My Grandpa bought a 1997 XLT Sport AWD with the 4.0L and all the options, new. This video brought back lots of memories of him and reaffirmed how much I cherish the van he left me ❤️
Same. Had a '89 Eddie Bauer. That factory graphic audio EQ was a pretty unique feature to have. The 3.0 Vulcan was a tough engine. However the Power Steering reliability, slightly under-sized transmission and efficiency in engine cooling were a few of its hindrances. Otherwise, it was a pretty alright mini-van for its time.
I was working at the Ford dealership when Ford introduced the Aerostar and watched it evolve and eventually fade away. I really loved the little van. The first engine Ford used, the 2.8 V6 might have been their biggest mistake as the engine requires regular valve adjustments which was a tough job to do. Customers making regular payments on a new van weren't thrilled with paying that kind of money on a maintenance item and Ford ended up absorbing the cost of valve adjustment under warranty. The 3.0 V6 was a much better engine but was not without its share of problems. Again, Ford usually made good on it through warranty. I can remember being sent to class prior to Ford introducing the AWD version of the Aerostar after the public clamored for the AWD version. Then it didn't quite sell as expected. At least out here in the desert anyway. I really loved the Aerostar and was disappointed when Ford introduced the Windstar while Mercury teamed up with Nissan and offered the Villager. Neither one offered the simple but effective design of the Aerostar.
Hey I read this when I was pretty excited about buying one of these today. 1989. Did I make a mistake? It was garaged and appears to have somewhere near 127k miles
I'm that one weirdo that really likes these vans. They look so weird yet I like it. One time me and my friend were taking the back way to the middle school cafeteria in 8th grade (the building was separate from the main building) and while we were walking, a white Aerostar owned by the school for the maintenance crew passed by and I was like dude I love those, you hardly see em anymore. Then he was like dude those are the ugliest things ever. I found it quite interesting the school was still using such a van because this happened in 2014.
Houston, we do NOT have any problems with these excellent videos you’ve created. 😇🚀 I’m an 80s baby and I love these incredible trips down memory lane. Thank you so much. I feel pretty confident you were a Knight Rider fan as well. Keep up the good work!
Had a '95 XL, E4WD I did everything from PI work to construction in and even lived in for a while. Now I have a '97 E4WD cargo version with a partial camper conversion waiting to be finished. Thanks for the great video and for the memories.
i was born in 86. and i remember growing up in a lot of really cool cars but i remember the daycare lady's Aerostar van and i remember just how cool it was going on trips. i will buy one of these some day and customize it .
Great video and I did LIKE and SUBSCRIBE. I really hope you'll do the same for my channel. I currently have a grand total of 5 subscribers! Lol. My channel is pretty new and I'll be uploading more videos soon.
Made me proud to drive one! That rear seat & liftgate must have weighed over 600 lbs & was used for rear traction. The hardest engine to reach, even from the internal dog house but I still loved her... Nice tribute to the Challenger Crew man! We all watched that from elementary school sadly...
Great video as usual, Tofer! The ending was really interesting to me when you mentioned growing up in Houston and space being a big part of your childhood. I flashed back to visiting Houston as a youth in the summer of '85. I remember the buzz at the time visiting the Johnson Space Center with the first teacher scheduled to go into space in early '86. The place blew my mind, the Saturn rockets outside, the capsules inside, the exhibits, and general expanse of the place. Likewise a trip to the very unique Astrodome, Hanna Barbera land and seeing Back to the Future for the first time made that trip very memorable for me. Thanks for the great video and helping me relive some childhood memories!
SO cool to hear your memories of your visit to Houston! Every field trip any school I attended usually involved the space center. And I vividly remember my grandparents visiting our home near The Woodlands and taking us to see back to the future in their brand new '85 Mercury Grand Marquis.
@@TofersCarTalesThat's awesome! Sounds like we had similar memories growing up..and in an '85 Grand Marquis! That was a smooth driving highway machine! I hope one day to make it back down to Houston with the kids and kind of relive that trip one day (From STL). Anyways, love your vids..not only are the very informative, you really capture the essence of the cars and periods they're from. Thanks Tofer!
I remember the full size one that my great grandparents had. It was electronic 4WD with with folding bench seat in the rear. One of the coolest vehicles ever
Back in 89 my cousin's dad use to take is kids cruising every Saturday night for a couple of hours. It sure was a fun ride but then again we were young and any ride is a fun ride.
You are truly the master editor, those last few videos you've been making the quality of the editing is absolutely remarkable. I commend you on such an excellent job.
2020 I'm in an Aerostar today. Lol. Surprisingly well holding up with age issues for the most part. Grew up around JSC. Wanted to join the Shuttle program as a student. Great vid. May see how long i can explore strange new worlds on this mission.
