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Ford Freestar/Mercury Monterey

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Comments

  • ANT14ANT14 Member Posts: 2,687
    Any engine can ping, I have heard Sienna's and Oddysey's ping as well, a few months ago my Aunt's Oddysey was pinging, and after a higher octane it went away. And pinging engines are NOT a common issue for Windstars.

    But all manufacturer's have their issues. Honda has their transmission and A/C failing under the 100K mark, and Toyota has their engine oil sludge problem's on their 3.0L V6 and not honoring warranty on them if the people didn't keep receipt's on maintenence.(Who does).

    Now Nissan is sending 200 engineer's to the Canton Miss. plant to inspect why the new Titan's, Quest, Armada are having low quality issues.

    So overall, everyone has their gremlins...everyone has weeds, it's just more convinient to look at the neighbors yard.
  • tjnbtjnb Member Posts: 26
    I was just looking at the long term reliability studies for minivans at JD Power. The Odyssey was the top dog ( I guess those surveyed did not have bad trannys ), but the Sienna and Windstar were very close. In fact if you look at the initial quality survey vs the long term, one would think that some gave the Windstar owners new vans. The Windstar had 2 stars, which means " the rest", while the Toyota had 4-5. In the long term study, it is 3-4 for both the Windstar and Sienna. The Oddy is mostly 5 stars. The long term was for the 2001 model year. The Town & Country was 2 stars and the Mazda MPV was 4-5. I am wondering is the Freestar will perform the same magic in the Power study. The ancient V6 will be reliable, but the rest is the question.
  • dthomasdthomas Member Posts: 8
    i have try gas all over arizona as i travel. we have mtbe added to our gas in metro area. so when i went to the out of the are i try the regular gas and it did the same. i have try higher octane to. the problem i run into screaming at ford is my husband works at a dealership. everytime i called ford they yell at him for myself calling. i want to find the regional manager but know one wants me to talk to them. i just turn the radio or tv up loud. any advise would be helpful thanks
  • tamu2002tamu2002 Member Posts: 758
    Well said. While we all feel sorry for the folks that have problems with their cars, we still need to put things in perspective. I haven't owned any Windstars, but plenty of my friends do and they're all satisfied customers. One friend of mine is a professor in mechanical engeering who has worked with Ford. He's so impressed with Ford's engeering that he only buys Ford, so far anyway.

    Hope the pinging problem will be resolved dthomas.
  • ANT14ANT14 Member Posts: 2,687
    Dthomas, sticky situation. I would say you act like an outsider, and just try and resolve the mission on your own, without advicing the "in crowd" that your related to someone that works there. Try Ford Customer Support on the phone, and try another dealership as well. Sometimes when you don't have an issue resolved at one dealership, you might be surprised you might find answers at another. Same with customer service, if you do not get the answer you wish. Hang up, call again, maybe another day if need be.
  • spartanmannspartanmann Member Posts: 197
    The JD Power study just confirms what almost everyone accepts. Honda and Toyota are simply head and shoulders better in reliability than any of their domestic or foreign competitors. It simply comes down to designing things to last for as long as possible, instead of until the warranty period expires. Surprisngly (to me) GM has made the best advances of the domestics and were actually above average in the survey.
  • jvp06jvp06 Member Posts: 12
    Thank You!!!
  • ANT14ANT14 Member Posts: 2,687
    Ironically today the results on the Windstars 2001 dependability number's came across my eyes at an improvement of 81 points per 100, over the previous year. Quite an improvement overall.
  • pernaperna Member Posts: 521
    I'll always maintain that the General makes a darn fine drivetrain. You can't really fault most of their engines and transmissions, in fact I'd pit their slushboxes up against the best in the world. I have countless friends and family who drive GM vehicles into the hundreds of thousands of miles and put relatively little money into them. My folks have a Pontiac Montana pushing 110,000 and still going strong.

