How many people own or have owned an Aerostar?

[Jose A.]

ok, she wins the Silver Medal

[Blackbeard]

My parents owned an 86 and an 89 back in the 80's. Just recently purchased a 93 XL extended with 3.0L. Has 131K on it. Got it out of a guy's storage basically. Put a new tranny front pump seal in it, changed oil, belts, hoses. Runs great! Needs AC looked at, but other than that, its a nice ride. Too hot here in TX to run around without AC!

[mmerlinn]

Only two here.

1986 3.0L automatic rear wheel drive. Bought at 109,000 miles for $2000. Had to junk it when top of #5 piston started rattling around in the cylinder at 200,000 miles. Only major repair I did was rebuilt transmission at 170,000 miles.

1993 3.0L automatic rear wheel drive. Bought at 176,000 miles for $2000. Original engine and transmission neither of which had major repairs before I bought it. Went past 358,000 miles two days ago. No major repairs since I got it. One tune up. On transmission flush. Still get 23mpg city and 26mpg highway. Typically has a payload of 3000 pounds or more in the back. Will still fly over any mountain pass anywhere with a load like that. Empty weight of van is 3900 pounds, so I obviously overload it.

Currently considering buying another 93 exactly like mine with 115,000 miles for $500. Should know in a few days whether I get it or not.

[tucson_sailors]

1997 XLT, previous was a 93/94 Eddie Bauer XLT (can't remember the year). Wife loves them cause of the seating position and visibility.

Glenn in Tucson

[Blueyed Rebel]

Hi, I'm new around here myself and thought I would keep with the thread...
I own a 1992 Aerostar that is in immaculate condition cosmetically for the most
part.. I'm just starting to have a couple of very minor mechanical problems
beginning to arise... When you first crank it, there is a slight smell of fuel as if it might either have a very slight leak - discharge for just a very seconds, or as if the fuel to air intake ratio is mixed way to rich... then after it get's down the road a mile or two away from the house, it doesn't seem to have any power.. It has near to no acceleration power at all and will barely pull itself back home!!
My first Ford truck was twenty six years ago. It was a 1977 Ford Ranger XLT F-150 Custom. It was a long wheel base with an long bed, two tone paint red on white.. After it went through two 351-m-400 series engines, my father and I put a big block Mercury 400c.i. in it which bolted right up to it's c-6 transmission with 4-11 limited slip rear end.. I kept it from 1980 till 2001 and it served me very well!! I've had a couple of chevy's and a dodge ram van since, which were all very short lived.. I kept the dodge just less then three weeks then got rid of that hunk of detroit garbage.. the chevy's, lasted a little longer.. I do have a whole lot more faith and respect for a cheverolet then I ever will for a dodge... very long story involved in that, which would take to long for here... So back to the Fords I now own... A few years back we purchased my eldest one of the nicest vehicles I've ever had, a 1997 Ford Ranger ( the smaller one ) and then recently I got for myself a 1978 F-100 Lariat with a 302c.i.-c-6 in it.. it too is red on white like the one I had in my younger days. Even tho this one is more of a restoration project body wise.. the kid that I got it from had started on it and two other projects when his young wife informed him of a surprise addition she was expecting to add to the family. She also insisted he complete one of the three ford p.u.'s he was working on, and that he liquidate the rest... I had mentioned a couple of times how it reminded me of my first truck, so I convinced them to let me take this one off their hands for a very low price! It runs great, is pretty solid even tho it looks like a rust bucket when you're first walking up on it. The only real issue I've found with it so far is the brakes seem to have a pinhole leak that I've not been able to find.. Over the last few years after a series of very extreme cardiovascular events that have forced my body to a point of being so badly handicapped that I am not capable of walking more then a few feet at a time or attempting strenuous activities.. Add being plagued with a slight twinge of short term and long term memory losses, plus lapses in judgement calls when it comes to some mechanical aptitude. I guess I am just kidding myself with hoping to see any break any time soon... social security and the wife's salary just don't go quite far enough to relieve this feeling that we're steadily sinking so far under that there will ever be a reasonable comfort even... My wife keeps trying, bless her heart!!
I know you'll all agree that I'm able to use what little mind I have left..