My wife and I bought a '92 Aerostar while I was in the Navy and moving all around the country. We had four kids and it was ideal for us. We put 178K miles on it going up and down both coasts, and cross country twice. That was a great van. When it finally died, we replaced it with the Windstar which was literally twice the money and half the car.
Incredible job as usual. I was also just a kid growing up in the 80's. Best decade ever imo. Mom & dad bought Voyagers & they were nice but i always loved the looks & the interior of the Aerostar. Living outside of Detroit, several of my buddies parents had them, working @ Ford. Keep up the good work Tofer! Your video's are my favorite! Id love to see one sometime on the Pontiac 6000 STE. Most people have forgotten about that car but it was a beautiful special car of the time. Competing with European sedans. My 2nd car was an 83 STE💕
@@TofersCarTales can't wait! I'll have a 1989 one of these years. Beautiful car & quite rare. Im 44 now, we must be pretty close to the same age. Best Regards bud!
My wife and I had a Ford Aerostar van when our children were little. I think it was a 1992 or 93 and we drove all over the country. We lived in the Midwest and that Aerostar van took us to San Antonio Texas and to the Rocky Mountains of Colorado many times. The kids got older and the Aerostar van was replaced with a Chevy Suburban. Today, my kids have their kids, and while Ford no longer offers a minivan Honda and Toyota have stepped up to the plate. Both of my kids now have Honda Odysseys with a lot more features than the Aerostar ever dreamed of!
Nice video -- had an XLT and enjoyed this. The intro/outro music is by the band "65 Days of Static" and for those who didn't know it appears primarily in the video game "No Man's Sky" which is also the name of the album. Glad to see you credit them in the description as they deserve it. The game, unlike the Aerostar, pretty much stunk when it came out but is awesome now. The thing that has never been bad is that music -- it makes the game and sets the "lonely and lost in space" mood. Good job.
From a auto technician standpoint, these were a absolute bearcat to work on. Spark plugs were a nightmare, and the cap and rotor had to be accessed thru the laughingly small access hatch. And replacing the engine? Better count on two full days using a hoist and a fully equipped shop. Call me biased as I was a g.m tech, but the Chevy astro was light years better, with its full doghouse giving excellent access to the engine.
We had a two tone gray 86 XLT fully loaded. As a kid back then it looked so futuristic to me with the digital cluster, trip computer, power lumbar seats, captain chairs and rear radio controls. It was the go-to vehicle for our trips to Disneyland and such. A few years later (the 86 was gone by then) , when my mom got a pre-owned light blue 90 XL Wagon for work it was kind of meh because it was as bare bones as it could get, the only shared features with the old one were the tape player and front A/C. Both were bulletproof, though.
Ford had several good cars back in the late 80's and early 90's. The Aerostar, Taurus and Escort were all reliable vehicles. Wish you could still buy new cars of that vintage.
a friend of mine who is construction worker owns an Areostar as a Work van, it was a 97, and he paid only 500 bucks for the van 5 years ago, and he still uses it today and it has over 350k in it.
Great channel,I can't believe I've hit the age where I'm nostalgic for the vehicles of my youth. I always understood the nostalgia factor for my parents generation (my dad's first car was a 56 Chevy and my mum ripped around for years in 68 Camaro) but know I'm watching videos on Aerostars and wishing I kept my 84 C-10 or my 87 Grand Am and the Grand Am was garbage. Cheers
As a kid growing up in this time, I took many road trips in the Aerostar, the Caravan/Voyager, and the Astro/Safari. I gotta say, the Aerostar was my favorite minivan. The absolute best though, were the Econolines and G vans with those huge plush captains chairs and a freakin' tv with a vcr in the console that you could plug your Nintendo into! Now those were epic road trips!
I always wanted one growing up, with lots of speakers. Unfortunately, that never happened. I knew a guy who did that in high school. I was jealous of his Alpine system (another 80’s reference), while cruising around in his dark grey Aerostar.
Tofer , I’ve enjoyed every one of your productions. each piece stands on its own. today’s video for example could educate and entertain future generations. These minivans are rare to see on the road nowadays, so for some this will be a first sighting. Quality work as always 👍
I worked back in the '80s at a dealer group that had a Ford and Chrysler-Plymouth dealers. The Csravan-Voyager were light years ahead of the of the "Aeroflop" as we would call them in ride, seating comfort, versatility, options, and drivetrain options.
I loved my 2 tone white and blue 1988 Ford Aerostar Mark 111 Conversion Van, it had the digital dash, premium stereo sound system with cassette player, 4 captain's chairs and the rear seat bed and the rear wood accents, overhead lighting, blinds and curtains on all the rear side windows and TV/VCR combo in the wood cabinet. I miss that van, I got about 400,000 miles and it was getting tired but still ran.