    IMO their only real weakness is their interiors. Awful, awful, awful. Cheap plastic crap everywhere, trim falling off, and even though it looks like they've been trying to address it they still have a way to go.
  • tjnbtjnb Member Posts: 26
    The Sienna did not perform head and shoulders above the Windstar. The were very comperable. By the way, did you see thata Honda had to recall over 90% of the 2003 model year vehicles sold in the US because of transmission failures? 90%!!! WOW! That 1.1M of 1.3M sold. If Ford had to do that, it would have to recal over 4M total vehicles. That is incredible!
  • ANT14ANT14 Member Posts: 2,687
    But you hear it if it were Ford.... When it's Honda, the story get's printed on the back pages...
  • laundryguylaundryguy Member Posts: 89
    Don't bash those Honda's quite yet. They were recalled based on the failures of 6 units in the field. Plus, these were relatively high mileage heavily loaded down vehicles in the report. I'll admit there will be others that will eventually fail under less severe low mileage conditions and some have posted as such in Edmunds.com - but I would applaud Honda for standing behind their product. There is nothing shameful about a recall. It is completely shameful of a manufacturer to do nothing when they know they have an issue.

    Thousands of the Windstar head gaskets failed in the mid 1990-s and Ford just let them pile up before doing a darn thing about it. They also new they had a bonafide crummy transmission piston (replacement part is turned steel - crummy part was drawn and turned aluminum) - thousands of these failed as well. However, Ford did nothing to replace any of these parts, let alone have a recall or extended warranty.

    Go to some of the other forums - almost nothing about suspension parts. I know a few mechanics who say they can almost make a living just replacing tie rods, ball joints, and wheel bearings on Fords Windstars, Taurus, Tempos, and Escorts. Keep them in stock for the relentless flow of parts. Cheaply made with poor designs. Ford would have to go a long way to redesign these areas before their van will ever be considered reliable for the long term, even after fixing transmissions and engines issues.

    Maybe Ford has made progress on their engines, but why not offer the best across the line ala Toyota, Honda, Nissan? Should you have to dish out 28k for a van to get a decent engine for towing purposes when you can get the high end engine on an Ody or Nissan for 22k? Ridiculous.

    IMHO I think the core "customer is on their own" attitude is still there at Ford and hence I will never buy another Ford and would never recommend one to a friend.
  • ANT14ANT14 Member Posts: 2,687
    So because someone had issues with a vehicle from deacdes ago, people need to swear off the brand for the next 50 years ?

    What about those of us that have owned Ford products and never had issues with them ?

    Ironically when friends ask me (because of my automotive experience in the field) for advice on a specific car, I just mention the top 3 vehicles in each segments, and all the pros and cons from them. A few had anti-Ford bias because "OH my mother had a Taurus back in 89 (here I roll my eyes)".

    And sometimes I don't have to say anything... They have seen the vehicles I've had (test driven), the grueling abuse I put them through, and seeing how I haven't had any issues with them, have bought the same models.

    Although sometimes I'm a bit offended when I hear "Well the way he treated his I'm amazed it didn't blow up, I should get one as well, just not his used one". It could be taken various ways. I actually had one friend go shopping for a used LS, and he specifically asked for my VIN of the previous LS I traded in, JUST to make sure he didn't buy my leftover. Rude I tell ya ....
  • laundryguylaundryguy Member Posts: 89
    OK - I was being a tad brutal on FMC. For a 3-4 yr lease, with the right family demographics (limited rear row use), the Ford could be an option.

    I think most vans can and will deliver a pretty flawless 3 yrs/36k miles. After that is when the brands separate. Anything beyond the warranty period with FMC is asking for trouble IMHO. It is based on two back-to-back negative experiences with a 1989 Escort and a 1995 Windstar). Thus I gave Ford two tries, albeit in the span of a decade. Yes Ford has had 9 years to turn their quality around, but Honda and the others aren't standing still either and have had 9 years to make their product that much better as well. The gap may not be as pronounced now as it once was, but I believe it is still there.

    Back to the Freestar. I still think the rear seat is not viable for anybody over 10 years of age, but I will admit there are many that never use the rear seat or just very occasional for short trips. I have a family of 6 with a few boys beyond 10 already. Being 5-6 inches shorter in leg room than the rest of the competition in the minivan segment to me is just non-competitive in the "large" minivan segment. The category of "minivan" to me must seat 7 individuals comfortably for short and long trips.

    That 95 Windstar was worth a whopping $750 for the best trade offer I could get (OK it had 125k on it). I took the tax deduction and gave it away to charity. Honda vs Ford will show the Honda worth at least 1.5k - 2k more after 3 years.

