Comments: 1-15, 16-19
Nothing yet. I recently (5000 KM ago) purchased the vehicle at a police auction. This particular department keeps their Crown Vic's until they reach 200,000 KM. This one had 205,000+.
This means the vehicle is still current with the standard police fleet service program. However they don't do a lot of repairs other than maintenance after 160,000 KM.
This is my fifth Crown Victoria Police Interceptor. I still have two others (1993 & 1995). I must say that I was very surprised to find that the car, despite the mileage, feels like new. The steering wheel is stiffer than my brand new Explorer. I have yet to find the limits of the car's handling (not for a lack of trying!).
This car far out-performs my other Crown Vic's. Even the 1993 with 52,000 KM.
The car will literally suck you against the door glass during a turn. It accelerates and brakes better than any car I have ever owned.
The police package seats look nice, but aren't nearly as comfortable as those in my Taurus.
Other than driving around watching everyone putting on their seat-belts and driving the speed limit, this is the most fun car I have ever driven.
By any chance do you bear a resemblance to Barney Fife?
I must agree! I have just bought a 1995 crown vic, police cruiser. It way out drives an ordanary car of the same caliber. Mine too corners like a dream. The power from the interceptor is a plus. I had to change some front end parts, but the car is well worth the effort. I also notice people putting on seat belts. Another thing I love about this car is that people don`t tailgate...
I too have a '99 PI. Some of my co-workers make fun of me and make police impersonator remarks, but I don't care. I still love this car, but the novelty of people staring at me and slowing down wears off quick, and yes I too see people put on their seat belts at least 2-3 times a week. I put trim rings on the wheels and a LOT less people stare at me now then with just center caps. Everybody that rides in it is suprised at how smooth, powerful, and comfortable it is with 185,000 hard KM on it. If I ever wear this car out I will buy another one! (if I can still afford to put gas in it) Some day I will get it painted black and put some louder mufflers on it so there is no doubt that it is not a police car.
Cheers and many more miles ahead for your car.
I've also got a '99 Crown Vic police interceptor. Sprayed it all black, its got the black steel wheels with center caps. Looks like an FBI car heh. I'm still in high school and its great knowing I've got the fastest and coolest car in the parking lot...I've unintentionally scared many other kids in their little Hondas as they race around the corner in my neighborhoood...
I'm looking for the trim rings for the wheels though, anyone know a source online where I could order them? Please e-mail me with any info, Thanks.
Brando43@msn.com.
Try ebay first... but check out crownvic. net and look around for links. There are A lot of people on there with CVPIs that buy, sell and trade parts. One more thing, go over to ADTR. net and talk to Chris- those guys specialize in crown vics, and definitely know thier stuff. I'm sure he could point you in the right direction if all else fails. Good luck.
I bought my 99 police vic about 4 months ago. Love the ride, cornering, power etc. However, it has needed some repairs. The plastic intake manifold was cracked and leaking, a serious problem with all 4.6 motors. Had to buy an upgraded after market one that's partly made from aluminum. Next was the accumulator spring in the trany. It seemed like the car would kind of buck at low speeds. Easy fix, spring was 8 bucks and the oil pan gasket is reusable. seems that's a common problem as well. Next was the cooling fan motor in front of the rad. Cost..197.00 bucks. You must replace the wiring harness also!!The old one will be burnt inside from the extra current to run the old shot motor. The car has 200 kms on it. I think the police trade them in at this mileage to get away from this grief. PS, I also put in 2 oxygen sensors at 86 bucks each. One day the gas mileage went down to 8mpg,, ouch! Now its around 20 mpg. All in all,.. I am going back to the auction to buy one for my wife.
Bought a 1999 CVPI p71 interceptor cruiser for $4000 cash, yesterday, Sat Sept 30, 2006.
