being too tall made it too wide. The 5.4 had a taller deck (surface of the engine block where the cylinder head mounts to) which, being a vee-type layout, also led to the engine being too wide.
And in case you hadn’t noticed, the 32-valve 4.6 isn’t made anymore.
Which pretty much proves my point.
As mentioned before, maintenance problems and truly awful visibility. The visibility is a big problem. On the job you tend to have to back up in tight spots or maneuver around. It’s not all about high speed chases. Those happen very infrequently. The next town over got Chargers. It wasn’t too long before you saw the rookies driving them because the senior guys didn’t want anything to do with them after driving them for a bit.
We also bought a couple of new Explorer based SUVs. They like having a few for when the weather gets bad. Our old Durangos just couldn’t handle cop driving. They were worn out and retired by the time they hit 70,000 miles.
For those who haven’t thought about such things no one replaces the whole fleet. Depending on the years budget we get around 5 new cars a year to replace the older ones. And hopefully the mayor doesn’t grab one for his one mile commute. The replaced patrol cars then get reprinted and get handed over to the detectives. The old detective cars are old enough to collect social security.
Visibility is the first thing I look at on my list when I look at cars. Pun intended. No excuse for that. Sounds like Dodge did Ford a huge favor on this one. A really stupid thing to miss (plus the mechanical problems). I’d be very wary of any new Ford with all the new engines/trannies they came out with. They look really impressive on paper but I hate being the beta tester for anything.
Dodge went from near zero share in the police market to being a credible choice, practically overnight. The Michigan State Police uses Chargers, and my city’s police fleet is all Chargers save for one Caprice. Taking marketshare doesn’t sound like a “favor” to me.
if you notice, a lot of cars have high beltlines and thick pillars these days. The Crown Vic didn’t because it was literally designed in a different era. And it’s dumb to say Chrysler “missed” that because they’re not going to redesign the entire car (which is what it would take) just for the police market.
The 3.5 liter V6 and 6F50/55 transaxle are both six years old now. They’re known quantities.
I wouldn’t call a live axle “outdated” while also claiming that IRS is “modern.” Neither is a new design. Both work well when they’re done right. The current BOSS is a track monster with a live axle. It handles much better than the IRS Cobras from 99-04.
As an insider what is your view on the Caprice, I’m a Holden fan and am curious
The new Charger/300 actually has a lowered beltline and improved visibility specifically to address this complaint.
I’ve only seen the one, and that one at a distance. It looks like a car.
and the mechanical problems of the previous version can be entirely attributed to the destruction wrought by Nickel-and-Daimler.
Given the comments made by someone using the equipment the car is not liked for the qualities listed. That they were able to take sales away from Ford is the discussion at hand.
The Charger is a sports car turned police car. If officers don’t like the visibility then future sales will suffer. So yes, that would be a miss.
Well actually they’re using the 3.7 liter this year. If the transaxle holds up with the twin turbo it will be a nice selling point for the NA version. I suppose time will tell but Dodge took a huge bite out of the market in my area and I suspect in other cities as well.
I can’t speak to any specific problems on the cop cars but the civilian models of the LX cars did not have any major mechanical problems that I am aware of. They weren’t great cars in many respects (low rent interior, mediocre fuel economy due to the old non-VVT engines and 4 speed auto) but reliability has never been an issue.
I own an Intrepid that has DiamlerChrysler written all over it and the only problem I ever had with it was a bad cam sensor that I fixed myself for $50 in 20 min. Maybe it’s because I live in a Chrysler heavy town and people just don’t have irrational hatred of them like in some other places. Canada as a whole just likes Chrysler better, maybe because so many of them are built here. Ram trucks usually outsell GM and are just behind Ford in numbers and the minivans are perennial best sellers.
you said that did Ford a “favor.” How so, when the Taurus has the same “problem?” Second, the person making those comments didn’t say what year Charger; the 2011+ is a markedly different car with little of the German stench left over.
A 4000-lb sedan is a “sports car” now?
The 3.7 is the same damn engine with a slightly larger bore. I hope you didn’t think you were making a point here.
who said the Taurus has the same problem?
Yes, a Dodge Charger is a sports car.
Yes, I was making a point. They changed the engine. I realize you believe it was done with a magic wand but it’s new and untested in the Taurus.
Reason the police like Crown Vics better .
1.It is bigger car you can take more stuff with you
2.easy to fix and service the car
3.Good handling
4.easy to swap parts
Why police are getting other cars.
1 Is much cheaper
2.new car ( the lack of Ford to make new Crown Vic)
3.no other option .
If there was new Crown Vic called Crown Vic 2 or new generation than many of the police would get that .
Actually, for several years the Ford police car has been badged “Ford Police Interceptor”. Doesn’t say Crown Vic anywhere on the thing.
The new Ford police car, also, is just a “Ford Police Interceptor”.
Notice that this site tries very hard to NOT say Taurus:
http://www.ford.com/fordpoliceinterceptor/
It is much smaller and don’t know why ford is bringing out the Ford Police Interceptor and not new Crown Vic.
These old cars are way bigger http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-49I2XI1byME/ThOBu_OQUKI/AAAAAAAEqCk/nmN3kvWQuFI/s800/Ford-Interceptor-40715.jpg
If someone already mentioned it I missed it. I didn’t realize it only comes in AWD.
Not in usable space, no.
The old CVPI was maybe 9 inches longer than the current crop of police vehicles from the Motor Trend article I linked, but the hood of the CVPI is very, very long.
That’s not useful space.
No.
MSRP on the 2011 Ford PI was $28,315.
Prices for the current generation:
2012 Chevrolet Caprice PPV: $31,745
2012 Dodge Charger Pursuit: $30,965
2013 Ford Police Interceptor Sedan: $29,155
the Crown Vic was designed in 1996. If Ford were to release a “new Crown Vic,” thanks to current standards it would look nothing like the old Crown Vic, and would probably look a lot like the (wait for it) Taurus.