Awesome to hear you grew up in Houston Living in Bryan Texas My parents had an 86 xlt that they drove until the bad auto trans went out at 75,000 then they bought an 91 after we moved to Buda which did the same thing at the same mileage lol. Ford had crappy autos back then. 91 was the extended model with the bad ass Ford stereo that my dad always had a tape from Chris rea “road to hell” or ZZ Top or Stevie Ray blasting from most times. So many memories in aerostars and of my father who is no longer on this earth. Thank you for making this. It made my week!
I inherited the family space shuttle in high school after she went out of commission due to my sister’s disdain for space vehicles and the desire not to be seen near one. I blasted off onto the streets of California for many a year and was sad to see her go. I miss my Aerostar!
Me and my family either had a 86 or 87 Ford Aerostar van. LOL I miss it sometimes. Ours was grey. I loved that van ❤ 😉 I wish my parents ended up keeping it longer but I think ours had maintenance problems. :/ It still was a great van back in those days. I have been dreaming about it and thinking about Aerostar vans again. 😆
I had 2 extended body Aerostars... first an 89 with the 3 liter and later a 91 with the 4 liter. The 91 had the rear captains chairs and the electronic instrument cluster/trip computer. They were tough as nails. I drove them both to 200K+ towing stuff and hauling people through the mountains and all over the country. I sold them both worn out but still running...
Great editing! This, the Lumina APV and the Toyota Previa were among my favorite minivans models, su full of character 🎉🥳, nowadays is another different story, you can't tell wich one is
Oh, and Thank You for blasting me with 80's cheesiness! I had to check my bald spot in the bathroom mirror to make sure I didn't time travel back to high school.
Dad still has his. it's a 93 xlt model, but bought it in 94 as new old stock from the dealer. Close to 400,000 miles now. Original engine blew at close to 300,000 miles, original transmission gave up at 350,00 miles. He has replaced both and is still going strong. He loves that van. It's his work vehicle.
@@neverwilliam it was the 4.0l, a neighbor had a '92 aerostar with a broken transmission just sitting in the yard, dad bought the engine from him. It only had 72,000 miles on it. My dad passed away last year though and my mom sold the van as she was too sad seeing it parked in his spot. One morning I turned it on and my sister woke up crying because she heard it. It was in our family 27 years.
Hey!!! It’s technoan!!! First he shows off the cassette then you’ve got his theme song. This video is awesome (just like techmoan’s) you have a mix of humor and well - researched information. I particularly liked the synchronized group aerobics... nostalgia with a gentle, self-effacing humor
Another awesome video! I always liked the Aerostar as a kid, but my parents opted for a brand new for 1995 Windstar instead. In all honesty, besides having the engine replaced under warranty (common 3.8L head gasket issue), the thing actually held up pretty good until it was replaced around 2010 (it had no further engine issues, and never had any transmission issues). Not every Windstar owner was as lucky, though.
My dad got an 86, and insisted on cheaping out, and getting the 2.3 liter four-banger and a stick, which was very under powered. Aside from that, it ran well for years, and hauled half the world in it at some point. I remember the transmission was very rough and notchy compared to other sticks I'd driven. On the plus side, having tamed that beast, I've gotten very good at manual transmissions, right up to 18 speed trucks.
Highly Polished Turd I have an 86 with the 4 cyl and 5 spd, 87,000 original miles, got it down in Alabama, its horribly underpowered, especially when you consider that it was tasked with towing 5,000 additional pounds, but man is it fun to drive with those big shifter throws. Absolutely love it, and have never seen another in this configuration. And its brown.
@@luisinhoens90 I remember when my dad got the thing, I looked in the owner's manual about towing, and it did say the four banger could tow 5000 lb, at least for that year. But you were restricted to a fourth gear, not fifth, and a maximum of 50 mph. Not that I had any plans to try it! It didn't matter though, this one never had a hitch installed.
I always liked the Ford Aerostar when I was a kid as well. I couldn't wait to grow up so I could have one! But it never came to be. I did find one many years later and I took it out for a test drive, but the mileage was high and it was pretty beat up, so I didn't get it. I live in Toronto and an Aerostar is a very rare sight these days, as most of them rusted out in our unforgiving Canadian weather! However, my mum had a '98 Ford Windstar and she loved that van - and so did I. Not too many Windstars on the road anymore either. Same thing, they rusted out. Then there was the Freestar and THOSE are also a rare sight for the same reason! LOL. I imagine that there are still some of these vans kicking around in the States.
