Ford Crown Victoria - advice/opinions

[alabbasi]

Have any of you considered a Chrylser 300C? I suspect that unless you're planning to seat six, you'll have as much interior space, plus better handling, more power and fuel economy. You can also get them in RHD.

[Ewanph]

The Chrysler 300C was a terrible car! Awful in every way from the build quality to the handling! I don’t know why you would recommend that!

If you get a P71 Police Interceptor over a regular Crown Victoria, it handles great. With the stiffened cop suspension, it handles more like a European car.

[alabbasi]

Ewanph said:

The Chrysler 300C was a terrible car! Awful in every way from the build quality to the handling! I don’t know why you would recommend that!

If you get a P71 Police Interceptor over a regular Crown Victoria, it handles great. With the stiffened cop suspension, it handles more like a European car.

I can't tell if you've saying this because you've never driven a new 300C or if you've never driven a European car.

[croyde]

Beauty in the eye of the beholder and all that but the 300 is just a great big brick. Doesn't stir the sole and very rare in Hollywood action films unlike the Crown Vic.

I'd rather have a Ford Taurus if a Crown Vic wasn't available. The interior of the Chrysler is awful as well.

My point of view of course.

[alabbasi]

croyde said:

I'd rather have a Ford Taurus if a Crown Vic wasn't available. The interior of the Chrysler is awful as well.
My point of view of course.

Hopefully not one from the same era. Words cannot describe how bad they are.

[croyde]

No a 2020 model please.

Although the Matt Black earlier model from RoboCop would suffice.

[alabbasi]

The 1st and 2nd Gen Tauras SHO were kind of neat because they had that Yamaha V6 but the rest of the car did not hold up. I don't think that I've seen any of the 1st to 4th gen Tauras on the roads in years and I live in Texas which is a state that's kind to cars.

[Matt Harper]

croyde said:

Beauty in the eye of the beholder and all that but the 300 is just a great big brick. Doesn't stir the sole and very rare in Hollywood action films unlike the Crown Vic.

I'd rather have a Ford Taurus if a Crown Vic wasn't available. The interior of the Chrysler is awful as well.

My point of view of course.

So, your point of view is that the interior of a Crown Vic is nicer than that of a 300C? Is that seriously what your point of view is?

I owned one of those great big bricks. It had a 425hp hemi-motor, 5G-tronic transmission and more torque than 2 Crown Vics put together. With a few soft mods it ran low 12 sec quarters and would accommodate 5 full size adults with a lot of comfort. Not a pretty car (but nor is a Crown Vic), but a much maligned one, without a whole lot of justification.

[croyde]

Alright fella

But I like Crown Vics. If we all liked the same.....

I believe most 300s over here have a boring little diesel motor.

When I had my Mustang I came across a murdered out 300 wagon on the A2 which turned onto the M25 round a massive roundabout.

That looked good and sounded it, I presumed it was a big motor import. It did shift too.

We got to 120 leptons when I got worried about my licence and my liberty, so backed off.

[fttm]

croyde said:

Alright fella

But I like Crown Vics. If we all liked the same.....

I believe most 300s over here have a boring little diesel motor.

When I had my Mustang I came across a murdered out 300 wagon on the A2 which turned onto the M25 round a massive roundabout.

That looked good and sounded it, I presumed it was a big motor import. It did shift too.

We got to 120 leptons when I got worried about my licence and my liberty, so backed off.

300 wagon ? Guess you mean a Dodge Magnum , 5.7 Hemi , and yes they were bloody sweet back in there day .

[croyde]

This got me on eBay. Thought all UK Vic/Marquis owners would be getting rid for low prices.

Nothing at all

[alabbasi]

fttm said:

300 wagon ? Guess you mean a Dodge Magnum , 5.7 Hemi , and yes they were bloody sweet back in there day

No, they sold them outside the US as 300C's with a 300C front end. I've seen a few when I visit the UK.

The Crown Vic is low tech and for that reason, they are reliable. While the British motoring press (top gear , fifth gear etc) trashed the 300C. It's light years ahead in just about every way when compared to a Crown Vic. Yes the interior plastics used in the first gen cars is not great but neither is the crown vic. Both cars targeted the exact same market which was Fleet sales and older people.

Personally I think the first generation 300C is a spectacular looking car. When it was new, it was a revelation and it still looks great today. The interior in the second gen car quite pleasant. It's not a Mercedes or BMW, but it was never supposed to be.

[Ewanph]

Of course I’ve driven a European car, I’m in Europe. Buts what’s your point?
The 300c is a terrible car, full stop!

At least the Crown Vic is reliable! Absolutely no comparison whatsoever.

[alabbasi]

Ewanph said:

Of course I’ve driven a European car, I’m in Europe. Buts what’s your point?

That you don't know what you're talking about.

[Big-Bo-Beep]

Ewanph said:

Of course I’ve driven a European car, I’m in Europe. Buts what’s your point?
The 300c is a terrible car, full stop!

Maybe according to Clarkson and Co. but not the opinion of the US motoring press.

Have you owned a 300 for a length of time so you can base your opinion on experience ?

The Taurus is nasty, plasticky and cheap, it's also [ stifles laugh ] a front wheel drive platform, so not really a proper car like the 300.

[NMNeil]

I drove a Police Interceptor for a few years.

Good bits:
High output alternator.
Upgraded shocks.
Larger battery.
Thicker steel wheels.
Huge engine.
Well proven and reliable transmission.

Not so good bits:
A searchlight controlled by an inside handle. Leaked when it rained.
Very heavy, so slow acceleration and poor handling.
Loves petrol, lots of it.
Ex police cars, if the cage has been removed leaves lots of holes. Same for the rifle and shotgun rack.
Underdash wiring will be a mess.
Holes in the roof where the light bar had been removed.
The early plastic intake manifolds cracked but were normally replaced under warranty.

At the earliest opportunity we traded them for the Impala, and let the rookies have these. Both are now being phased out, and in my department have been replaced by the Dodge Charger.

[Ewanph]

alabbasi said:

That you don't know what you're talking about.

I guarantee that I know more about cars than you will ever know!!!

[Ewanph]

Big-Bo-Beep said:

Maybe according to Clarkson and Co. but not the opinion of the US motoring press.

Well that just sums it up...the ‘US Motoring press’ famous for not having a clue about what’s a good car and lauding absolutely dreadful cars that should be ever have left the drawing board! God that made me laugh!😂😂

[alabbasi]

Ewanph said:

I guarantee that I know more about cars than you will ever know!!!

You're obviously a smart guy. We can tell

[alabbasi]

Oh dear. That would probably explain why he thought that a car with a full frame and a live axle handles like a European car. Maybe a Morris Oxford