Thanks for Listening, I'll try to get a few pics of my fleet in the appropriate folder for everyone to get a good grin over!!


Danny

[Jose A.]

hi,
both of the symptoms you describe could be (repeat: could be, I'm not an expert) a clogged catalytic converter. Run the engine to full warm up and have someone look under the engine (passenger side) to see if the catalytic looks red hot. (even it if doesn't, don't touch it!). If you live in a state without annual inspections, and the catalytic IS clogged, you could cut it off and replace it with just a clamped straight pipe to see if it resolves the problem, then you can decide to replace it. I would not suggest you replace it just because it could be clogged, you must confirm it is, they are very expensive, don't throw money at the problem, it never fixes the problems.

The problem for us Aerostar owners is that there is no support from Ford, or from Ford dealers, so we have to keep them running whatever way we can.

[JerichoFan]

I am 18 and living with my parents so there are 6 aerostar sitting in our driveway, I own 2 my parents own 4.

My 92 short body xlt 3.0L has 254,000 miles on it. it was my parents 1st aerostar, then they where going to get rid of it but gave it to me instead. I am in the process of fixing it up, replacing: radiator, water pump, power steering pump, timing chain, heater core, and rebuilding the transmission.
My 97 long body xlt 4.0L has 91,000 miles on it. I bought this one a couple of months ago because I didn't think I would have my other one ready before I started collage and I needed a car. and I wasn't 100% sure the other one would work. I replaced the radiator and worked on the a/c, the compressor went bad
My parents have a 92 long body 4.0L. 66,000 miles on it. they just recently bought it. had to replace the alternator. it looks like the trans. was worked on
they also have 3 97 long body 3.0L. none have had to have parts replaced. 1 has 68,000 miles, another has 89,000 miles, and the other has 85,000 miles
they are all great vans, very reliable, huge, the 4.0L have alot of power. We love these vans.

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! You are the only person on this site with more Aerostar vans than I have.

[Jose A.]

Originally Posted by JerichoFan

I am 18 and living with my parents so there are 6 aerostar sitting in our driveway, I own 2 my parents own 4. My 92 short body xlt 3.0L has 254,000 miles on it. it was my parents 1st aerostar, then they where going to get rid of it but gave it to me instead. I am in the process of fixing it up, replacing: radiator, water pump, power steering pump, timing chain, heater core, and rebuilding the transmission.
My 97 long body xlt 4.0L has 91,000 miles on it. I bought this one a couple of months ago because I didn't think I would have my other one ready before I started collage and I needed a car. and I wasn't 100% sure the other one would work. I replaced the radiator and worked on the a/c, the compressor went bad. My parents have a 92 long body 4.0L. 66,000 miles on it. they just recently bought it. had to replace the alternator. it looks like the trans. was worked on. they also have 3 97 long body 3.0L. none have had to have parts replaced. 1 has 68,000 miles, another has 89,000 miles, and the other has 85,000 miles. they are all great vans, very reliable, huge, the 4.0L have alot of power. We love these vans.

you are hereby awarded the Golden Medal for most Aerostars owned :-))
All I can say is: CONGRATS!

I've owned 3 since 1986, I bought my first in June 1986, brand new! There was no Extended body available back then.

[Tapemeasureman]

BB I have a 93 4L XLT, and a 94 3L XL I use as work trucks. Both over 150k mi, all things considered, I find them to perform well, and to be economical especially given the (over) loads I carry with them. The dual zone a/c is certainly appreciated on these hot Atlanta summer days too. Now and then I am frustrated with some of their issues but I am generally diligent enough with my research that I can fix all the issues myself. Not bad considering Im a carpenter and not a mechanic.

[Malk67]

My 96 just hit this "magic number" about two weeks ago. She's currently at 291 and change.

[Malk67]

Jerichofan, I've also seen a trend here in Rowan Co., NC. I can't go a single day without seeing an Aerostar, and never seems to be the same one.

