coolest vans ever!!!
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Senior User
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 194
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coolest vans ever!!!
is it just me or does everyone else think that the areostar was the coolest van ever built, it has a classic design, and has all the creature comforts, its bigger than a minivan and gets better gas mileage than a fullsize, and to top it off it always keeps you on your toes and guessing...when we had our it was always a trip....bets were made as to what would go wrong next....we would be driving and all of a sudden the windsheild wipers would come on....crazy stuff, but always fun to drive, and exciting, like when our sliding door feel completely off at 45 on the way to school....such a blast, but what can you expect when you put over 100,000 miles on in 3 years...oh well gotta love it
Freshman User
Joined: Apr 2001
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coolest vans ever!!!
I agree with you completely. I am on my third aerostar (97 all wheel) and I am sad to say that they have finally perfected it in time to discontinue it. I have had nothing gone wrong. Not only is it a great van, but try to get an all-wheel, 5 speed for under 22 grand. Ya you can get a new van which is close, but who want's to pay 10 grand more.
I plan to keep this van until it dies, or I do.
I plan to keep this van until it dies, or I do.
Elder User
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 510
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From: Portland, OR
coolest vans ever!!!
Definitely think it's the best minivan ever built, IF you need to tow and carry a lot. If you don't need to tow a bunch and carry as much, I think a Windstar with the 200hp V-6 would be better but my 93 extended AWD has been very reliable and never left me stranded. The interior is getting a bit loose and I had to put KYB's and a rear anti-sway bar on it to make it handle decent but I can drive the damn thing all day long and not get tired. Now, if it just got 25 mpg I would be happy.
Mark Biederbeck
Mark Biederbeck
Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 1999
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From: Northern California
coolest vans ever!!!
I like the feel of a RWD van as compared to the Caravan, Windstar, etc. I guess if I lived in the snow belt area of the USA, I may think different as a FWD vehicle is superior on ice and snow conditions. Living in Northern California (Sacramento) my Aerostar XLT is as solid as when it was new. In fact, I can still see several factory markings on the undercarriage and engine area, not bad for a daily driver almost 15 years old. I cringe every time I see a new RWD Astro van or GMC Safari van. Seems Ford could have really perfected the Aerostar by now, what do you think? Ed
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Joined: Apr 2001
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coolest vans ever!!!
Right on the money Ed. I owned one of the first Plymouth Voyagers. It had to be one of the worst vehicles I've ever owned - really soured me on minivans. Then the wife wanted this homely, insipid looking Aerostar she found on the used car lot to haul the kids around in. Well, 8 years later I think it is one of the all time great inventions. Nothing then or now comes close to matching the versatility of this van. With AWD it is just awesome in the snow. Try pulling a trailer with 2 snowmobiles in 18in of loose powder with any other minivan and you'll be stuck until Spring. Since Ford still makes the Ranger on which it is based, perhaps it will be reincarnated one day. Stranger things have happened, i.e. the "new" T-bird.
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Joined: Jun 1999
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From: Northern California
coolest vans ever!!!
Aerocolorado, I agree competely with you! Well said, and you're right: Since the Aerostar is based on the Ranger platform, all of the today's technology is already in place. Many people and businesses like and need a RWD van that is smaller than a conventional full-size RWD van from the big three. I mean too, if GM is still building the Astro and Safari, there has to be a market for this type of vehicle. Considering Ford stopped making the Aerostar in '97; I still see hundreds of them on the road each day when driving my work truck. I have not driven an AWD Aerostar, I would like to see what the newer ones are like. Are they good in snow and slush conditions? How do they feel/accelerate as compared to a regular front wheel drive minivan? ED...
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Senior User
Joined: Feb 2000
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coolest vans ever!!!
FYI. GM has announced that 2002 is the last model year for the Astro/Safari mini-vans. So I'm not so sure that there really is a market large enough for the smaller RWD mini-vans anymore. Dodge will drop the large Ram Vans after 2002 also BTW. At least according to what I've read.
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Joined: Apr 2001
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coolest vans ever!!!
