Ford Aerostar

Now discontinued of production (and for damn good reason), the Ford Aerostar is infamous for being the world's noisiest off-the-shelf minivan. Not only do they drive the world's Richter scales to go beserk, but they are awful annoying to sit behind in traffic because their deformed muffler will shake your poor car to pieces.

I have never seen a Ford Aerostar that didn't make a bunch of noise. Thank heavens they were discontinued and replaced by the Ford Windstar, which seems to be a much quieter generation of cars. Welcome to the new era of Ford.

I know two guys who own two Aerostars. They bought them because they were cheap and could fit a lot of people or a lot of instruments, whichever was needed most. They were the only vehicles that allowed our little gang to get anywhere we were financially able to get to. At one time, the two guys were the only ones with cars at all, so they were relied upon for many movings, road trips, and pretty much any mass migration out of the French Quarter, where we all lived and a place not liken to cars of any size.

Since I now work Ford, I agree they are noisy and also have the most inconvenient design for the engine compartment so that you can't get anywhere you need to. Also, they tend to crumple like Coke cans when struck. So when you see one rolling down the road overladen with band instruments or people whose heads are dozing at slanted angles against the windows, be kind. They are well aware of what they are driving.