- minivan 208,934
- 2,521 below average
- 885 great
- Saint Petersburg, FL
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- autoshopper.com
- 2,521 below average minivan 208,934 gasoline gold
2003 ford windstar review this car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale. Maximum minivan. introductionford windstar is one of the quickest minivans on the road. Its strong, 200-horsepower v6 delivers quick acceleration performance. It comes with dual sliding doors, and can be trimmed with video systems and other options to satisfy any taste. for eight straight years, the windstar has earned the federal government's best crash-test rating: five stars each for driver and front passenger. With its optional side-impact air bags, windstar achieves a double five-star rating in the government's new side-impact tests as well. Safety is improved further for 2003, as the windstar gets ford's advancetrac electronic stability enhancement system. Advancetrac detects skidding and actively corrects the windstar's heading by selectively applying individual brakes and/or reducing engine power. That could make the difference between a close call and a collision on a rain-slicked or ice-covered road. Additional refinements for 2003 focus on reducing noise. the current windstar is nearing the end of its run, and an all-new windstar is on the horizon. . lineupall windstars come with air conditioning, a 3. 8-liter v6 engine, antilock brakes (abs), electronic brake distribution (edb), and dual airbags. All come with dual sliding doors. the 2003 windstar lx 22,710) comes standard with color-keyed bumpers, child-proof door locks, and a tire-pressure monitoring system. Side-impact airbags 390) can be added to any windstar, but come standard on standard on limited. Quad bucket seats 745) are available and the se can be equipped with power doors 900). A family security package 455) adds traction control, the perimeter security system, and 215/65r16 self-sealing tires to the lx deluxe. Lx deluxe, se, sel, and limited offer a 995) video entertainment system with a 6. 4-inch monitor that folds down form the headliner. Several competing minivans offer video systems only on top-of-the-line models. Windstars sold in alaska, minnesota, montana, wisconsin and wyoming have engine-block heaters. Aerodynamic mirrors, new beltline moldings, and new b-pillar appliques are designed to reduce wind turbulence. Thicker side glass in the front doors and improved sealing in the front bulkhead further insulate the windstar's driver and passengers from wind noise. ford windstar's styling hasn't changed much since its 1995 introduction, but it still looks contemporary. Windstar's front end received a minor redesign in 2001, and the lx standard and deluxe acquired driving lights in 2002. For 2003, all windstars sport body-colored bumpers. the sliding doors neatly hide the tracks below the lower edge of the rear side window, instead of gouging them out of the quarter-panel sheetmetal. This gives the windstar a less utilitarian, more upscale look. It's also nice for folks who find opening and closing heavy doors a bit strenuous. The one shortcoming of the power doors is that they move more slowly than most people could slide the door by hand. Nonetheless, kids love the power doors. A safety feature automatically stops the door should some errant body part block its path. And an industry-first warning strobe alerts the driver when the sliding doors are opening. unlike some of its domestic competitors, windstar is not available in a short-wheelbase model. Windstar comes in one size only, and that size is relatively large, comparable to the dodge grand caravan, the chrysler town & country, and the honda odyssey. . interiorford windstar is as large as the largest minivans, so there's lots of room inside. Kids love the spacious feel, while adults appreciate the generous legroom and headroom, especially in the center bucket seats. The nicely designed and substantial dashboard wraps around the driver, positioning the radio and climate controls within easy reach. Two cup holders are attached to a tray that slides out; spring-loaded sides allow them to accommodate a variety of containers. A convenient wide-angle mirror helps the driver keep an eye on what's going on in the rear seats. we had trouble getting comfortable in the sel. We found the front seats in flat, with little side bolstering. This allows them to sit farther from the steering wheel, for better driving position and to avoid potential injury from the airbag. center-row seats are buckets in se, sel and limited. We found them heavy and awkward to remove. Like the second-row bench it rides on small rollers that make it slightly easier to remove. It weighs about 100 pounds, which makes removal a two-person job. Once back in the van, it moves seven inches fore and aft on its track, allowing more rear luggage space, or more rear-seat legroom, depending on need. However, moving it all the way forward exposes the seat tracks, which are greasy for cargo and not friendly to dogs. the rear bench can also be moved to the second-row seat's attachment points, to provide seating for five and cavernous luggage space. That feature adds to the versatility of windstars equipped with second-row buckets. the third-row seatback folds down to provide a flat table and more cup holders. Rear climate controls come standard (except in the base model), a great feature especially on hot days for children and pets. Se, sel, and limited come standard with rear audio controls as well, allowing kids to play cassettes in the rear while adults listen to the radio up front. a handy feature for entertaining restless rug rats is the auto vision entertainment system 995), consisting of a vhs tape player and a 6. 4-inch lcd video screen that folds down from the overhead console. There are even ports for video games. The system includes a pair of headphones, so people up front do not have to listen to 'land before time 32,' or whatever else is screening in the rear cabin. for busy adults, sel and limited models feature an electronic message center, which is a small voice recorder attached to the driver's sun visor. Unfortunately. driving impressionwith its big v6, the windstar is one of the quickest minivans available. It delivers strong acceleration, and has plenty of power for safe passing even with a full load of passengers. For the most part, the windstar's powertrain performs smoothly. The v6 sounds raucous at high rpm, however, and the transmission shifts abrup. Bucket Seats✔ Anti-lock Brakes✔ Heated Seats✔ Climate Control✔ Cruise Control✔ Air Conditioning✔ CD Player✔ CD Changer✔ Aluminum Wheels
885 Saint Petersburg, FLSaint Petersburg, FL at autoshopper.com