As a Social Worker I find myself on the Georgia highways and byways usually doing a lot of commuting especially when it comes to traveling with a group of children. If you’ve ever taken a trip with a bunch of teenagers then you know the importance of traveling in the right vehicle. Which brings me to my most recent outing to the movies with my group of weekend pre-teens in the 2001 Ford Windstar LX.

Frankly, as a bachelor the minivan would not be my first choice as a slime and trim sporty auto. Primarily due to its style since minivans usually have “family” written all over them. However for those looking for a family van you may find one of the six models of the 2001 Ford Windstar to your liking. The models or trims which is a term used in the automotive world to describe the different styles available which includes your base model, the LX, SE, SEL, the limited or the SE Sport.

The vehicle we used was the Windstar 2001 LX passenger van. The Windstar van made me feel like I was turning into my father. I immediately began having flashbacks of our station wagon and all the family discussion regarding that vehicle. The other families in our neighborhood referred to us as the “Brady Bunch.” (The Brady Bunch was 1969 ABC TV series in which the Brady family used a 1958 Plymouth Station Wagon.)

The Windstar is synonymous with practical family transportation and although I don’t consider it stylish, and find it to plain for my taste, for some this versatile vehicle is becoming as popular as the 1968 Plymouth Station Wagon.

This passenger van has a savage V-6 12-valve 4 speed electronic automatic transmission engine with an electronic ignition. It’s almost identical to its 2000 Windstar predecessor with its 3.0 liter 6 cylinder engine. When driving this vehicle you can really feel front wheel drive the pulling to the front wheels.

On the highway this machine floats like a 1970 Cadillac. If you’ve ever road in a 1970 Cadillac you will remember how it almost floats like a boat on the highway. The van is a little bouncy on the road probably due to the soft suspension that seems to sway when driving. The front suspension uses the highly recommended MacPherson struts, while at the rear a twist-beam axle acts as its own stabilizer bar with its suspension coil springs.

The Windstar's steel body is very rigid, despite it’s rack and pinion steering system it’s considered a heavyweight in the minivan world. There is nothing fancy about the outside since exterior features are fairly rudimentary red color. Its red from the front and rear colored bumpers to the red colored grille.

The Windstar’s seven passenger seating offers lots of room and comfortable seating for smaller framed people however if you are traveling with a teenagers wearing baggy clothes it seats five comfortably. There are three rows of seats; the front bucket seats with the fixed headrest and armrest remind are fairly comfortable for the driver, however you can only adjust these two seats so far.

Perhaps in a 2001 I was expecting a softer seat, or perhaps captain chairs like the seat on the Star Trek Enterprise. The seats were fairly comfortable during our trip to the movies however I would suspect that they would not be as equally comfortable on long distance trip. It’s nice that the passenger seat is adjustable and removable with full folding 3-person bench second row seating. Legroom is plentiful if you are 5'9" any taller and you may feel a bit cramped.

The Windstar LX features the much talked about 4 wheel anti-locking braking system and dual airbags, with adjustable seatbelts plus daytime running halogen headlamp lights. Although the daytime running lights are popular, I personally don’t like them. Perhaps its related to my childhood memories of attending funerals with my Dad driving, following a processional of cars streaming their lights during the day.

Standard equipment on all of the 2001 Windstar LX include tinted glass, an AM/FM stereo system with four speakers two in the front and two in the rear. It also features a passive anti-theft system, cupholders and a locking glove box with a light installed. The Windstar is a functional piece of machinery. In a 2001 vehicle I was looking for more up to date features and gadgets. The simple dashboard with the typical Ford layout is boring.

Ford is notorious for its poor ergonomics and dashboard layout. On the dashboard you will find the typical analog instrumentation with a tachometer, trip odometer, water temp gauge, and the usual warning indicators including the oil pressure, battery, lights on, key in ignition, low fuel, low washer fluid, door ajar, brake fluid, the only that’s new to me is the bulb failure light.

In all fairness the LX does have a sliding door on the driver's side which seemed unusual at first and took a little getting use to. This van is ideal for people that want to use their minivan for a small business because it allows you the ability to toss out the rear bench seat. The Ford Windstar is an affordable minivan ranging between $20,000 to 35,000 depending upon the model you choose.

Although there are no recalls on the Windstar 2001 LX, this particular Ford has a history of recalls and mechanical problems. In 1996 there was a recall on the rear power windows because the connections failed and the wiper switch needed to be replaced. So far it has not been reported that the Windstar 2001 faces the challenges of its predecessor’s.

It’s been noted by Ford that the Windstar is the first minivan to earn the U. S. government's five star front crash test rating. The safety system, includes dual stage front air bags, crash severity sensors, safety belt usage sensor, driver seat position sensor, and safety belt pretensions plus the lift gate comes with a high mounted lamp which provides excellent light at night. We road on 4 good P215/70R15 BSW tires w/ 15-inch 5-spoke wheel coverings. However if you get a flat you’ll be riding around on a donut since this vehicle comes with a mini spare tire.

The Windstar 2001 LX uses unleaded gas, yet guzzles it like a 1970 Cadillac. In a time when gas prices are sky rocketing this 3.8-liter engine is not the most economical. Albeit my experience with the Windstar LX was limited, and in spite of this vans impressive safety rating, this vehicle would not be my first choice for family travel. It would be ideal if Ford would match safety and customer satisfaction; I was looking for a little bit more out of a 2001.







Amount Paid (US$): 00.00
Condition: New
Model Year: 2001
Model and Options: Windstar 2001 LX V-6 12-valve 4 speed automatic transmissio