Ford Windstar Minivans | Wagons
Ford Windstar Minivans | Wagons
|
[Aug 14, 2001]
Jake J
Model Reviewed:
&
Strength:
Good Layout for controls in the '95 model. Verry esay to drive '95. Good Power and doesent have a problem towing ('95 + '00).
Weakness:
HOIY SH¡T DID FORD FUÇK UP THE 2000 MODEL! I have had no problems with my '95 ford windstar, but the 2000 is a diffrent story! It has major blind spots too (2000) that caused a crash with under 1000 miles on it(And I drove a 95 windstar for 5 years before)!! The only reason I got the 2000 model was becasue the head gasket blew on my '95 windstar and ford gave me a great deal on the 2000 model..... I wish I kept the '95. This Thing Blows! Breaks down so easly....... what did ford do to the 2000 models? I had a '95 ford windstar and it was verry nice. Similar Products Used: '95 windstar.... good deal |
|
[Aug 15, 2001]
Karen
Strength:
the best thing about this is our Salesperson (Jeannie), other than the I love the color, the comfort and it is nice and roomy.
Weakness:
breaks down too much, that is really the only complaint I have about the van. It is more the service dept. that treats you like you don't know what you are talking about. I still have the van I at first really loved the van. The first thing that went wrong with it was the front struts had to be replaced about 2 months after we got it. Then two weeks later the stabelizer linc had to be replaced. At about 4 months the transmission was replaced (less than 6,000 miles on the van). At approximately 4 months later that transmission started acting up (slipping). We took it in and the van was in their possession for over a week and they check this and that and they couldn't find anything wrong with the trans. I went on a trip out of state alone with my children and prayed it would not leave me along side the road somewhere. Lucky for me all went well until I returned home. My husband took the van in to get the oil changed and tires rotated and it was noticed that the van was leaking trans fluid. We once again took it back to Harold Zeigler and they finally put it on the lift and found that there is a crack in the trans casing. So now we are on trans #3 and the van is NOT even a year old. I am really ticked at the way service has treated us. I know we are a pain to them, but the inconvenience and loss of time from work and wage is a pain to us. The LEMON LAW has been brought to my attention. Something is really wrong with this van and I am affraid of what is next. Similar Products Used: 1993 Ford Aerostar was a good van for us except for the rear wheel drive. |
|
[Aug 13, 2001]
Dave Wilson
Model Reviewed:
Windstar SEL
Strength:
Lots of power when needed, Good on gas, Loads of room inside. Excellent ride and comfort. Towes the trailer really well .
Weakness:
Cheap Chrome trim peeled in several places. Had trim fall of first week, Sliding Door the second month. In one year I have had several batteries, alt and rack was changed along with 2 p/s pumps. Transmition was fixed at about 4 months. Blower would change from defrost to floor when it wanted to. Van would just up and die. Dealership could not find any problems. Had Major problem from Day one. One good part was the dealership wized up after blowing up at the owner and a few calles to the CEO of ford. After 1 1/2 years of problems Ford helped trade me into a New 2001 for minimal cost to me. davew@nbnet.nb.ca Similar Products Used: had a 1996 Windstar had NO problems. |
|
[Jul 29, 2001]
Karina Snow
Model Reviewed:
Windstar LE
Strength:
Can fit a good amount of people. I like the middle console. The back seat slides up.
Weakness:
Where do I start? The car can not tell when the doors are closed or not, so the interior lights are usually on. The paint chipped on the front bumber without me hitting anything. The cup holders broke within the first 6 months.Weak! Less then a year from purchase the transmission blew. Luckly it was under warrenty but they put in a used one and we were back 3 months later to get another transmission. Our warrenty went out 3 months ago and now the transmission is acting up again! What is this?! We are contantly replacing tires and we have had the car in for brakes 5 times in the last 2 months and thay still can't figure out why they're squeaking. The seat beat for the right passenger on the middle bench blocks the entry into the back seat. The teenagers I drive around hate that seat. I think I will try a foreign car next time. Crap! Will not buy Ford again. Should have listened to my parents. Similar Products Used: First van. But we had a Bug (loved it!!), Saturn SL1 (doing great) and Mazda MX6(had no major problems with it). |
|
[Aug 12, 2001]
Tex
Model Reviewed:
Windstar GL
Strength:
Roomy, comfortable ride. Peppy engine. Great design and colours available.
