I've recently purchased a 2000 Ford Windstar LX. We traded in our 1996 Windstar and are very pleased with the refinements that Ford has continued to make to the Windstar with each successive model year.

Ford was a little late in adding the 'fourth sliding door' option and quite frankly they were probably caught a little bit by surprise when Chrysler introduced this innovation to the minivan market a couple of years ago. But while Chrysler and GM were adding the additional door Ford was continuing to place an emphasis on Safety and Ride Quality. The Windstar is the only Domestic Mini-Van with a 5 Star Collision rating and for the year 2000 side impact air-bags are an option. The Windstar is adequately powered, however, you pay dearly for the additional boost in the anemic gas mileage you'll get. The Windstar has a decent road-feel but steering can at times feel vague. But the Windstar is relatively easy to maneuver, is quiet and is quite pleasant to drive and ride in. The Captains seats are well padded and comfortable and are quite improved from earlier models. The 6 way power driver's seat option with lumbar support adjustment is highly recommended.

Also, optional is on the LX is remote controlled automatic passenger's side sliding door. This is a great convenience when toting small children. Ford also offers a premium sound package with a CD player as an upgrade for about $300. The sound is exceptional for a factory installed system. Also, recommended is the rear heat and air option. This allows all passengers to ride in comfort.

The styling on the 2000 model has also been refined. The front-end is more rounded, imitating Chrysler's styling initiatives. But on the plus side this also seems to have improved visibility over the front nose of the van. Next time your in a parking lot look at all the bent front license plates on earlier Windstar models. Due to poor visibility over the nose, Windstar drivers were are constantly hitting parking rail guards.
A minor irritation becomes evident in rainy conditions you'll notice that the rear window wiper only seems to clear about half (the driver's side) of the window.

While I personally didn't have any problems with my 96 model, my sister had some of the renowned Windstar problems with her 95 model (head gasket, electrical) and has vowed never to purchase another Ford. However, from the group of people I know she is the only one to have serious problems with the Windstar. Chrysler and GM have had there own share of problems, mainly transmission related with their minivans.

If you are in the market for a Minivan and Safety and Comfort are a priority I'd highly recommend that you test drive the Windstar. I think you'll agree that it compares quite nicely to its competitors.