1997 Ford Aerostar XLT 4.0 6 cylinder from North America

Summary:

My Ford Aerostars have been the most reliable vehicles I have ever owned

Faults:

Intake manifold gasket had leak, would not pass state inspection without replacement.

Faulty thermostat.

New Brakes.

New Exhaust System.

Rust in passenger door sill.

General Comments:

These vans are a great used car bargain for someone looking for a reliable, roomy vehicle that can go from being a work truck to a family van. This is my second Aerostar. I wish that I had purchased it new, but if this one is like my previous one, they get better after 100,000 miles. Look around at how many are still on the road, they haven't produced them in 10 years.

They are not the best handling vehicles (the steering is not great), but they rarely break down.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 9th November, 2006

21st Nov 2006, 09:23

I totally agree these are the best vans Ford has built. I have had two 1993's. I gave the first one to a fellow associate at work and it now has over 331,000 miles on it! My "new 93" has 134,000 miles on it. Really wish Ford would bring these vans back with two doors and retain the same rear wheel driveline.

1997 Ford Aerostar xlt 4.0L from North America

Summary:

THE THUNDER WEDGE, I affectionately called her

Faults:

Well considering the brakes failed on me on the highway before I scraped of the van, I would say it was pretty good.

The front seats kept braking on me, but I kept replacing them with scrap, I mean recycling yard seats (wind-star seat works).

The muffler fell off on the highway.

The power steering leaked on me before I put the beast to rest to.

General Comments:

I loved this van, if was one of my all time favorite cars I have owned. It was white with a red, blue and yellow stripe down the side. I kept the seats out and had an air mattress in the back.

I would recommend an aerostar to anyone who needs a cheap reliable van.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 19th September, 2006

1997 Ford Aerostar XLT 3.0L V6 from North America

Summary:

The best van ever made..

Faults:

Nothing has gone wrong so far. Just your normal basic routine maintenance.

General Comments:

I have had all kinds of vans and trucks. We own a 24-hour roadside assistance company. And we have a very large fleet of vehicles. I would definitely buy more Ford Aerostars before any other van on the market. We have had Chevy vans (garbage), as well as Dodge, and they don't last whatsoever. Ford Aerostars have in our fleet. Thanks Ford for building something right.

By the way, anyone that said Ford did not make a 1997 Ford Aerostar does not know anything, but how to drive one!!!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 10th November, 2005

11th Nov 2005, 12:26

Seriously? Nothing at all has gone wrong in 3300 miles? Now there's a ringing endorsement.

28th Nov 2005, 16:34

OK, how about 175,000 miles with out a major repair? Is that reliable? Then again, the engine only lasted 190,000 miles. My '93 had 245,000 miles when a deer jumped in front of us and destroyed the front end. Within two weeks, I replaced it with a '97.

15th May 2007, 00:15

You should not be so quick to brand vehicles manufactured by Dodge and Chevy as problematic, when you have had neither for more than a few thousand miles. Perhaps you have had the others for a longer time than the Aerostar and you are unfairly comparing the two.

18th Oct 2008, 19:05

Mines been very reliable; 300,000 kms of reliability to me more precise! Of course I've had some routine consumeable parts, but that's quite normal.

The entire drive train is still original. I've had a starter motor, which needed new brushes, & a bearing go in the alternator & a camshaft drive synchronizer fail, BUT that's pretty good IMO!

If Ford brought them back, I'd get one in a heartbeat.

21st Oct 2009, 17:02

Well, I can personally attest to exactly how crappy Dodge minivans are... I had a Grand Voyager (same as Dodge) and it went through seven...yes, SEVEN, as in one more than six, transmissions in UNDER 45,000 miles. What only added insult to injury was the dealers' complete lack of caring (note apostrophe use, it went to three different dealers and each one was as indifferent and ineffectual as the next) I finally got rid of it and bought a Country Squire wagon, which went 225,000 miles without one problem. Chrysler is one company that could fall off the face of the automotive universe, and I wouldn't miss it a bit. I've owned three Chrysler products in my life and I got my ass kicked on every one of them!