    When it came down to laying $22k - 24k on the table again this spring, it was a no brainer that Honda and Nissan had a superior product at a lesser price with higher resale value. Sienna was also excellent - but $2000 more.
    For those of us who value money, and I happen to be one of those, I could not justify another Ford investment. I guess it goes beyond basic treatment of the customer in the past decade - the total ownership experience of acquisition cost, feature packaging, resale value, repair costs, brand backing (having recalls when appropriate/standing behind the product) - the Ford is just not a sound investment versus the current alternatives IMHO. I'm not alone - many automotive magazines and financial magazines concur that the 6 year old Odyssey design still delivers a better value than the new Freestar.
  • ANT14ANT14 Member Posts: 2,687
    I agree, I believe (and have stated) that the Freestar could have been a better try. Unfortunately what many do not understand is that given the current situations with supplier's, plants, products, engineering, etc. there was just NO possible way of making the Freestar anything better than what it is.

    You first need a platform, the Windstar/Freestar is based on the Taurus platform. Great for crash ratings, but it's considered dated because of it's dimensions. Then we have engines...I would have preferred a modern SOHC unit, BUT the 3.9L/4.2L are the only one's that offered the power the vehicle needed...while the development for a 3.5L DOHC V6 are still being ironed out.

    In the end, your always going to have someone who is more inexpensive, or more that has a feature you really value, or one has more power, or one that has more doors, etc. That's just part of the marketplace, and as consumer's, luckily we have choices...

    And the competition, will make current products, better. Next generation of Ford minivans will be quite impressive. Based on a CD3 derived platform (Mazda6), and much more modern engines as well. With all the toys and gadgets possible.
  • dthomasdthomas Member Posts: 8
    yeah i am meeting with ford engineer next week. maybe he can tell me why my van pings,something whistles,gas gauge reads empty after putting in $40.00 and the window raddles. i have 15,000 miles on my van and it keeps getting worse. anyone else with problems like mine please let me know. thanks!!!!!!!!!!
  • samnoesamnoe Member Posts: 731
    There is a different board for problems - maybe you'll get an answer over there...

    ANT14: As much as we know that Ford tried the best, it does not work for everybody. Customers will look on the bottom line: Who has the best product? And that's what counts.

    Nobody would say, hmmm... Toyota has such a good minivan, much better than Ford's, but I'll take a Ford because they tried very hard to make a decent minivan!...

    The only think Ford can do is to lower the prices and give huge rebates (like they're doing now).
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Here's the problems link:

    Ford Freestar/Mercury Monterey: Problems & Solutions

    Steve, Host
  • tamu2002tamu2002 Member Posts: 758
    You nailed it. Personally if we could afford the Sienna, or Quest and Odyssey for that matter, we wouldn't go with the Freestar unless it's close to $10K cheaper comparably equipped. Not to say the Freestar is not a capable van, it's got a few good things going for it such as safety and exterior looks. But the engine power, fuel efficiency and resale value simply are not up to its competitors level. Plus once you add a few necessities (e.g. canopy etc), you're looking at a price in the same range with the imports even after the rebates. That's just not gonna cut it for me.

    Just off the top of my head, I wanna throw out some strategic moves to Ford AND GM AND Chrysler/Dodge:

    1)make radical design changes inside and out to make your vans at least look modern and appealing! Need I say "Quest"? Style sells!

    2)make radical engeering changes too. First, save all of us some trouble--just drop one kick-butt engine with kick-butt power and fuel efficiency (if you have one...if not MAKE one!) into all of your trim models, like Toyota, Honda, and Nissan all do! And while you're at it, drop in a 5-speed auto too. Or be a class leader--use a CVT transmission!

    3)make all airbags(side, canopy, knee, etc), ABS and traction control standard. That takes care of the all important safety. Then make all of the cool features standard such as double power doors, power lifetgate, Stow-n-go or whatever else you wanna call it, adjustable pedals, etc. Leave the DVD and Navigation as options. And this takes care of comfort.

    4)copy Hyundai's warranty!

    Mass production of these extras will lower the cost. A better product will raise the price threshhold that the customers are willing fork over. Then you set the MSRP somewhere in the middle to make it an irresistable value, and you have a winner! I garrantee you if you do this you'll shut up A LOT of people. And I'll be sure to get in line to check them out.
  • ANT14ANT14 Member Posts: 2,687
    "1)make radical design changes inside and out to make your vans at least look modern and appealing! Need I say "Quest"? Style sells!"

    Actually Quest sales are not at all great, and they are re-evaluating the situation since they aren't selling as well as they had first projected.
  • tjnbtjnb Member Posts: 26
    I agree about the airbags. Make them standard features. I know that Chrysler could not put in a moonroof and the safety canopy, but the Freestar has no moonroof.