Desoto had push button transmissions in the 50's. The two main selling points of the mini van were, 1) they weren't a station wagon because, after all, wagons don't sell. 2) They were low enough to fit in the home garage.
I drove two mini-vans at work: an Aerostar and an Chevy Astro, both in the higher trim levels. The Aerostar was such a pleasure to drive! The Astro was more like a cheap light duty truck.
I had an XLT, thought it was the coolest thing 🤣 especially with captains chairs in the middle. Always wanted to sit in them and let someone drive me around 😄
Thanks for your support and please do consider becoming a supporter of my efforts... www.patreon.com/TofersCarTales
My Grandpa bought a 1997 XLT Sport AWD with the 4.0L and all the options, new. This video brought back lots of memories of him and reaffirmed how much I cherish the van he left me ❤️
My grandfather loved anything Ford, and this video brought back many memories of him as well as I cobbled it together. Thanks for sharing.
The vibe of this video is absolutely 80s, 90s and fantastic in every way. I loved it, fantastic work!!
My mom drove a black extended Eddie Bauer 4WD!! We also had a cargo version that made it to 450K miles. Loved those things.
Ooh... now, that's a rare one.
We had an Eddie Bauer edition amplified stereo with equalizer and lumbar support. We bought it in 2005 for it 800 bucks.
Same. Had a '89 Eddie Bauer. That factory graphic audio EQ was a pretty unique feature to have. The 3.0 Vulcan was a tough engine. However the Power Steering reliability, slightly under-sized transmission and efficiency in engine cooling were a few of its hindrances. Otherwise, it was a pretty alright mini-van for its time.
Can I have it? I have a plan to stick one of my spare 462 lincoln motors in one.
@@Lets_Go_Brandon2024
HOLY CRAP!!
I was working at the Ford dealership when Ford introduced the Aerostar and watched it evolve and eventually fade away.
I really loved the little van. The first engine Ford used, the 2.8 V6 might have been their biggest mistake as the engine requires regular valve adjustments which was a tough job to do. Customers making regular payments on a new van weren't thrilled with paying that kind of money on a maintenance item and Ford ended up absorbing the cost of valve adjustment under warranty.
The 3.0 V6 was a much better engine but was not without its share of problems. Again, Ford usually made good on it through warranty.
I can remember being sent to class prior to Ford introducing the AWD version of the Aerostar after the public clamored for the AWD version. Then it didn't quite sell as expected. At least out here in the desert anyway.
I really loved the Aerostar and was disappointed when Ford introduced the Windstar while Mercury teamed up with Nissan and offered the Villager. Neither one offered the simple but effective design of the Aerostar.
Hey I read this when I was pretty excited about buying one of these today. 1989. Did I make a mistake?
It was garaged and appears to have somewhere near 127k miles
I'm that one weirdo that really likes these vans. They look so weird yet I like it. One time me and my friend were taking the back way to the middle school cafeteria in 8th grade (the building was separate from the main building) and while we were walking, a white Aerostar owned by the school for the maintenance crew passed by and I was like dude I love those, you hardly see em anymore. Then he was like dude those are the ugliest things ever. I found it quite interesting the school was still using such a van because this happened in 2014.
Just such a wonderful video- it would be worth any wait for editing like this. These videos are definitely among my favorites.
Houston, we do NOT have any problems with these excellent videos you’ve created. 😇🚀
I’m an 80s baby and I love these incredible trips down memory lane. Thank you so much.
I feel pretty confident you were a Knight Rider fan as well.
Keep up the good work!
This is one of the most emotional videos I have ever watched on TH-cam
Had a '95 XL, E4WD I did everything from PI work to construction in and even lived in for a while. Now I have a '97 E4WD cargo version with a partial camper conversion waiting to be finished. Thanks for the great video and for the memories.
i was born in 86. and i remember growing up in a lot of really cool cars but i remember the daycare lady's Aerostar van and i remember just how cool it was going on trips. i will buy one of these some day and customize it .
Your editing is EPIC!!!
Thanks so much, I really enjoy that part of doing these videos. Always nice to hear when someone notices the editing. :)
@@TofersCarTales yeah it's a really cool and unique style
INDEED!! 👍👌👌
Thanks so much for watching and please remember to like and subscribe if you enjoyed. It helps the channel a ton.
Great video and I did LIKE and SUBSCRIBE. I really hope you'll do the same for my channel. I currently have a grand total of 5 subscribers! Lol. My channel is pretty new and I'll be uploading more videos soon.
Welcome back TH-cam is dominating tv i watch it 4 hours a day
You always do such a great job editing these videos! They are always entertaining and highly appreciated during these days of quarantine.
