Ford Crown Victoria - advice/opinions

[300bhp/ton]

Matt Harper said:

Fair enough - perhaps it's the fact that I've been driven around in far too many yellow ones, weaving through city streets, crashing over kerbs, piloted by swarthy foreign types who can't speak English and don't know where they're going. In fact I just got out of one, having endured a suspensionless, lurching death-ride from IAH Houston to the Galleria. Utter misery.

Where I live, the local Sheriffs office have finally off-loaded their last few Vic's, in favour of Impalas and Chargers. The problem is these cars have such a hard life that unless you get lucky and snag a watch commanders car, they're all dogsh!t by the time they get to public auction.
Orange County also strip off all of the police adenda - including the decals of course. Cabbies like the perp screen and the A-pillar spotlight, so they tend to get left on.

To an extent I agree and can see the point. But what you need to remember is most Brits in the UK have probably never even driven a V8 powered vehicle, let alone owned one. And if they have its likely to have been a wheezy Range Rover or Discovery. Also the average Brit won't likely have owned or driven anything bigger than a Focus. So a large rwd V8 powered yank appeals on those levels alone. And while for you or anyone in America they are a common regular sight, in the UK they are rarer than supercars.

And if you go for. Non Police example you actually end up with a large well equipped semi luxury car too that likely rides a lot better than your average SEAT Ibiza.

[g3org3y]

300bhp/ton said:

To an extent I agree and can see the point. But what you need to remember is most Brits in the UK have probably never even driven a V8 powered vehicle, let alone owned one. And if they have its likely to have been a wheezy Range Rover or Discovery. Also the average Brit won't likely have owned or driven anything bigger than a Focus. So a large rwd V8 powered yank appeals on those levels alone. And while for you or anyone in America they are a common regular sight, in the UK they are rarer than supercars.

And if you go for. Non Police example you actually end up with a large well equipped semi luxury car too that likely rides a lot better than your average SEAT Ibiza.

Or you could go for an E39 540i (only 2-3k) and get something that is:
- faster
- more economical
- better handling
- not floaty as fk
- better interior
- more to service/fix however

I suspect the novelty of the US tank would wear off very quickly.

[300bhp/ton]

g3org3y said:

Or you could go for an E39 540i (only 2-3k) and get something that is:

Is a 540i really a size competitor, are we not talking 7 Series alternative?

g3org3y said:

- faster
- more economical
- better handling

Likely, but compared to a 740i that's be true too, or compared to a V8 Disco. Really depends why you want it.

g3org3y said:

- not floaty as fk

Which can be addressed should you want to.

g3org3y said:

- better interior

Well duller interior on the BMW's front, but lets not ignore price. A BMW 540i was probably 2-3x more to buy when new. So it's a bit of a "no st Sherlock" moment if anyone expects the Ford to be as good in this regard.

g3org3y said:

- more to service/fix however

Maybe, Yank cars do tend to be fairly robust and easy to maintain. In fact ignoring fuel I'd be amazed if a Crown Vic cost more to maintain than a Fiesta would.

g3org3y said:

I suspect the novelty of the US tank would wear off very quickly.

Again I think this depends on why you want one. If you want one for the right reasons then they are a perfect vehicle. The Crown Vic was an affordable well specced LARGE car, it was not a premium luxury contended and never tried to be. In the UK we don't really have this segment of car, so we tend to compare up market, which of course does no favours really.

I guess the closest comparison would be something like the last of the line Omega's, but these are still smaller and don't have V8.

[g3org3y]

g3org3y said:

Or you could go for an E38 740i (only 2-3k) and get something that is:
- faster
- more economical
- better handling
- not floaty as fk
- better interior
- more to service/fix however

I suspect the novelty of the US tank would wear off very quickly.

There you go

As a second hand buy, imvho there's not a huge amount to recommend the Ford over the 5er or 7er in the 2-5k second hand market bracket except the novelty. I suspect the fuel bills in a 4.6 litre V8 mated to a 4 speed auto are on the scary side.

Engine easy to work on for routine servicing?

Anyway, we digress. Seems to me the P71 spec isn't worth the (heavy) premium. Better to go for the standard model and wrap it in police colours/decals and add bits as required.

I've linked this thread to my housemate (Hi Louis! ), hope it has been informative!

[Captain Cadillac]

Funny enough... I took one in on trade last night.

It's in the classifieds, I figured why not especially as I see what they seem to sell for in the UK.

We were doing but outs in it today at work, like the infantile fools that we are

Oh, and I drove it to the teriyaki take out place for lunch... Scared the crap out of some kid in a jacked up civic, I came FLYING up behind him and got right on his tail. He nearly st himself.

[davepoth]

Captain Cadillac said:

Funny enough... I took one in on trade last night.

