2002 Ford Windstar

When I first turned in my T-Bird for a minivan almost 5 years ago, I felt as if I had lost my best friend. Driving around in a van was my worst nightmare. However, as our family continued to grow, it got to the point where I had no choice but to trade my car in for a "seven seater" that could comfortably carry my entire clan (and their friends) around. I purchased a Ford Windstar GL and called it good. It didn't have too many upgraded features to it, but it was good enough. It was a very nice van, rated top in its class for safety.

Through the years that followed, I refused to accept that driving a minivan was my "destiny". So like many others before me, I turned my attention to the thoughts of getting a 7 seater SUV. I didn't care which one, as long as I no longer had to drive a minivan. So, for 5 long years (I know I am so mistreated!) I whined and complained to my husband about how as soon as we were ready we would trade our van in, and purchase a SUV. We both agreed that we would wait until it hit 90,000 miles.

Well, we finally hit 90K and were off to get our new car. So, what did I get? A Suburban? An Excursion? An Expedition? Nope, I got a brand new Ford Windstar! You heard me right, I traded my horrible minivan in for yet another minivan, except this time I took a trip up the luxury ladder and bought a SEL. Now why would I go and buy another minivan after griping and moaning for so long? Well, besides the fact that I am woman and I tend to change my mind as often as I change my clothes, I took one drive in a SEL and was sold. See, the deal I made with my husband was that I would take just a test drive in a new 2002 Windstar just to give it a chance and if I didn't like it, then he wouldn't bring up again and I could check out all the SUV's I wanted. However, I never got around to test driving any Sport utility vehicles. My decision was made after one drive in the SEL, I didn't even have to sleep on it. And to this day I have no regrets. My desire for a SUV is a thing of the past.

The Luxury of driving a SEL
Going from a Windstar GL to SEL was a major change. Where the GL version was basically a stripped model sporting only the necessities of a comfortable ride, the SEL is all about Luxury and options. The only thing this model doesn't do is drive itself. I thought I would list and talk about some of the luxury features that I have really grown to love about the SEL.

Reverse Sensing System
One of the optional features that our SEL has is the Reverse Sensing System. Yep, this bad boy has back up sensors. Although I would never totally rely on the sensors to tell me if there was something behind me, I found this feature to be very important and to add to the safety of this vehicle tremendously. Your car will alert you by beeping when you are backing up if something or somebody is behind the car. The closer the object is to your vehicle, the faster the beeper will beep. It is so sensitive that I have even had it beep when there was a bird walking by at the bottom of the driveway. Having this added security really gives me peace of mind.

Adjustable Accelerator and Brake Pedals
The 2002 SEL comes standard with power adjustable accelerator and brake pedals. I couldn't believe it when I first saw this feature. I just know that it had to be a woman who designed this feature. Not only are you able to automatically adjust your seat (up, down, tilt, back...) but you are also able to adjust the pedals. There is a button on your front console that automatically controls how far up or how far back you want to move your pedals. This is such a nice feature, driving has never been so comfortable.

Digital Gauges
Everything on your console (with the exception of the speedometer) is digital. Your miles, temperature, fuel and tachometer. You will digitally be able to tell which direction you are driving in, the temperature outside, what services need to be done on your vehicle and exactly how many miles you have until you are on empty. You have a complete message center that digitally tells you everything that you need to know and when you need to know it. Very high tech!

Climate Control
The SEL comes with an Air conditioning and high capacity climate control system. You are able to adjust the temperature and fan from both the front of the van as well as in the back. This makes is really nice to please everyone. Everyone is able to set their controls to what is comfortable for them. But anyone with kids can see how this could very easily become a problem. Well, if it does, simply lock them out! You have a control up front where you can turn off the back controls to keep those little fingers from playing with controls too much. Ford was so smart. In my family everything that has a button needs to be locked or else we would have fans blowing, doors opening and broken parts flying! Ford makes good quality stuff, but not that good!

Automatic Sliding Doors
The SEL comes standard with automatic sliding doors on both sides of the van. They can be controlled from 3 places. A button inside each sliding door, the control panel up front or on your remote control key ring. I have to say that this is my most favorite feature. No more having to get out to load and unload the kids at school. With a push of a button, you are able to automatically open the doors and then shut them again.

Another nice thing about the automatic doors is when you are having to go to your car in a parking lot and have a hand full of groceries and legs bogged down by dangling kids, you can automatically open the doors and have them and the car ready to be loaded from across the parking lot.

Electrochromic (auto-sensing) Rearview Mirror
At first I had no idea what the heck this was. I saw that my rearview mirror had an off and auto button on it but I couldn't for the life of me figure out why. It wasn't until the first time that I drove at night time that I figure it out. You know how when you drive in the dark the headlights from the cars behind you can almost blind you when you try to look in your rearview mirror? Well, with these auto-sensing mirrors that problem is totally eliminated. They automatically dim the light in the mirror for you. This is great. I always had to flip my rearview up at night because my eyes just couldn't take the bright lights. This is no longer an issue with this auto-sensing mirror.

Anti-theft and Security System
Along with the keyless entry and remote control entry into the SEL, it comes equipped with an anti-theft system. There is a computer chip of sorts inside the key to the van. So even if someone actually gets as far as to break into your van, they aren't going anyhere! Only this key (with the chip) will start this car. Also, you aren't able to just go down and make a copy of the key at your locksmith. Extra keys have to be purchased through Ford for around $25 each.