Had a 1993 Aerostar wagon as a company vehicle loved it great service vehicle.
I owned a 1990 XLT Extended. Had it for years. Loved it!
I was so disappointed when they replaced it with the Windstar in the mid 1990s. What a drag.
nice play on words. I see what you did there
My parents had a green 2001 Ford Windstar. It was a pretty ugly minivan tbh
@@kcindc5539 Lol
@@slimshadyjr9889 At least it wasn't European though right? haha
The Windstar debuted in 1995, while the Aerostar ended in 1997.
I had no idea there’s were RWD, very cool! I love these older minivans, seeing a mint 80s minivan on the road today always warms my heart.
Made me proud to drive one! That rear seat & liftgate must have weighed over 600 lbs & was used for rear traction.
The hardest engine to reach, even from the internal dog house but I still loved her...
Nice tribute to the Challenger Crew man! We all watched that from elementary school sadly...
Same here. Living in Houston, the school I went to basically shut down for an entire week in remembrance of the shuttle crew.
Great video as usual, Tofer! The ending was really interesting to me when you mentioned growing up in Houston and space being a big part of your childhood.
I flashed back to visiting Houston as a youth in the summer of '85. I remember the buzz at the time visiting the Johnson Space Center with the first teacher scheduled to go into space in early '86. The place blew my mind, the Saturn rockets outside, the capsules inside, the exhibits, and general expanse of the place. Likewise a trip to the very unique Astrodome, Hanna Barbera land and seeing Back to the Future for the first time made that trip very memorable for me. Thanks for the great video and helping me relive some childhood memories!
SO cool to hear your memories of your visit to Houston! Every field trip any school I attended usually involved the space center. And I vividly remember my grandparents visiting our home near The Woodlands and taking us to see back to the future in their brand new '85 Mercury Grand Marquis.
@@TofersCarTalesThat's awesome! Sounds like we had similar memories growing up..and in an '85 Grand Marquis! That was a smooth driving highway machine! I hope one day to make it back down to Houston with the kids and kind of relive that trip one day (From STL). Anyways, love your vids..not only are the very informative, you really capture the essence of the cars and periods they're from. Thanks Tofer!
I'm in my 60's and a huge Ford fan. I remember these well. I also remember that just about every Aerostar I saw was a rolling bucket of rust.
I remember the full size one that my great grandparents had. It was electronic 4WD with with folding bench seat in the rear. One of the coolest vehicles ever
I had two of these. Loved them .wish they'd come back
Such an underrated channel... great, informative content. Your videos never fail to bring me back to memory lane. 👍
I also find the Aerostar more attractive than most cars offered today.
Especially the ugly crap that passes for a minivan today
@@ponysoftonline4533 Exactly!
1987 in pure video form.
I spy Techmoan.
Back in 89 my cousin's dad use to take is kids cruising every Saturday night for a couple of hours. It sure was a fun ride but then again we were young and any ride is a fun ride.
You are truly the master editor, those last few videos you've been making the quality of the editing is absolutely remarkable.
I commend you on such an excellent job.
This is also a good van for van life haha this video made me fall in love with my 1989 XL even more!! Thanks for the interesting and creative video!
2020 I'm in an Aerostar today.
Lol.
Surprisingly well holding up with age issues for the most part.
Grew up around JSC.
Wanted to join the Shuttle program as a student.
Great vid.
May see how long i can explore strange new worlds on this mission.
I have drive one today too 😄
From one child of the 80s and a Ford fan to another, great vids you are putting out. Love your theme, its unlike anything else.
My parents had a gorgeous green one. Really practical car, looked super cool, great family car.
My wife and I bought a '92 Aerostar while I was in the Navy and moving all around the country. We had four kids and it was ideal for us. We put 178K miles on it going up and down both coasts, and cross country twice. That was a great van. When it finally died, we replaced it with the Windstar which was literally twice the money and half the car.
Outstanding work. My childhood flashed before my eyes.
Appreciated the video. I bought an '89 Aerostar last year w/ 58k miles on it. May be my favorite vehicle I ever owned. (:
Top notch production and editing, my friends had a 93 Eddie Baur green/gold 2 tone, I loved that thing in the 90s.
My uncle had a 1987 cargo version of the Aerostar in navy blue. The look was just as amazing as the Taurus to me as a young teen in the 80s.
I had a 94 Aerostar extended van with the 4.0 and the tow package. It was a fantastic vehicle.
They were a great vehicle. We used to pile the whole crew in one and take off camping/fishing.
