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Ford Freestar/Mercury Monterey

918 messages,  Last post on Nov 28, 2012 at 9:41 AM

You are in the Ford Freestar Forum.

What is this discussion about? Ford Freestar, Mercury Monterey, Van

Messages Page 77 of 93

#754 of 918 Re: 2006 Freestar by samnoe

Oct 27, 2005 (6:50 am)

Replying to: ANT14 (Sep 18, 2005 9:24 pm)
I went to the dealer last week and found there sitting about 4 new '06 Freestars. There are a few interior changes, the location of the door lock/unlock button which is more intuitive, and safer power window switches, but you loss the illumination.
 
I don't know why, but it bothers me that all older Ford vehicles offered illuminated controls for everything, and lighted glove boxes as well, and on the newer models they're missing.
 
Question to Ford: Is this the only thing you can copy from Toyota...?

#755 of 918 Need Your Opinions.... by beernut

Nov 01, 2005 (10:28 am)

I've finally gotten to where I don't trust my '97 Windstar for long trips anymore (60,000 on a Ford remanufactured engine, 10,000 on a Ford remanufactured trans, countless new parts everywhere else, 112,000 on the rest of it). I am considering the following:
 
2002 Windstar Limited, 50K, $10,000, no more warranty,
 
2005 Freestar SEL, 17K, $19,000, extended warranty.
 
What do you folks think. All thoughts will be useful.

#756 of 918 Re: Need Your Opinions.... [beernut] by tamu2002

Nov 01, 2005 (1:56 pm)

Replying to: beernut (Nov 01, 2005 10:28 am)
No offense but do you have to buy another Freestar, given the last experiences with this one? The Dodge Grandcaravan seems to be a much better vehicle in utility and reliability, if you'd like to stay with domestics. But regardless, best of luck.

#757 of 918 Automatic doors open by themselves by fmlytruckster

Nov 01, 2005 (4:25 pm)

Automatic doors open by themselves
 
I’ve had a 2005 Freestar since midsummer that hasn’t had a major issue besides eating a rented copy of Dumbo that Ford still hasn’t been able to return to me from the DVD player going out… until now. The other night after the kids were in bed I took out the trash walking directly past the well closed and locked doors of the van. When I got up in the morning the rear and passenger side doors were fully open and the in and outsides of the van were covered with condensation. I peeked around to see if anything had been stolen, and nothing had been touched. I pressed the button to close the doors but they wouldn’t respond. I double-pressed the buttons on the key FOB and nothing happened. I tried to open the drivers door, but I realized the doors were all locked. I unlocked the van with the FOB and tried to close the doors again, but both of them made the sound of trying to open themselves, and on the second pressing of the button they finally closed. Both key rings were in the same place they had been the night before, from before I checked at trash time, well away from little button pressing fingers. The night was the coldest night we had seen since getting the van and the heaviest amount of condensation but definitely not the wettest. The two nights since have been warmer and we haven’t had as much vapor fall out of the air. It has not reoccurred but I look a couple times each night and in the morning expecting to see the doors standing open.
 
Any thoughts?

#758 of 918 Re: Need Your Opinions.... [tamu2002] by beernut

Nov 02, 2005 (5:49 am)

Replying to: tamu2002 (Nov 01, 2005 1:56 pm)
Well, tamu, most people (except my Father-in-Law) take cars for test drives before they buy them. I do as well, but with a little different twist. I find the exact car I'm thinking about (in this case, the '05 Freestar SEL and the '05 Grand Caravan STX) at a dealer with 20,000 miles or so on it - which usually means they came off of a rental line - and I test-drive it. I actually do this with a couple of different cars/vans in each case. Under my use, it will take two or three years to put on 20k so what I'm driving that day is what I can expect to be driving in three years if I bought a new one.
 
Anyway, the whole Chrysler product line has no fear of ever occupying a space in my driveway, if you know what I mean.
 
Having said that, and not being willing to pay the ransom to Tokyo for their offerings, I find myself looking at Ford's. I know some folks have had good service out of the 2002 and later Windstars, but don't yet feel like I'm well enough informed.
 
BTW, I drove the 2002 Limited I'm thinking about to work today and it rides and runs pretty well but does make the same grinding noise that the 97 has been making for some years. I always thought it was the PS pump. Also it has 78,000 miles on it, not 50,000.

#759 of 918 Re: Need Your Opinions.... [beernut] by samnoe

Nov 02, 2005 (8:21 am)

Replying to: beernut (Nov 02, 2005 5:49 am)
In CR Special Guide (available at magazine stands) it states that Ford Freestar has average reliability, while Chrysler and Dodge long wheelbase vans are fallen to lower than average.
 
The DCX rides a little better, has a better turning radius, and the engine is a bit more refined that the Freestar, and they also offer stow-n-go, but otherwise there is no big difference between the 2. Also mileage is about the same.
 
I guess if you're used to Ford's van you should go with the 2005 Freestar. Just be aware that the '97 Windstar has very comfortable rear seats, while the Freestars rear seats are far from that, they are small and thin, and sits very low to the ground.

#760 of 918 Re: Need Your Opinions.... [beernut] by tamu2002

Nov 02, 2005 (12:08 pm)

Replying to: beernut (Nov 02, 2005 5:49 am)
"Having said that, and not being willing to pay the ransom to Tokyo for their offerings, I find myself looking at Ford's. "
 
I definitely second that sentiment. We're as cheap as you We looked at domestic vans first and were hoping to get a killer deal--at least $7K cheaper than the imports, to no avail. We ended up with a Nissan Quest that cost LESS than a comparable Freestar! We've been happy with our van since we had it 6 months ago. That said, I still think the Dodge could be a tremendous value. And there's no way we'll pay an arm and leg for a Oddyssaey!

#761 of 918 Re: Need Your Opinions.... [tamu2002] by beernut

Nov 02, 2005 (12:55 pm)

Replying to: tamu2002 (Nov 02, 2005 12:08 pm)
Not cheap... frugal!

#762 of 918 Re: Need Your Opinions.... [beernut] by tamu2002

Nov 02, 2005 (3:21 pm)

Replying to: beernut (Nov 02, 2005 12:55 pm)
Hahaaa, ok, frugal it is. What's wrong with being cheap?

#763 of 918 Re: Need Your Opinions.... [tamu2002] by beernut

Nov 03, 2005 (7:53 am)

Replying to: tamu2002 (Nov 02, 2005 3:21 pm)
You can be frugal for a lifetime. Being "cheap" only lasts until you become a "cheap bast*rd". Wives frown on that.

Messages Page 77 of 93

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