Decision about Ford Windstar -to keep or not to buy new

[tink&cinderella]

Hi

We have a 1999 Windstar. In April 2005 we planned a trip driving to and from Disney. Just before the trip the van went in for service and cost $3500 CDN to fix for various things including brake work and a leak in the transmission.

It now has 220000 KM on it and today the O/D drive light kept flashing on the highway. Through other sites I have read it is probably the transmission that needs replacing. The question is, do we keep it, pay for the repair and drive down to Disney again in December 2006 or do we get a new vehicle.

We are scheduled to go to Disney December 9-16, 2006 renting DVC points - very excited about this and then the 10 day cruise and either stay for the New Year or drive and stay home for New Years.

We were hoping to buy into DVC after that but now with the potential of a new vehicle I doubt that buying into DVC will be an option.
Could it be something less expensive then a new transmission., Our plan was to keep the van for 2-3 more years (this was before the potential repair) What to do

Any thoughts???

Tink&Cinderellla

 

[Janice B]

Personally with a Windstar anything could be the problem. Three years ago we used to own a 1998 Windstar. We bought it used and had nothing but problems. Just before we sold it, it was in the shop every other month and the bills were more than $300 each. Also when we sold it to the dealership the sales person was surpised that the transmission hadnt gone yet and we only had 150,000km. The way we made our decision to get rid of it, was to take the past years garage bills and total them and then divide by 12. If that amout including your current repair totals more than a car payment would cost then maybe its not worth fixing. For us over the year we were averaging $350 a month for 12mths. We sold our van and bought a brand new one and are payments were only $50 more per month.

 

[sammi]

We had a 1995 Windstar that was nothing but trouble....... eventually the transmission blew (New Years DAY!) and we hadn't even owned it for 5 years at that point. We totalled up all the repair bills we had accumulated in 4 1/2 years and was shocked to see $7000.00 total! So we sold it and bought a 2002 Ford Focus wagon that we just love.

 

[jinglesmountjoy]

Former Windstar owner here. Purchased at 164,000 km and within the first year, had to rebuild the transmission, replace the oil pan (rotted out) and the head gasket blew.

These vehicles are notoriously bad. Go to lemonaidguide.com and start reading. Phil Edmonston, president of the APA, says the Windstar borders on being classified as a lemon. The lawsuits are enormous in number. The transmissions are biodegradable and apparently the problems I had were just the tip of the iceburg.

Get out while you can. There aren't many American-made mini-vans that are a recommended buy according to the APA but if you just can't manage the extra cash for dependable Japanese quality, then go with a Chevy Venture/Montana. They are listed as an above-average buy.

You really should try to go Mazda/Honda/Toyota if your situation permits. It's time the 'Big Three' start making some quality vehicles instead of cramming garbage down our throats and then using the whole 'North American made/Union Made/Support Our Economy arguement to guilt us into buying it. I won't even get into the utter absence of any form of post-purchase support.

I've ranted enough. I sympathize with you... dump it.