Incredible job as usual. I was also just a kid growing up in the 80's. Best decade ever imo. Mom & dad bought Voyagers & they were nice but i always loved the looks & the interior of the Aerostar. Living outside of Detroit, several of my buddies parents had them, working @ Ford. Keep up the good work Tofer! Your video's are my favorite! Id love to see one sometime on the Pontiac 6000 STE. Most people have forgotten about that car but it was a beautiful special car of the time. Competing with European sedans. My 2nd car was an 83 STE💕
Thanks for the kind words! The Pontiac 6000 STE is absolutely on my list.
@@TofersCarTales can't wait! I'll have a 1989 one of these years. Beautiful car & quite rare. Im 44 now, we must be pretty close to the same age. Best Regards bud!
My wife and I had a Ford Aerostar van when our children were little. I think it was a 1992 or 93 and we drove all over the country. We lived in the Midwest and that Aerostar van took us to San Antonio Texas and to the Rocky Mountains of Colorado many times.
The kids got older and the Aerostar van was replaced with a Chevy Suburban.
Today, my kids have their kids, and while Ford no longer offers a minivan Honda and Toyota have stepped up to the plate.
Both of my kids now have Honda Odysseys with a lot more features than the Aerostar ever dreamed of!
Wow! Another beautiful video. Great job Tofer!
Nice video -- had an XLT and enjoyed this. The intro/outro music is by the band "65 Days of Static" and for those who didn't know it appears primarily in the video game "No Man's Sky" which is also the name of the album. Glad to see you credit them in the description as they deserve it.
The game, unlike the Aerostar, pretty much stunk when it came out but is awesome now. The thing that has never been bad is that music -- it makes the game and sets the "lonely and lost in space" mood.
Good job.
From a auto technician standpoint, these were a absolute bearcat to work on. Spark plugs were a nightmare, and the cap and rotor had to be accessed thru the laughingly small access hatch. And replacing the engine? Better count on two full days using a hoist and a fully equipped shop. Call me biased as I was a g.m tech, but the Chevy astro was light years better, with its full doghouse giving excellent access to the engine.
Great job! We've had Aerostars for years and still have an Eddie Bauer one with 200K + and it continues to serve us well. Best of luck!
I recall Ford pulling all the comparison ads to the space shuttle immediately after the Challenger tragedy.
This is true, I try to keep things positive and avoided mentioning that but thought a tribute at the end would be appropriate.
@@TofersCarTales That is very appropriate sir and I still recall that fateful day.May their souls rest in peace..
Thank you for creating this video. I love the Aerostar. There's still a few running around my town, and I always smile upon seeing them.
Amazing as usual. First american car i ever travelled in. Aerostar is very close to my heart!! Thanks for this video. 👌👌👌
We had a two tone gray 86 XLT fully loaded. As a kid back then it looked so futuristic to me with the digital cluster, trip computer, power lumbar seats, captain chairs and rear radio controls. It was the go-to vehicle for our trips to Disneyland and such.
A few years later (the 86 was gone by then) , when my mom got a pre-owned light blue 90 XL Wagon for work it was kind of meh because it was as bare bones as it could get, the only shared features with the old one were the tape player and front A/C. Both were bulletproof, though.
The Aerostar being torpedoed out of the Enterprise at the end was a sweet touch. Great video
Ford had several good cars back in the late 80's and early 90's. The Aerostar, Taurus and Escort were all reliable vehicles. Wish you could still buy new cars of that vintage.
Born and raised in Houston myself! So excited for this to come out. Can't wait for the next minivan videos.
a friend of mine who is construction worker owns an Areostar as a Work van, it was a 97, and he paid only 500 bucks for the van 5 years ago, and he still uses it today and it has over 350k in it.
Thanks for the video I have a 1997 Ford Aerostar I'm the second owner in great condition still running strong and looking good
Great channel,I can't believe I've hit the age where I'm nostalgic for the vehicles of my youth. I always understood the nostalgia factor for my parents generation (my dad's first car was a 56 Chevy and my mum ripped around for years in 68 Camaro) but know I'm watching videos on Aerostars and wishing I kept my 84 C-10 or my 87 Grand Am and the Grand Am was garbage. Cheers
Awesome video!! My friends parents had a white one back in the early to mid 2000’s it had a built in child seat which was super cool!
What a fantastic video!!! Full of nostalgia and information. Great job¡¡
This was so good, and the Challenger memorial at the end was very fitting.
As a kid growing up in this time, I took many road trips in the Aerostar, the Caravan/Voyager, and the Astro/Safari. I gotta say, the Aerostar was my favorite minivan. The absolute best though, were the Econolines and G vans with those huge plush captains chairs and a freakin' tv with a vcr in the console that you could plug your Nintendo into! Now those were epic road trips!