    I do not think lowering the MSRP matters with all of the REBATES. I would rather see them lower the MSRP, but I think the dealers want the higher MSRP so they get more cash.

    I think that STOW-N-GO is great and Ford will put it in within 3 years.

    The Freestar should have had a new platform, like the Freestyle.
  • tamu2002tamu2002 Member Posts: 758
    I'm just frustrated to see how far behind the big three lag the imports. IMHO it's all in the grand strategy and vision. They simply don't have the vision and gut to go outside the box.

    The domestic vans are very decent and will serve most folks just fine. But the big three will NOT hold their grounds for long if they're just satisfied with adequite vehicles. This applies to their complete line of products. Toyota already outsells Ford and is currently No 2. To compete, you have to OUTCLASS and OUTPERFORM your competitors in every way. Your products have to make your customers fall in love with them at first sight and completely blow them away.

    We need somebody in Detroit who thinks radically and dares to break the rules.
  • tjnbtjnb Member Posts: 26
    The new freestyle should be interesting. I wish I would have waited for it. It is still not the most radical design, but it does have a new engine and new tranny (CVT). It could put Ford in front again. Chrysler used to push the curve but now they are not so far ahead. I would have liked to Ford use the new Freestyle platform on the Freestar. I actually like the styling of the Freestar. It is classic looking but the interior needs an upgrade in some minor ways. I just want a better looking faux wood finish. Other than that, I like it. I hated the dashboard shifter on the Sienna and Quest.

    Look at the Focus. It is not a radical design, just a good vehicle. FOrd knows what to do, it just needs to do it better in minivans. That being said, I really love my Freestar. I have had no problems and I like everything about it.
  • tjnbtjnb Member Posts: 26
    FOrd is #3 in worldwide sales but #2 in US Sales
  • spartanmannspartanmann Member Posts: 197
    I just posted the figures of overall Toyota and Honda reliabiility versus everyone else from the J.D. Power survey. The 2001 Windstar did have fairly good reliability, of course it is a 6 year old product and even Ford can get quality right if they have long enough to do it.

    As for the recalls, you are mixing apples and oranges. Recalls are free repairs performed on all vehicles to correct a problem likely to occur on an very minute percentage of vehicles. Ford has issued a tremendous number of these over the past few years. The Focus may have set some sort of record in its first year. Recalls however do not necessarily correlate to long term reliability.

    Someday (hopefully in my lifetime) Ford or GM will be tops in the J.D. Power survey and they will post that in every single ad they run. Of course then all of the people who have made excuses for them over the years, will suddenly jump on the bandwagon to emphasize how important the survey is.
  • samnoesamnoe Member Posts: 731
    As expected, there will be mostly no changes to the 2005 Freestar.

    https://www.fleet.ford.com/products/fleet_showroom/2005fleetshowr- oom/2005-freestarwagon.asp
  • ANT14ANT14 Member Posts: 2,687
    Yes, it pretty much stays the same with no changes. Here's the ordering guide to give you an idea...

    http://www.fordaxz.com/pdf/2005_freestar.pdf

    ***PDF File format
  • tjnbtjnb Member Posts: 26
    They did add the power liftgate.
  • ANT14ANT14 Member Posts: 2,687
    Yes, one new gadget. And luckily no late availability as most other toys.
  • samnoesamnoe Member Posts: 731
    Power liftgate was scheduled already in late 2004, and then delayed to 2005, so no big deal.

    I would like them to change some option packages if I'll get one. I would like to have the SES (I think it looks much better than SEL and Limited), but I would like to have the following (as a 'convenience' package or something):

    - Message Center
    - Heated Outside Mirrors
    - 3rd Row Reading Lamps
    - Rear Sensing System
    - Illuminated Sun Visors
    - Keyless Entry Keypad

    I also hope Ford will bring back the light in the glove box, and the power/volume control of the audio system should be lighted as well.

    I did not heard or read anywhere any differences between the the 2 engines (3.9 / 4.2), So I guess it shouldn't be a big difference between the two.

    I think that 4.2 is a bit more noisy (truck sound), and also uses more fuel.
  • spartanmannspartanmann Member Posts: 197
    Anyone know if Ford is scrapping the ridiculous pricing for the 2005 models? The competition only gets tougher with the new Odyssey and whatever it is GM is regurgitating. With rebates at $5000 (so far), who would be dumb enough to buy a 2005 priced the same as a 2004 before the rebates kick in again?
  • laundryguylaundryguy Member Posts: 89
    Saw an ad in Chicago newspaper (Daily Herald Saturday) for $16,700 or so for an SE that stickered $24,600 (do you think there is a MSRP pricing issue here when the ad price is 32% less than MSRP?).

