Test driving tomorrow 1997 Aerostar

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Solitary Spell

Solitary Spell

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This little van is close to my home, I already met the owner/seller when he had it up on jack stands changing brake pads. He is letting me take it to a local mechanic for inspection. 

https://newlondon.craigslist.org/cto/5842441699.html

(Don't pay attention to his plea at the end of the ad. He and his wife are going to Iceland at the end of the week for a 10-day vacation and camping in a see-through bubble a couple of nights for the Northern Lights! So he isn't really desperate for cash. LOL.)

My line of thinking:

It's from out west and isn't rusted out
6 CYL and the small size is a plus, to me, not a minus
It has manual doors and windows!
I can install a Yakima roof rack and one of those long skinny rack boxes for more storage
Smaller tires are less expensive
It's freaking retro-cool and the commercials for it on Youtube are hilarious
It's so ugly, it's cute
I'll be able to say "don't laugh, it's paid for."
There are only a few left on the road (that might be bad, hard to find parts?)


Anyone have any experience with these? The price is right, I would have about 2000 left over for repairs and very basic outfitting.
 
I drove an '89 Aerostar in commercial use from '90 to '95, and then a '95 for two more years. They were competent and rode and drove well.

highdesertranger makes a good point, when you consider how many of them were sold compared to the same vintage e-series vans and how few Aerostars remain compared to the e-series of the same vintage. They weren't built to the same quality spec's as the e-series vans.

What purpose are you planning for the van?
 
Ugh, camper van was the idea ...  I mean full time! The stuff I could find in owner reviews sounded favorable, but you guys are saying not so much ... 

They stopped making them in 1997 and then they made the car chassis Windstar and Freestar which didn't take off and people say they were not as sturdy as the Aerostar. I decided a minivan was enough for me, but I keep reading reviews from people who own them, and people even hate their Honda Odysseys, saying they thought Honda was a quality product and the van changed their minds. The soccer mom thing is a turn-off but I want 6 cyl and smaller size. I always heard that the truck chassis was desirable, and pretty much only the Astro and this Aerostar has that (in mini-vans). Scratching my head all over again.  Any additional feedback is appreciated!
 
Back in those days, about 1994, I was looking for a minivan for my family of three youngsters.  Having driven the '89 Aerostar extensively by then, I thought I'd buy one.  I ended up with a new-used (long story) '92 e-150 low-top cargo van conversion done by a custom van shop in Santa Rosa, CA that I bought "new" with 3500 miles on it from a local Ford dealer.  It had the 300 cu in Ford inline six with the E4OD transmission.  It got 15-17 mpg and was one of the best vehicles I ever owned, and one of the few I've ever regretted selling.  

Since then I've had a couple more e-series van motorhomes, one each of the 460, V-10, and 351W and I can't recommend them highly enough.  My current B-van, even though it is a complete factory moho buildout and has the 351W and E4OD trans, gives me a solid 13-15mpg.  You're not going to get a whole lot better than that in the Aerostar.  For a camper buildout, a full-size e-series van has more room, is just as easy to drive around in, is easier to get around inside because of the extra room, and repair parts are more generally available.   Chevy full size vans are in the same position as the Ford e-series.  And last, there's a whole lot more of the e-series Fords and full-size Chevys out there to choose from.   I don't have a lot more cash tied up in my factory-built b-van than some folks have in their home-built conversions.  I was able to buy this one right, and if you're patient you can find deals out there.  I waited about a year and a half for mine to come up on Craigslist.

YMMV, but I'll always choose a full-size van for a moho application.
 
highdesertranger said:
there is a reason there is not many left on the road.  highdesertranger
Click to expand...

Rare as hen's teeth now that you mention it, haven't seen one in ages. There seem to be a fair number of older Astro/Safari vans on the road though.  Ford Windstars were a disaster too.
 
Hepcat, thanks for the detailed advice, that helps a whole lot. It's amazing to me how long it takes to find something. And the contrast between what you guys are saying and the owner reviews online is striking. The people who owned the aerostars were gushing about how it was the best car they ever owned, they wish Ford would make them again, never left them stranded, etc ... I could only find one reviewer who hated the thing. Of course they have their own unique problems but those didn't seem to be anything too horrible. And I did find out that 2,029,577 aerostars were produced from 1985 to 1997. I can't find a comparable number for any of the ford e-series or chevy models, but I can imagine it must be much, much higher. I'm still going to test drive it since it's only 15 minutes away. Starting to think my plans will be on hold due to vehicle paralysis/not finding anything I want to buy in my price range. "Rare as hen's teeth," indeed.
 
The Aerostar vans were not very well built.  Not very easy to repair.  Replacing the heater core is a nightmare requiring special tools, lots of hours and many Tourette's moments.

If you want a smaller van the GMC Safari/ Chevy Astro is a far better choice.  An older well maintained E series Ford van would be a good choice if it had a C6 transmission and a 351 v8 or the 300 straight six if you would prefer a full size van.  The E4OD Ford automatic transmission is problematical and expensive to fix.

