Work Vehicle

"CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever" (carsoffortlangley) 08/30/2018 at 10:35 • Filed to: None

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So, as most of you know, I have been looking at Jeeps. Specifically, JK Willys Wheelers. I really don’t want to part with my Fiesta ST nor do I want to go into debt again (both the CX-3 & ST are paid off).

So... what if I bought a different car? One on my bucket list? I am really, really looking the option of getting a P71 Crown Vic. I get $500 a month for my car allowance. I’d rather see that go towards insurance/maintenance than car payments. If things change, I can easily unload the Crown Vic for little financial penalty.

My wife seems to be on board. The only thing she hates more than me having a 3rd car is having more debt. Also, 4 cars means I can officially insure my “collection” as a fleet with our government insurer.

What say you Oppo? Good idea or poor idea? The stock up here seems kind a limited.  I’d try to get a VPD car as the RCMP cars are beat to shit usually.  I made the mistake of looking at US listings...way better models.

shop-teacher > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 08/30/2018 at 10:52

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I think it’s a fantastic idea.

bob and john > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 08/30/2018 at 10:53

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why? there is nothing the crown vic does thats makes it worth it. Hardly anyone wants them, they are all beat, and the whole ‘lasts 300k miles’ yea, after you replace the heads, the trans, the diff, the suspension, the this and that until you might as well have started with just a frame.

Wacko > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 08/30/2018 at 10:54

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i would suggest a used manual awd SX4 as a work vehicle.

They are built like a tank(very small tank) and have a good awd system that can lock 50-50 at lower speeds. not to hard on gas, and are actually very fun in the snow. Quite capable off road too.

Since it’s a little hatchback, lot’s of stuff fits in it with the rear seats down.

here is mine 6 months before it became a parts donor.....(accident)

i had just put general grabber AT2 on it...

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > bob and john 08/30/2018 at 10:56

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Why not? You have to do that kinda thing on any cheap car eventually. If I get a crown Vic (2011 with less than 100,000kms) it should last for a while.

I know it isn't the most popular choice, but I literally need a patrol car for my new job. So why not a patrol car?

bob and john > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 08/30/2018 at 10:57

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are you paying for the gas?

Id get something thats got a decnet sound system and cheap on gas if I were you. 

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > bob and john 08/30/2018 at 11:02

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I get gas cards, but I will be paying for the gas. 

vondon302 > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 08/30/2018 at 11:10

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188000 hard miles on mine. I did 50000 of those and I’ve done nothing but oil changes brakes and a blower motor. Horrible gas mileage but cheap to run. That’s why I got mine.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 08/30/2018 at 11:29

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Lots of miles, need to get anywhere at anytime, winter driving? I don’t think a crown vic really fulfills those requirements. I hate to say it but a Durango, Tahoe, or Yukon might be worth looking at. They will go anywhere you need to go, are designed to do the miles in comfort and are frequent >200k mile cars without too much trouble. I would also add Subaru Outback... if yo can deal with the slow.

vicali > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 08/30/2018 at 11:31

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I think the “cool, it’s an old police car” factor would diminish one you realized everyone else around you gets twitchy and drives 10 under . Plus I wouldn’t be going anywhere near the backseat without first putting on a hazmat . Otherwise it’s an old big car that’s cheap. I c o u l d t h i n k o f b e t t e r more fun options..

Your boy, BJR > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 08/30/2018 at 12:06

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This is a god awful idea. If you car is your office, get something comfortable as hell, economical, and capable year round. I love the SX4 suggestion, I also suggest a 2nd gen 300 V6 if you still are insistent on a big sedan. Getting something designed to be cheap and disposable like a Crown Vic is an awful idea, and there’s a reason they were phased out.

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > bob and john 08/30/2018 at 12:12

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Those are things you will have to do on pretty much any vehicle before 300k.

They are comfortable, reliable cruisers with decent power, and decent fuel economy.

Why the hate?

