i need some recommendations for a place to take my parents' work van (2000-ish windstar) for routine work. i've been to a couple places in richmond/west end and always feel like i'm getting ripped off or that nothing ever really gets fixed.

i've have the most random problems and repairs done to it: broken intake manifold clips, worn tie-rods, a disconcertingly loud engine, a taillight that was supposedly replaced but never re-wired, and an abs sensor that random throws an abs light on the dash. the most troubling problem is an extremely loud front right wheel (where the tie-rod was supposedly replaced). it also wobbles like hell.

maybe it's just because it's a ford, but i just don't right driving it and would really like a place to take it to that leaves me satisfied for once.

any help?

 

Here is a maintenance guide. Just fill in the information and it will come up with the maintenance guidelines for what is recommended at certain mileage.
https://www.fleet.ford.com/maintenan...les/Getymm.asp

 

FIX

OR

REPAIR

Daily

just had to do it

 

take it to a junkyard

windstars are garbage, my parents had one that needed 3 engines, 2 transmissions, and a cooling system. before that work was done it blew headgaskets one after the other.

 

I have a better one Greg.
First
On
Race
Day


Fucked
Over
Rebuilt
Dodge

 

Mine has been good to me...2002 with just over 100,000 miles. The power steering just started making some noise, but other than routine maintenance I've never had to do any work to it.

 

in the late 90s they got a major refit that was supposed to correct the head gasket issue. the trannies were never addressed; my parents' went out the first time at 120k and then again at 160k

hopefully yours will be good to you. between what i have read/heard and my personal experience i can say they are lemons... very comfy on long trips though!

 

while i'm not too concerned about what repairs have to be made on it, i'm just mainly looking for a place that won't try to cheat me even for routine oil changes and state inspections.

and i don't really care that it's a shit car and that it will break down in the next 20K miles (about 120K on the odo), i just don't want my parents driving a potentially dangerous vehicle.

so i'm looking for names of shops i can take it to.

 

The first Windstars came out in 95 and yes, they had some issues. The early 3.8L V6 had issues with head gaskets, but it was the same problem that plagued all of Ford's 3.8s during the mid-90s. The early trannys also had problems. The Windstar was redesigned in 99. The engine problems were corrected by that time, and the tranny was redesigned. It's rare that you hear of major problems with the 2nd generation Windstars.

Just like any other model by any other manufacturer, there will be lemons. That doesn't mean that all of them are lemons. If you went by my personal experience and several of my friends' experiences then everyone would want one.

 

Well we do have one guy that works on GM's/Fords here. I know it won't be my techs because they only touch Subaru's.