Better yet would be the full size GMC Savana/ Chevy Express vans.  They have been made since '96 and are still in production. 

I was a big Ford fan for decades but not at all interested in their products from about '97 and up.
 
29chico said:
 The E4OD Ford automatic transmission is problematical and expensive to fix.
Click to expand...

The E4OD was just the bullet-proof C6 with the hydraulic actuators replaced with electronics.  The transmissions themselves are pretty bullet-proof.  When they do have a problem, they go into "limp mode."  Most of the complaints came from folks who never bothered to find out why the trans went into limp mode and then trashed the trans.  This is my fourth E4OD trans and other than having them serviced, I've never had one opened up.  I think by '95 or so, Ford had made some improvements to the E4OD.  I'd think that many of the earlier ones would have already been updated by now through normal parts failure maintenance, but even if you find an older one that hasn't, they can still be updated.

All transmissions are expensive to fix, but the E4OD, when serviced properly, will last a long, long time just like the C6 that it's built on.
 
How did your test drive go? It looks nice enough and the price is right.
 
I currently drive a 1995 Aerostar with 149K miles on it. My previous Aerostar (work van) was a 1993 and it had 202K on it when I bought it thinking if I get through the year with this one, I will have got my moneys worth out of it. It lasted 5 more years and when it had 360K miles on it, I retired it, replacing it with the current one.

Aerostars are widely misunderstood vehicles. They are a real truck with a full frame and rear wheel drive. They will tow 5,000 pounds, more than twice what a Chrysler front wheel drive minivan is rated for. Both of my Aerostars had the 3.0 Vulcan motor, cast iron block and cast iron cylinders. Tough motors built for the long haul, but not the most powerful for their size. Although I've never owned the 4.0 motor, I have heard that they have their own problems and are not as long lived.

The normal maintenance is a bit harder on the Aerostars as they access is limited, but they are tough vehicles that stand up to use and abuse. If you maintain them, they will reward you with good service like my first one did. 360,000 miles on an original engine is good service in my book.

One thing to watch for is the spark plugs. Most service techs will change the front 4 plugs and leave the hard to get at rear plugs in the vehicle, which in my book is fraud. You pay for 6 you should get 6. I just tuned up my 95 and that was the case. My mileage jumped from 16 to 22 as a result of new plugs, wires, cap and rotor. If you drive them carefully, you should get 25-27 on the highway.

Please ignore the snide remarks by people who have never owned one. I like 'em and drive 'em.
 
29chico said:
Replacing the heater core is a nightmare requiring special tools, lots of hours and many Tourette's moments.
Click to expand...

I replaced the heater core on my 1993.   Cost of core was $45.00 new from RockAuto.com.   Easiest in and out of almost any vehicle.   Water hoses had quick connects to the core, and the core removal is easy from inside the passenger compartment, a few screws on a cover plate and it pulled straight out.   45 minutes total job.
 
"The wikipedia article on Ford E-series has sales figures for 1997 through 2014.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_E-Series#Sales"

Thanks for this John, I wanted to compare the production years of the Aerostar (1985 - 1997) with the same production period of e-series and Astro/Safaris, since the low number of aerostars still in circulation can only be compared to other models in the same time period. I didn't do an exhaustive search on that, though. I just suspect there were more e-series, and we have to remember too that the Astro/Safari was produced from 1985 to 2005, so there will be more of them around than the Aerostars, whose last production year was 1997. I am going to post separately on how my test drive/mechanic test went today!
 
So, I went and did the test drive and mechanic inspection today on the Aerostar. Just a little backstory: the seller bought this van in September from a young couple who had driven it on a summer cross-country trip (Colorado to Boston) and his idea was to use it as a camper. His wife wasn't interested in this and didn't want him spending money on it. He is a retired guy with time on his hands and I think he had fantasies of teaching himself to be a hobby auto mechanic. Then he changed his mind.

He let me take it to a local mechanic shop (a good one but not one I usually go to). I paid $80 for them to go over it in depth. I was clear that I wanted all the bad news they could give me. I understand car systems but have not worked on my own cars so far (that could change, ha!) This is the 3.0 Vulcan engine.

Here's what the shop said, from big to small:

Needs front shocks replaced (right side blown, they replace in pairs)
Needs front brakes, new rotors and repack bearings
Transmission fluid was "dirty" but trans shifted all right anyway
Power steering pump small leak
Rear diff. cover gasket leak, needs replacing
Small oil leak probably coming from valve cover gaskets, they did not do "wash and test" to diagnose
Serpentine belt has a crack in it, need to replace
Needs 4 tires (tread down and some dry rot)
Hood release cable broken
Parking brake cable broken
NO RUST issues which here in the Northeast is a big nightmare and obstacle to finding a decent vehicle. When I got on the ground to look at the undercarriage it was all amazingly gray metal-colored.

