bumper fell off, cargo door latch assembly fractured, front coil spring fractured, gas milage, transmission jumps,

My experience with the ford windstar leaves me to believe that ford products, in general, are under-engineered when compared to general motors products. I have never in 25 years of driving and performing maintenance on my personal vehilces ever had as many problems as I have had with my 96 ford windstar. I will not buy another ford. Instead I will buy a gm if I purchase another van. If I purchase a smaller passenger car, it will be a honda, toyota, or nissan and not a focus. Buyer beware.

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Makes a pretty lawn ornament

Fuel economy, Uncomfortable seats, Reliability, repair costs, no support from the Ford Motor Company.

This van recently had the infamous head-gasket failure which ended up frying the motor. Still in the shop (don't worry, it's not a Ford Dealership shop). Will cost over $3,000 to repair. This rebuilder gets anywhere from 4 to 6 calls a week on this problem with the 3.8 engine.Called Ford Consumer people. They were rude, uncaring, and obnoxious. One would think that a company as large as Ford would own up to the fact that the 3.8 engine is an engineering flop and take care of their customers. I have filed a complaint to the State Attourney Generals office. Ford is well aware of the problems with the Windstar and could care less. I will never buy another Ford product or recommmend one to anyone. I would rate the vehicle 0, and the Ford Motor Company 0. If Ford can't make a quality, reliable vehicle they should get out of the automotive business and make toys instead. Toys are expected to breakand be short lived.

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1991 Plymouth Voyager, No comparison. We put 265,000 miles on the Voyager with only minor repairs. This Windstar has cost us nearly 45%of the origional purchace price.

Looks nice

repairs, reliability,

We have owned it for 2 years and we have had it in for repairs 12 times. Periodically doesn't start and dealership cannot find the problem. Don't like the fact we're paying $650 for a car that leaves us stranded. Compass module was replaced, rf window motor, battery, alternator, driver seat cover (leather wore out), and tie rods. I would strongly encourage anyone who is looking at buying a Windstar to look at something different. I will never own another Ford product!

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92 Plymouth Voyager - voyager was better. We are currently looking at trading the Sindstar off for a Yukon.

THIS VAN HAS VERY LITTLE STRENGTHS, THIS HAS BEEN A LEMON FROM ALMOST THE VERY START

VAN WAS PURCHASED IN OCT,2000 AND IN NOV,2000 IT WAS AT THE DEALERSHIP AND STAYED THERE FOR 21 DAYS, THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING GEAR.

HAVE NOT HAD ANY MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH THE DEALERSHIP ITSELF HOWEVER AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE RELIABILITY OF THE VAN ITSELF, AM CONCERNED THAT VAN WAS PURCHASED -NEW- AND ONLY A MONTH LATER WAS AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR THREE WEEKS. WHEN YOU PAY THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR A VEHICLE YOU EXPECT MORE OUT OF IT, WOULD NOT SAY THAT I WILL NEVER PURCHASE ANOTHER FORD PRODUCT HOWEVER FEEL THAT THE COMPANY AS A WHOLE NEEDS TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS AS FAR AS THEIR PRODUCT IS CONCERNED. WOULD DEFINITELY DO -ALOT- OF RESEARCH BEFORE PURCHASING ANOTHER VEHICLE OF ANY TYPE, HOWEVER THINK WILL LOOK MOR FOR A FOREIGN DEALERSHIP NEXT TIME.

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WE HAD A 1995 FORD AEROSTAR UNTIL WE PURCHASED THIS VAN. AEROSTAR WAS OVERALL A GOOD VAN

Size for family-thats really about it.

Where to begin? Transmission,air conditioning,door ajar light/bell,gas mileage.

After getting hit by a drunk driver in our Beretta,we bought the windstar on a whim.Didnt really check out its history because thats all we ever see on the road are Windstars.Found this site 3 months after purchasing the vehicle.Suddenly we were terrified of owning a 95 Windstar van.Actuallly asked dealership about the heads because one person had told me there might be a problem with them. The dealership assured me that that problem accured years ago when the mini-van first came out.Bought our Windstar with 101000 miles on it so the "warranty" was already up.Tried to go back to the dealership but that was a lost cause.No help,no cares,no nothing.Noticed transmission starting to slip soon after this,something eles I asked the dealership to please take a close look at.Tried at several neighborhood dealerships to trade and take the loss before the big loss came in repairing it.Their response was"Is that a 95? Have the heads been done? You know there was a recall? Didnt the dealership tell you about that? I dont want this van- too risky!"
Finally found a place where they were willing to take it. They test drove it and felt the transmission slipping but they thought maybe a fluid change and everything would be fine.Gave me $4300 for it-the best offer I got. After much research on this site and with Carfax we opted for a 97 Mitsubishi Galant with 57000 miles.
My advice is to stay away from Windstars-oh yeah there is also a very annoying beeping that goes along with the door ajar light-even when all doors are closed tight-trust me I checked those doors a million times.

THANK YOU CARREVIEW FOR SAVING ME BIG MONEY ON REPAIRS. I only wish I had found this site before I bought that Windstar.

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Can't really compare to anything I have ever owned-first and last mini-van.