Drove it home 45 miles. I've never seen so many people just get scared. I passed by a Honda civic, CRX, hatchback, with a loud muffler, dropped, bigger rims, rides as if riding a rock... and sounds so great that it makes you turn around, scared, thinking..."dang..he must be coming in fast!" only to turn around and see him go by at 15mph, redlining, making you laugh your insides out." It was a lot of fun.
My friend and I were followed by my father, who used to boast about his 1999 Mustang, saying that it is fast (which it is), but he had a hard time keeping up. It was hilarious.
Then, (I live in Temple Terrace, right close to Tampa, and had to go to Palm Harbor to pick up the car) on my way back, on Tampa road/hillsborough ave, we found a racetrack gas-station which was selling gas for $2.079. You can guess exactly what I did. I went around, made a u-turn, only to realize that there is a long line of people, trying to get in the gas station (if you know race-track line of gas-stations, they are huge, with roughly about 20 pump stations!). Local law enforcement was there, telling people (and I quote this because I heard this)..."sir, I hate to tell you this, but you're gonna have to go on, and then come back around. You cannot stop in the middle of the road. GO on sir!"
The reason why I said that, is because when I moved in, a guy in a truck moved away, giving me room to get into the station, and I just glided in. He later realized that I was not a police officer and he cursed at me. That Civic boy pulled into the station too, only because he squeezed in his small car.
Specs on my car (10% tint, police intercepter pursuit rims, black ones with centercaps, spotlight, brand new (I hate it, but it's great) white paint, no scratches, no chips/cracks (cracked bumpers are commong), only two antennae holes (it is an ex-stealth interceptor, and lights were mounted inside and on front/back (no roof light-rack!). 3.73 gears, 109000 miles (with recent tranny rebuilt by previous owner, with receipts!).
Civic boy? just the typical... CRX stuff (oh yeah, he had a body kit on it, which, you shouldn't be surprised, everyone has on their Civics, hahaha). He called my newly acquired love a grandma's car. I wanted to totally obliterate him, but I couldn't. However, I did obliterate his pride, giving him hard time, by first tailgating him,(it was funny to see him try very hard to pull ahead, but all I had to do was tap the gas-pedal and I was on him again! Hahaha - I call it tap and go?). Then, I pulled up ahead of him and watched him fade away in my rear-view-mirror, as if he was falling into dark and endless abyss, never to emerge again. It was just astounding.
Then... I took the car on Interstate 275 here in Tampa, Florida, and pushed it to 123 mph! It was still accelerating, riding smooth, like an ocean-ride, but I hit traffic so I had to slow down. I know I am guilty of some illegal actions, but hey... you know that it's worth it, at-least when you've been dreaming for the same car since 1998, when they first came out. I had to get this man.
Also, I flashed my head-lights at this one car (you know, the typical high beam/low beam thing, it's called passing) and the lady moved over right away. I thanked her though. I hated what followed then, as I got onto Bush blvd, going into Bullard Parkway, where the speed limit is 30mph, but everyone does like 50 (you know you cannot drive at 30! It's ridiculous, especially on major streets like this one.
Anyway, two people slammed on their brakes and started to go side-by-side. It made me mad, for I realized that I cannot even honk at them (I found out then, because I tried to honk, that my horn doesn't work, the relay just clicks, so I'll fix it in 2 days or so, along with installing a set of air-horns which I have just sitting around.)
Then, I got pulled over! The cop came over and asked for license, registration, and insurance. I told him I just bought the car and gave him the paper-work. All he said was "son, I can understand that you just bought this car, and these cars are great, and I don't think that you know this, but the spotlights are for off-road use only. We leave them on some cars just because they are cheap and also we hope that they will help you in-case of emergency. But anyway, you cannot have them up (it wasn't on, but the bulb was facing up, or actually, it was visible.) It has to be facing down, towards the wind-shield, do you mind if I show you?" (I said yes and he reached in and adjusted the light.) Then, I said, "now I understand why old people (not trying to bias them, but it's true, so let's just say "respected senior citizens of our community") and police officers drive these cars. They are great, and guess what? YOu can't have all the fun now! To tell you the truth, officer, if you don't know, when we check our 6 o'clock and see a cop car at the tail, it scares us. We slow down. DO we still have to do that?" HE laughed and said that, "police department and sheriff officers have a lot of respect for these cars. They are like personal tanks. We love them, but it's true that some of us want the new chargers. I personally do, which I might get, because I'm a senior patrol officer, and that's all I do. I rejected a promotion to special service squad, but still got a nice raise in pay. Anyway, you'll get the respect from officers. Just to let you know, though, if you think you are feel itchy in the seat, when you see an officer of the law behind you, and you have to slow down, without slamming on the brakes, think about how we feel, behind drivers in that situation, because they slow down to 30 mph!