Weakness:
Noisy power steering unit. Suckered by Ford dealer into replacing the unit to eliminate the whining - ha! Minor electrical and brake problems will nickel-and-dime you to the poor house. As soon as any weight is placed on the cargo area floor, the door-open light comes on as to the interior lights. Have to jiggle the wiring unter the carpeting to get temporary fix. Poorly designed climate control system. Not very economical for city driving (or long trips come to think of it). Van moves quickly in traffic but you pay for it at the pumps. Transmission has slight slipping at lower revs and will clunk in some stop-and-go situations. Purchased second-hand with 60,000km. Have added another 60,000km including two trips to Florida (Orlando) and two trips to Lancaster PA. Excellent performance from 3.8L engine even when fully loaded with 5 adults and baggage. Comfortable ride. Good vehicle in snow although the ABS takes the credit. Similar Products Used: First time van. Previous vehicles have been station wagons for the most part. Will probably go to a car next but if another van, it will not be Ford. |
|
[Jul 24, 2001]
Ricardo
Strength:
Nice comfortable ride
Weakness:
Defective engine all around - Ford makes customer pays for it. Car built for Bill Gates - he might be able to afford it. Worked okay until head gasket blew up. Nothing but problems from blown head gaskets (could not use car for 6 months until Ford would fix it) to replaced block, transmission ($1600 - failure due to a small part inside transmission that fails on Windstars - according to the dealer), injector ($600), electric windows ($350). Just had a head and timing cover job done for $1400. Got the story from the dealer that the timing cover gasket leaked water into the engine, then the engine overheated and caused the head gasket to blow. I was told by dealer that I might need another block after the timing cover failure. I could not afford another $1900 so I declined. Now engine has a rod and piston noise it is not driveable. I just made one mistake: I bought this For van. I will not make this mistake again. Similar Products Used: None |
|
[Jul 27, 2001]
JS Boucher
Strength:
None!! I think it got the best saftey rating because, if it's broken all the time it can't get into any accidents!
Weakness:
Everything. Don't ever buy one of these, especially without the rear heating and cooling, roof racks, tinted windows, (kids complain about sun) and a really long extended waranty!!! THIS IS TRULY A P.O.S.!!!!! It has just over 70,000 miles on it. For the first 3 years we had only 1 problem with this van, the magnetic door locks kept coming dislodged, which made the interior lights and bell come on and off. At the time we bought this van it had the best saftey rating, and the most room in its price range. We have returned to the dealer 2 times to have the magnetic locks replaced, here we are July 2001 and the interior lights and bells continue to randomly turn off and on. This seems to happen most at night, it really messes with your night vision. We use this van as our daily driver, school, karate, baseball, etc... We have taken this P.O.S. back and forth from MA. to Fla. on family vacations. One year on our return trip, due to an almost flat tire, the ABS light came on and remained on this required a special trip to Ford to have the sensor replaced. The next year, again on our return trip from West Palm Beach and Orlando the vehicle drove fine until it warmed up and we god forbid had to take a pee break for the kids. When we got back on the road the van would no longer shift into 3rd or 4th gear, and when you try to reach highway speed from a rest area with a rig on your tail end you suddenly KNOW FEAR!!! If we could get into the van in the a.m. when it was cold and get on the highway, and maintain speeds above 45m.p.h. and never stop we were fine until we had to stop for gas. We drove for 6 hours then stopped for the day. It was easter weekend and what usually would take 2 days to get home took 4 days. We tried Ford dealers in Daytona, St. Augustine, Smithfield, N.C. and finally Rocky Mount, N.C. All of which consistantly insisted we needed a NEW transmission,and they couldn't do it, metal in