BETTER CAR (IMPALA POLICE OR CROWN VIC POLICE)

USPSS · Post by **USPSS** » Thu Jun 12, 2003 7:23 am

I have to get another car for the EMA for the city. I can get either a Impala, $17,100.00 or a Crown Vic $21,900.00 both are police package 2003 vehicles. I know the crown vic is much bigger and larger trunk, but what about the vehicles as far a durability issues. I do need a vehicle that will last for 5 yrs. Milage in 5 yrs will be about 60,000 miles. It needs to have 5 radio's which will fit in either. What I am looking for are more of the durability issues and problems or good thing about each one. Cost is a factor and gas milage is always a factor. I know the Impala beats both of those but is it a decent car??

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Thu Jun 12, 2003 9:30 am

What's the vehicle going to be used for? Is it going to be ay admin vehicle or a flycar? Is there currently a vehicle in place? If so, what is that? Is the trunk going to be loaded with equipment? What's the terrain like? I'm going down the FWD vs RWD path, as well as the V6 vs V8 path. If you need a vehicle that's going to perform while loaded up with ALS equipment, you may want to stick with the Vic. If it's a vehicle that a supervisor is going to tool around in and just needs to get him/her from point A to point B, it might make better financial sense to go with the Impala. If it's going to be used as a flycar and there's currently another unit in place, consider the folks who will be driving it. It's a BIG change in going from a Lumina to a Crown Vic. You have to relearn how to drive it. Sad to say, but at my agency, I don't trust many of our paramedics with either the CV or the Expedition we have. I'd much rather see them drive an Impala.

USPSS · Post by **USPSS** » Thu Jun 12, 2003 10:24 am

SORRY for the mixup, it is a EMA vehicle, just going to go to meetings and work situations. The city has many other vehicles if it is to big a disaster to drive down a normal street. This is SO, small city with FLAT streets. The primary LE is the LASD and the fire is LACFD.

jim · Post by **jim** » Thu Jun 12, 2003 10:32 am

Well, I'm not a Ford or a GM man, but for durability and beating the hell out of a car....the CVictoria wins hands-down.

After driving a new Intrepid, I wouldn't take either however!

nmfire10 · Post by **nmfire10** » Thu Jun 12, 2003 11:32 am

We've had more problems with our new Impalas in 6 months than the Crown Vic did in 4 years. They fall apart when you hit a bump in the road, they leak oil after 2 months, and we already went through an intake manifold.

The crown vic took everything we threw at it in stride. It was so old and beaten, it burned oil by the quart. Unfortunately, it burned it all up one night and the engine block kinda blew up.

KitN1MCC · Post by **KitN1MCC** » Thu Jun 12, 2003 3:20 pm

well my familly has a 200 and car is real nice (mom's and dad's car)plus i am very biased to Chevy

They are nice smooth riding and have room in the trunk, Plus they get better milage Better engine and built like a Brick plus they also have a better Crash rating than the crown vic

nmfire10 · Post by **nmfire10** » Thu Jun 12, 2003 3:25 pm

KitN1MCC wrote:They also have a better Crash rating than the crown vic

For example... Not exploding upon being rear-ended?

007 · Post by **007** » Thu Jun 12, 2003 6:47 pm

I like the Impala. It's put together better, has enough room for all those Orions and they finally have all the major bugs worked out of it. It's a good car if you aren't curb hopping, and since you won't be, I'd with the Chevy.

Now if you could get the Intrepid..........

70351 · Post by **70351** » Fri Jun 13, 2003 2:34 am

I think we need an official poll on this subject!

Johnny Grep · Post by **Johnny Grep** » Fri Jun 13, 2003 6:38 am

Why haven't you guys thought about the Mercury Marauder!? I'd slap a mean POLICE INTERCEPTOR badge on that baby. Now that would kick ass.

I used to drive a 02 P.I. for work and they're tanks, powerful, great cars. But don't quote me on the '03 model anyore, as I now drive a big-ass SUV full of X9000's & Spectras for work

Threeshot223 · Post by **Threeshot223** » Fri Jun 13, 2003 8:12 am

Marauder...Mrotter.....eew. It's kinda funny....it took Ford 6 years to field an equivalent to the Chevy Impala SS and...it sucks! Nobody wants them...lol.

So, maybe it is a good idea to get one. Last I heard, Ford's dropping them down into the $20,000 range!

USPSS · Post by **USPSS** » Fri Jun 13, 2003 9:02 am

Prob. with the marauder is ther is no where for the radio's, I can get one for 19,879.00 but like I said no room for equipment.

Microwave Mike · Post by **Microwave Mike** » Fri Jun 13, 2003 11:33 am

If you go with the Vic, make sure that the rear gas tank has the mod so it will not Zippo lighter on you. There have been several cases out here in Arizona about Vics exploding after minor rear end crashes.

mm

JAYMZ · Post by **JAYMZ** » Fri Jun 13, 2003 11:48 am

Isn't the gas tank explosion problem a recall deal that had to be fixed? If so you would think that they would have fixed the cause of the problem in the newer cars yes?

At least I would hope so. If not I wouldn't even think of buying one...

MT2000 man · Post by **MT2000 man** » Fri Jun 13, 2003 3:45 pm

I'm a Ford guy, 100%, so if I were you, I'd go with the CV.