Now how's that for a complaint? Go on son, (I heard crackle on the radio, followed by some police jargon, of which I only understood 10-4, I'm on it), I've got some people to pull over." IT was great! He was right too. I had an officer nod at me when I passed by him. Couple of college chicks (USF chicks) gave me thumbs up, and a kid in the back seat of a car waved at me. It was just amazing. All of my friends love this car, and some offered me $5000 cash. Obviously, I declined it. I'm loving this car.
Does anyone know where I can find aftermarket body trim parts for the '97 Crown Vic?
So when are you going to propose to your Crown Vic?
I love my '99 PI. Wanted to comment on the cracked manifold thing. Ford has a silent recall. They replaced mime for FREE!
Also, had to replace one of the coil packs twice. We had one at work, same deal. At 200K, the repairs are not bad.
Manifolds, under warranty, two coil packs (replaced myself),
Alternator (easy fix), tie rod ends (fairly easy fix). Brakes & Rotors all the way around. (The rears were a pain, the parking pads were cracked.) Shocks, I had to go to MIDAS, I could not reach the rear shock bolts, they charged extra, they were so hard to get to. I have a rear seal going out in the rear end, I have been keeping the fluid full. The idle air speed sensor was replaced at the dealer. I had the same bucking problem as one fellow mentioned, I had ford do a tune up, they calibrated some computer item and it was fixed. All in all, I bought it for speed and handling, but its durability has been the most impressive thing. Not sure about the mustang thing, my stock 95 mustang totally smokes my PI, but the PI is still pretty fast for a tank.
I'm looking into buying a '99 PI for $3,000 from a used car lot. It has the black tints and black rims w/silver center caps. I'm going to test drive it tomorrow. Thanks for all the informative comments.
I had a spotlight on my 03 interceptor and I took it off tha other day to paint it and I don't know how the hell to put it back on. Anyone who can help me email me at jamarburr@hotmail.com.
I have a black 97 Vic and I have never been so happy with a car. My wife just bought a new Corvette and I still prefer the Vic. It handles great, sounds great with mufflers, it's very durable, and I love it. I just got it painted, scanner, lights, sirens, all new. I work as a firefighter, so I can use it for work.
I saw someone needed trim rings, just go to farm and fleet, they're cheap and available.
OK, This may sound stupid, but I am not familiar with the 1998 Crown Vic 4.6 L Police Interepter, my question is: Where is the oxygen sensor located?
Thanks in advance,
Walter.
BTW, I use my crown vic as a Skywarn vehicle, as well as a family car. I am also a Volunteer Rescue / EMT as well so I have all the strobes and radios for the sheriff, fire, and even a pro-voice trunked radio for the state of florida, just don't have the siren since I am a volunteer.
But I sure slow all the cars down on the highway and interstate. The car is solid white with dark tinted windows, but you can see the led's and lights on the dash and rear deck, and all the antennas.
I took a radar gun that is K band I got from radio shack (with a near half mile range) and was just "shooting" a quick "beam" of radar at cars on the road, you should of seen all the tail lights come on. But a Deputy friend said it is a grey area in the law for having the radars in a non-LEO car so I took it out.
Well, somone please let me know where to find that oxygen sensor please.
Nice to meet you all,
Walter.