    This is almost $3000 less than a comparably equipped 1995 Ford Windstar GL, that had less features (3 doors vs four, etc - I paid $19,600 way back then). At least the competition is driving down prices for all. Not endorsing this vehicle as a must buy - but at that price point it is a definite buy over the short wheel base Caravan and could suit many folks basic transportation needs.
  • tjnbtjnb Member Posts: 26
    With a $6000 rebate, yea it is lower in price. THe reason is that they are not selling like the used to. The sales for the Freestar are down around 10%, even when the Monterrey sales are included. The Sienna is the main reason. It is much improved and people have noticed. The 2005 Oddy will attract big sales as well, but not like it used to. Ford will have to improve its image on the Freestar or just expect lower sales. I am sure that the UAW will not like that. Anyways, I think Ford is banking on the 500 and the Freestyle to recover from its recent sales slump. I expect to see those on dealer's lots soon.

    The Freestar is a very good van and it has a great price point now. The Honda is very low price now too. Good time to buy either.
  • dthomasdthomas Member Posts: 8
    i have posted about my tranny and pinnging sounds on here. well you aren't going to believe this.meet eith ford engineer thrusday. they were to mike my van to see where the problem was comming from. well ok next week. wee driving along tonight the brakes lock up. dead stop the back. almost hit several times. i get home finally and my husband pulls the tire off and the brakes back have no pad and there locked up. well i wounder why my van has been pinging and shifting funny. i have been pulling my vaan. that's why the tranny went out the first time. this is incrediable. they kept telling me i was picky about it well look it almost cost my life. off to the dealer tommarrow. i refuse to ever drive it again!!!!!! sorry so long so upset any suggestions????????????????
  • trainboytrainboy Member Posts: 66
    My suggestion is to complain, complain, complain. Ask to have the Zone Rep come out and look at the problems. We got one of the first Freestars and it looked like they painted it with a mop. They wanted to fix it and I said you can't fix paint. The power doors side doors didn't work and they couldn't fix those either.

    Bottom line, they took it back on a buyback. I had to buy another Ford product and we exchanged at MSRP. Unfortunately, that blocks you from recent rebates. Overall, we are very happy with a replacement Merc Monterey.

    Good Luck,
    Trainboy
  • dthomasdthomas Member Posts: 8
    hi requarding no rebates with buy back i got $3,000 when i bought it do i get to get that again? also the ford rep is a joke. he was in my van thursday driving it and friday i almost got killed. come to find out the back right 1pad fell apart and was locked up. that's why i hit the brakes and they locked up and i almost hit someone.manafatuer defect the dealer said. i asked for arbutration. where are you at what state because our zone repis a joke.he said put microphones on it and the dealer didn't have them. this van is horrifying!!!! any more ideas????????? i am thinking lemon law and attorney.
  • testcasetestcase Member Posts: 1
    I was wondering if anyone had any idea about any new rebates coming up for the 2004 Freestar? The current $4500 / $5000 (depending on which area of the Ford website you look at) expire on Aug 31st.

    I am thinking of buying in the first week of Sep. So, any historical perspective as to whether the rebates go up or down in Sep, would be appreciated as well.
    Thanks,
    Jim.
  • bri66bri66 Member Posts: 220
    Just bought a 2004 SEL and received a very good deal. Sticker MSRP $30,140, $4,500 off from Ford, additional $1,000 off for Ford financing, and dealer took off an additional $2,750. Also received from Ford a free 5 year 100,000 mile power train warranty that I upgraded to a 6 year 100,000 mile Premium Care bumper to bumper with a $50 deductable for $1,395. Only thing that I intend on doing is refinancing it with my local credit union. Ford's 48 month is currently at 6.5% and credit union is 4.25%. Financed it with Ford to get $1,000 rebate only. I only picked it up yesterday so only 60 miles currently, but I think it rides very nice. Looks great in my driveway also that currently has a 2001 Escape, 1994 Ranger (285,000 miles), and a 1966 Mustang. Keep up the great work Ford.
  • samnoesamnoe Member Posts: 731
    I'm surprised to see that Freestars owners are very satisfied with the van.