the pan, etc... A friend of mine in Fla. who is a mechanic told me it was the transmission sensor, and the only info. he had was what I described. When we found the dealer in Rocky Mount, N.C.on Sat. the dumb broad that scheduals the service bays bent down and sniffed the front drivers side tire and declared "Yep it's the transmission alright, we'll have to replace it, it won't be until Tues. or Weds. though." I suggested they check the trans. sensor, but the broad insisted she had been doing this loonger than I had. They put it on the computer, and again we were informed it needed a new trans., "Oh would you be interested in looking at our new Windstar models?" Like hell! When I refused the new trans. and insisted they just change the trans. sensor, we were told it couldn't be done for 3 hours. (Where was I going?)Go right ahead and change the part! 3 hours, $28.00 for the sensor and $100.00 for labor, and we were back on the road again! We haven't had a problem since, with our trans. This year we had the check engine light come on, until we hit Baltimore, M.D. , the light suddenly went off. Also had a recall on the sliding side door. And I have heard rumors of a head gasket problem as well. What next?? I was hoping for an engine fire, it put it out of my misery. So if any of you see it go up in smoke don't call the Fire Dept. PLEASE!!! This mom's had enough of Ford. I'm looking into an Madza MPV, Honda Odyssey, or Toyota Sienna. Any pros or cons on these other vehicles would be GREATLY appreciated. chisaii@yahoo.net Similar Products Used: I'm sure anything will be better than this. |
|
[Jul 26, 2001]
jim
Model Reviewed:
windstar
Strength:
Roominess, interior and exterior style
Weakness:
Reliability, repetition of problems, lack of QUALITY service both technically and making the customer feel good Unfortunately,the problems with this vehicle have turned us against Ford. The windstar is comfortable and we like design. However we have had two trainsmissions and one engine replaced, along with tie rods and numberous minor things..The only thing that has saved us is we bought the ESP. Strangely, it just ran out and it's looking like another engine will have to be put in. Similar Products Used: had 2 mustangs in the past that were good vehicles |
|
[Aug 03, 2001]
Richard Bellmor
Model Reviewed:
/LX
Strength:
Design, size, layout
Weakness:
Engine, transmission, brakes, Fords attitude and lack of taking responsibiity for clearly documented engine and trans problems. This Windstar ties (with my previous Aerostar) as the worst, most un-reliable van we have owned. The engine from the start always ran rough. Each time it was taken in Ford said there was no problem --when we would go on trips lasting over 3 hours on the road the engine would surge as if running on 4spark plugs. They could never find a problem. At 70,000 miles I had the replace the trans. At 114,000 I had to replace the engine. ( Five other friends who own Windstars have had the exact same head gasket/engine/trans. problems. Some covered under the warrenty, some not. It just went in at 117,345 for trans. problems. Ford is a disposable product! Not to be kept after the Ford Warrenty expires. Fords attitude when I spoke with them was arrogant and unconcerned. I love the design and look of the Windstar more than anything else out there. I only wish it was more than skin deep! Similar Products Used: Aerostar -- Just as bad. In 105,000 miles rebuilt engine (36,000) and trans twice. |
|
[Aug 03, 2001]
Steve
Model Reviewed:
/Windstar
Strength:
Safety, comfort, good mileage.
Weakness:
Appearance (too "round" shaped). Cup holders not placed very intelligently. Door sensors do need to be kept clean. We have been very happy with our Windstar, and have had no service performed on it other than regular maintenance. Took it last year on a 3000 mile family trip through Washington D.C. and up to New England. Had a great trip, came home, changed the oil. From the looks of the other ratings here, I'd say the theory that people are more likely to report an unhappy experience than a good one holds true. Similar Products Used: Had a 1996 Chrysler Town & Country, did not enjoy that experience at all. Very frequent trouble. |