Lets see, what else? There is so much on this van it would be impossible to remember it all. There is traction control, there is a feature that tells you when your tires are low on air, there is a large 26 gallon fuel tank, all leather seating, cornering lamps, automatic headlight control, solar tented glass, 3rd row reading lamps, bi-polar lamps and baby sleeping lamps, build in electric lumbar in driver seat, back end cargo nets and so much more.

Exterior
The SEL comes in a two tone exterior paint. This is standard for this model. My van is all white with a light Champaign color strip on the bottom. It just looks a "step above" the other models. Privacy glass all around is also standard and adds a very nice look to the van. However, what really makes the 2002 SEL look classy is the chrome Grill and strip they run down the side of the van. Very sharp! From the looks of just the outside of this van, it is very obvious that this is a luxury that placed a small dent in your pocket book.

Safety
Like with all Ford Winstars, it is top of its class for Safety. But the SEL comes loaded with many extra safety features. Child safety sliding door locks (with side door intrusion beams) front/side airbags (side impact air bags are not standard on the SEL, they are an upgrade) and a complete personal safety system. Our SEL is upgraded to the Family Security Group 2 which has added on a few extra features that did not come standard with the SEL but that you would find on the limited Edition. To see all the many safety features in detail, you can view them here. It is quite impressive!
http://www.fordvehicles.com/Cars/windstar/features/

The one last thing that I would like to talk about is the brake system. The Ford Windstar SEL comes with a four-wheel anti-lock brake, front disc/rear drum system. That sounds impressive enough, but I never really understood what all that meant until I almost got into an accident earlier this year and was able to see first hand what an incredible break system this car has.

I was on my way to pick up my kids from school. I was in the slow lane of a two lane road. Out of nowhere the car next to me (that was about 25 feet ahead of me) slammed on his breaks and stopped. Only by the grace of God was I able to see through his passenger window, a man running across the street. I slammed on my breaks at going 35-40 miles an hour. My car stop when the mans leg (in running position) was in the air about 1 inch from the grill of my van. After the shock wore off and I calmed down, realizing just how lucky I was to have not hit this man, I realized that I didn't even feel the effects of having to slam on my breaks that hard. There was no skidding, no hard stop, none of that. It was a very quick and smooth stop. Considering the fact that I went from 35-40 mph to a stop that quick, that is pretty impressive. I later pulled out the manual to read about my break system to see why they handled so well. Apparently the break system (during a time when you have to slam on the breaks) actually works in the pumping action even though you cannot notice it. It happens so quickly and immediately that you don't even realize it is happening. Whatever it is, I am thoroughly impressed. These brakes took me to a complete stop in seconds without the least bit of friction. I feel so safe and confident driving this van. Ford has always been my number 1 choice in cars as far as safety and quality and now I am even that much more one of their biggest fans.

On top of all that, the SEL drives like a dream. The suspension is amazing. Each morning on my route to drop off my boys at school we have to drive over one of those nasty raised rail road tracks. "Normal" people would slow down, take it slow and gently roll over it. But not here! Nope, people here aren't happy unless they are going 90 on every road, back road and street. I have to say that with road rage as bad as it is, it tends to get a bit intimidating... to me anyway. So in fear of some of these tail gaiters slamming into the back of me and hurting my children, I tend to take things such as turns and "bumpy" railroad tracks a lot faster than I normally would. (By the way, why is it that people think it is okay when they are in a car to bully others off the road? Sheesh... grow up people. The world does not revolve around you! If you want to go faster and get a ticket then there is a very easy solution.... PASS! What a concept huh? And if you can't pass at that moment, then grow up, WAIT your turn and pass when you can. Believe it or not, everyone is not out to get you. If you are that arrogant to think that the person in front of you cares so much about you and is "purposely" trying to slow you down, think again. Maybe, just maybe, that person actually wants to drive the speed limit. I know, I know, how dare them not do what you want them to do when you want them to do it.) Grrr... That felt good to get that off my chest!

Anyway, back to the suspension. I have took my 98 Ford Windstar GL over these railroad tracks at a faster speed than I would have liked to and have took my SEL over them at the same speed and I cannot believe the difference. The SEL glides over it, you can hardly tell that you have gone over something so rough. I do not recommend doing this as I feel it is bad for the suspension, but I was really amazed at how well the car takes such conditions. This car is a very smooth ride on both flat and bumpy roads.

Is there anything that I do not like?
There really isn't too much. The only thing that I can think of that I would have liked to have added was an automatic release for the trunk. I have seen this in other cars and I think it would have been a nice convenience tool. The automatic sliders is wonderful and an automatic truck release would have been just as nice. The only reason I can think that maybe they chose not to add this was because unlike a car, the minivan is higher off the ground. When parked in the garage, the back end is only a couple inches from where the garage door closes and when you open the trunk it hits the edge of the opened garage door. Maybe this was a concern that if you automatically did it, it would spring up and hit the door causing damage. As of now we have to gently set it against the door when we open it so that it doesn't scratch the paint.

My Overall experience
I absolutely love my Ford Windstar SEL. I have no regrets that I decided to buy another Windstar, they just seem to get better and better each year. In the 5 years (94Kmi.) that I owned my first Windstar I had Zero mechanical problems. I kept up on the normal maintenance, changed my transmission fluid once and replaced the breaks once. That is the extent of what needed to be done. I have a lot of confidence in Ford and during the time I have owned my new Windstar, I have been just as pleased and satisfied. I feel totally confident and secure that I will have the same wonderful quality for years to come.

So if you are looking to buy a minivan that will take you a step up in the luxury department, check out the 2002Ford Windstar SEL while making your way through all the car dealers. This just may be your final stop.