This is over a sample size of several million miles/half a dozen or so P71's in my Dad's fleet. I got to experience all their joys growing up, lol!
Finally Got A Panther - Grand Marquis!
- Thread starter SwampSurvivor
- Start date
OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
From what I saw as a casual observer, it seems the ones that got the longest life out of the transmissions were the limos. There was one for sale with 1.2 million km on it a few years back, had both original engine and trans. Those long highway miles likely really helped, vs what I assume was taxi miles in your case with lots of shifting and around town use.
Mostly highway use. Driving through metro areas of course there was traffic at times. Cars were driven HARD. 90-110mph sustained, many many times, lots of romps to redline. Some idling when waiting. Basically highway use though.
No you wouldn't. BTDT. The only good thing is they are cheap to maintain, and you can really hammer people if you have a radar gun, lmao!Large inventory of Crown Vics, Lincolns, Explorers and Tahoes. Would love to have an ex-police cruiser.
It was unique. I was a kid, though, so mostly I just saw lots of different gas stations and roadsides, and learned lots of new words before my time, lmao! Also, what is air conditioning? Those compressors die before P71's enter service, I think, lol!Sounds like you had a really good time!
That's a lot of miles!
Justa reliable and comfortable daily driver is what I'm shooting for. The only advantage of the HPP or CVPI rear axle would be the 3.27 gearing. I think it handles just fine for my needs.
Maybe with the trailer attached I'll feel the need for adding in a rear swaybar?
OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
I was lucky and mine had 3.27's factory as well as limited slip, so I just added the swaybar to improve handling.
I don't understand......Im assuming you are speaking about the used police cars that sit sideways on the median, and then go from idle to full WOT and accelerate to over 100MPH every single day of their life. Yes the tranny will have worn clutch packs and be generally worn out.
But if you buy an admin car or a civilian and at least change the fluid every 50k, it will easily make the 200K mark, and maybe even the 300K mark.
My best friend drove a 98 cvpi all year for a couple of years at least...he never complained about it in the winter and his previous vehicle was an XJ Cherokee.
I agree. I worked at the ford dealership around 2003-5. We serviced a whole fleet of police cars, nearly all crown Vic's. We never had transmissions fail on any in the time I was there. Tons of Windstars, explorer's etc. One Paramedics Explorer went through 4 transmissions in 50k miles. But we never saw much go wrong with the crown Vic police cars. Mostly just brakes and tires.
I'm coming from a Forester, but with some weight in the back and good snow tires I shouldn't have a problem for most stuff. I won't be driving the Grand Marquis up to the headlights in snow on unmaintained jeep trails but it'll get to and from work.
I think the biggest killer of cop car transmissions is the pump wearing out. The 4R70 is always running the pump and when it has 10,000 idle hours, the pump gets weak. And the AC / defrost is run all of those 10,000 idle hours.
I believe the Exploder and Ranger had a lighter duty transmission? This one has had some work on it. The valve body has been out for sure. It'll bark the tires on the 1-2 and 2-3 shift if i'm almost wide open. I haven't brought it to the drag strip near m to wind out 3rd gear.
The explorers had a 5R55 I believe it was called. They were very weak and didn't handle much abuse. That said my friend has a 2005 with a 4.6 that belonged to his dad and regular fluid changes and gentle driving has made it to 140k or something like that so far.
OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
The Ranger body style Explorer, the V6 had the 5R55, the V8 had the 40R70W.
In its last iteration, one of the most refined, pleasant driving and affordable cars ever made.
Never owned one but rented a few for long trips and thoroughly enjoyed the seat time.
For the 5.0 explorers I believe that's true but my friends 2005 has the 4.6 and the 5 speed as did the ambulance I mentioned. We had to look up the parts to price out repair vs Ford reman unit. I don't know if they changed to the 5 speed auto when the engine changed from the 5.0 to the 4.6 or if it was a certain year they changed.
OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
That's why I specifically mentioned the Ranger body style (2nd gen?), as that had the 302. When they changed to the 3rd gen body style and got the 4.6L I think things went to hell for a bit.
You're right I missed the ranger part and I hadn't realized they changed the style so much. My choice would be the 5.0 version but they're hard to find. The best engine and transmission option though.
