Crown Vics

[CJ122]

Has anyone had any problems with the brakes on the Crown Vics at 20,000 miles?

[radar]

under the for cops only area this has already had numerous comments

[dkiefner]

Moved to For Cops Only.

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Dave Kiefner
[i]Die Wahrheit ist eine Perle. Werfen sie nicht vor die S

[Niteshift]

The CV's biggest weakness has always been it's brakes. I'd say only the early 90's Luminas were the only patrol cars with worse brakes.

They fade fast, don't stop as well at the Caprice did. Still I prefer the CV http://www.officer.com/ubb/confused.gif

[THE BRONZE]

My 99 Crown Vic has 22000 on it. The brakes have not given me any problems, other than the typical "Ford Fade", but they do make strange noises when used hard at speeds above 80.

If I had my choice, I would rather have one of the few remaining LT-1 Caprices.

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Jim

[radar]

My 2000 now has 16k on it and rattles like 100k. all kind of funny noises and in a chase last Sat after an 80+ clock (you can guess what speed I had to reach to turn and catch up before the chase) it spit and sputtered a lot but I did get him.I guess it is what we put them thru but the new ones do not seem as good as the old ones.

[Dilbert]

I've got a 99 CV. The brakes make a squealing sound all the time. This is after new pads. It sounds horrible.

[R.White]

We've got 4 '99 Crown Vics all personally assigned to Sgt's. All 4 have around 20K miles now. No one has reported any brake related problems so far. One unit has had new front disc pads and rotors were turned but thats all. For what its worth! RW

[m*m]

I picked up a 96 crown vic off the lot with 6 miles on it and I drove it for 3 years. I just converted to a caprice classic LS and as before when I drove a caprice the brakes squeal. It's the very annoying squeal too. The kind that won't stop no matter how hard you press or let off the pedal. Every caprice I've driven has squealed even with new brake pads.

I'd take the crown vic any day over the caprice. I'm not too fond of the anti-lock system the caprice has either. I'm more accustom to the threshold braking maneuver.

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m*m


[This message has been edited by m*m (edited 05-11-2000).]

[THE BRONZE]

It surprises me to read some of you prefer the Crown Vics over the Caprices. All of my friends who had a LT-1 Caprice just about cried when they had to give it up for a new Crown Vic. They didn

[m*m]

Jim,

My department purchased 4 Chevy LT-1 cruisers in 1994 and they were all pieces of crap aside from the power. One of the transmissions dropped under 2000 miles and all trany's were replaced before 60000.

I drove my 1996 Ford for 3.5 years and never had one major mechanical problem other than routine maintenance.

Weather is a major contributing factor to the vehicle's condition where I was working. The salt air took it's toll on the cars parts. But it didn't caused the majority of the major problems that the Chevy LT-1 cruiser's problems did.
We were 4 for 4 on pieces of crap.



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m*m

[THE BRONZE]

It sounds as if you had the forces of darkness against you. Other than eating transmissions like you mentioned, we had much better luck with our Caprices than the Vickies. My 95 was assigned to me as a take home, so it received better care than most. The only problems it had was the optispark (I think that

[KenM]

Bronze, I've got one of those police interceptor CV's now. Ford really stretched it when they called it an Interceptor though. We've got a stretch of Texas SH6 running on the outskirts of town and speeds of 90+ are common. When you turn on them in the CV I believe I could just about jog faster than that car will accelerate. I sure miss my Caprice.

The only Ford I've ever liked was the little LTD II's we had back several years ago. They had a 302HO in them and they would SCREAM. Fun to drive but they sucked on normal patrol duty.

[D. Ridley]

My department has 1 1995 LT-1 Caprice with 117,000+ miles on it. Its been through hell and back and it still runs strong! I wish, pray, hope (etc.,) that Ford will come out with something stronger in its Crown Vic. The car has potential but damn its has EXTREMELY slow acceleration!

[THE BRONZE]

Rumor has it Ford is planning on going with a larger engine, or dual cams in the Vickie before long. I hope they do it soon.

What is so sad is a full sized Caprice is still sold in some countries. It

[D. Ridley]

If Ford would do as you said then I would be impressed!

[BIGR]

Yes i have had trouble in the past with some of the older models. Some of them would not stop in a 40 acre field.I cannot say much about the new ones since I am lucky enough to still be driving my 1995 LT-1 Caprice.However any day now they will send me to get one of those under powered 2000 crown vics, that most 4 bangers will outrun from 0-60. Yes I have driven the 1999 crown vics and if the 2000's are not any stronger I am in for a bad 4 years or so.My caprice has about 93,500 on it and it will still put them to shame on take off and top end.I wished chevy was still making the caprice.The only major repairs I have had done to ol bessy is a water pump at 81,000 miles. I have yet to add any oil other than regular maintance. I have noticed this last set of brake pads have squeaked ocassonally since they were put on(which gets on my nerves).Lets face it as long as Ford makes the only rear wheel drive patrol car they are not worried about putting extra ponies under the hood.Lets hope that someonelse comes out with a good patrol car(my dream is a Impala, rear wheel drive with LT-1 or LS-1) talk about a rocket ship WOW...........