    If you check 'consumer reatings' section of Edmunds, you'll see what I'm talking about.

    http://www.edmunds.com/new/2004/ford/freestar/100289819/ratings_c- - onsumer.html?tid=edmunds.n.crrindex...1.Ford*

    I'll post some of the comments here. It's a long post, but since this board is so quiet for the last few weeks, I'll add it up with some good points from owners...

    "Quiet nice ride, a great van! A big improvement over the Windstar..."

    "Comfort is outstanding for a minivan along with a quiet tight ride... Better than any other minivan. The look of the 2004 Freestar stands apart from the same old bullet looking style of other minivans, It looks in a class of it's own with stylish body sculpturing, headlighting all in a hermetically attractive look..."

    "I really like the way this van rides. It has a very smooth feel. The tranny shifts smoothly and the seats are very comfortable..."

    "This 2004 Ford Freestar is a real winner. Rides better than a Lincoln Town Car! Gets almost 600 miles to the 26 gal tank, wow wow wow!... Very happy. The 3.9 liter engine is very powerful, excellent on the highway, good response, and holds the road... Also has a powerful stereo system... Air condition is freezing cold..."

    "Not a van person but I love the Freestar... Love the room, safety features, acceleration, looks and the quiet ride..."

    "Our new 2004 Freestar is much quieter, and the 4.2 liter power plant is much more responsive than the 3.8 engine of our 2000 Windstar... The instrument cluster is much nicer in the Freestar, and the fold down rear seats will eliminate many hernia operations..."

    "The van has exceptional safety feature, and I have first hand experiecne. I was amazed at how well it protected my family..."

    "I love how the Freestar handles. Its smooth ride is very similar to the Sienna and the two tone exterior makes it a very classy look. You forget your driving a minivan, except that you have so much room especially with the rear row tucked nicely into the floor..."

    "My wife likes the easy fold up middle seats, and the pop-in-the-floor rear seat. The steering wheel controls are very good, the interior styling looks much like a BMW (!), and the center-dash controls are very good too. She likes the separate driver/passanger auto-air setting..."

    "I have had many vans and cars (mostly new ones), BUT when I bought my Freestar van ..I fell in love with it... It's great! It has everything I want in a van plus more... I always make up places to go just to drive it... Thank You Ford. You out did yourselves with the new Ford Freestar..."

    "I love this van !! This is my 3rd Windstar/Freestar, and I wouldn't drive anything else! It has lots of room, its great looking..."

    "Great van for the do everything family. Sound systen is awesome, as well as the overall comfort of the van. Ford really did their homework on this model. Great engine with the 4.2 litre, it actually drives like a car!"

    "I absolutely love my new Freestar. I have owned several Windstars and my biggest complaint was always their lack of pep. Not so with the Freestar -- its new engine size offers pep, easy handling, interior comfort and top notch safety features. I love this minivan enough to want to sell it -- being a fussy owner, that's saying a lot. Congrats to Ford on a real winner..."

    "It is the most comfortable car I have ever driven, I love the interior... it's like I am in my living room. The only item I would change is to be able to open the rear window..."

    "Shopped Toyota and Nissan, but the Freestar had superior features, safety and price. suprised how much I like this van! this is my first Ford but not my last!..."

    "This vehicle is wonderful! I have owned Caravan, Windstar and 2 Explorers before this. As a mother of grown & nearly grown children & new grandma I am probably not a typical minivan owner. The ride is the smoothest yet and everything is at my fingertips. It is fun to drive and I am proud to own it..."

    "Owned a Windstar previously, No comparison! Not only enjoyable to drive, but the bigger engine gives the Freestar new energy..."

    "I love everything about the Freestar... I think Ford needed this van for a long time and when this they made this one they made the best... Thank you Ford, this van is a keeper..."

    "We disagree with some of Editor's review. Even though we've only had this vehicle a short time, driving is a definite pleasure; even better than our Taurus. We do have almost all options on our vehicle; most importantly, all of the safety features available. Have plenty of power for both around town and highway driving..."
  • trainboytrainboy Member Posts: 66
    I don't think they will let you double dip the discounts. When we exchanged our Freestar for a Merc Monterey, it was MSRP straight across. This was called a discretionary buyback, in other words, they were being nice. Even if you get a full buyback, it will be net price, not MSRP.

