How many people own or have owned an Aerostar?

[rv4fun]

The "E" series vans are still being produced basically unchanged over the years. It's a dirty shame Ford didn't continue the Aerostar along with the E series. I understand GM no longer produces the Astro vans series anymore either. Two huge mistakes the way I see it. I believe there's still a market for the smaller vans like these two fit. I wish I had the space to store a couple more for spares and parts before they're gone.

 

[aero-star]

Wow it's getting spring in the rockies

Well the Freebie 1994 E-AWD XLT (Tan/Brown)(164.000 km/100.000 mi) is not going for parts (see my earlier post Nov.2013). This Aerostar had been sitting idle since 2009 ++
After cleaning the most common sensors, filters, oil and spark plugs (also O2 sensor replaced). Engine is running like a charm and the whole drive train runs perfect. Even the A/C was still working front and back. The brakes got tuned up and got the missing combination valve replaced. Has a clean interior replaced the back window which I got in the wrecking yard (used 1/4" Butyl Tape). Now I have to fix the rear-rocker panels because a no-brain er didn't know how to jack properly a Aerostar. After I blow all the dust out the chassis I will properly rust proof the coach. The winter tires are at 60%. Exterior paint in good condition and hardly any rust beside some on the rocker panels. When I opened the air filter a mice or squirrel had been housing there for a X number of years. Lucky all the vacuum hoses where still in tact. So far my investment has been Cad 350.00
Rather have a vehicle that age which already had some crappy parts than a new vehicle nowadays which are even more made of crappier parts and are over priced to feed the shareholders. Humm... Henry Ford must be still turning in his grave. For most part all it takes some TLC and properly operating a vehicle to have long enjoyment from them. E-AWD is a must in snow area's and here in the Rocky Mountains we get plenty of it. When this project is completed I will find another Aerostar to keep me in shape.....lol.

 

[Jose A.]

one reason Ford and GM discontinued the Aerostar and Astro is because of Front Wheel Drive versus Rear Wheel Drive.

it is faster to install a complete Front wheel drive unit in a vehicle than a Rear wheel drive setup, so for the purpose of manufacturing, they call it "economy of manufacture".

and we already know the result of that "economy", the Windstar and Freestar: terrible unreliable vehicles which not even used car dealers want to mess with.

We also need to remember that both Ford and GM aren't run exactly by "smart people",
in any case the opposite is true, stupid ceo's and bean counters who make stupid decisions based on beans, just look at the ignition switch scandal that GM created, are these people just plain corporate morons? Yes, stay thirsty my friends.

 

[Michael52]

I've had a 96 Aerostar for about 10 years.

 

[92exp4x4]

I picked up a red 93 model, extended, 4.0, 2WD about a year ago for $275. Its got 206,000 on the ticker as of today. I've maybe put 3k on it. My friend's grandfather was going to junk it. It needed brakes, and some suspension work. My green 95 broke the timing chain. Because of that and some collision damage, it became a parts donor for the 93.

I really like the extended body and the 4.0. Once I got it running, I couldn't believe the power difference between the two. Its got alot of rust, but only in the rockers. Everything else is solid.

My wife hates vans, and I cherish the fact that the 93 was our transportation on our wedding day!!

 

[gersfeld]

just bought anothet 97 ext. Aerostar AWD

I must be out of my mind!! I can't find any parts for it, at least not many I can afford!!

 

[gersfeld]

Funny you should say that about the Windstar. I agree! I hated the design for one thing and the reason I never got Windstar was because it reminded me too much of the Caravan.

Like the Caravan it was more like a car, down low and had no space int he cargo area. The Aerostar is more like a truck and having totaled one I can attest to the fact that it performed well in a side hit leaving none of us with injuries.

Funny thing is when I go to the junkyard. I find few or no Aerostars but tons and tons of Windstars and Caravans!

 

[don-ohio]

How many people have owned THREE Aerostars? Me and who else? don-ohio ^)

 

[intelisevil]

Original owner of a 1990 Eddie Bauer 3.0 "shorty". Parked a few years ago due to brake issues, too many other projects and not enough hours in the day . . .

My wife says I have to get it fixed because it was her favorite vehicle to drive other than our Subaru SVX.

 

[MtExplorer Guy]

How many people have owned THREE Aerostars? Me and who else? don-ohio ^)

I am on my 4th Aerostar and my 4th Explorer is sitting in the front yard waiting for me to pull the engine to do the rear timing chain again! Right now I am driving my Dad's 99 Silverado LS Z71 shorty pick up and am actually liking it!

After driving my Dad's truck since he passed away, I might have to renounce my membership in the Ford Forums!

 

[BrooklynBay]

I have 5 vans, 1988, 1989, 1993, 1995, and 1996 models. The 1993 model is the only one with a 4.0L engine, and is extended.

 

[PrettyPenny]

I don't have one now, although I wish I still did, but my 2nd vehicle was a 1993 Aerostar. I was the envy of all my friends and frequently the designated driver in college because my vehicle could hold more people. That van had over 100,000 miles on it when I got it but O never had a lick of trouble out of it.

 

[Number Twelve]

I drove a 1986 Aerostar and a 1996 Aerostar until they rained on the inside. Right now, the '96 is behind the shed. I'm keeping it as a spare for my 2005 Explorer. I just can't seem to trust a car with so many computers that can cause you to be F.O.R.D (Found On Road Dead), towed to a Stealership, and have it ransomed back to you for several hundred or a few thousand dollars. The only computers that worked when I bought it were the PCM and the ABS. The rest I disabled, one by one. Then I amputated the chime so it couldn't annoy me with constant nags about useless options that don't work. It took me months and a wiring diagram book to locate and kill a dozen broken microprocessors.

 

[intelisevil]

Original owner of a 1990 Eddie Bauer 3.0 "shorty". Parked a few years ago due to brake issues, too many other projects and not enough hours in the day . . .

My wife says I have to get it fixed because it was her favorite vehicle to drive other than our Subaru SVX.

The '90 Eddie Bauer 3.0 "shorty" is still parked but I just picked up a '90 Eddie Bauer E4WD Extended with 142K miles on it for $300. It's even the same color as our original one!

 

[zenish]

i have two now.1991 extended xlt 4.0 and 1991 xl shorty 3.0/five speed.

 

[92exp4x4]

i have two now.1991 extended xlt 4.0 and 1991 xl shorty 3.0/five speed.

Sweet, 5 speed, not many of those. I think my van is going to get converted.. another project for another day!

 

[Josh P]

How many people have owned THREE Aerostars? Me and who else? don-ohio ^)

I'm on my third aerostar, all 91 4.0L extended vans that I converted to a 5 speed manual. First van I owned for 11 months, lady pulled out from a stop sign expecting me to yield to her. Impact sent her spinning 270 degrees and flying. Insurance let me keep it for $50 so I found an identical van, same exact color and swapped everything from the first van over. Owned that one 10 months till a lady rear ended me hard enough to fold the frame over the wheel wells. Insurance let me keep that one for $250. Current van has lasted 2 years, it is getting a supercharger that I bought from another forum member.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Josh, could you make a thread on installing the supercharger?

 

[Josh P]

Josh, could you make a thread on installing the supercharger?

Once the toy box arrives in the mail I will start the build thread.

 

[FPGT24]

I owned a blue 96 extended in really good shape with only 80k miles, but the head gasket blew and warped the heads. i scrapped it because no one wanted it with a bad motor.