It's in the classifieds, I figured why not especially as I see what they seem to sell for in the UK.

We were doing but outs in it today at work, like the infantile fools that we are

Oh, and I drove it to the teriyaki take out place for lunch... Scared the crap out of some kid in a jacked up civic, I came FLYING up behind him and got right on his tail. He nearly st himself.

Yeah, playing cop is about 90% of the allure.

I had one for my road trip this year, as it's been a long held dream to drive one (I know...) and they'll be off the rental fleets before long. It was brilliant. Over the 3000mile trip, I averaged 25.4mpg on US gallons, which is going to be a tiny bit over 30 in the UK. I wasn't hammering it, but I didn't exactly hang about. Cruise control was very useful, and it was extremely comfortable.

The main benefit I can see of one of these over a BMW is that aside from the fuel, they are extremely cheap to run.

[redtwin]

My formative driving years were spent in the US so I have driven a fair few Crown Vics (and Cadillacs, Grand Marquis, Town Cars and Caprices etc) and do still have quite a soft spot big wallowy "yank tanks", but to spend even £5K (never mind £13-15K) on an ex-police Crown Vic is absolute lunacy.

They are quite simply not worth that kind of money. A fully leathered and kitted, well cared for civilian version *maybe*, but even so the novelty can't possibly be worth it.

The only way I can see it being worthwhile is if it will be hired out as a novelty Wedding/Stag do/Movie car.

If you want a big V8 RWD American land yacht because you think they are special, at least do yourself favour and buy one that actually *is* special.

"Proper" Impala SS (not the newer FWD rubbish)



Mercury Marauder (it's a special edition Grand Marquis, which is damn close to a Crown Vic, only better).



Buick Grand National.



The last one may be a stretch for the budget, but it will actually be worth whatever you pay for it and will only increase in value...provided you don't wrap it around anything. They didn't even have ABS, never mind traction control.

[ukzz4iroc]

300bhp/ton said:

To an extent I agree and can see the point. But what you need to remember is most Brits in the UK have probably never even driven a V8 powered vehicle, let alone owned one. And if they have its likely to have been a wheezy Range Rover or Discovery. Also the average Brit won't likely have owned or driven anything bigger than a Focus. So a large rwd V8 powered yank appeals on those levels alone. And while for you or anyone in America they are a common regular sight, in the UK they are rarer than supercars.

And if you go for. Non Police example you actually end up with a large well equipped semi luxury car too that likely rides a lot better than your average SEAT Ibiza.

I don't understand your desire to consistently try and turn everyone into American car loving people? Every single thread you appear to throw dodgy rhetoric at this in some vague hope of something that appears to matter to you. Rarer than supercars for good reason over here, common as the clap in the US because they are cheap.

[shedtastic]

I moved to the US last year, and promptly bought an 02 Mercury Grand Marquis, which is basically a crown vic, but with slightly nicer trim. (In other words, and as my colleagues happily informed me, a 'Grandpa Special')

By moderns standards its a crap car, not helped by the fact it's covered nearly 200,000 miles and came with no history...

But I love it.

I don't see it suiting UK roads as well as the wide straight and pot-holed streets of Indiana... It doesn't handle, but the ride is nice and soft, the seats comfy and for such an old barge it's amazingly rattle free.

My thought process was that it was cheap (sadly though no barge / sheds here are as cheap as back in the UK.. I think the absence of MOT in Indiana means that if it moves, it has value...) and if anything went wrong with it I'd be able to get parts from any store.. I also didn't want a Civic.

So far so good, though it needs new shocks. I've clocked up about 3,000 miles at about 22 mpg (UK gallons..) though that is mostly achieved because it encourages a gentle driving style and currently heading over 75mph would require wider lanes than even the US interstates have to offer.. It does surge away from the lights quite nicely, but then so do most of the F150s that surround me..

Just my 2p worth..

[300bhp/ton]

ukzz4iroc said:

I don't understand your desire to consistently try and turn everyone into American car loving people? Every single thread you appear to throw dodgy rhetoric at this in some vague hope of something that appears to matter to you. Rarer than supercars for good reason over here, common as the clap in the US because they are cheap.

Isn't this the Yank Motors forum??

[powerstroke]

g3org3y said:

Or you could go for an E39 540i (only 2-3k) and get something that is:
- faster
- more economical
- better handling
- not floaty as fk
- better interior
- more to service/fix however

I suspect the novelty of the US tank would wear off very quickly.

I would think the novelty of having something so bland and boring as a beemer would wear off quicker Yanks are great as a second car if the OP wants a full size sedan to float along with a smile on his face why not, the joy of american iron something for everyone apart from sheeple, they can keep the white kraut mobiles and their orange missus...

