# Worst Police Car: Chevy Suburban, Aveo or Ford Crown Victoria **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 3, 2009, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-police-car-chevy-suburban-aveo-or-ford-crown-victoria/498588 "2009-06-03T15:26:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-police-car-chevy-suburban-aveo-or-ford-crown-victoria/498588/21 "2009-06-03T22:35:00Z")
> [@EvilHamsterOnCrack](#): > > Sorry to go the opposite way (I hope there’s not a “best” police car thread that this is a response to that i missed), but here in Atlanta, a lot of depts are moving over to the Dodge Charger as the standard. It’s pretty cool looking, fast, roomy, and if I was a cop, I’d love to drive that. Portland has started replacing the old CVs with [Hemi Chargers](http://www.flickr.com/photos/tshieldspdx/2480742769/). They’re…not slow. Aaaand, (speaking of Mustangs), if you manage to get away from the Charger, good luck with [this](http://br.truveo.com/Portland-Police-Stealth-Ford-Mustang-GT-at-the/id/478424926). ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-police-car-chevy-suburban-aveo-or-ford-crown-victoria/498588/22 "2009-06-03T23:02:06Z")
> [@FallenAngel](#): > > Having driven numerous Caprices and Crown Vic, I have to say from personal experience you are dead wrong. The Chevs start to lose all manner of reliable handling at around the 75,000 mile mark. They’re also slower to accelerate and have far looser handling than the CV. Most cop fleets retire their cars at the 100,000 mile mark, and you will find countless CVs that still have a good 200,000 more miles in them. You’d be lucky to get 25-50,000 out of the Caprice. It was a truly vile car. We’ll have to agree to disagree, on the performance angle. You may be right about the service intervals, but I don’t see Crown vics as superior in that regard. My 94 9c1 has about 206,000 miles, and drives like the day I got it at 89,000. But, of course, all anecdotal once we talk about who’s car can last how long… several variables at play here. Caprice cabs of those years are still on the road with 300,000 miles. > [@Mr.Slant](#): > > I’m skeptical that Chevy would have sold the old Impala to police fleets, as it commanded a premium price in the marketplace, and there was no surplus. Talking about the '94-96 versions… The Caprices police had were called 9C1’s. They had everything the Implala SS had, but with differences in suspension. Instead of lowered, it had taller springs. Had a transmission and oil cooler, steel wheels in stead of aluminum (but retained larger breaks). There was hardly any difference in powerplants, except the year to year changes. You could say the Impala was derived from 9C1’s, as they had been in service well before 1994. Actually, I am saying that. They took the 9C1, lowered it, gave it a nice paint job with leather interior, and hooked it up with fatter tires on 17" wheels with other subtle differences. ---
**Author:** ![Strainger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/strainger/32/244_2.png) [@Strainger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strainger)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-police-car-chevy-suburban-aveo-or-ford-crown-victoria/498588/23 "2009-06-03T23:35:11Z")
I know some cops are not too keen on the [Crown Vics](http://www.autosafety.org/crown-vic-fire-forever-changes-police-officer), to put it mildly. ---
**Author:** ![SteveBrandon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a698b9/32.png) [@SteveBrandon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveBrandon)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-police-car-chevy-suburban-aveo-or-ford-crown-victoria/498588/24 "2009-06-04T00:22:00Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > The Montreal cops [have them, too](http://www.flickr.com/photos/steve-brandon/2395319056/). I hadn’t yet seen an eighth-generation Impala used by the Ottawa Police Service when I took that photo in April 2007, but Ottawa now has at least [one marked eighth-gen Impala in service](http://www.flickr.com/photos/steve-brandon/3577892120/), presumably on some kind of trial basis. I also spotted one marked Ottawa Police Service seventh-generation Impala once but haven’t been able to get a photo of it. The OPS mainly seems to use Impalas as unmarked vehicles. Interestingly, the [RCMP in Ottawa uses seventh-generation Impalas extensively](http://www.flickr.com/photos/steve-brandon/2677770923/), but I have yet to spot a single eighth-generation Impala in the RCMP livery. