1996 Ford Crown Victoria LX review from North America
"Best, most dependable car I have owned"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
The front automatic windows failed one at the time. I paid 187.00 to the dealership for the first repair. My husband did the second one for about $60.00. His repair works more smoothly than the first one.
I had a hose fail that is located under the plastic intake manifold. My husband and son made the repair. In order to get to it, the intake had to be removed. When the hose was replaced, the intake was found to be warped, and we were afraid it would not seal if put back on.
My husband did research, and found an aftermarket intake manifold that had an improvement to the original design. We got that for about $250.00. When everything was put back on, the car ran with a skip.
We found that the spark plug wires needed to be replaced, one had a cut in the covering.
Overall total was about $360.00 for parts. My husband and son saved me about $1000.00. (My husband owns an automotive machine shop.)
Now I have the spark knock problem. When the intake was off the car, there did not appear a lot of carbon built up. I was looking at this site to see how others have handled this problem. Now I have to find out about the oxygen sensor and check it for lean condition, and check the knock sensor for proper operation.
I have often wondered why auto makers don't equip vehicles with a solar powered ventilation system to prevent heat build up in vehicles parked in hot sun. This may save lives, and protect vehicle interiors from heat damage.
General comments?
I love this car. It had been driven by a salesman in the dealership where I bought the car. I wanted a white one with a dark blue fabric interior. I located one and we traded my 1989 Toyota Cressida for the 1996 Ford Crown Victoria. I have not been sorry. It has a lot of space to fit four adults comfortably, and gets better mileage than the Toyota did. In the winter, I park it in the sun, and get in the back seat to read and nap. I keep all sorts of stuff in the huge trunk. It is 9 years old, and still looks almost as good as it did when I got it. I plan to drive it as long as I can.
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| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 1996 |
| Year of manufacture | 1996 |
| First year of ownership | 1997 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2005 |
| Engine and transmission | Automatic |
| Performance marks | 9 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 10 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 9 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 8 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 7 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 9000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 96000 miles |
| Previous car | Toyota Cressida |
| Date of Entry | 26th May, 2005 |