For Import Haters...

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PistachioByAzul

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
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Cop shops have long time deals with domestic car manufacturers. It would kind of suck for the government to rely on imported cars for official use anyway, they would never do that.
 

BCYL

Diamond Member
Jun 7, 2000
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Ornery:
The local police at where I live are slowly switching to imports as police cruisers as well... they are getting new Volvos S70's and S80's as police crusiers...

Also if you read my earlier posts, I never said imports are "all that"... I admitted they dont have the power the torque that domestics have... I was simply stating that these cars were designed with different priorities...

I would think that the police would want a car that has the power and torque to chase down criminals, and they would care less about the reliablility and fuel efficiency an import provides...
 

Ornery

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
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Why would any American citizen feel any differently about what they use for their family car than what the cops use?

Why aren't the cruisers FWD American cars? I know there are the few oddball cities out there using something other than a good sturdy RWD V8 cruiser, but not many at all. And what import can match the bang for the buck of a Crown Vic? Why would I choose anything different for my family? The kewlness factor? Yawn...
 

geno

Lifer
Dec 26, 1999
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Ornery, Tradition. Cops are used to roomy tanks like the Crown Vic. Watch though, soon you'll see more efficient vehicles take their place. Not anytime soon, but it'll happen. Plenty of cab companies used FWD cars for their fleet, I've heard countless stories of how K cars have been put through their paces by being a cab.
 

Viperoni

Lifer
Jan 4, 2000
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<< Why aren't the cruisers FWD American cars? >>



The Peel region police stations in my area (about 500,000 population) are in the process of hammering down a contract for about 60 Impala's. Yes the mugly, pathetic 2000 model. *tears*
I'd rather seem them buy Crown Vics than 2000 Impala's.
Those Crown Vics are fast!
 

Train

Lifer
Jun 22, 2000
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www.bing.com


<< I buy jap cars because of the reliability. Just bought my 3rd Toyota... last one went over 130,000 miles.. show me an american car that can do that consistantly and i'll consider buying oen >>

your crazy man, where i live i see Dodges and Chevy's from 1970 cruisin around like nobody's business. My old '88 dodge aries had 250,000 miles before i let my little bro drive it and wreck it. :(

Look at pickup trucks, sure guys are always sportin thier brand new F-150's and Toyatas actin all bad@ss but just look at some of the Rams and GMC trucks built in the 80's man those things just wont die, I see so many construction workers who have Rams from like 1987 they picked up for $9,000 because they felt they had better things to spend thier money on than a fancy $32,000 truck. And dont think those things havent been beat to crap, my dads Roofing company had two 1986 Rams, didnt get rid of them until '99, we hauled all kinds of crap around in those, beat the hell out of them , never changed the stinkin oil, let the mufflers fall off, broke all the mirrors off dropping gutters on them, put a good 200,000+ on each, and they survived the horribly brutal midwest winters on top of that. Sure then eventually turned into gass guzzlers because of the lack of maintenance but hey, businesses get tax deductable gas ;) all i know is those trucks were one of the only solid things his company relied on, and my whole family is die hard Chrysler for life because that. (well, that and the fact that he restored his '68 Chrysler 300 convertible to the point that it would spank just about any new car today in a 2 mile drag with all original parts and no mods)

Edit: it kinda sucks that people are saying Chysler will die out as a &quot;Domestic&quot; and basically become locally built imports, but In a way I think this could be the merging of two great things, the fine german discipline and engineering and the american heart and soul of automobiles. After the merge really takes affect (hell, could take 10 years before the companies are actually functioning as one) we could see some amazing things from Daimler-Chrysler.
 