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-police-car-chevy-suburban-aveo-or-ford-crown-victoria/498588/25 "2009-06-04T00:41:26Z")
> [@Mr.Excellent](#): > > You still want police departments to have that capacity, though. It may not be common, but it’s certainly possible that police could be pursuing a sufficiently dangerous criminal that they _must_ be apprehended as swiftly as possible, and the danger of leaving them at large outweighs the danger posed by a high-speed chase. (Imagine a psycho with an AK-47, shooting people for kicks). Even if police only have a legitimate need for car chases once every five years or so, we probably want them to be able to do it. Follow that argument to its conclusion and you’ll have the police driving tanks. What if the psycho is in a small vehicle, and heads off across ground which a larger car gets bogged down in? Or simply drives down an alleyway too small? You can’t make a _must_ that covers every eventuality. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-police-car-chevy-suburban-aveo-or-ford-crown-victoria/498588/26 "2009-06-04T04:08:44Z")
> [@Mr.Slant](#): > > Do you mean the '94-96 Impala or the '00+ Impala? > The old ones were whale-looking, big and rear-wheel drive. > The new ones 00+ up ones are less huge and front-wheel drive. > I’m skeptical that Chevy would have sold the old Impala to police fleets, as it commanded a premium price in the marketplace, and there was no surplus. The newer Impalas. They looked bright and shiny new, I lived there from 2004-2008, and their model looked similar (at least in the outside) to my ex’s 2001 Impala. And you can be as skeptical as you want to be, but what I saw was that and there’s no way you’re going to talk me out of it. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-police-car-chevy-suburban-aveo-or-ford-crown-victoria/498588/27 "2009-06-04T05:05:10Z")
> [@Mr.Slant](#): > > Which of the above 3 vehicles is the worst choice for a police car? Answer: [None of the above](http://www.aronline.co.uk/index.htm?policeminif.htm). ---
**Author:** ![Imasquare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Imasquare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imasquare)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-police-car-chevy-suburban-aveo-or-ford-crown-victoria/498588/28 "2009-06-04T10:03:50Z")
> [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](#): > > Answer: [None of the above](http://www.aronline.co.uk/index.htm?policeminif.htm). Yeah, but how many villains the size of Tony Soprano would you get in the back seat of one of those. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-police-car-chevy-suburban-aveo-or-ford-crown-victoria/498588/29 "2009-06-04T11:53:11Z")
Hey, at least [this one](http://www.crete-rent.com/images/cars/atos.gif) has four doors. For the purposes of this thread, though, I’ll assume we’re talking about standard, marked, all-purpose patrol cars, right? The Suburban actually does make a pretty good police vehicle, just not the best patrol car. There are quite a few Suburban police vehicles here in southeast Michigan, but they’re not patrols. Aside from the omnipresent Crown Victoria, you’ll see a Charger or two, an Impala here and there, and a Mustang or two. These last three are primarily unmarked, though, and used to trap excessive speeders. ---
**Author:** ![Uzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/91b2a8/32.png) [@Uzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uzi)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-police-car-chevy-suburban-aveo-or-ford-crown-victoria/498588/30 "2009-06-04T12:00:28Z")
> [@EvilHamsterOnCrack](#): > > It’s pretty cool looking, fast, roomy, and if I was a cop, I’d love to drive that. I drove one this summer. Due to the massive blind spot I managed to cut off at least 3 people, more than I remember having done in my previous 25 years of driving. Not something I’d want to be driving fast while avoiding traffic and managing radios, etc. Although, reading on the net, it seems some are more bothered by it than others. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-police-car-chevy-suburban-aveo-or-ford-crown-victoria/498588/31 "2009-06-04T14:01:03Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > Hey, at least [this one](http://www.crete-rent.com/images/cars/atos.gif) has four doors. > > For the purposes of this thread, though, I’ll assume we’re talking about standard, marked, all-purpose patrol cars, right? > > The Suburban actually does make a pretty good police vehicle, just not the best patrol car. There are quite a few Suburban police vehicles here in southeast Michigan, but they’re not patrols. Aside from the omnipresent Crown Victoria, you’ll see a Charger or two, an Impala here and there, and a Mustang or two. These last three are primarily unmarked, though, and used to trap excessive speeders. I’ve seen a Camaro, before the radical redesign, but you’re pretty much right about the police car landscape around here. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-police-car-chevy-suburban-aveo-or-ford-crown-victoria/498588/32 "2009-06-04T14:37:02Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > Hey, at least [this one](http://www.crete-rent.com/images/cars/atos.gif) has four doors. > > For the purposes of this thread, though, I’ll assume we’re talking about standard, marked, all-purpose patrol cars, right? > SNIP Correct; the Chevy Tahoe may be great for carrying the scales you use for commercial truck weight enforcement, and a Humvee might actually be appropriate for Border Patrol usage somewhere in the Southwest, but they’re out of scope. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-police-car-chevy-suburban-aveo-or-ford-crown-victoria/498588/33 "2009-06-04T14:38:46Z")
> [@KarlGrenze](#): > > The newer Impalas. They looked bright and shiny new, I lived there from 2004-2008, and their model looked similar (at least in the outside) to my ex’s 2001 Impala. > > And you can be as skeptical as you want to be, but what I saw was that and there’s no way you’re going to talk me out of it. No, what you just said is what I expected you to say. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-police-car-chevy-suburban-aveo-or-ford-crown-victoria/498588/34 "2009-06-04T14:40:16Z")
> [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](#): > > Answer: [None of the above](http://www.aronline.co.uk/index.htm?policeminif.htm). If your sole criteria is turning radius, no argument. ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-police-car-chevy-suburban-aveo-or-ford-crown-victoria/498588/35 "2009-06-04T16:19:17Z")
A vote for [dumbest.](http://ithacadp.wordpress.com/2006/10/28/police-bug/) ---
**Author:** ![mwelch1904](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d07c76/32.png) [@mwelch1904](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mwelch1904)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-police-car-chevy-suburban-aveo-or-ford-crown-victoria/498588/36 "2009-06-04T23:21:10Z")
You don’t see police sporting Crown Vics very often in St. Louis. I want to say there is only one municipality that even has one. They have all been replaced with Impalas. Also, police modified Dodge Chargers are popping up everywhere in St. Louis. Some municipalities have like 6 of them… Even taxi companies are using them. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-police-car-chevy-suburban-aveo-or-ford-crown-victoria/498588/37 "2009-06-05T20:49:17Z")
The answer to the OP, Worst Police Car: Chevy Lumina. Yes we had a couple. Under powered and too small to use for transport. Very uncomfortable too. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-police-car-chevy-suburban-aveo-or-ford-crown-victoria/498588/38 "2009-06-05T21:41:09Z")
Worst of all possible worlds, eh? Are you old enough to have seen the Chevy Celebrity police package? I’m thinking that would have had all of the disadvantages of the Lumina, although relative to the Caprice and Crown Vic of that era, it may not have been slow. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-police-car-chevy-suburban-aveo-or-ford-crown-victoria/498588/39 "2009-06-05T22:50:24Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > The answer to the OP, Worst Police Car: Chevy Lumina. Yes we had a couple. Under powered and too small to use for transport. Very uncomfortable too. Too small to transport what? The Lumina had a 107 in. wheelbase… about 10 inches shorter than a freakin’ Mercedes S-Class. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-police-car-chevy-suburban-aveo-or-ford-crown-victoria/498588/40 "2009-06-05T23:32:05Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Too small to transport what? The Lumina had a 107 in. wheelbase… about 10 inches shorter than a freakin’ Mercedes S-Class. But the space distribution was, shall we say, less than optimal. Then again, truth be told the CrownVic/GrandMarquis interior is not exactly as cavernous as its size would seem to suggest, it’s just that it hasn’t been downsized. As was mentioned before, the CrownVic/GrandMarquis was popular for the police/taxi conversion in part because of the old-school body-on-frame RWD layout, that is seen as more forgiving of abuse (and easier to mod to HD specs) than FWD unibodies. It may not necessarily be objectively so anymore for every application, but perceptions count. Nobody gets fired for buying the same car they’ve been buying for the last 15 years… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-police-car-chevy-suburban-aveo-or-ford-crown-victoria/498588.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-police-car-chevy-suburban-aveo-or-ford-crown-victoria/498588.md?page=3)