1991 Ford Aerostar XL

Back in 1991, my Dad traded his rather sporty 1989 Chrysler LeBaron coupe for a new Ford Aerostar XL minivan. I was rather surprised that my Dad would consider a minivan of all vehicles. He certainly didn't need it for hauling a large family. The only child still living at home at that time was my sister who would graduate from high school the following year.
It turns out, this was a very timely purchase since my sister decided to attend Mississippi State University and a large amount of cargo would need to be hauled over 1,800 miles from NE Pennsylvania.

The Aerostar, which first appeared in 1984, was Ford's hasty reply to Chrysler's extremely popular Plymouth Voyager and Dodge Caravan. Ironically, Ford proposed a minivan called the "Carousel" back in 1975 as a "garageable van" during the height of the van craze of the mid-70s. This was one of Ford's "Better Ideas" that Lee Iacocca brought with him to Chrysler and it paid off in spades.

Unlike Chrysler's offerings, which were built on the K-Car automotive platform, the Aerostar was built on the Ford Ranger truck platform. Where the Chrysler minivans are front-wheel drive, the Aerostar is rear-drive. In my opinion,the Ford truck platform makes the Aerostar a much sturdier vehicle.

My Dad's Aerostar is the XL model with the popular dark green finish with a light gray cloth interior. It is powered by the 145 hp 3.0 litre V-6 mated to a 4-speed automatic. I would hardly call the van a hot rod, but it isn't a real slouch either. The driver has a very commanding view of the road.

I would hardly call the interior luxurious. Hard plastic abounds and most of it is somber grays and flat black. The AM/FM cassette radio is merely adequate. There is a headphone port with radio controls for rear passengers. Heating and air conditioning is also merely adequate. The van has power windows, locks and mirrors, but the controls have a very utilitarian look. The driver's side window switches have been replaced twice. The automatic gear shift selector is long and floor mounted and feels just a bit out of reach. The instrument panel is fairly complete with ammeter, temperature, and oil pressure gauges in lieu of idiot lights. Cubby holes are everywhere for small cargo. The glovebox is located below the passenger's seat.

The van has fantastic cargo carrying capacity. Space is cavernous with the rear seat removed. However, rear seat removal is best done by a fairly strong person since it is rather heavy and awkward to remove. Engine access is a bit tight via a stubby hood and a small interior plastic panel. The full-size spare is located on the bottom of the van.

The van has been extremely reliable and has managed countless trips to Mississippi without a hitch. My Dad still has this van with over 110,000 miles on it. However, not all these miles have been trouble-free. Somewhere around 65,000 miles the engine started losing compression.I'm not sure, but I believe the exhaust valve in number 5 cylinder collapsed necessitating a costly repair. Fortunately, this condition was caught immediately and no further damage was done to the engine. The van has needed no major repairs since that time. The body has held up extremely well despite the harsh NE Pennsylvania winters and the fact that my Dad is not very meticulous about cleaning it. There is no rust to be found and the finish still holds a shine.

I believe Ford stopped manufacturing the Aerostar after 1996. This is a shame because I've heard so many horror stories about its Taurus-chassis replacement, the Windstar. A coworker has a 1995 Windstar that needed an engine replacement 3 years ago and I'm forever hearing about transmission and head gasket woes from other people. I believe Ford should bring back the Aerostar with its truck-based chassis. My father likes his Aerostar so much he is looking for the elusive Eddie Bauer 4WD Aerostar as an eventual replacement.