Comparing Aerostar & Windstar

The Aerostar is basically based on the Ranger - it is a TRUCK. The windstar is based on a Taurus. It is a fat station wagon and suffers all of the problems the Taurus was known for. Absolutely NO comparison.

Pretty close. No comparison between the two. Aerstar is a rear drive minivan loosely based on the Ranger chassis, Windbag, er..Windstar is a front drive minivan based loosely on the Taurus chassis. If looking for a Aero, look for an 96-97, they were the best and great performers. If looking at the FWD Windstar, look at 2001-2005 models. The 95-2000 were terrible.

Thanks! I just got back from the library, looking thru the consumer books. After looking thru several, I came to the conclusion that the Aerostar looks like the best all round for me for the money. Chrysler products get both good and bad reviews. Toyotas are almost always thumbs up but cost a lot more and repairs are expensive.

TRUCK.

wagon and

rear drive minivan loosely

front drive minivan based

for an 96-97, they were the

look at 2001-2005 models.

I think it is a stretch to say that the Aerostar is based on a Ranger. I know Ford included them in the same workshop manual set, but I think this was because of the engineering group responsible for the design.

Aerostars were designed by Ford Truck Engineering, while Windstars were done by Ford Car Engineering. Aerostars don't share anything more than engines, transmissions, rear axles and corporate switch gear with Rangers. The basic chassis is different. The front suspension is completely different. The rear suspension (except for the actual rear gear) is different. None of the major interior bits are shared (seats, instrument cluster, dash, etc). So while, Aerostars may share design team members with the Ranger, very little else is shared and certainly no more than might be shared between other Ford platforms.

Whether this makes the rear wheel drive (or in some cases AWD) Aerostars trucks or not I can't say. For truck like applications (hauling loads, towing), I believe RWD is preferable, which makes the Aerostar closer to a truck than the front wheel drive Windstar.

Ed

MECHANICALLY, they are Rangers.

They haul like a truck, and they ride like a truck, which is why I liked my Aerostars. The Windstar rides like a car and hauls like a car

- just like my crappy TransSport.

Thanks, CE! Great information.

Fred