Today, after 2+ weeks chasing trouble codes, the CEL is no longer my nemesis. Took her in for emissions testing today and she passed with flying colors – Thank God! P0171 and P1443 kept replacing each other with each fix I threw at her. All in all, the total amount of money spent was just shy of $100.00. Total amount of time, frustration and 4-letter words: Priceless.

As I was finishing up today, I got to thinking about how great this vehicle has really been. I’ve spent far less time with the hood up on my green 1996 4.0L Ext. than any other vehicle I’ve owned. Bought it in ’98 with 36,000 miles on it and haven’t had a single major issue with it in the 101,000 miles I’ve put on it.

Sooooooo, instead of posting a plea for help, I thought I’d start a thread listing what I like most about my Aero (and a couple of peeves as well) and hopefully everyone else will follow suit.

Let me just say that in the years I’ve participated in this forum, I have always, and I mean ALWAYS come away better educated and confident that whatever the task du ‘jour was at that time, I could handle it due to the outstanding assistance and sincere concern offered by those who take the time to help others in need. For that I thank all of you. You are appreciated far more than you know.

Now, on to the list………

Things I really like/enjoy:

SPACIOUS! Lots of room for lots of stuff. I’m a girls’ softball coach – enough said!
She still smokes ‘em when taking off from a stop light!
Great MPG for its size and weight.
Smooth and stable when cruising at high speed. I own a store in Yuma – 188 miles from home and drive there twice per week. Most of the trip is wide-open desert with the cruise control set at 90 mph. Really.
Powerful. No matter what I’m pulling, she yanks the load down the road.
Great visibility. Sits higher that most other vans.
Ice Cold A/C – front and rear. That’s important with that much glass here in PHX.


Things that irk/irritate me:

Too limited on seating configuration. I’ve got 4 captain’s and the bench. Would be nice to have been able to take out he bench and have the other set of captain’s in the way-back once in a while.
Rough on front brakes and rotors. Last disk replacements were the 9th!
Working under the hood on anything further than 12 inches back!
Changing the plugs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Passenger window takes nearly 10 sec’s. to go down and almost 15 to go up! Grrrr!
Passenger seat doesn’t move.
Drawer under pass. seat doesn’t lock.

Okay, it’s your turn.

Thanks again to everyone for their help.

Coach Steve

 

The plugs get easier each time you do it. Anymore, it's not really an irk, at least for me.
What i dislike is the tendency for them to rust away. Maybe in a lot of places this isn't a problem, but it is where I live. All the used ones in my area have rust also. When I begin looking for a different one, it will be from a rust-free state. That's about the only irk from me. I've owned three of them, all of them getting over 250K miles with no engine or tranny problems. (Two of them 3.0 liter, one a 4.0)

 

silicone spray on window tracks really works.

 

Steve:

If you can find another set of Captain's Chairs from the junkyard, here is how you do it

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/5...ml#post4186163

 

What do I love?
Spacious
Tow and haul heavy loads
trucklike handling
visibility
amazing AWD
reliable for a minivan


Things that bother me
rust
interior trim (the plastic cracks and the screws fall out)
the cheap plastic used for the bumpers
the RABS system. (would prefer a 4WABS system)
power steering whine

 

loves
quiet powerful freeway highway cruiser....can drive for 14 hrs plus a day on long trip and still be able to walk when I get out
will cruise at 80+ all day long with no complaints

easy on gas for a 4,000 lbs plus green pig

haul a ton of grandkids or buidling materials

love the AWD system, faultless in 11 years

doesn't take 10 trips to the dealership or other shop to repair and then still not work right.....I do the work on it...wife's Acura-forget it....

cheap insurance, not some stupid sports car rate

 

Likes:
paid for
high riding position and comfortable front seats
acceptable fuel economy
lots of cargo space
parts are still pretty cheap
dependable


Dislikes:
rust out
no room to work in engine bay
undersized front brakes (my biggest pet peeve)
cheap plastic trim
they don't make them any more

 

I don't think the rust is an Aero problem, but rather a location problem. I live in Houston, Tx and between a neighbor and myself we have 5 aeros, starting with an 88 shorty all the way to a 95 ext EB......none of them have any rust.

 

Likes
Excellent dependability/ very reliable
Elevated driving position
Great Internal space for transportation
Comfortable for long journies
Low maintenance
Stability for towing
Almost bullet proof (Ford tough)
Replacement parts are reasonably cheap

Dislikes
Too cramped engine compartment
Eats front discs
Heating system is a bit skimpy (mine has a single heater core)
They dont make 'em like it any more.

I'd definately buy another...........

 

Forgot one of my peeves.....
Having to remove the floor cup holder to replace the doghouse cover!

Coach Steve

 

likes:
awd system is great for winter
tons of space for anything
awesome for long road trips
low maintenance/reliable

dislikes:
soccer mom stigma
cheap interior plastic (maybe its just getting old)
they aren't made anymore

 

Yeah & the ECU !

 

What do I love in my aero, everebody knows...
I wann to pay attention on what I dont love.

1. It seems to me that starter of aero was designed befor WW-II, I saw starter of this design on old GAZ-AA (Ford-AA) trucks with flathead engines. It is difficult to find parts for this exotic starter here. To fine part for 4.0 SOHC starter is easy. That's why I swaped it with Bosch starter, but there was no place for its solenoid, becouse there is oil filter, and I had to replace oil filter with oil filter from Toyota corolla 1.9D. Now starter fits well.

2. A4LD is the tranny of lowest reliability, I ever sow before, Mazda M50 tranny is good for 2.3-2.5 R4 engines, but not for 3.0 ore 4.0, becouse 2nd and 3rd gears go out in 50-60k, so I have tranny from russian truck, that may fit 5.5 engine. The tranny from Volga was replaced before.... I droped oil plug and ran without oil and this tranny became to be noisy, and I replaced it.

3. Power windows is the source of periodical problem.

4. My aero periodically needs seal replacement, especially Rack and pinion seal, engine maine seal and oil leak from under the head covers. I have to replace gaskets periodically. Aero leaks oil more them burnes.

5. Aero is large inside, but heater is really insufficient for so big van.... I had to add 1 more heater for rear seats

6. Unfortunatly small turbo diesel engines were not popular, when aero was designed, my friend drives aero with 2.5 turbo diesel (140 HP) and aero have unusually good MPG (8.5 l per 100 km on hightway).

7. SLiding door. Needs attention every year.

8. A/C needs exotic refrigerant, difficult to find here.

9. To replace spark plugs, remove fuel ingectors is difficult.

10. Aero need rear anty-sway bar

11. There was no version, updated for NG fuel.

And the last, that I hate, there are no new aeros!!!!!

 

Likes
Surprisingly good pick up
Space for all the baby stuff, family/friends, band gear
very comfortable on long trips
decent gas mileage
pretty good handling for a van
towing capabilities

Dislikes
some interior parts are cracked
interior squeaks and rattles
bumpers must have been made out of same interior plastic
the side door
sometimes the rear end feels like it could be stiffer
the engine was shoehorned into the engine bay


We love our aeros looking for another one, forgot to say we got both Aeros from a preacher who was moving for $1500, and have already put more than enough miles to pay for them.

 

Looks like we all have experienced most of the same likes and dislikes. The ones that stand out the most to me are:

Likes:
Reliability
RWD/towing

Dislikes:
interior noise
engine accessibility