Intake Manifold cracked at 180,000 - $800
(not covered by class action suit - 2nd owner
and 2006 filing deadline)
Ignition switch replaced at 175,000 - $250
Keys replaced - worn - $200
Wheel bearings had to be repacked 170,000 - $225
Fuse issues - constantly replacing
Numerous recall issues with safety belts and cruise control
Poor gas mileage - approx 20mpg highway - 15mpg city.
I was surprised to see few entries here concerning the intake manifold issue with crown vics. Ford used a composite plastic on certain models of this vehicle which crack with no warning and are very expensive to replace ($1100 at a dealership.) Google is your friend when researching this issue as well as numerous other recalls on the crown vics.
We are ones who religously maintain our vehicles and have two other cars with 200k+ miles that run incredibly well and are very dependable. The crown vic is at the bottom of our list in these respects. This particular one was a police cruiser bought at auction so caveat emptor. It has been a bit of a money pit to keep it in good working order.
That said, the car is built like a tank. Extra heavy duty everything. Very safe and sturdy, great acceleration, great on long road trips.
The best advice I can give is to stay as far away from dealerships as possible. A trusted local mechanic will save you hundreds on service costs. We have had nothing but issues with our local dealer who have tried to pull nothing but fast ones on us and in several cases we had to have factory service reps get involved to get resolution.
These cars are very satisfactory when well maintained and in good working order. It's a car you can feel good about when transporting your loved ones, just be aware there are costs with the poor mileage and possibly some expensive surprises lurking. Pay a trusted mechanic to pressure test the engine and give the car a good going over prior to making a purchasing decision.
OK, so you bought an ex-police car with 160,000 miles and, (intake manifold apart) moan about basic wear and tear items... and then complain about recalls? And fuses? Presumably you used the correct rating?
Be thankful the manufacturer gave you any help at all (as in most countries, police use invalidates any warranty).
Poor gas mileage - it's a 4000lb + car, with a powerful engine - 20 mpg open, 15mpg city is not that bad.
Actually buying anything with that high mileage is going to be a gamble on future repair costs -- that's why you get them cheap (or should be).
Police cars have a hard life, and they aren't as much different from the civilian models as most people seem to think. The ones who buy them at auction and resell them would have you think they are some sort of super-heavy duty sedan that is practically indestructible, but in reality this is not the case.
Please tell us how these cars "aren't much different than the civilian models"? Have you driven/worked on/worked in one of these cars? If so, I'm sure you wouldn't mind providing specifics to prove your point.
Police use vehicles and civilian use vehicles are usually more similar than they are different. Compared to a civilian use Crown Vic, a police Crown Vic may have a larger air intake, a larger exhaust, a slightly stiffer suspension, and it will have the speed limiter removed. Otherwise, police use and civilian use vehicles are essentially the same.
Summit racing makes a replacement intake manifold for it.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/RNB-615-178/
Note: A Comments RSS Feed is available.