[Novalug] older cars

Bonnie Dalzell bdalzell@qis.net
Mon Jul 20 18:01:23 EDT 2015


I had a 1987 Ford Taurus Wagon with an extended warranty that had to 
have its automatic transmission replaced around 60,000 miles. However I 
drove it until it had around 225,000 miles on it and then I sold it to 
some people who took it to California but kept in contact with me and 
they got it up to 350,000 miles.

I was picky about the oil changes and the other things that Ford 
recommended.

Replaced it with a Ford Windstar van (new) that ate its head 
(aluminum) at 105,000 miles. Darn if it had just done it 5000 
miles sooner the extended warranty would have covered it.

Now have a 2006 Windstar van with 90,000 miles. My major problems 
stem from Hurricane Sandy. We do not have a garage and the hurricane drove 
water up under the hood and doused the computer which is housed at the 
back of the engine compartment under the hood. A relatively expensive fix 
since I no longer try and work on cars. Gave that up after college.

In Berkeley, CA in the 1960's there were "people's garages". You went with 
your car. There was a lift if needed, there were tools and there was a 
mechanic who told you what to do. I did a bit of car work then.

I have had Fords recently because, for the vans and the Taurus wagon, Ford 
had absolutely the best rear section air conditioning of any car or van we 
tried and traveling in hot weather with dogs you need it!. Prior to the 
Taurus wagon I had a dog get heat stroke when I got stuck in a big traffic 
jam while in mid August on the Rt 50 bridge from the Eastern Shore even 
though I was running the air conditioning it was not able to keep 
the back cool and of course the car was sitting still so no air 
blowing in the windows.

The equivalent Ford replacement for the Windstar is the van version of the 
Ford Transit Connect and it does not seem to have the superior rear air 
conditioning. Also you cannot remove the rear seats. If you get the 
cargo version there is no rear air conditioning. Grrrr.

My husband and I went to Car Max and test drove a lot of different 
Mini vans in July and August with him in the front driving and me 
sitting in the back testing the rear air conditioning.

In the 2006 Windstar I replaced the radio with an Alpine radio that has 
blue tooth connection to my cell phone. There is a little mic mounted at 
the inside top of the windshield. Works well.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                        Bonnie Dalzell, MA
mail:PO box 9767 Baldwin, MD, USA 21013  |  EMAIL:bdalzell@qis.net
shipping address:5100 Hydes Rd 21082 (Hydes Post Office closed Jan 2012)
Freelance anatomist, vertebrate paleontologist, writer, illustrator, dog
breeder, computer nerd & iconoclast... Borzoi info at www.borzois.com.
HOME www.batw.net    ART bdalzellart.batw.net  BUSINESS www.boardingatwedge.com




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