Local PD switching to Ford from Dodge

[LoneRanger]

They've bought about 30 V6 police pkg Chargers the past 3 yrs and they say they're just not holding up. The fleet mgr says he spends less maintaining their 5 yr old Crown Vics than what the Chargers are running, and the Capt who has Fleet as one of her dept's said something about the "front ends not holding up" on the Chargers. Anyhow, they're going to buy Ford Interceptors this time around, the Taurus with the police pkg or whatever. They have had one as a sampler for a couple yrs or since whenever Ford came out with it, and apparently it is holding up way better than the Chargers under virtually identical fleet patrol use in the municipal environment. The state police here run Chargers and haven't heard how they're holding up for them, but their usage is different-- steady speeds on the slab or sitting running radar etc., and much less hard running although they do backup smaller county and town agencies which involves some hard running. I think the state is running the Hemi engines though, while our guys have the PentaStar V6 since the city wanted the better fuel economy of the 6 due to the size of the fleet. Municipal work involves a ton of hard stopping followed by hard acceleration to break intersections during emergency runs, and the fleet mgr feels like that is what is stressing the Chargers.

 

[Vern_in_IL]

The only thing they (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles) are doing right is Trucks and Mini Vans.

 

[simple_gifts]

About 10 years ago, I had to purchase of number of large format printers (44" rolled paper) @ about 25K-30K / printer.

We ended up splitting the purchase between two vendors, to prevent having all our eggs in one basket.

It could be a reasonable strategy in the future for them.

 

[Lyman]

Local PD here is using older Ford Expeditions or Crown Vics. Hwy Patrol has gone to Ford Explorers.

 

[BISCUT]

My job is small, about 60 patrol cars. We had some Dodge Chargers and they are now being phased out. We had 6 and the Hemi 8's. Both had substantial front end issues (not meant for this abuse) and the Hemi's had engine issues while the 6's we had, engine wise held up. The field of view out the rear with a cage in it was just a nightmare.

We still have a few of the older model Explorer's....they are horrid and just not meant for police abuse. BUT the newer, designed for police model is a dream. We also have about 8 new model Taurus and they have been holding up very well, even the AWD. I am a supervisor and share an Explorer with another boss who is on midnight tour. We have 45k or so on it and it hasnt had an issue yet. The ones in general patrol have been solid so far.

 

[GenesisGuy70]

I'm not surprised by this. From personal experience, and I strictly mean personal experience so don't ream me people, anything Chrysler related never holds up well.

However, the Chrysler 300 is one sexy car, so I may have to own one at least for a couple years.

The local PD here runs an all Ford fleet. They've got Taurus's, Vic's and old and new Explorers.

The college campus PD runs an all Chevy Caprice fleet with exception of one Dodge Durango (weird, I know).

It's a shame the Charger's a losing market share, they make a sexy police car.

 

[mrsilv04]

I'm curious to see how Ford's AWD system holds up after 5 years and/or 100,000 miles of curb jumps, being flogged down through medians on the interstate, and jumping railroad crossings.

Yeah, and the EcoBoost turbos as well.

 

[GenesisGuy70]

Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
I'm curious to see how Ford's AWD system holds up after 5 years and/or 100,000 miles of curb jumps, being flogged down through medians on the interstate, and jumping railroad crossings.

Yeah, and the EcoBoost turbos as well.


I don't know where you live but I don't see these things happening all to often. Especially "jumping" railroad crossings.

Now on the turbo's, I'm curious as well. I think they'll have a higher fail incidence than the AWD system.

And what on the front end is failing? Control arms? Struts? Links? Rods?

 

[NHGUY]

State of NH police run Chargers....5-6 years old! They lost 13 of them this winter due to rear end collisions with stupid drivers panicking when they see the blue lights.They are replacing them as they crash with new Chargers.All hemis.

 

[LoneRanger]

Hmmm... your PD also having front end issues. What is the weak point in their front ends that is breaking or is it just an overall weak design?

Originally Posted By: BISCUT
My job is small, about 60 patrol cars. We had some Dodge Chargers and they are now being phased out. We had 6 and the Hemi 8's. Both had substantial front end issues (not meant for this abuse) and the Hemi's had engine issues while the 6's we had, engine wise held up. The field of view out the rear with a cage in it was just a nightmare.

We still have a few of the older model Explorer's....they are horrid and just not meant for police abuse. BUT the newer, designed for police model is a dream. We also have about 8 new model Taurus and they have been holding up very well, even the AWD. I am a supervisor and share an Explorer with another boss who is on midnight tour. We have 45k or so on it and it hasnt had an issue yet. The ones in general patrol have been solid so far.

