Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Ford Freestar shopping experience:
1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Ford Freestar offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Ford Freestar at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.
2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about
3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Ford Freestar? Wrong! If the Ford Freestar is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.
4. Questions - Got a question about Ford Freestar then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....
5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Ford Freestar? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Ford Freestar and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.
6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Ford Freestar wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.
7. Feedback - happy with your Ford Freestar then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.
8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Ford Freestar site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site
9. Contact - got a question about Ford Freestar, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.
10. Payment - ready to pay for your Ford Freestar, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.
{{Infobox Automobile|image = |name = Ford Freestar|manufacturer =
Ford Motor Company|engine = 3.9 L [Ford Essex V6 engine V6 (
United States only)
4.2 L
Ford Essex V6 engine (Canadian) V6|predecessor = [Ford Windstar|transmission = 4-speed [Ford AXOD transmission#AX4N
automatic transmission|wheelbase = |length = |width = 2006-07:
2006-07: |height =
2006-07 SE, SEL & Limited: |layout = FF layout-->The
Ford Freestar was a [minivan that was manufactured by the
Ford Motor Company from 2004 until November 2006. It replaced the Ford Windstar for the 2004 model year. The name change accommodated Ford's strategy to rename all their cars to words beginning in
F. The Freestar and its twin, the
Mercury Monterey, were built in Oakville, Ontario, Canada.
The Freestar offers room for up to seven passengers and features an electronically controlled 4-speed
automatic transmission as part of the van's standard equipment. There are five trim levels available:Base, SE, Sport, SEL, and Limited. In the United States, the Freestar offers two available gasoline-powered
V6 engines. The smaller 3.9 L (available only in the United States) develops a maximum power of 193 hp (144 kW) at 4500 rpm and 240 ft·lbf (325 N·m) of torque at 3750 rpm, while the larger 4.2 L offers power of 201 hp (150 kW) at 4,250 rpm and 263 ft·lbf (357 N·m) of torque at 3650 rpm. While the smaller engine is on the base model in the United States, the larger 4.2L engine is standard on all models in Canada.
Name change
The Freestar name change was a bold move that may have led to its early demise as perhaps a textbook example of how a name change can kill what was once a strong product line. Ford plays name game with popular Windstar minivan Toronto Star February 8, 2003. 01:00 AM The Toronto Star cited one naming expert who called it the "Ford Fiasco.". Naseem Javed, president of ABC Namebank International predicted "It will cause confusion and chaos for consumers. Others called the scheme to rename Fords with a word starting with the letter
F as "just foolish." Ford said that dealers suggested the idea, and that it fit the $600 million redesign of the Ford minivan. Joe Greenwell, vice-president of marketing and operations for parent Ford Motor Co. believed the new name would "stimulate interest in the product."
Mercury Monterey
{{Infobox Automobile generation|image=|name = Mercury Monterey|production = 2004–2007|predecessor =
Mercury Villager|platform = [Ford V platform [V6|assembly=[Oakville, Ontario,
Canada-->
For the 1950-1974 full-size car, see Mercury Monterey.The
Mercury Monterey minivan was the
Mercury (automobile) version of the Freestar. It filled a gap in the Mercury lineup after production of the small Nissan Quest-based
Mercury Villager ceased in 2002. Just like its twin, the
Ford Freestar, the Monterey offered seating for up to seven passengers. The Monterey did offer luxury options that the Freestar didn't offer. As well, the Monterey only offered buyers one engine choice, the 4.2L V6, while the Freestar offered 2 engine choices, a 3.9L V6 or a 4.2L V6. Sales of the Monterey minivan were very low as the Ford design would prove uncompetitive against stronger entries from Buick and Chrysler, and a decline in interest in the minivan market. Only 567 Monterey's were sold in August 2006. When production ended after a short run of 2007 models, only 1,354 were sold. The
Oakville Assembly plant underwent retooling for the
Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX
crossover SUVs. The last
Monterey rolled off the assembly line on
August 25,
2006.
Final sale numbers for the Mercury Monterey after a three year run totaled 32,195.
Price difference between the Freestar and Monterey
The MSRP price for a 2007 Monterey Luxury model is $28,595 while the MSRP price for a 2007 Freestar Limited is $29,575.
Slow Sales and Early Retirement
The Freestar, and its sibling Monterey, were criticized for poor interior quality and their overall lack of refinement compared to the competition. Sales of the Freestar in 2006 were down 20 percent from 2005, and its Mercury sibling, the Monterey, had seen sales slump 40 percent from 2005. The last Freestar rolled off the assembly line on November 17, 2006.
When the Windstar was first introduced, it was a strong seller that had beat Chrysler to an aerodynamically styled minivan. When the Freestar was introduced, despite an extensive redesign, its main innovation was a folding third row which had already been adopted by competitors, and it placed last in many reviews. It was no longer competitive when Japanese makes had finally adopted the layout and size of the class-defining Chrysler minivans, and its early retirement also contributed to Ford's financial problems, as they had also discontinued the Taurus, Thunderbird, Ford GT and renamed the Ford Five Hundred back to "Taurus", a name more familiar to the buying public, reversing the "F" naming strategy which had failed.
The Freestar used the code
A5 in the 5th and 6th positions of the
VIN.
Successor
The successor for the
Ford Freestar is the
Ford Flex which debuted at the 2007
New York International Auto Show. Sales of the
Ford Flex will begin in the summer of 2008 as a 2009 model year.The
Mercury Monterey is cancelled with the Freestar. It is unknown if Mercury will make a remake like Ford with the Flex. There is also rumor about an upscale Lincoln version coming in 2008.