He estimated if I got all of the above done, $900 plus the tires. Obviously the oil leak could turn out to be worse, the transmission could be damaged due to dirty fluid, etc etc....but then again maybe not. It's a used vehicle and we all know it's always a risk.

I brought the list back to the seller and he dropped the sale price to $1100...

The van has 122,000 miles on it. I did a VIN check and there are no open recalls and the title history matches, there is nothing fishy.

My thinking:
Personal ... I want a small van, the benefits of a larger van notwithstanding. And I really would hate to have to get a front-wheel drive minivan with a TV and DVD player and all that crap they put in them now. My intention, as I have heard others say, is to "live out of it, not in it." I am not interested in a motor home so much as a place to sleep (on a small bed, 30 x 60 inches) and keep my minimal stuff. I want the mobility to easily throw my kayak on top and take my vehicle to lakes and trailheads. I'm single with a little dog, a 10 foot kayak and hiking boots. And I'll bring a tent and tarps to make an outdoor living space anywhere I camp...and be a non-stealthing snowbird. I have a campground host job offer for the spring in CA, and plan to visit friends and family and live cheap in the desert in winter. If I get rained in I will just do what I did when on a sailboat: hole up on a berth and read. Or if in a city, go to a coffeehouse, museum, movie theater etc etc... I am sure things won't be as peachy-keen as I'm imagining, but this is how I imagine it.

$$$ .... I don't expect to buy any used van that WON'T need some repair money thrown at it. So, hm, say I buy this one for $1000 and put another $1000 in it (oh, also tires, but tires are something you have to keep buying anyway, so are brakes, shocks and all the other crap that goes wrong). So say I put $2,600 into it with tires and then I have a used van with 122,000 miles on it. Hmmmmmm.

Also, this van is close to home, rust-free, and the seller is a nice guy to deal with. I'm having trouble thinking of reasons not to do it. And the latest posts from "the other Aerostar defender" helped a lot, as do all your insights about the various pros and cons of all models. This forum is the best.
 
Good thoughts, Solitary Spell. Make no mistake, I'm not trying to veer you off from the Aerostar because it's an Aerostar. They're great minivans. I put 100k miles on two of them in seven years. I took them places other guys in 4WD pickups got themselves stuck. In seven years, I only got it stuck once, and that was fording a creek with 2' of water in it. I slowed down on river rock when i should have goosed it a little. And both of those were just the cargo vans with the 3.0 v6 auto 2WD versions. I can't speak for others, but one of the main things I find problematic with the particular van you're looking at is that it's a club-wagon, passenger model with windows and a sliding side door. I wouldn't want to have to strip out the interior and then try to figure out what to do with the windows for privacy. I know that other folks have done it, and continue to use a window van successfully... but it wouldn't be MY choice. And I don't care for sliding doors on camper vans. If you want to haul camping gear and have a daily driver, go for it. If you want a van to live in... buy a van.

Good luck with whichever call you make!
 
There were 5 of us driving Aerostar's for a few years as a telephone tech's.  The mechanic's did not have anything bad to say about them other than they were a minivan :huh:  They were used to working on the line trucks, so these may have been below their dignity level.  I never had a lick of problems' with mine.  Kept taking it to the shop for its' regularly scheduled maintenance.  One guy did blow a front shock and bent the rim from a BIG pothole though.  He also ran into a motorized gate.  I know mine would do over a buck down the road (don't tell my boss.  Oh, wait, I'm retired) and gas mileage seemed decent.  I wasn't always in the station getting gas and never added oil.

I don't like recommending someone else buying something because I had to scrimp and save for what I got too. I would sure hate to say "go for it, it looks good to me" and them something happens down the road, I would feel a little responsible and bad too.
 
Oh also, guys ... one of the attractive things about mobile life (I am imagining again) is the temporary nature of it. So if I think of this van as a place to sleep for 3 years, (maybe 5?) I can always change the scene to a bigger or different vehicle next time out. HepCat, I wasn't even going to rip out the walls! Just the seats and uncomfy fold-out bed, floor, replace carpet or put a bamboo floor in. Make up some Reflectix window panels with fabric faces for the inside-facing side, hang some of my gauzy-girly curtains over that, and windows are done. Well, put a curtain between back and driver area too. And back window more reflectix like on the side windows. Build a Bob Wells style bed frame (small). And think of it as a bed with closet on wheels for a few years. Yeah!!
 
It's rust free,
It runs well,
The Seller is willing to help with repairs by dropping the price,
You like it,
Most reviews by owners are good,
You can't live your life in fear of a couple of one Star ratings....... if so no one would ever buy anything!
Throw out the one stars (negative upset users), throw out the five stars (overly optimistuc polly Anna's) and take the remarks made by the two, three and four star raters, they're more balanced.


Go buy it already!

Dave
 
I can't imagine you can find anything BETTER for that kind of money.

IF you buy it . . .

I would have the mechanics pull the spark plugs and do a compression test on the engine before you sink any money into tires, shocks, brakes, etc.
 
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