What is the love of the Crown Vic for?

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BigBuck

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Always see people recommend these on this site. Most recently I asked for a fun car to drive and someone offered one as a choice and people were joking that it was mentioned after10 posts.

So what is all the craze? I have never driven one. Enlighten me. Always thought it would be cool driving around in a tinted crown vic so people thought you were a cop and they would move out of the way on the road.

I'm guessing parts are easy to find, reliability and comfort all go into making this car what it is, but can other chime in on this subject?
 
I've driven CVPIs and they're very pleasant cars as well as being almost fast.
The engines last a long time, the automatics seem unbreakable, and the cars overall hold up pretty well.
Driving manners are not bad for such a large sedan, there is lots of room, and the car itself holds up pretty well.
Where I work, we had a couple of CVPIs run to ~230K in hard use with few real problems.
Overall, a solid car in every respect.
I would almost buy one myself, and I might.
 
ride is comfortable, as you stated there reliable, the interior is huge. I wouldnt say there fun to drive, but they are good cars.
 
I would have to add in that the parts are not only easy to find, but most are rather inexpensive as well. As far as the 'fun to drive' category I would have to agree with Otis, but there's no saying that you can't do a few mods to help that out.
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Originally Posted By: mercuryblues
I would have to add in that the parts are not only easy to find, but most are rather inexpensive as well. As far as the 'fun to drive' category I would have to agree with Otis, but there's no saying that you can't do a few mods to help that out.
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true, ive seen a few that can scoot, and for that matter with a handfull of parts to stiffen things up they can get around a corner too.. but hey, you can mod any car just about to do this.
 
The Crown Vic occupies a rather special place in the car segment. It is the last of the rear-wheel V-8 powered large sedans--that is reliable. Ford's Crown Victoria has proved itself as a venerable work horse for police and taxi service in addition to carrying families to the grocery store. Not too many sedans can truly do what the Crown Vic has done: from pursuing speeders in excess of 100mph for sustained periods to idling for hours on the side of the road during traffic stops and not overheating. While most civilian CV drivers will never ask that of the Crown Vic, it does demonstrate the durability of the cars. The Crown Vic is an example of engineering done right; I think the drivers of these cars simply enjoy the benefits the car provides. Our Grand Marquis had 263k miles on it when we turned it over to another family to drive.
 
My dad used to tell me: "On the road, avoid any Crown Vics. They're either cops, crazy taxi drivers, or senile old men who were too cheap to buy a Buick."
 
Originally Posted By: MrHorspwer
My dad used to tell me: "On the road, avoid any Crown Vics. They're either cops, crazy taxi drivers, or senile old men who were too cheap to buy a Buick."


Lol!!
 
I prefer the driving dynamics of a Crown Victoria, when compared objectively to it's much more modern competition. Front drive has a very different feel and so do smaller cars "optimized" for similar interior and trunk room.

I'm not here to claim that body on frame, rear drive V8's are the best cars. Just that I prefer to drive a CV vs a large GM front driver.
 
So it can be said it has been engineered as an appliance, without emotion or soul. It's a Camry for those who want it RWD and V8?
 
My 2 Cents:
when my freinds mom asked me my opinion on "what kind of beater" to get for her younger son, I said a Crown vic. My reasons were this:

if they weren't Reliable, Durable, and Cheap/Easy to maintain, they wouldn't be the vehicle of choice for the majority of the US Police Depts, or Taxi Companies.

the Kid is 16, and was about to start his Junior year @ the Local vocational school,(only 4mi from home) in auto body.
 
Btw, the Chevy Caprice returns in 2012. Police only.

CVPI driving dynamics varies quite demonstrably with various rear diff ratios. Fuel efficiency suffers on the ones that are more fun to drive though.

For those of us used to RWD it is close to impossible to accept FWD anything, akin to switch from German steering to Japanese. My wife had to switch from BMW X5 to Lexus LX, and she likes it, but always adds:"Of course, it is not remotely as fun to drive as the German was".
CVPI go to 400+k miles in taxis around here, after all the beating they took in police service. Some go significantly more. I still have one P71 with ~150k, that I got for $900, it has ways to go..

Just got off a week in a new Lincoln MKT, and it is nowhere near the Town Car. RWD all the way for me.
 
It's the last car left that was originally designed in the '70s.
None of the 1979 LTD's parts are left on the last of the Panthers but that's what it was born from
 
Lol. Big bulky ofey tank. Not particularly fast either. Anyone who would call one fun to drive has a screw loose. Heavy disconnected-from-the-road steering, clunky slushy transmission, soft wallowy suspension on the civilian models, harsh jarring suspension on the CVP. Dinosaur. Will be a good day when Ford ceases production and the CVP's throne is passed to the more superior Charger, Taurus, and New Caprice to fight over.
 
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