Going to look at these vans tomorrow

scatterbunny · Apr 7, 2007

Green 1999 Ford Windstar SE: http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.j...&doors=&advanced=&max_price=6000&model=WINDST

White 2001 Ford Windstar LX: http://eugene.craigslist.org/car/282621572.html

We've got 6-7 hours of driving to do in order to see them, though. Ugh. THAT part is not going to be fun.

I prefer the looks of the green 99, and the owner sounded a bit more reliable over the phone. But the 01 has the middle row bench that I want (instead of captain's chairs), and is two years newer. But the 99 has less miles, and has a rebuilt transmission.

lovinwaves · Apr 7, 2007

Have a safe trip Jenny!!! Have fun car shopping. Let us know if you get one! :cool!:

murphydog77 · Apr 7, 2007

Jenny, why do you prefer a bench over captain's chairs? Is it because the right passenger seat is more toward the center on a bench? Have you thought about the seat belt stretching across the crawl space to the 3rd row?

Just curious.

scatterbunny · Apr 7, 2007

Yes, I wanted a bench so Hayley could be smack-dab in the center of the van.

I know the shoulderbelt might be in the way of getting to the third row, but I don't know that I want to give up having her "in the middle".

I don't know why, but I have a better feeling about the green 99 with captain's chairs, even though I really want to go with the newest possible choice, just because it's newer!

Thanks for the luck, Melissa--I'm nervous!

JaRylan · Apr 7, 2007

Have fun shopping, hope you get something tomorrow!

AdventureMom · Apr 7, 2007

I think they both look great! Drive carefully and have fun doing this. One thing about colors is that after a few days you don't even notice the color of your car, KWIM? I didn't like the color of our Sienna all that much but now I don't even notice it b/c I love the inside so much...

So happy shopping and let us know what you decide!

broken4u05 · Apr 7, 2007

I think they look great have fun on the drive... i hate driving really far. you are not going to go alone right?

jmm3 · Apr 7, 2007

Good luck! The green '99 Windstar SE was the exact van we had until last November. We really liked it and didn't have many problems with it. Ours had almost 200,000 miles on it, so we traded it in. It also had side airbags for the front seats which I thought was kind of advanced for a '99, and power sliding doors (I don't know if those are standard on the SE or just options, we bought it used).

My 6 yo ds loved the van and was in tears the day we traded it in. He still mentions it sometimes out of the blue "Mommy, I really miss the green van." Who knew he'd be so attached?

AdventureMom · Apr 7, 2007

Hey, Jenny! Wouldn't the 01 Windstar be required to have top tethers? That would be a plus for the Regent/Husky!

scatterbunny · Apr 7, 2007

Thanks, everyone!

My mom is driving me, she's great with words and got the people to agree to meet us in public places and in places that cut about 2 hours total off our driving time.

I think even the 99 Windstars have tether anchors! And I think the 01 has LATCH! Ford was really good about putting those things in earlier than other manufacturers.

We're leaving in an hour, ahhh!! I'm excited!

AdventureMom · Apr 7, 2007

Are you taking the Husky to see if it fits?

Have fun and report back to us!

ETA: Are the two minivans close together?

scatterbunny · Apr 7, 2007

I was just coming back to this thread to ask if I SHOULD bring the Husky!

I'm pretty sure Nisi and others have a Husky/Regent in this era of Windstar, so I think I don't need to worry about it. It's installed in Mark's truck and he's got Hayley all day, so I think I should just keep it there. I don't know!

The couple who owns the green van is travelling an hour OUR direction to cut out some of our drive time, so we have to drive about 2 hours east to look at that one; after we check that one out we're driving south about 2 hours to look at the white van. We're basically making an upside-down "L".

The return trip shouldn't take a full 4 hours, but probably will take 3.

I hope I don't love the green one so much that I want to buy it right then and there, not even seeing the white one, but I have a feeling that's what I'm going to want to do. I like the looks of the green one better and liked the guy's attitude much better. But it's two years older.

AdventureMom · Apr 7, 2007

I'd leave the Husky at home, then. But maybe check the belt to see about having enough for a long belt path install. If you like the green one, go for it! But if you want to see the white one b/c of the bench seat, you owe it to yourself to check it out. But then that's another trip back to see the green one, huh?

Judi · Apr 7, 2007

The '01 with have latch, my 2000 does. My truck is white, I didn't like it either, but it does show the dirt less. Very nice with my gravel driveway!

MomTo1 · Apr 7, 2007

AdventureMom said:
Hey, Jenny! Wouldn't the 01 Windstar be required to have top tethers? That would be a plus for the Regent/Husky!

The '98 even came with factory installed top tethers :thumbsup:

Have fun! I LOVE the green one. Not sure what it is about it, but it's very sharp looking. Mine's a '99. Love it. It has high miles on it and it's still running like a champ

Not sure of the exact number, but well over 130,000.

CAEKWILSON · Apr 7, 2007

I love my 98 windstar also, i just dream about having dual doors~that would be awesome! but i manage by just pushing up the drivers seat, it is made bigger for an adult to get in that way to sit or to help a child buckle....my hardest thing is getting the carrier in the back for the infant i babysit, that is nightmare, but we manage 2 days a week, i think it will be better when she is rfacing in a convertable, maybe not....but yes the windstar is a awesome van, ours has just around 80 thousand on it, we bought it about 3 years ago with 20 t on it, so we put alot of those on by ourselfs....take care!

AdventureMom · Apr 7, 2007

LOL! I'm looking at the clock wondering when Jenny's getting back...

JaRylan · Apr 7, 2007

AdventureMom said:
LOL! I'm looking at the clock wondering when Jenny's getting back...

Me too, lol. I need to know!

AdventureMom · Apr 7, 2007

By my guesstimate, they left around 1:00pm EST. It's almost 9:00pm now. She said it would be about 6 hrs or so roundtrip. To overanalyze this

p ), I'm wondering if she saw the green one, then looked at the white one, then went back and got the green one? Or, they're out joyriding in their new van

Or getting the Husky installed :thumbsup:

JaRylan · Apr 7, 2007

AdventureMom said:
By my guesstimate, they left around 1:00pm EST. It's almost 9:00pm now. She said it would be about 6 hrs or so roundtrip. To overanalyze this p ), I'm wondering if she saw the green one, then looked at the white one, then went back and got the green one? Or, they're out joyriding in their new van Or getting the Husky installed :thumbsup:

But by my calculations it should only be 6.15 where she lives. I hope they stopped somewhere for supper to celebrate her new vehicle!

Going to look at these vans tomorrow

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