Thats your choice though. All of the officers here in town, and our surrounding towns all drive Crown Vic.'s. The new Impalas look cool too, but I'd stick with what everyone else got.

Just my .000002 Cent"Z"

Mike

davkenrem · Post by **davkenrem** » Fri Jun 13, 2003 4:45 pm

Since you can no longer get a Chevrolet Caprice, I'd go with the Ford. I was talking with the Radio Service guys the other day and they said they were getting 30 new vehicles for the police to put the equipment in. I asked Impala's or CV's and they said" Oh G** I hope not Impalas, They are too hard to work on" TPD now has the MW520 , Spectra, Siren, and light controls, and Video system . The traffic cars add radar. They said it was a great deal harder putting the same equipment in the Impala than the CV.

That said I'd own either as a POV. I like them both.

For the record I've had 3 CV''s, 2 Caprices, and 1 Diplomat.

I'd love to have an Intrepid too.

USPSS · Post by **USPSS** » Fri Jun 13, 2003 5:01 pm

Looks like I might get a 2003 Crown Vic with the appearence package, Split Bench, and use the Troy cc-004 console. I will put 2 dual band orions and a spectra 800, also a unitrol, it will all fit in front of the bench without trouble. This way it does not look like a cop car, I don't want to be running down the road with 2 spotlights on the front.

What does everyone think of this idea, I am open to suggestions still, I have not gotten anything yet, but I have a blank check to buy, this next week.

davkenrem · Post by **davkenrem** » Fri Jun 13, 2003 5:03 pm

I'm not a fan of bench seats and I love between the seat consoles. But i agree running around SoCal in a Cruiser could draw bullets.

KitN1MCC · Post by **KitN1MCC** » Sat Jun 14, 2003 1:32 pm

the impala got a 5star from the govt on fron side impact i do belive.

and CSP went back to benches in recent years with a havis shield wedge console . and they just have a spectra, siren box thats it really

jim · Post by **jim** » Sun Jun 15, 2003 8:04 am

I wouldn't worry about "exploding gas tanks."

This is such a rare, freak occurance and isn't going to happen when hit. ANY car, when struck under the wrong conditions, can explode on impact. Remember the Pinto? There were hundreds of thousands of these cars built and only 24 ever burned from an impact- and few exploded.

Remember the '72-87 Chevy C/K series with side saddle tanks? There were well over 3 million of these trucks produced and less than 100 have ever experienced the problem. NHTSA couldn't even get a C/K series to reproduce this during the pending lawsuits over this "problem."

As for the Impala being a better built car than the Vic.....sorry, I'll never believe that and nobody will ever convince me of this. I'm not even a Ford fan, but the Ford is just a better built, more solid and reliable car and it's proven over and over every year. The Impala is a civilian-issue car with biggre brakes, steel wheels and oil coolers. The Vic Interceptor has many more features than the Impala that were placed on the car for police use. The frame on the Interceptor is even a thicker material than it's civilian counterpart.

If you remember the movie "Striking Distance", you'll remember a scene where the cars were jumping down a cobblestone hill. This hill is about 2 miles from my shop in the City of Duquesne. Duquesne broke an Impala in HALF pursuing a vehicle down this hill (no, not during the movie either!). The Impala's moncoque chassis broke at the firewall and separated. None of the Crown Vics that have gone down this hill have ever experienced a problem- and it's done quite frequently since many of the local crack-heads live in the area.

In 2005, the V8 rear-drive Intrepid will be released for police only. The assemble line will be shut down for 2004 for retooling. Chrysler produced a number of extra '03s for sale in '04 during the retooling. According to Dodge, it will be "over 300 horsepower." They aren't saying what engine it will be. I'll assume it's the 4.7L or the Hemi. Although many don't believe this will happen, it is true- trust me, it is going on right now as I type this. You'll have a V8 rear driver in '05!

Ford is also using the Marauder 32V engine in the Interceptor soon, so the CV will be 300+ HP. The Marauder is a hell of a car! I've driven everything from vintage Jaguars to 427 'Vettes to Ferarri Testarossas (and my 185+ MPH supercharged Porsche 928S4), so it's safe to say that I know a decent performing car when I drive one. It put a huge smile on my face when I drove it (and I think it looks better than ANY Impala SS). It out accelerates the Impala SS's meek detuned LT-1 BIG TIME....especially when at highway speeds. It sure isn't a Z06 Corvette, but for a 3900 pound 4 door American boat, it does pretty darn good! The just need to remove the top-speed limiter so it can hang on the top end with many of the other performance cars. The 9C1/Impala SS's limiter never came into playhad, as they were earo/drag limited on the top end. It also handles better with it's new front suspension including rack and pinion steering and rigid front casting. If the Crown Vic gets the Marauder equipment, you'll have one hell of a car for sure!

The Impala's still a cute little car with it's whopping 3.8L 200HP engine and mushy suspension. GM shouldn't give you a spare tire with these cars. You should get a spare transmission.

As for right now, the CV is a superior car in every aspect to the Impala.

jim · Post by **jim** » Sun Jun 15, 2003 8:07 am

"playhad".....um.....I mean "play"

BETTER CAR (IMPALA POLICE OR CROWN VIC POLICE)

BETTER CAR (IMPALA POLICE OR CROWN VIC POLICE)

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