Ed, you must live in Ohio, home of the 8in winter road slush. Nothing, short of a semi, can plow through this stuff and when they do-you wind up with a nice, thick coating on your windshield that stalls the wipers. Yeah, the Aero made it through but it was like driving through an 8in deep layer of axle grease. (What's with Ohio, don't they ever plow the roads?) Under all other conditions, I find the AWD unmatched for negoiating snow/slush. It will also nicely handle deep, loose sand without bogging down.
Elder User
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 510
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From: Portland, OR
coolest vans ever!!!
Sometime in 1992 Car & Drive did a test on every AWD or 4x4 minivan made at the time (Aerostar, Chrylser, MPV, Previa and I think also Mitsu and Nissan). They ranks the Aerostar #2 behind the Chrysler but, as I recall, the Aerostar was considered the best traction/performance in bad weather. The test was done in the dead of winter up in Alaska.
Anyway, it definitely swayed me to the Aerostar, a decision I only curse everytime I calculate the mileage.
Mark Biederbeck
Anyway, it definitely swayed me to the Aerostar, a decision I only curse everytime I calculate the mileage.
Mark Biederbeck
FTE Community Team
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,807
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From: Oak Harbor, Washington
coolest vans ever!!!
> Now, if it just got 25 mpg I would be happy.
Gee, that's what mine gets. Really. 1989 3.0l
But . . . I drive at the speed limit (I love cruise control), and to get 25 mpg, I have to drive like six hours at 55 mph, which I did a couple of weeks ago.
At 70 mph, it runs about 19.5 mpg. Big difference.
Regards,
Al S.
Gee, that's what mine gets. Really. 1989 3.0l
But . . . I drive at the speed limit (I love cruise control), and to get 25 mpg, I have to drive like six hours at 55 mph, which I did a couple of weeks ago.
At 70 mph, it runs about 19.5 mpg. Big difference.
Regards,
Al S.
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Joined: Nov 2001
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coolest vans ever!!!
Well I'm new to here but I love my 93' Aerostar XLT. My van is one you have to see to understand. I run a liw 17 sec 1/4 right now and hope to get down to a 15 soon. I love my van and agree with all of you. But my only problem is tring to find parts for the body. I want to lower it if any of you have any ideas.
93'Aerostar XLT. Intake, cherrybomb glasspack, dual 3" tip, red LED blinkers, red neon inside.
93'Aerostar XLT. Intake, cherrybomb glasspack, dual 3" tip, red LED blinkers, red neon inside.
FTE Community Team
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,807
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From: Oak Harbor, Washington
coolest vans ever!!!
Paddy D said:
> Well I'm new to here but I love my 93' Aerostar XLT. My van is one
> you have to see to understand. I run a low 17 sec 1/4 right now and
> hope to get down to a 15 soon.
Fifteen second quarter mile in a van with the aerodynamics of a shoebox and a 4.0l pushrod V6? Wow! This I'd really like to see!
Actually, I'm kind of impressed with the 17 sec 1/4 you're turning now
Regards,
Al S.
> Well I'm new to here but I love my 93' Aerostar XLT. My van is one
> you have to see to understand. I run a low 17 sec 1/4 right now and
> hope to get down to a 15 soon.
Fifteen second quarter mile in a van with the aerodynamics of a shoebox and a 4.0l pushrod V6? Wow! This I'd really like to see!
Actually, I'm kind of impressed with the 17 sec 1/4 you're turning now
Regards,
Al S.
New User
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1
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From: Cold Lake Canada
coolest vans ever!!!
Just wanted to agree about the Aerostar. We just bought a used '90 and we can't understand why we waited so long. The only problem we've encountered is that it doesn't put out a lot of heat, otherwise, we love it.
J.A.
J.A.
New User
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 17
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coolest vans ever!!!
Love the van. I own two 89s, one for work, and one passenger for fun.
When everything works,they're great; when something goes wrong,they're
worst. Is there a harder vehicle to work on? I doubt it.
When everything works,they're great; when something goes wrong,they're
worst. Is there a harder vehicle to work on? I doubt it.