Would a Police Crown Vic be a good temp car?

[VinylxScratches]

I currently drive a Neon. I am anticipating that it will break on me in the next year since it hasn't yet. What I am afraid of is being in a pinch to get a new car if it's really that bad. I was thinking about getting a Police Crown Vic. There's a dealer in the city that has good ratings. This would only be used to tide me over for like a year or so as I don't want to get a new car / payments yet (I'm debt free). If not, what would you guys recommend I look into right now? I would like to spend under 4 grand.

 

[VinylxScratches]

example: http://chicagomotors.com/InventoryDetail.aspx?InventoryId=696

 

[Bignate603]

There is a reason you'll see taxi companies driving retired police cars. Crown vics are reliable and dirt cheap to fix. If I needed a car and ran across one like in your link I'd be very tempted.

 

[jlee]

That's really low miles..it should last a long time if properly cared for.

 

[iGas]

It would be fine as a temporary car, but do not get a used police car of cab because they beat the shit out of it before they sell it.

 

[nedfunnell]

It would be fine as a temporary car, but do not get a used police car of cab because they beat the shit out of it before they sell it.

I don't think that's always true. Fleets like police departments tend to always follow the MFG's maintenance schedules, and they don't really see rough treatment like rentals. Some will run them into the ground, I'm sure, but certainly not all.

 

[Bignate603]

It would be fine as a temporary car, but do not get a used police car of cab because they beat the shit out of it before they sell it.

Check out what cab companies drive, there are tons of them out there with the spotlights hanging off them showing that they were former cop cars. The cab companies wouldn't be buying up cop cars if they were going to die in a few thousand miles.

 

[FuzzyDunlop]

These can move like snot too. Take good car of it and they last forever. I almost bought one earlier this year when I wanted to learn how to work on cars.

 

[CRXican]

sure, that's pretty good mileage for the year

I've considered one in the past, just for fun

 

[TallBill]

Crown vics have done me well

 

[Slew Foot]

Id like to drive an old police car just to tailgate people and watch them all slow down to the speed limit.

 

[SparkyJJO]

Id like to drive an old police car just to tailgate people and watch them all slow down to under the speed limit.

Fixed. My brother has a crown vic (not an ex cop car in his case) and at night people freak out when he's behind them and so many will slow down below the limit. It can get a little annoying at times.

 

[bbs lm-r]

My dad had one a few years ago, it was a nice dark blue/black color, with a sweet spotlight.

Never had any problems with it for the ~2 years that he had it.

He would most likely still have it if some D-bag hadn't ran a red light at an intersection and totaled the front end.

 

[T2urtle]

always wanted one with the ram in front.

that 4.6 should be a solid motor. decent MPG highway.

- tapatalk

 

[SuperSix]

I wouldn't mind having a low mile one. Stick a Whipple Charger on it.

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

I've been thinking (again) about getting one to more easily move the family around when we hop in and go instead of the Stang, doing that i'd also save on wear and tear on the Mustang.

I drove a CV for a living for a while and they're smooth cruisers if not hammered. Even ones that have outward hammered shit appearances can be deceptively nice riding as the departments keep them in good mechanical repair (just not always cosmetic repair)

 

[mmntech]

example: http://chicagomotors.com/InventoryDetail.aspx?InventoryId=696

Sweet, still got the police rims on it too. Had a buddy that drove one like that. Everyone else on the road would get out of his way because they thought it was an unmarked cop car. You'll own the road in that bad boy. :awe:

 

[halik]

There is a reason you'll see taxi companies driving retired police cars. Crown vics are reliable and dirt cheap to fix. If I needed a car and ran across one like in your link I'd be very tempted.

This,
parts on those are DIRT cheap. You get terrible driving dynamics (the mercury version was by far the worst car I've ever driven).

 

[Phynaz]

Get that car and your Neon will be your backup.

Hell, you could fit a Neon inside a Crown Vic.

 

[Phynaz]

You get terrible driving dynamics (the mercury version was by far the worst car I've ever driven).

A police version?

You're out of your mind.

 

[Harrod]

I got to drive an old interceptor in 1997, that was a retired police car as a vehicle to drive for the county to do some mapping projects. It was an excellent car, that almost never gave us any problems. The abuse that car indured was unbelievable. The suspension was firm, and the performance was good. I have no idea what the gas mileage was like though.

For a second car, and assuming your commute won't bankrupt you, I would definately consider a car like that.

 

[nedfunnell]

I'd be curious about the gas mileage as well. My beater is coming up for replacement too.

 

[ViviTheMage]

I don't think that's always true. Fleets like police departments tend to always follow the MFG's maintenance schedules, and they don't really see rough treatment like rentals. Some will run them into the ground, I'm sure, but certainly not all.

haha, on the 4 ride alongs I have been on, I would NEVER, EVER own a crown vic/police car. They beat it to shit.

I am sure they follow maintenance, but damn, I don't abuse rentals as much as they do those cars, haha.

But if it was temporary, sure, why not.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

haha, on the 4 ride alongs I have been on, I would NEVER, EVER own a crown vic/police car. They beat it to shit.

I am sure they follow maintenance, but damn, I don't abuse rentals as much as they do those cars, haha.

But if it was temporary, sure, why not.

This is why a crown vic LEO car (body on frame) is sorta ok but one of the dodges or newer cars (unibody) is not

 

[JCH13]

I got one when I was in HS, a 2000 with 85k miles on it. I drove its brains out, then my brother did. Never left either one of us stranded. It just got sold this year to Carmax with 176k on it. I'd go for it.