quote:
Originally posted by Titanium_Alloy:
AstroVic,
Do you have a full version of police Crown Victoria or a modified civilian? What is the difference between police and regular models?
I assume it has ATF, PS, and engine oil cooler. Probably modified rear handles and doors as well. Does it have a different engine or a engine software. How about transmission and differential - are they standard? I was thinking about buying a police version of a car (probably Impala) in future. Do you need a special permit to buy such car as a civilian? Do you know if police car are more reliable in a long term or have better quality?
Regards,
Okay, let me see if I can tackle these one at a time:
1 - Yes, it's a Police Interceptor (as Ford calls them), which will show the P71 VIN code on 92+ Crown Victorias
2 - Not much of a difference between police and civilian models. We get dual exhaust, but so do some of the upper trim package civilian models. We also get a little bit different programming, which raises the shift points and eliminates the top speed governor. There are a few other small details here and there.
3 - Coolers are included for tranny, oil, etc., yes.
4 - My rear doors work just like any car's rear doors work. I'd have to physically disable them to make them inoperable (which is what most agencies do), but I don't have a cage in my car so I have no need to do that.
5 - Tranny and differential are the same as civilian versions.
6 - No you don't need a special permit to buy one. Just look on Ebay or go to an auction and you'll be able to buy one like you would any other car. Search "P71" on Ebay and you'll get about 100 hits.
7 - Buying a used police car can be a steal if you really know what you're looking at in a car and you know the car upside down. I personally have a good deal of experience with Crown Vics and I've been very lucky with the ones I've bought. They've been absolutely trouble free. Unfortunately, if you're not good at sizing up a car, you might get one that's been trashed really bad. In that case, bring a gearhead friend with you to take a look at the car or post a link to it on one of these forums and ask everyone's opinion on what you're looking at.