[mmerlinn]

I used to make a game of counting Aerostars versus Caravans. Anytime I would go to a store ANYWHERE, even in the middle of nowhere, I would see Aerostars. It was common even 2 years ago to count 6 or more of them in a parking lot. And in that same lot there would SELDOM be more than one Caravan, WHICH IS STILL BEING MADE, while the Aerostar has not been made for SIXTEEN years. Proof positive which is the better vehicle.

Two years ago I was in a town of 2000 people 30 miles from the nearest big town of 6000 people. I SAW SIX DIFFERENT AEROSTARS IN LESS THAN TEN MINUTES in less than 2 miles. Nearest city of 100,000 or more was 200 miles away, so you know how remote the area was.

Wrecking yards crush Caravans on the day of arrival. They are junk from the factory. Aerostars generally stay in the yards 6 months or longer until there is nothing left to sell.

My 93 has now turned 362,000 miles. For the first time I might have a serious issue with it. I have an oil gauge that is not working properly all of the time. Have yet to figure out if it is an oil problem, gauge problem, or electrical problem. I did relocate the wire on the sending unit, and the gauge changed its antics, so I suspect electrical. Motor just keeps purring, so I guess it can't be too serious.

[BrooklynBay]

Check the oil pressure with a test gauge, and don't take a chance driving it with low oil pressure. A new oil pump is cheaper than a new engine.

[top4874]

Hi! I was looking in the Ranger forum for information on my daughter's truck and saw a link in someone's sig that lead me here. I own a 95' Aerostar XLT that I have had for about 6 years now. I drive it back and forth to work everyday and on short trips here and there. Good reliable vehicle, though I wish it got better gas mileage.

Glad that I found this place because I am one that does all of my own repairs. Just in the short time that I have been browsing around, I have found several helpful posts that deal with problems that I am having with my Aerostar. Hope to learn as much as I can about this jewel so my wife will think I am a master mechanic. lol

[Jose A.]

Originally Posted by top4874

Hi! I was looking in the Ranger forum for information on my daughter's truck and saw a link in someone's sig that lead me here. I own a 95' Aerostar XLT that I have had for about 6 years now. I drive it back and forth to work everyday and on short trips here and there. Good reliable vehicle, though I wish it got better gas mileage. Glad that I found this place because I am one that does all of my own repairs. Just in the short time that I have been browsing around, I have found several helpful posts that deal with problems that I am having with my Aerostar. Hope to learn as much as I can about this jewel so my wife will think I am a master mechanic. lol

hi,
I'm on my third Aerostar since my first one in 1986, I don't know why but I like them a lot too. Once you get the bugs fixed, they are reliable. The one I bought last May came with a few bugs I'm still trying to fix but that is part of the fun, little by little I'm making it like new. As to gas mileage, the 3.0 liter engine is better in gas mileage, but the 4.0 engine has more power, and the 1997 came with a 5-speed automatic which helps the mileage some.

[mmerlinn]

Originally Posted by top4874

Good reliable vehicle, though I wish it got better gas mileage.

What kind of mileage are you getting?

My 93 3.0L shorty Aero still gets 23mpg around town and 26mpg highway even with 363,000 miles on it.

If you are getting anywhere near that, you are getting very good gas mileage.

[MtExplorer Guy]

I currently am driving my 3rd Aerostar and think it is one of the best vehicles I have ever owned in my 50 years on this planet, I am sorry Ford stopped making them!

[mmerlinn]

Originally Posted by MtExplorer Guy

I currently am driving my 3rd Aerostar and think it is one of the best vehicles I have ever owned in my 50 years on this planet, I am sorry Ford stopped making them!

Thank the Federal Safety regulations for no more Aeros. Ford made them up until the very last day they were legal to make.

And it is probably the best vehicle ever built, and I am sure the best van ever built. No other vehicle to my knowledge has ever had the end-of-production date put off for 3 years due to popular demand.

[BrooklynBay]

From what I've read, it seems like the government wanted a passenger's side airbag in 1998, and Ford didn't want to redesign the dashboard, so the Windstar took over where the Aerostar left off.