This was posted today, on a Ford list I am on.

> Hi all, > I own (wish I didn't) a 98 windstar (3.6). Have had a glitch in the > steering for a few weeks now. When steering the wheel sticks just off > center for a moment, but is easily dislodged. Is this the steering > rack? Hope so, it's one of the few things on my extended warranty. > I've owned this piece for a little over a year. One engine, 3 O2 > sensors, a rear wiper motor later, and I'm wishing I would have taken > the chevy sitting right next to it on the lot. Just want to hopefully > get this thing taken care of and sell it before the rest of it falls > apart...

Vngns are far from the worst "minivans" out there. And old or new has very little to do with it. This poor guy is putting up with all this and on top of it all what he is driving is really nothing more than a FWD econcar disguised as a van. I have seen similar comments, and worse, about the other Ford minis, and the Chrysler family of minivans, and about other brands too. Frankly the Vngn compares very favorably to almost all of them, and generally gives you more room and more payload.

Instead of comparing the Vngn to other cars, compare it to other vans, mini or otherwise, and do it based on similar usage. Do that and the Vngn generally comes out pretty good. Then factor in the real costs of owning them all, including loan payments, insurance, resale value, and it comes out way ahead, unless all you want is a bloated econocar that looks kinda like a van.

I cut my teeth on a 64 VW bus. I've owned an E350 extended, an E150 standard length based hightop conversion, a 73 and a 77 VW bus, an Aerostar AWD extended and now an 86 Vngn, and they all have had their good and bad points. But the Vngn is the best overall as far as I am concerned. If I simply wanted to haul or tow, the E350 was the king. 6 mpg in town, 9 on the highway, but you could move medium sized buildings with it (we once loaded it up with 2 1/2 tons of magazines and drove from San Diego to Eugene. Burnt up a set of brakes by the time we were done, but the damn thing did fine otherwise). Even with a low purchase price it was still a damn expensive vehicle to own overall. It needed repairs but generally not the type that left you stranded. We had to replace the exhaust manifolds twice. The AC never worked worth a damn. And the carb had to be rebuilt, twice. The E150 is very lush and nice, has about the same useful room as the Vngn, gets 12-13 MPG on the highway and has been mostly trouble free. However when it has had problems, they have been expensive. $600 to replace a fuel pump, for example (which did leave me stranded). Over $1000 to fix the AC and it never does get very cold. The 64 bus was great. It could go anywhere, got good mileage (around 22 MPG as I recall) was cheap and easy to fix. Could carry a lot, and was ultra reliable (after I rebuilt everything on it myself). But it had no heat (except on hot days) and I spent my damn life wiping the fog off the windshield so I could see where I was going. Even with a 1600 DP, dual carbs, yada yada, it still was slow up the mountains, and never did like winds or semis. The 73 and 77 were beat to death rolling junkyards, but they were Cheap and served their purpose which was to haul junk. Then they went to the boneyard. The Aerostar was so expensive to repair we just gave it away, literally. Drove nice and could carry a decent load. Mileage was not as good as the Vngn, but then it was a V6, automatic, AWD. Was not meant for offroading though, just better traction on the road. Lousy ground clearance.

I loved my 64, it was a hoot and fun to drive. We could go almost anywhere in it, and often would do better than the big 4x4s. It was spartan in the extreme but it was cheap, dependable and fun. Plus it had a certain feel and ride that was enjoyable. It lacked power and was not a high speed vehicle, but it had grunt and great traction. Never once got stuck or stranded with it, and we really pushed our luck. It survived life in Phoenix AZ just fine, when everyone told me an air cooled bus was never going to stand the heat.

Just about every issue I had with the 64 has been addressed in the Vngn. Good power, handles the higher speeds fine, is not particularly put off by winds or semis, has real heat and defrost. Has AC and rack and pinion steering. The particular Vngn we got lacks power windows, locks, and mirrors, but some used part shopping and a little work and I will have those niceties too, and all original VW parts no less. But most of all, it still has the best of the feel and ride that was enjoyable in the 64.

Will it be as cheap as the 64? No way. As dependable? Again probably not. You add bells and whistles, you increase the chances for things to break. But that's okay. I want AC and power amenities now that I am pushing 50. It is much better than my Aerostar or my friend's Caravan, and a lot less expensive to own than either of them. O can actually see the engine in it. And in a pinch I could work on it myself. And it does something that neither of them can do. I run a rescue for Deaf Great Danes. I use the van to transport dogs. I can get 6-10 great Danes in the Vngn (middle seat removed, bed folded down), plus me (a very big guy) and all my stuff. And I can drive for days, comfortably. My E150 isn't as comfortable, and it get worse mileage. The Aerostar could never fit or carry that many dogs, and was also not as comfortable. And me and a dog or two max out my friend's Caravan.

I rolled my eyes when VW first came out with a water cooled vehicle. I said it isn't a VW if it has water in it. I also said it wasn't a VW if the engine wasn't in the back. I'll take back the water cooled comment, but I still say VWs have the engine in the back. :-)

-- Marc Sayer Journalist, Photographer, Dog Trainer (APDT member #062956) Director of Operations & Training - Deaf Dane Rescue Inc. Springfield, OR USA

My Homepage - http://gracieland.org

Deaf Dane Rescue Homepage - http://gracieland.org/DaneRescue/

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