Crown Victoria

[numtumfutunch]

I made a point of renting one for 10 days in Canada a little while ago

It was utterly fantastic as long as you know what you're getting yourself into

Well apart from the domestic melt down when I needed to get on to a ferry ramp which required a 123 point turn

Cheers

[chrispetrol]

I am in love with CVPI and just found one (2011) in the US with bull bars, partition glass and bars on the rear windows. Anyone knows if it would pass IVA/MOT? The car has also blank door cards at the back, is it enough if I just add a handle that opens the door from the inside or do I need to install proper cards?
Have any of you modified front headlights to meet the UK requirements?
I'm tempted to buy it as I'm in the US till the next week and I can check it personally but I'm still looking for pre 2008 one and keep my fingers crossed

[optimal909]

These cars are great, I have mine for four years now and I'm still on love with it. As much as it is old fashioned, the very nature of this car represents my fading 'petrolheadism' - the low-specific output V8, the 3-box design, high profile tyres on dished steelies, the low-rent interior of the police car... I will drive it as long as a can!

[Ewanph]

Matt it was from Indian Shores.

[alabbasi]

chrispetrol said:

I am in love with CVPI and just found one (2011) in the US with bull bars, partition glass and bars on the rear windows. Anyone knows if it would pass IVA/MOT? The car has also blank door cards at the back, is it enough if I just add a handle that opens the door from the inside or do I need to install proper cards?
Have any of you modified front headlights to meet the UK requirements?
I'm tempted to buy it as I'm in the US till the next week and I can check it personally but I'm still looking for pre 2008 one and keep my fingers crossed

That's probably an ex police car which means that it was rode hard and put up wet. If you're going to get one, also consider a Lincoln Town Car (not in black as it would likely be a limo company car) or a Mercury Marauder. Both are cheap and will likely be better maintained, or a regular grand marquis.

Air suspension can be easily converted if you run into issues in the future and anything owned by a blue haired old lady in Florida is a pretty safe bet.

[Matt Harper]

Ewanph said:

Matt it was from Indian Shores.

Thanks for the loop-back. It was this that threw me: "It was from a small town 3 miles long and 2 streets wide populated solely my multi-millionaires,". Median income in that town is less than $60k, I think you'll find.

[Ewanph]

Ah ok I was just going by what I was told

[croyde]

Mercury Marauders are not cheap. They sell for a big premium.

[alabbasi]

Yeah they are :
One for $7k US https://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/cto/d/2003-m...
Another for $10k US https://austin.craigslist.org/ctd/d/2003-mercury-m...
Here's a local one: Cheap but it needs a bit of body filler https://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/cto/d/2003-mercu...

Given the expense of importing a car from the US to the UK, why would anyone consider a worn out police car instead of one of these?

[croyde]

I'm surprised then as when I was looking for a Crown Vic, about 4 years ago, all the Marauders were at a premium I could not justify.

I ended up with a Mercury Grand Marquis, a 2000 model with only 32k on the clock. Beautiful condition but I sold it in order to buy a 2016 Mustang GT.

I don't have the Mustang anymore but boy! do I wish I had kept the Mercury.

[alabbasi]

Yep, they are nice bargains. I thought that they were just a tarted up Crown Vic with a mustang Engine but they appear to have a nice 4 cam engine and low volumes that have made them interesting to me. I'm a salvage rebuilder on the side and pick up a lot of cars at salvage. I may grab one of these if they show up locally for a good price as I'm now intrigued.

[ryanlim2000]

Matt Harper said:

I'll happily sell you one - and arrange shipping to UK - just tell me what you are after. The car would come out of inland Florida - so zero rust. Tell me what you need.

My pistonheads email address doesn't work anymore - so let me know if you are serious and I'll send my contact details.

Hey Matt,

I'm interested in looking for a P71 as well if they're still available. Would it be possible to get in touch?

[Matt Harper]

ryanlim2000 said:

Matt Harper said:

I'll happily sell you one - and arrange shipping to UK - just tell me what you are after. The car would come out of inland Florida - so zero rust. Tell me what you need.

My pistonheads email address doesn't work anymore - so let me know if you are serious and I'll send my contact details.

Hey Matt,

I'm interested in looking for a P71 as well if they're still available. Would it be possible to get in touch?

I can't send contact details to you, because you haven't been on here long enough. Email me via [e-mail]

[Matt Harper]

A fairly horrific Crown Vic related accident from a couple of weeks ago. Sadly the Deputy didn't survive it - but it must have been going at a fair old lick to wrap itself around that utility pole, the way it has.

[AdeTuono]

ryanlim2000 said:

Matt Harper said:

I'll happily sell you one - and arrange shipping to UK - just tell me what you are after. The car would come out of inland Florida - so zero rust. Tell me what you need.

My pistonheads email address doesn't work anymore - so let me know if you are serious and I'll send my contact details.

Hey Matt,

I'm interested in looking for a P71 as well if they're still available. Would it be possible to get in touch?

If Matt can't help, I may be selling my P71 (in NYC cab livery) as I've just stupidly bought a 36' long US school bus and don't have much room left....

[Cantaloupe]

I notice the US Cops still running around in them, Ford stopped building them in 2012 !

I bought a 4 year old middle east export model Crown Vic in 2006 for £5500, I see some
12 + years old ex cop interceptors with 200K miles on them are still being sold at that price.

Eeeek !!!

[alabbasi]

Some of the poorer counties are still running them because they don't have the budget to spend on getting new cars every year. The city where I live seems to be buying new Tahoe's every year.
Dallas county which is the next county over stopped using any Ford products back in 2004 when one caught fire in a wreck killing the police officer and Ford refused to accept fault.

[Matt Harper]

Explorer is now the standard cruiser in my daughters mob - Orange County Sheriffs Office, FL

[croyde]

I had a Mercury Grand Marquis. Posher version of the Crown Vic. Black with black tint windows. It was originally bound for the Middle East so was already blessed with the P71 upgrades re suspension, dual exhausts etc

I got it in 2015 with only 30k miles on the clock. It was a MY 2000 and in beautiful condition.

Originally bought as a Sunday driver, it was such a nice place to be that I used it as my daily. Commuting across London at 12mpg. But it'd get 26mpg on a run.

I sold it after 8 months for a 50% profit to fund my Mustang purchase.

Wish I'd kept it.

[Ewanph]

I put a 2011 P7B Police Interceptor. One of the last batch made and shipped it over from the US myself. I absolutely love it and turns way more heads than any supercar at car shows!
It’s so much fun to drive that I actually bought a second one which I will be looking to sell in the not too distant future.