My love affair with Ford vehicles began in 1998, the summer I accompanied my youngest son Sam and two of his buddies to hockey camp in Winona, Minnesota. We flew from our home in Kansas City to the Minneapolis airport where we were greeted by my dear friend Sarah Rockler. Sarah and I had a plan–we’d drop the boys at camp then she and I would head on a road trip to see Mount Rushmore, the Badlands, and everything in between. I rented a mini-van in order to fit 3 large ice hockey bags, duffels for 3 boys filled with bedding and clothing for 2 weeks, along with Sarah’s and my luggage for our trip. The man at Avis handed me the keys to my first Ford.
Everyone and everything fit, the back doors opened with the flick of my finger, gas mileage was good, and we were all comfortable. It handled well, I had excellent visibility, and it was even fun to drive. I arrived back home in Kansas City and was far less enamored with my very expensive, temperamental Range Rover. I believe I was the 2nd or 3rd person in the state of Kansas to own a Range Rover, and I was then on my third one, and this one kept having problems. The fourth time I returned to the dealer for service costing over a thousand bucks with the car still not fixed, I knew there was a better option. I drove straight to the Ford dealer. I picked out a Maroon mini van and told the startled salesman that I wished to trade in my Range Rover. I received money back!
More than a decade later, and over 120,000 miles, that Ford mini van is still in our driveway. I use it to haul trees and shrubs, to move furniture, and most importantly, when my 90 year old dad with his walker visits us in Bozeman, it is the one vehicle he can get in and out of without problem. We keep it for dad. During years of travel hockey throughout the mid west and Rockies, moving to Montana, and all the trips and use, the mini van has never failed, and has cost less than a thousand dollars in service.
Quality and integrity are important. I love my Fords as they have those attributes.