Redneck

Senior member
May 20, 2000
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My mom has over 220K on her 87 Chevy Caprice and only about $1500 in repairs in its lifetime. Thats with crappy maintance also(change the oil when ya get time to). It still manages to get decent mileage considering how its weight and how maany miles it has.
 

dcdomain

Diamond Member
Jan 30, 2000
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Actually, with the cab companies, the minivan cabs in NYC use the Honda Odyssey (the last generation). I figure since it's privately owned, they would have nothing holding them back from using imports. The police though will probably always use domestics for their police cruisers. The furthest I see them going will be to grab Import cars built in the U.S.
 

geno

Lifer
Dec 26, 1999
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<< The police though will probably always use domestics for their police cruisers >>


I agree, I just think that cities are going to want something a little more efficient. When something like that reaches a bigger size (the closest thing I can think of is an Intrepid or a bigger Chrysler) I think they might move away from the big ass Crown Vickies IMO. It won't be for a long time tho.
 

yakko

Lifer
Apr 18, 2000
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<< the closest thing I can think of is an Intrepid or a bigger Chrysler >>


The sherrifs department here has been using Intrepids for years. They are also now using the ugly ass Impalas.
 

geno

Lifer
Dec 26, 1999
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Really? Ah, good to know my predictions are starting to come true already ;)
 

Rudee

Lifer
Apr 23, 2000
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I've always been a pickup truck man myself. I currently own a '99 Dodge Dakota Sport.

Those little Honda cars running around - whether they are souped up or not - should be for women to drive, not a man.

The only car I would drive is a sports car.
 

Ornery

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
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&quot;The sheriffs department here has been using Intrepids for years.&quot; Is there any possiblity of that FWD Intrepid being more durable than the RWD Crown Vic? If not, what's the point? Mileage?

2001 Dodge Intrepid R/T 4dr Sedan
  • Fuel Data
    Fuel Tank Capacity: 17 gal.

    EPA Mileage Estimates: (City/Highway)
    Automatic: 18 mpg / 26 mpg

    Range in Miles: (City/Highway)
    Automatic: 306 mi. / 442 mi.
2001 Ford Crown Victoria 4dr Sedan
  • Fuel Data
    Fuel Tank Capacity: 19 gal.

    EPA Mileage Estimates: (City/Highway)
    Automatic: 18 mpg / 25 mpg

    Range in Miles: (City/Highway)
    Automatic: 342 mi. / 475 mi.
 

geno

Lifer
Dec 26, 1999
25,074
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<< Is there any possiblity of that FWD Intrepid being more durable than the RWD Crown Vic? If not, what's the point? Mileage? >>


Yes and Yes :)
 

SpongeBob

Platinum Member
Jan 16, 2001
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My geo prizm is the best of both world's, japanese design &amp; engineering, american built in fremont cali. Seriously the car has 100,000 and no major problems yet.
 

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
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All of the cops in my city are moving fully into Impalas with the ocassional Malibu (dunno why).

Of course most cops don't use foreign because they need large vehicles and getting a large import vehicle is very expensive. The camry or maxima come to mind as fairly inexpensive ones, but I can't think of many others.
 

geno

Lifer
Dec 26, 1999
25,074
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What makes FWD less reliable than RWD?
And as far as the frames go, when do these ever become issues with a car?
 

Viperoni

Lifer
Jan 4, 2000
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Another thing I like about RWD cars is that I can repair them (and mine :D) easier than I coulda FWD car.
Although I have to admit, a spark plug change on a new generation Intrepid is too easy :)
 

BigLance

Golden Member
Dec 20, 2000
1,206
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<< last one went over 130,000 miles.. show me an american car that can do that consistantly and i'll consider buying oen >>



130k Miles......... LOL, I sure hope it made it that far !! I will agree with you, imports are more realiable, but Dood, Chevy's (the King of American cars period) will easily do that and much more...

For all out reliability: Toyota or Honda
For all out badass American Beef: Chevy

Theres my opinion !
 

Ornery

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
20,022
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&quot;What makes FWD less reliable than RWD?&quot;

I didn't say reliable, I said durable. RWD can take massive abuse.

&quot;And as far as the frames go, when do these ever become issues with a car?&quot;

In an accident. I'll take the body on frame over those sheet metal reinforced toys.