Countries sold
Notes
External links
- 2004 Ford Freestar Limited review by CanadianDriver
{{Infobox Automobile|image = |name = Ford Freestar|manufacturer =
Ford Motor Company|engine = 3.9 L [Ford Essex V6 engine V6 (
United States only)
4.2 L
Ford Essex V6 engine (Canadian) V6|predecessor = [Ford Windstar|transmission = 4-speed [Ford AXOD transmission#AX4N automatic transmission|wheelbase = |length = |width = 2006-07:
2006-07: |height =
2006-07 SE, SEL & Limited: |layout = FF layout-->The
Ford Freestar was a [minivan that was manufactured by the Ford Motor Company from 2004 until November 2006. It replaced the Ford Windstar for the 2004 model year. The name change accommodated Ford's strategy to rename all their cars to words beginning in
F. The Freestar and its twin, the
Mercury Monterey, were built in Oakville, Ontario, Canada.
The Freestar offers room for up to seven passengers and features an electronically controlled 4-speed automatic transmission as part of the van's standard equipment. There are five trim levels available:Base, SE, Sport, SEL, and Limited. In the
United States, the Freestar offers two available gasoline-powered
V6 engines. The smaller 3.9 L (available only in the United States) develops a maximum power of 193 hp (144 kW) at 4500 rpm and 240 ft·lbf (325 N·m) of torque at 3750 rpm, while the larger 4.2 L offers power of 201 hp (150 kW) at 4,250 rpm and 263 ft·lbf (357 N·m) of torque at 3650 rpm. While the smaller engine is on the base model in the United States, the larger 4.2L engine is standard on all models in Canada.
Name change
The Freestar name change was a bold move that may have led to its early demise as perhaps a textbook example of how a name change can kill what was once a strong product line. Ford plays name game with popular Windstar minivan Toronto Star
February 8, 2003. 01:00 AM The Toronto Star cited one naming expert who called it the "Ford Fiasco.". Naseem Javed, president of ABC Namebank International predicted "It will cause confusion and chaos for consumers. Others called the scheme to rename Fords with a word starting with the letter
F as "just foolish." Ford said that dealers suggested the idea, and that it fit the $600 million redesign of the Ford minivan. Joe Greenwell, vice-president of marketing and operations for parent Ford Motor Co. believed the new name would "stimulate interest in the product."
Mercury Monterey
{{Infobox Automobile generation|image=|name = Mercury Monterey|production = 2004–2007|predecessor = Mercury Villager|platform = [Ford V platform [V6|assembly=[Oakville, Ontario,
Canada-->
For the 1950-1974 full-size car, see Mercury Monterey.The
Mercury Monterey minivan was the
Mercury (automobile) version of the Freestar. It filled a gap in the Mercury lineup after production of the small
Nissan Quest-based Mercury Villager ceased in 2002. Just like its twin, the
Ford Freestar, the Monterey offered seating for up to seven passengers. The Monterey did offer luxury options that the Freestar didn't offer. As well, the Monterey only offered buyers one engine choice, the 4.2L V6, while the Freestar offered 2 engine choices, a 3.9L V6 or a 4.2L V6. Sales of the Monterey minivan were very low as the Ford design would prove uncompetitive against stronger entries from Buick and Chrysler, and a decline in interest in the minivan market. Only 567 Monterey's were sold in August 2006. When production ended after a short run of 2007 models, only 1,354 were sold. The Oakville Assembly plant underwent retooling for the
Ford Edge and
Lincoln MKX crossover SUVs. The last
Monterey rolled off the assembly line on
August 25, 2006.
Final sale numbers for the Mercury Monterey after a three year run totaled 32,195.
Price difference between the Freestar and Monterey
The MSRP price for a 2007 Monterey Luxury model is $28,595 while the MSRP price for a 2007 Freestar Limited is $29,575.
Slow Sales and Early Retirement
The Freestar, and its sibling Monterey, were criticized for poor interior quality and their overall lack of refinement compared to the competition. Sales of the Freestar in 2006 were down 20 percent from 2005, and its Mercury sibling, the Monterey, had seen sales slump 40 percent from 2005. The last Freestar rolled off the assembly line on
November 17,
2006.
When the Windstar was first introduced, it was a strong seller that had beat Chrysler to an aerodynamically styled minivan. When the Freestar was introduced, despite an extensive redesign, its main innovation was a folding third row which had already been adopted by competitors, and it placed last in many reviews. It was no longer competitive when Japanese makes had finally adopted the layout and size of the class-defining Chrysler minivans, and its early retirement also contributed to Ford's financial problems, as they had also discontinued the Taurus, Thunderbird, Ford GT and renamed the Ford Five Hundred back to "Taurus", a name more familiar to the buying public, reversing the "F" naming strategy which had failed.
The Freestar used the code
A5 in the 5th and 6th positions of the
VIN.
Successor
The successor for the
Ford Freestar is the
Ford Flex which debuted at the 2007 New York International Auto Show. Sales of the Ford Flex will begin in the summer of 2008 as a 2009 model year.The
Mercury Monterey is cancelled with the Freestar. It is unknown if Mercury will make a remake like Ford with the Flex. There is also rumor about an upscale Lincoln version coming in 2008.
Countries sold
Notes
External links
- 2004 Ford Freestar Limited review by CanadianDriver
