have driven ford vans for 25+ years for work and play here in humboldt county california. windy roads and windy storms just take some common sense to handle. these thing lean, they stop leaning, then take the corner. under hard braking w/o abs when going into a turn the rear tires want to lift, and the straight axle can make certain road surfaces fun (or not). sturdy, reliable, and fairly easy to maintain. fresnel lens in side and rear windows are tremendous help, as are convex mirrors. have only had/driven the i-beam suspension, wears front tires but is very tough. (wish i could convince myself that the quigley or quad-van conversion is cost effective for me).

 

Yes, you do feel gusts abit more because of more surface area. However, I quickly realized the van is quite stable despite that. Even with heavy duty shocks in back and 8 ply small truck tires, you feel the road more. As it is an "empty box" with seemingly little weight to hold you (at the moment) how to handle it was one of my immediate concerns. But it did not take long to adjust to driving it in strong winds and on windy rural desert highways.

 

Y'all do realize this thread was started in November 2003? :P

 

well, we're getting good mileage out of it;}

 

Yes, but it's chock full of very good info.. Maybe it should be a sticky...

 

i think we need about 180 more posts to be a sticky

 

Well I finally got some replies, I've been waiting this whole time

Tony

 

I have been driving an E 150 8 passinger Club Wagon in Los Angeles as a daily driver for over 20 years. Sitting up high gives great visibility, you can see over the tops of parked cars making it easier to enter cross streets and its especially nice on rainy days, water spray from car in front stays below the windshield. If you are old enough to remember '60-'70's Fords and Chevys the full size van is about the same length. My truck will go and park any where a car(Fairlane 500 for example) will go except some parking structures. Then on the week ends I can load the dog crates in the back and take the dogs on a training session or hook up a 6000lb trailer and go to a tractor show. Can't do that with a minivan.