 

[OVERKILL]

My buddy wrenches on the local PD's Chargers out east and he said the front ends are a huge problem as well

 

[earlyre]

as to the charger front ends, are there pushbars installed?
(keep in mind, this is all hearsay, and my memory of reading something a couple years back, so i could be talking out my backside)
when Dodge first started rolling Chargers into police service, that first gen model (200?-2010) there wasn't really a hard mounting point for the pushbar, so they just got attached to the rad Supports. which in effect made them purely aesthetic, not to be used to push anything. I think this was corrected for the '11 refesh.... I think...

and as to the longevity of the EcoBoost turbos, they can be ordered without the Turbos. all the (Taurus)Interceptors, and (Explorer)Utility Interceptors our Local sheriffs Dept has purchased, have the NA 3.7 (normally used in the Lincoln versions where the 3.5 would be in the Ford). But of course, that selection likely had something to do with the fact that the NA 3.5, and 3.7 are made at the Engine plant here in town, while the EcoBoost 3.5 is made in Cleveland, similar to how many of the Police forces in the DFW area use Tahoes - Built in Arlington, TX...

But all 3 engines( NA 3.5, NA 3.7, or the EcoBoost 3.5) are available in the Police Interceptors. (and they all use the same block...)

 

[earlyre]

Originally Posted By: Throt
I'm not surprised by this. From personal experience, and I strictly mean personal experience so don't ream me people, anything Chrysler related never holds up well.

However, the Chrysler 300 is one sexy car, so I may have to own one at least for a couple years.

The local PD here runs an all Ford fleet. They've got Taurus's, Vic's and old and new Explorers.

The college campus PD runs an all Chevy Caprice fleet with exception of one Dodge Durango (weird, I know).

It's a shame the Charger's a losing market share, they make a sexy police car.


you're in BG right? (or am i thinking of someone else?) Realize that the local Pd's choice is likely influenced by the fact that every engine available in the Current Ford Police Fleet is made in Ohio. Either here in Lima, or in Cleveland.

 

[GenesisGuy70]

Originally Posted By: earlyre
Originally Posted By: Throt
I'm not surprised by this. From personal experience, and I strictly mean personal experience so don't ream me people, anything Chrysler related never holds up well.

However, the Chrysler 300 is one sexy car, so I may have to own one at least for a couple years.

The local PD here runs an all Ford fleet. They've got Taurus's, Vic's and old and new Explorers.

The college campus PD runs an all Chevy Caprice fleet with exception of one Dodge Durango (weird, I know).

It's a shame the Charger's a losing market share, they make a sexy police car.


you're in BG right? (or am i thinking of someone else?) Realize that the local Pd's choice is likely influenced by the fact that every engine available in the Current Ford Police Fleet is made in Ohio. Either here in Lima, or in Cleveland.


Yea that's me. Oh cool, I didn't know that. I like the Ford police fleet. Not that I ever want to have one sitting behind me...or me sitting in especially.

Are all Ford engines built in Ohio? I love the 3.5 in my Taurus.

 

[BISCUT]

Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
I'm curious to see how Ford's AWD system holds up after 5 years and/or 100,000 miles of curb jumps, being flogged down through medians on the interstate, and jumping railroad crossings.

Yeah, and the EcoBoost turbos as well.


I had the same thoughts. But our AWD units have been pretty [censored] robust. I figured we would have issues with them. So far solid. I'll check mileage and get back on ours.

 

[Warstud]

Looks like 2006..2007 and 2011 were the worst.

Click on the bar graph to see the issues.

http://www.carcomplaints.com/Dodge/Charger/

 

[earlyre]

Originally Posted By: Throt

Are all Ford engines built in Ohio? I love the 3.5 in my Taurus.


not all, but the ones used in a large chunk of their Fleet...
just off hand:
Lima Engine:
3.5l NA, 3.7l NA, 2.7l EcoBoost(new this model year with the Aluminum F150)
Cleveland:
Ecoboost 3.5l, RWD 3.7l NA, and recently added the EcoBoost 2.0l, and EcoBoost 2.3l(Which were previously imported From Valencia, Spain)

 

[crazyoildude]

we have that around here also the chargers dont hold up the older crown vics are still running good but the new chryslers are junk according to the brass.. we do engines for a number of departments and although all the engines are pretty much ok the fords hold up to everything it seems. I saw the new taurus they use thise things sound like [censored] but they are very fast!

 

[bdcardinal]

The CHP here have the Ford Police Interceptor Utility vehicles, aka the Explorer. The Santa Barbara PD is slowly phasing out their Crown Vics in favor of the Chevy Caprice. The Santa Barbara County Sheriff seem to be sticking with Crown Vics, they bought about $1million worth and parked them when word came out Ford was getting rid of them. The County has a few Expeditions and Raptors also in use. The UCPD (University of California PD) has pretty much all gone to Tahoes and Caprices.

 

[ShotGun429]

“They think those Chargers are the coolest thing,” Westerville Ohio Police Chief Schwind said. “And, yet ... you’re going to find that the officers are uncomfortable. They’re hard to get in and out of.”

In Westerville,Oh. most of the 22 police cruisers are rear-wheel-drive Chargers. The chief told the city council that the cars are in the shop more than they are on the street.

City Service Director Frank Wiseman said the crossover SUV, which is basically an Explorer body on a Taurus chassis, isn’t expected to increase maintenance and repair costs and idles at a rate that consumes less gas than the Charger. But the SUVs do cost more, about $2,500 apiece.

Schwind, the SUV convert who sees no police sedans in Sharon Township’s future, said they are worth it.

“We’re happy with them,” Schwind said, “and I no longer hear complaints from our officers.”
From The Columbus Dispatch.