[cyberpol99]

For more info on the Chevrolet Police Vehicle linup go to www.policevehicle.com (http://www.policevehicle.com)

[BIGR]

Since we are talking about the lack of power for the crown vic, I read on WRAL online the other day where the N C SHP was getting tired of getting out run while driving their crown vics. The are at this moment trying to talk the state into getting them the Z-28'S with the police package. I know of several occasions locally where some hot dog kid in a mustang has left their crown vics in the dust in a chase. I'M sure the camros will be strong but i'm sure those guys will be a little bit cramped up in those camros and will have to sacrifice something for more power....

[RyanP]

Just as FYI, its actually a LT1, not a LT-1. The LT-1 was a 60's motor found in Z28's. The 90's LT1 is a second-generation small-block V8 which only borrowed the name for nostalgic purposes. Not that anyone really cares, just a little history lesson.

I'm not sure if the police package caprice's had the normal caprice LT1 (the 281 cid "baby LT1") or the true LT1 (the 350 cid shared by the Camaro Z28 / Firebird Formula & TA / Corvette).

Ahh well, now we're all edumacated on LT1's.

[dkiefner]

I think that the LT1 would definitely be the 350, (or 5.7, or whatever they call it now).

That engine came out in the '94 and later models.

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Dave Kiefner
[i]Die Wahrheit ist eine Perle. Werfen sie nicht vor die S

[RyanP]

I'd have to look into it more. Basically the Corvette got the LT1 in '92 thru '96, the Camaro and Firebird in '93 thru '97, and the limited production Impala's in 94 thru '96. I think that the police caprices has the Impala's LT1 which was an iron block iron head 350. The Corvette and F-body (Camaro / Firebird) LT1's were iron blocks with alluminum heads.

[BIGR]

Sorry if I was incorrect on that but LT1 LT-1 5.7 , 350 speaks for itself.Alot more horsepower than the crown vics could ever produce.Even the 350's of the late 80's and early 90's ran better than any ford that I ever drove. Just too bad that ford dosen't put that high output 4.6 in the crown vic.It is only a matter of time until they put a V6 engine in them...........

[RyanP]

They have a nice 5.4 available to them from the Expeditions and f-150's. It is possible that it won't fit, but aftermarket companies have squeeze that 5.4 into the Mustang (ie. Saleen Mustangs).

[ZEBRA12]

Originally posted by RyanP:
They have a nice 5.4 available to them from the Expeditions and f-150's. It is possible that it won't fit, but aftermarket companies have squeeze that 5.4 into the Mustang (ie. Saleen Mustangs).

it will fit, they have put the 6.8L V-10 in a mustang. The problem with ford is they don't see the need to put the 5.4 in it, as from www.blueovalnews.com (http://www.blueovalnews.com) they said as of 2001 they are going to give the 4.6 a "upgrade" its going to be from the 4.6 SHOC to a 4.6DOHC making about 220-250hp. As for the Saleen they put the 281 (4.6) in the S-281 and a 351W (5.8) in the S-351 which makes 500hp with 500lbs of torq.


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Zebra-12
nclawdog2000@yahoo.com
Jeremy's Webpage (http://members.xoom.com/nclawdog/index.htm)
Welcome to North Carolina, if you can see this tag in your rear view, I'm fixing to bust your ***

[CJ122]

Thanks everyone for the posts....they have been helpful.

-CJ

[Dilbert]

Hey, how about the hupcaps? We keep losing our off of our cars.

[FLLawdog]

Dilbert, you must have the 16" wheels with the premium hubcaps. We had the same problem when we first got the '99s. We went to the "dogbowl" caps and solved the problem. They also give the car that "real cop" appearance. There's no definitive proof, but the one's who have them say that braking has improved. You also don't get the dust in the fins of the caps, so they always look cleaner.

[Ray]

I agree the Crown Vic is **** poor on the performance end. I wish they would do something about it. The old Caprice was the best when it came to performance and handling. The only problem I had with them in municipal setting it took a city block to turn them around.

Im just curious how many of you guys have had your shins busted in the Crown Vics when the door slams shut http://www.officer.com/ubb/eek.gif, when your on a grade trying to get out in a hurrry. Sure wish they would put a better door hinge that would keep it open http://www.officer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

[Dilbert]

If premium means that the hubcaps fall off whenever you start the car, then those are the ones we have!!

And yeah the door hinges suck too!!

I've got a '92 Dodge Dakota 4x4 with a 318 at home with 108,000 miles on it. It'll out run my '99 Police Interceptor.