[PascalBuyens]

300bhp/ton said:

Isn't this the Yank Motors forum??

Hell yeah !!! (say it in complete "redneck" style) LOOOL

[philoldsmobile]

ukzz4iroc said:

I don't understand your desire to consistently try and turn everyone into American car loving people? Every single thread you appear to throw dodgy rhetoric at this in some vague hope of something that appears to matter to you. Rarer than supercars for good reason over here, common as the clap in the US because they are cheap.

Exactly.

The appeal of yank cars over here is more a lifestyle / novelty appeal, because in analytical terms they are blown back into the last century by just about all Japanese and European models, which are quicker, more reliable more refined and pretty much wipe the floor in all respects.

Dont assume the low state of tune assures reliability either - the Americans do let some doozies out like the ford 3.8 V6 fitted to mid 90's mustangs - the engine would be stronger if it were made from glass, did mid 20's mpg and yet somehow only churned out 140 bhp. Mine expired twice in grand style in less than 27,000 miles (double head gasket failure and crankshaft failure)when I took the engine apart the roughness of the castings was simply unreal - on par, or worse than a late 80's rover. this was an engine that had done just under 50,000 miles when it went into the skip.

If the whole novelty of driving a US car is the appeal you will love a yank, but don't expect to get a 'better' car, because you wont. They are built for a different set of standards and sell to a country that is blindly patriotic, and love something big and cheap. Ask yourself what the car will be used for, if its an alternative to a BMW or Mercedes / Lexus you're going to be dissapointed, if you want to drop the window, hang your arm out and bimble along at 65 mpg playing Alan Jackson (or eminem / dr dre), you will be right at home and frankly its going to be the right car for you.

If that's what you want, look for a caprice tough - its a far better car, the 4.6 sohc ford engine is a real boat anchor. I ran yank cars for over 10 years, and my favorite one was my 82 G body cutlass 2 door, nice simple small block chevy motor, separate chassis, and right out of the gheto. Terrible car, but I loved it as it was not trying to be European - a pure yank

Edited by philoldsmobile on Monday 21st January 11:46

Edited by philoldsmobile on Monday 21st January 11:47

[Captain Cadillac]

Phil,

You raise some valid points.

Some of the newer domestic stuff would absolutely astonish you. The Cadillac ATS is comparable to a 3 series or A4, except that its simply better in every single way. Even the domestic motoring press admits as much and they LOVE the 3 series almost as much as they love being critical of domestic cars.

You have to remember that these cars are designed for nearly polar opposite driving conditions than what you find in Europe. They are built for a country where people are still in shock that they're paying the equivalent of 52p/L and that same country is where simply everything is bigger. At a historical average price we should be paying closer to 35p/L. So why not make big cars with big engines? Especially when if you live in, say, St. Louis the next real city is hundreds of miles away via a relatively flat and smooth interstate.

[300bhp/ton]

philoldsmobile said:

If the whole novelty of driving a US car is the appeal you will love a yank, but don't expect to get a 'better' car, because you wont.

That will depend on the car you buy and the reasons you bought it though. And to a degree how you measure if it's better or not, or what cars you compare it to.

[scottyrocks]

I've driven many American cars throughout my life, and I can tell you that my parents' '96 Mercury Grand Marquis (same as Crown Vic except for trim) is about exciting to drive as watching television test patterns. The car is all over the road. It feels like none of the 4 corners ever talk to each other to find out how things are going. And the seats, at least in my parents' car, are so soft that I emerge needing a chiropractor and a masseuse.

[collateral]

The way that rear suspension pitches around from side to side is fking weird.

Having said that, I've been in NYC cabs with the dash warning lights lit up like a christmas tree that were still burbling on

[riiidaa]

I'd love a black and white P71 or replica.

Not adverse to the NY Yellow cab version either.

[optimal909]

g3org3y said:

Or you could go for an E39 540i (only 2-3k) and get something that is:
- faster
- more economical
- better handling
- not floaty as fk
- better interior
- more to service/fix however

I suspect the novelty of the US tank would wear off very quickly.

So you are trying to explain a non-rational decision through rational arguments. Yes, I prefer its floaty handling (would be faster than 99% of the traffic anyway) and its charm, would never drive a BMW anyway, I just don't like the image.

[balls-out]

powerstroke said:

I would think the novelty of having something so bland and boring as a beemer would wear off quicker Yanks are great as a second car if the OP wants a full size sedan to float along with a smile on his face why not, the joy of american iron something for everyone apart from sheeple, they can keep the white kraut mobiles and their orange missus...

Yup, I've keep thinking a BMW is the answer and have had a 540, 735 and M5. all bored me to pieces and were sold within a year of purchase.