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It would be a real treat for me to drive around in one of those '60s cars!
I got my driver's license in '67, so got to ride in lots of those cars when they were brand new and drove them on occasion when opportunities arose.
A real treat it was, but I didn't know just how special it was at the time. Because only the future architects of the American auto industry's demise had any idea of the downward slope that laid ahead.
Coming of age at or near the peak of the greatest era was truly a gift.
Everyone says police cars are abused. Is that really true? Seems to me they would be serviced by the book. Something that most private owners can’t claim.
Law enforcement agencies take care of them however they are beat to shreds at times. That's why they sell them for cheap once they retire the car. P71 Crown Vic's are built an inch higher than the civilian model so when you drive over a curb you won't hit the oil pan. Not only that but cop cars drive at fast speeds, have long idle hours, and accelerate to highway speeds within seconds. Over time that can take a toll on the car. The suspension is mostly screwed up once they begin to sell it but they usually replace it before they sell it.
Crown Vic is a boat anchor. Huge car, grossly overweight, and grossly under powered. A 4.6L engine making under 300HP in a car that weighs over 4,000 lbs? You're not going anywhere fast in that thing.
If you want a big car with a big engine try the Chevy Caprice. I'm not sure why Police Departments didn't use them as much as the Crown Vic. Caprice had the LT1, in its day that was a very powerful engine, same thing as the Corvette.
Crown Vic is a boat anchor. Huge car, grossly overweight, and grossly under powered. A 4.6L engine making under 300HP in a car that weighs over 4,000 lbs? You're not going anywhere fast in that thing.
If you want a big car with a big engine try the Chevy Caprice. I'm not sure why Police Departments didn't use them as much as the Crown Vic. Caprice had the LT1, in its day that was a very powerful engine, same thing as the Corvette.
They weren't that big, about 212". Any good driver can easily handle a car that size. That also weren't that heavy; a recent Dodge Challenger or Charger probably weighs about the same. They certainly were not powerful or fast but for most people who drove one, they had ample power.
The reason police departments preferred the Crown Vic was because they were more rugged and reliable than the Caprice. Many police officers also said they were more comfortable.
Folks seem to think my Five Hundred is a cop car, too. Just enough like a Crown Vic to make people look again, though I don't think many PD's ever used them.. being a rather underpowered FWD large sedan. Maybe FBI.
Folks seem to think my Five Hundred is a cop car, too. Just enough like a Crown Vic to make people look again, though I don't think many PD's ever used them.. being a rather underpowered FWD large sedan. Maybe FBI.
I don't think I have seen any Five Hundreds used as police cars here.
Being about one foot shorter than a Crown Vic, it is more mid-sized than full-sized.
We had the Mercury version as a loaner for a few days about ten years ago. A horrible car IMHO. A throwback to everything that was bad about 1970s cars. Huge in size, barely fit in our garage, uncomfortable bench seat, mushy suspension, vague steering, very little power.
We had the Mercury version as a loaner for a few days about ten years ago. A horrible car IMHO. A throwback to everything that was bad about 1970s cars. Huge in size, barely fit in our garage, uncomfortable bench seat, mushy suspension, vague steering, very little power.
I have owned a 1995 Lincoln Town Car. I enjoy driving it very much. No problems with "uncomfortable bench seat," or "mushy suspension," or "vague steering" or "very little power." I have to watch it on the freeway because it can be going 80 mph before I realize it.
My Cadillacs both fit in the garage, to the smaller Lincoln is no problem in that regard.
I would much rather drive the Lincoln than a cramped, dull-looking, hard-riding econobox!
My Dad has one,I'd liken its driving characteristics to a huge wallowing land barge devoid of anything close to being fun to drive,lots of gimmicky chrome crap that has a tendency to fall off, many electrical gremlins. I prefer my Yaris.If nothing else the Crown Vic would probably be my car of choice for a demolition derby car
I don't think I have seen any Five Hundreds used as police cars here.
Being about one foot shorter than a Crown Vic, it is more mid-sized than full-sized.
Larger outside, but doesn't translate to larger inside. The Five Hundred beats it in usable space.
2007 Five Hundred interior volume: 128.1 cubic feet, trunk 21.0
2007 Crown Victoria interior volume: 127.0 cubic feet, trunk 20.6
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