Absolutely beautiful. I always get excited when I see a new video from you appear, and this one is quite exceptional. Keep ‘em coming! 👍🏻
A thorough examination of the Aerostar. I love the pop culture references thrown in, especially all of the Star Trek and space shuttle footage.
I always wanted one growing up, with lots of speakers. Unfortunately, that never happened. I knew a guy who did that in high school. I was jealous of his Alpine system (another 80’s reference), while cruising around in his dark grey Aerostar.
Tofer, you even made a minivan feel exciting. this video is so beyond the history of an automobile, it was a time capsule experience.
Thanks for the kind words. There are so many car channels, so I try to do something a little different and experimental. I'm so glad you enjoyed it.
Tofer , I’ve enjoyed every one of your productions. each piece stands on its own. today’s video for example could educate and entertain future generations. These minivans are rare to see on the road nowadays, so for some this will be a first sighting.
Quality work as always 👍
We had an 89 and a 93 Aerostar, absolutely loved them both. The 89 was a tank and they just wouldn't die. Best vehicles we ever owned.
I worked back in the '80s at a dealer group that had a Ford and Chrysler-Plymouth dealers. The Csravan-Voyager were light years ahead of the of the "Aeroflop" as we would call them in ride, seating comfort, versatility, options, and drivetrain options.
James Smith the Chrysler minivans were way better looking too.
I loved my 2 tone white and blue 1988 Ford Aerostar Mark 111 Conversion Van, it had the digital dash, premium stereo sound system with cassette player, 4 captain's chairs and the rear seat bed and the rear wood accents, overhead lighting, blinds and curtains on all the rear side windows and TV/VCR combo in the wood cabinet. I miss that van, I got about 400,000 miles and it was getting tired but still ran.
Awesome to hear you grew up in Houston Living in Bryan Texas My parents had an 86 xlt that they drove until the bad auto trans went out at 75,000 then they bought an 91 after we moved to Buda which did the same thing at the same mileage lol. Ford had crappy autos back then. 91 was the extended model with the bad ass Ford stereo that my dad always had a tape from Chris rea “road to hell” or ZZ Top or Stevie Ray blasting from most times. So many memories in aerostars and of my father who is no longer on this earth. Thank you for making this. It made my week!
I inherited the family space shuttle in high school after she went out of commission due to my sister’s disdain for space vehicles and the desire not to be seen near one. I blasted off onto the streets of California for many a year and was sad to see her go. I miss my Aerostar!
Much love from Lake Charles, LA!
Looking so forward to this can’t wait. Expecting another great video.
Me and my family either had a 86 or 87 Ford Aerostar van. LOL I miss it sometimes. Ours was grey. I loved that van ❤ 😉 I wish my parents ended up keeping it longer but I think ours had maintenance problems. :/ It still was a great van back in those days. I have been dreaming about it and thinking about Aerostar vans again. 😆
I loved my Eddie Bauer special Aerostar...it never failed the entire time I owned it. I gave it to our apartment technician after 5 years.
Another GREAT video. The Aerostar is still a nice bit of eye candy when you see one out and about these days.
Another great video from you. Love your art work and not to mention your effort making this video..great music too..
I owned 3 myself back in the day. My father had 2. Very nice back in the day. I have a guy down the street from me that has 5 or 6 now.
So your neighbor has them all now, not back in the day?
I had 2 extended body Aerostars... first an 89 with the 3 liter and later a 91 with the 4 liter. The 91 had the rear captains chairs and the electronic instrument cluster/trip computer. They were tough as nails. I drove them both to 200K+ towing stuff and hauling people through the mountains and all over the country. I sold them both worn out but still running...
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You did it again buddy. Another moving video of a classic. Well done.
Great editing! This, the Lumina APV and the Toyota Previa were among my favorite minivans models, su full of character 🎉🥳, nowadays is another different story, you can't tell wich one is
Oh, and Thank You for blasting me with 80's cheesiness! I had to check my bald spot in the bathroom mirror to make sure I didn't time travel back to high school.
Dad still has his. it's a 93 xlt model, but bought it in 94 as new old stock from the dealer. Close to 400,000 miles now. Original engine blew at close to 300,000 miles, original transmission gave up at 350,00 miles. He has replaced both and is still going strong. He loves that van. It's his work vehicle.
what motor did he use?
@@neverwilliam it was the 4.0l, a neighbor had a '92 aerostar with a broken transmission just sitting in the yard, dad bought the engine from him. It only had 72,000 miles on it. My dad passed away last year though and my mom sold the van as she was too sad seeing it parked in his spot. One morning I turned it on and my sister woke up crying because she heard it. It was in our family 27 years.
I was more than disappointed when the Aerostar was discontinued when it was in favour of the Windstar. The same went for the Chevy Astro.
