So far, an excellent people-carrier!

THE FACTS:

October 10, 2007: My church purchased a 2002 Ford E350 XLT Super Duty Extended Wagon. It is dark blue with gray high-level cloth seats and carpeting. It is the 15-passenger model. The engine is Ford's 5.4-liter Triton V-8, and it is teamed to an electronic four-speed overdrive automatic transmission. Notable options include power windows, locks and mirrors, and a fine-sounding AM-FM cassette stereo system.

THE REVIEW:

We purchased this van to replace our 1990 Ford 15-passenger Club Wagon. That van had served us well since 2001, but had recently begun costing our small church a large sum of money just to keep running. So, we voted to search, and this '02 model is what we found. We got a fair deal and a good trade-in allowance.

The first thing you notice about this van as you approach it is its size. It's huge. But, for all its size, it isn't difficult to get into or out of, even for my three-year-old son (who loves it, by the way). Ours is equipped with running boards, which I highly recommend (you can get them from Ford, or from several aftermarket sources). They are a big help. Our '90 was likewise equipped with boards, but I noticed immediately that the '02 is much easier to get into.

The seats are better, too, all the way from front to back. I took my kids with me to bring the van home, and they had no complaints. I even found them comfortable, although most of the time, I'll be in the driver's seat. Speaking of which, it has great lumbar, side and thigh support. I have a spinal condition, so a good driver's seat is a MUST for me. This one is nothing short of fantastic.

Ford has, without a doubt, made a lot of improvements to their big people-haulers since our '90 was built. First off, it's QUIET. Where the '90 had air leaks, squeaks and rattles, this one is silent and solid. Wind noise is minimal, and it was very windy today when I picked up the van.

And the ride, considering the van is built on a one-ton truck frame, is very good. On smooth roads, it is steady and smooth, with only a minor jiggle on railroad crossings and minor bumps. You faintly hear the bumps more so than you feel them.

It's the handling, though, that really surprised me. If you didn't know you were driving something so large, you'd almost swear it was a minivan. The cornering really is that good. Of course, tires make a big difference here, and ours came from the dealer with a brand-new set. I'm not sure what Ford puts on them from the factory, but they ought to look into what our dealer installed. They're quiet, and if they do as well in the rain and snow as they do on dry pavement and gravel, I'll be satisfied.

About the only complaint I can come up with at this point is that the glove box (located in the center console) feels a bit flimsy. But it won't get opened or closed very often, so that's fine.

All in all, for the price, the '02 is a fine van, probably one of the best Ford has ever built. I would like to try one of Ford's refreshed '08 models, but our church certainly doesn't have the budget for one of those ... a new '07 would have set us back over $32,000!

I'll update soon with reports on gas mileage and other things we discover as we enter what we hope to be a long and happy relationship with this van.