I am a member of a Ford family. In fact, our family still has a 1927 Model T in our possession. We are the only family to own it. It was passed from my grandfather to my greatgrandfather and now to my mom. Don't even ask what we would take for it. It is out of your price range!

Having established my credentials and biases as a Ford fan, let me tell you how pleased I am with my "new to me" 2004 Freestar. I had been driving a '98 Windstar which I also enjoyed driving. When the transmission on the Windstar was done, and I had a 2000 pound paperweight, I began to shop for a Freestar. I found a certified pre-owned Freestar about 50 miles from my home. What luck!

I had become enamored of the Freestar for its places to store stuff. There are any number of cubbyholes within easy reach of the driver.They are handy for sunglasses, cell phones, the remote for your garage door. There is a spot for everything! I particularly like the hatch on the dash between the driver and passenger. It is large enough to hold a file folder without crinkling. There is a recessed place in the bottom of the storage space, the perfect size for the garage door remote. This is also where I keep my sunglasses. There is an overhead sunglass holder, which allows me to keep my cell phone in easy reach. There are cupholders available to every passenger. There is a storage pouch on the back of both the driver and front passenger seats. The front doors on both driver and passenger side have two levels of storage drawers. There is a place to tuck everything!

I am very active in my local church which is very active in mission giving. The Freestar is great for carrying food to food pantries. In November, I folded the back bench seat into the floor and carried 38 medium sized boxes of toys, clothes, and food to a mission drop site. Folding the back bench down is simplicity itself. Three latches tripped in the proper order, and you have instant cargo space! It is a little more difficult to restore the seat to seat status. I need someone to help me from the side door to restore the seat. That need for assistance is my biggest complaint about my Freestar. When the bench is restored, there is a well in the rear. This still gives plenty of room for grocery or gift shopping!

I am traveling all the time, and I get pretty good gas mileage. In start and stop traffic, I make 18 miles per gallon. On the highway, I can push 22. The cruise control is easy to operate. This vehicle was designed with the driver in mind. Everything is in easy reach. There is no need to distract yourself from the most important business of driving this great vehicle.

An oil change every 3,000-4,500 miles, and you are good to go. I have owned this Freestar since Labor Day weekend 2005. I have put 15,000 miles on it in the first four months. I am not kind to my vehicles, but this baby stands up to my hardest driving.

If you are looking for a good used minivan, consider a certified pre-owned Freestar. I love mine!