Yeah... no plans to do a Windstar video lol
@@TofersCarTales Bummer. Although I liked the Windstar, I preferred the Aerostar.
I remember these in the mid to late 80s they were everywhere. A very popular colour combo was two tone tan/brown or the silver/blue ones.
Hey!!! It’s technoan!!! First he shows off the cassette then you’ve got his theme song. This video is awesome (just like techmoan’s) you have a mix of humor and well - researched information. I particularly liked the synchronized group aerobics... nostalgia with a gentle, self-effacing humor
Love your channel and content is top notch! Liked seeing the Techmoan cameo!
Quality is top notch! Keep up the great work! Excited!
Love that Techmoan cameo when talking about the audio for it
Another awesome video! I always liked the Aerostar as a kid, but my parents opted for a brand new for 1995 Windstar instead. In all honesty, besides having the engine replaced under warranty (common 3.8L head gasket issue), the thing actually held up pretty good until it was replaced around 2010 (it had no further engine issues, and never had any transmission issues). Not every Windstar owner was as lucky, though.
I was a Ford salesman in 1989 and sold quite a few Aerostars. I ended up owning one for a few years when I was a mobile DJ.
My dad got an 86, and insisted on cheaping out, and getting the 2.3 liter four-banger and a stick, which was very under powered. Aside from that, it ran well for years, and hauled half the world in it at some point.
I remember the transmission was very rough and notchy compared to other sticks I'd driven. On the plus side, having tamed that beast, I've gotten very good at manual transmissions, right up to 18 speed trucks.
Highly Polished Turd I have an 86 with the 4 cyl and 5 spd, 87,000 original miles, got it down in Alabama, its horribly underpowered, especially when you consider that it was tasked with towing 5,000 additional pounds, but man is it fun to drive with those big shifter throws. Absolutely love it, and have never seen another in this configuration. And its brown.
It makes you wonder how could it tow 5000 lbs , especially starting out on any incline
@@robs1852 the 5,000 lbs towing capacity was only available with the V6; still quite scary for a 2.8/3.0 engine
@@luisinhoens90 I remember when my dad got the thing, I looked in the owner's manual about towing, and it did say the four banger could tow 5000 lb, at least for that year. But you were restricted to a fourth gear, not fifth, and a maximum of 50 mph. Not that I had any plans to try it! It didn't matter though, this one never had a hitch installed.
My parents had a 91 awd with a 4.0 v6. It was the only v6 you could get with awd. Pulled my parents 18 foot camper no problem.
Getting the seats out did require some work. My memories are more like going solo against a blocking dummy during football practice.
Love the Techmoan cameo
Came here to look for a comment like this. Great reference 👍
Your BEST yet!!!! Cannot wait for next. So drawn into this vid, I forgot where the hell I was!
It's definitely one of my personal favorites. I'm SO glad to hear you enjoyed. Thanks for watching!
I always liked the Ford Aerostar when I was a kid as well. I couldn't wait to grow up so I could have one! But it never came to be. I did find one many years later and I took it out for a test drive, but the mileage was high and it was pretty beat up, so I didn't get it. I live in Toronto and an Aerostar is a very rare sight these days, as most of them rusted out in our unforgiving Canadian weather! However, my mum had a '98 Ford Windstar and she loved that van - and so did I. Not too many Windstars on the road anymore either. Same thing, they rusted out. Then there was the Freestar and THOSE are also a rare sight for the same reason! LOL. I imagine that there are still some of these vans kicking around in the States.
Desoto had push button transmissions in the 50's. The two main selling points of the mini van were, 1) they weren't a station wagon because, after all, wagons don't sell. 2) They were low enough to fit in the home garage.
This was beautiful! And using Spock’s funeral when discussing Aerostars “decommissioning”...😮😥
EXCELLENT VIDEO! My favorite so far 😬
Thanks so much, this is also one of my favorites.
Love this video tribute to the AeroSuperStar...
Techmoan!
And same music he uses as well.
He's one of the reasons I started my own kind of retro channel. I was so thrilled he agreed to allow a cameo.
@@TofersCarTales same here.
Great video. Unfortunately I rarely see Aerostars around anymore. But you’ll see em every now and then.
My neighbor worked for ford and retired from ford. He told me that aerostar was very cheaply made
Very well done loved the tribute to the challenger crew awesome
I drove two mini-vans at work: an Aerostar and an Chevy Astro, both in the higher trim levels. The Aerostar was such a pleasure to drive! The Astro was more like a cheap light duty truck.
I had an XLT, thought it was the coolest thing 🤣 especially with captains chairs in the middle. Always wanted to sit in them and let someone drive me around 😄