    As far as the Zone Rep, we are in north part of Southern California. Pretty strict lemon laws. If the Zone guy gives you grief, ask to speak to his boss. Keep a log and ask for phone numbers. Also ask for guaranteed call back time. Also, if the Zone guy is a bum, then get in the dealer's face and stay there. My sales rep was a nice guy and he told the sales manager, "these people are not going away, deal with them".
  • acenjacenj Member Posts: 58
    I'm thinking about getting a limited. What have most of you seen for mileage on teh 4.2L engine? Do the windows on the sliding doors go down???

    thx.

    Aceman
  • trainboytrainboy Member Posts: 66
    Aceman, We have a 4.2L in the Monterey. The electronic dash gizmo says we get around 18.6mpg. My Freestar with a 3.9L 19~20mpg, depending on shoe size. A couple days ago, I drove from Santa Maria, Ca. to Mammoth Lakes, Ca. which takes me over one pass at 5300 feet and back down then up to 7500 ft at Mammoth. Driving hard at 75-80mph, I still got 19.6mph with the 3.9L Freestar and never ran out of power.

    Doors on the sliders are fixed; i.e. glued in.
  • bri66bri66 Member Posts: 220
    We have 1,200 miles on our SEL 4.2 and we are getting an average of 22 miles to a gallon so far. Just came back from a mini weekend vacation and found this van to be a pleasure driving.
  • acenjacenj Member Posts: 58
    I'm itching to pull the trigger on a new limited or monterey. We currently have a MPV and I just like the added creature features w/o paying a 30+K pricetag (AKA honda/toyota/chrysler vans). I'm curious if the limited has "cooled seats" like the monterey - the dash buttons are differen. I just think at around 28K for either (loaded) its a good deal. Just a little hesitant as the reviews on the van just aren't great. Are you folks happy w/ the roominess with the 2nd and 3rd row seats in particular? How's teh noise & acceleration?
    I realize this is all subjective!

    thx in advance...

    Aceman
  • 446pack446pack Member Posts: 7
    Aceman,

    We have about 6,700 miles on our limited. We love the unit. The wife and I recently drove round trip to Wilmington, NC. from Buffalo, NY area. Averaged 22MPG according to the computer. Then we just got back last week from Branson, MO. Averaged 22.7MPG according to the computer. While driving the hills in Branson (in tourist traffic), we averaged 16-16.3MPG. Not bad at all since it's real close to what Ford specs out which is normally higher than one gets in reality. I am going to be installing AMSOIL synthetic lubes and a water injection system on the 4.2, hopefully this weekend to see if that will boost it up even more. Since the RPMs average 2500 at cruising speed, I will be tuning it for that RPM range. Our 1994 Aerostaer extended van that the Freestar replaced averaged 26-30MPG on the highway with the 3.0 which was no slouch at 247,000 miles.
  • 446pack446pack Member Posts: 7
    The wife and I opted not to get the factory entertainment system. Especially for what you get for the cost. I have installed my own and built a center console to hold my unit which also is a full size arm rest. I installed a PYLE 10.4" monitor along with a PYLE unit that plays DVD, MP3, CD, VHS tapes, has a TV tuner and built in FM modulator. Also installed 2 power amplified TV antennas. All in all I have about $1100 tied up in everything, which is about $100-200 less than Ford. This also included 2 Infrared wireless headsets. It came in very handy on out last 2 trips. If anybody is interested in pictures of what I did, just email me at "fourforty6pack@yahoo.com"
  • ANT14ANT14 Member Posts: 2,687
    " I'm curious if the limited has "cooled seats" like the monterey"

    Nope, it's a Monterey exclusive.
  • clayboyclayboy Member Posts: 3
    I am very close to buying a freestar,and I have read that bri66 just got a free 5 year 100,000 mile power train warranty. I would like to know how -were- and when I can receive this wonderful deal???Please help me I can't find this anywere.
  • bri66bri66 Member Posts: 220
    I bought my SEL two weeks ago and it was being offered by Ford at that time. I have seen it in the local Boston papers since, that dealers were still offering free 5 year\100,000 mile powertrain warranties. Check your local Ford dealer and see if it's still available. Good luck. At the time I was looking to buy a mini-van GM was $2,500 for their 75,000 mile power train warranty, Ford was free for 100,000 miles. No brainer there. Go Ford.
  • clayboyclayboy Member Posts: 3
    thanks bri66 I will try it but I haven't seen anything like that in Centre Pa.Hope I can talk the manger into it???????????lol
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