Fly like the Windstar

So, it’s become that time again. We need to buy a newer vehicle. We have two vehicles right now – a Ford Crown Victoria and a Mercury Grand Marquis. The Crown Vic has been out of service for a while now – some problem with the electrical system. The Grand Marquis is fading fast. Both are well over ten years old, we got them as hand-me-downs from our respective parents when our Taurus wagon passed on about five years ago.
My wife and I hate shopping for vehicles. I’m over 6 feet tall and she is just over 5 feet tall. Finding a vehicle that fits us both well can be a bit of a challenge. In looking around, my dad was trying to get us to pick up a Montana but, sitting in it, I couldn’t even see out of the window because the roof was too low.

We were impressed with the trunk space of the Taurus sedan but a 2000 Ford Windstar caught our eye. It was less than a decade old and the price was in our range. We test drove it and it handled well. We both fit in and it was decided that we would buy it.

Then the dance begins.

We finally settled on a price that was amenable to us and included some minor repairs – squeaky windows, stone chips, rust on the rocker panels. Then we had to talk to the guy to see if we wanted to add the extras. We definitely wanted undercoating and fabric protection and were intrigued by the ‘magic box’ that prevents rust. The science behind the rust inhibitor module is sound, whether it works in practice will be something about which we’ll have to let you know.
So, $1000 later, we’re getting the full package and they tell us to come and pick it last Friday.

We go to get it, and the rocker panels haven’t been done. The back windows still squeak. I test the fabric guard and the water does bead minimally, but mostly just soaks into the fabric – like someone did a halfhearted spray with a can of scotchgard. So they promise to get it done for this week, Monday or Tuesday. Both of which have now passed and we still don’t have the vehicle yet.

Birchwood Super Centre, the used car division of Birchwood Saturn, so far you haven’t impressed us.