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 08/30/2018 at 12:13

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Crown Vic is comfortable, will easily break 200k without issue, gets better mileage than anything you listed, and drives easily in the snow.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 08/30/2018 at 12:17

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I don’t hate this plan, but I’d consider other options when you have an allowance like that.

Then again, this is in loons, so I’m not sure that’s enough to buy a hamburger, but if you need a reliable vehicle to wander around in all day and have a clue about the number of miles, why not lease a car? A Camry comes out to about $275/month, a Fusion is about $285/month, or a Prius is about $375/month down here, after the amount due at signing and the monthly payment . Chances are you’d actually come out under your $500 with fuel on any  of these.

Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW! > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 08/30/2018 at 12:37

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AMC EAGLE!!! It’s a way cooler Joop

Zaxbys > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 08/30/2018 at 12:39

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I’m definitely bi ased as I drove a ‘90 Towncar for awhile, but I’m a fan of the idea. However, P71s are generally missing lots of basic features, with extra holes from removed cop stuff. I’d look at civilian versions - especially Grand Marquis’s and Towncars that have been babied by the elderly.  

I didn’t really care for the car at the time because of the ultra-soft suspension. However, for soaking up miles it was great. The ultra-long wheelbase also made it fun to chuck sideways into gravel curves... not that I would know...

bob and john > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness 08/30/2018 at 12:46

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not service. replace.

its a shit box platform that should have died decades ago and most people who buy then are copper wanna be. The only reason its lasted this long is because ford won the juicest contract of all. 

NKato > bob and john 08/31/2018 at 20:17

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Trust me, the Crown Vic is an awesome car to have. V8, rock solid components (when maintained properly), and it can be a riot to drive on dirt roads. The main worry is start-up expense when it comes to replacing worn-out components, but that’s way cheaper than buying a semi-new car on a 70-month loan.

I own a 2010 CVPI, dubbed Killer Queen . I just finished emptying out her rocker panels (full of dirt from 7 years of police service in Pierce County), and started taking an eraser wheel to her body panels in removing the last of her decal residue. While she did blow up an axle on me, that was due to my inexperience and lack of care in responding to symptoms (ABS light came on due to axle fluid leak, I ignored it instead of getting it checked immediately).

I shelled out $3700 to have her rear axle assembly replaced, and she’s still a sweetheart. I have plans to replace her front suspension assemblies around the New Year, bushings, linkages, everything. Even going to replace the factory lock bolt on the casters with a caster kit from Moog to get the best possible alignment on her. My mechanic was complaining that he couldn’t do much with my front suspension when doing alignments because of that factory lock.

Regardless, I personally will be letting Langley drive Killer Queen when we have a chance during the Oppo meet tomorrow. I will let him draw his own conclusions.

Edit: In other words, the CVPI is basically a sedan with the heart of a muscle car, so MPG will be comparable.

NKato > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness 08/31/2018 at 20:25

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Easily in the snow if you’ve got the right tires, yeah. My OEM Firehawk GT Pursuits (for police cars) are terrible in the wet, I don’t want to imagine how they’d handle on ice. Going to be getting blizzaks for winter tires.

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > NKato 09/04/2018 at 07:00

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Eh, I drove mine on the OEM Firehawks for a winter. Couple sand bags in the trunk and it was fine. The next year I had grabbed a spare set of wheels and put snows on them, that car was unstoppable then.

It’s quite enlightening driving past all the 4wd/awd vehicles buried in the ditches with a rwd=terrible winter vehicle.

NKato > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness 09/04/2018 at 14:19

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Done that, when my Firehawks still had their smaller grooves. I climbed (slowly, with my tires spinning) an icy hill in Mukilteo and passed a Toyota Tacoma that was stuck spinning its wheels.

Spasoje > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 09/05/2018 at 15:37

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W a i t a minute – f l e e t ? Y o u m e a n I C B C g i v e s y o u a d i s c o u n t f o r 4 + c a r s ? ?

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Spasoje 09/05/2018 at 16:06

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I looked at it its 5+ vehicles , all insured as business use. I only have 2 of those

Spasoje > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 09/06/2018 at 16:11

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D a m m i t .