they have the old highway patrol cars for sale now...80k-110k miles on them for 3500-7k depending on the mileage and condition of the car.

I was thinking for about 5k I could get a decent car that should need major work for at least 3 years...given I drive 12-15k a year.

any thoughts on which one would be better?

3/2/2012 5:38:10 PM

Chrysler hasn't really done much to up their quality since the bailouts. Not that these cars are that new. I'm still going to go with Crown Vic. though.

3/2/2012 5:42:31 PM

good point.

3/2/2012 5:49:30 PM

i'd go crown vic. theyve been cop cars for longer and since more people think their cop cars they'll get out of your way quicker (get aviators for extra effect).

3/2/2012 5:50:33 PM

A well maintained CV should last damn near forever, as long as you budget for having to put a new transmission in it at some point. The auto box is the one weakness. Other than that they're pretty damn bulletproof. Big, imposing, reliable, comfortable. Not slow. Mediocre gas mileage but you should be able to knock down ~25 highway (and the Charger probably isn't going to be much better).

The Charger is faster, and more modern looking (whether or not it's better looking is a matter of taste). Interior is probably more ergonomic. But the reliability of the thing would scare me. The one person I know who has owned an LX-platform Chrysler, a co-worker who had an '06 300, had nothing but problems with it, and Chrysler reliability as a whole has been iffy.

[Edited on March 2, 2012 at 6:04 PM. Reason : I have owned a Crown Vic and a Marauder, and my parents have a Crown Vic. You know what I'd choose.]

3/2/2012 6:03:39 PM

I do miss my Caprice I had...thing was amazing. Put over 140k before I sold it to let a brother's dream come true.

next time I saw my caprice it was on 24's and painted up...it made my heart

3/2/2012 6:05:52 PM

another vote here for the CV... like everyone else is saying Chrysler products of recent years aren't exactly know for reliability

3/2/2012 6:34:32 PM

Are some of you seriously recommending a Crown Vic, which is basically an old person car, over a Charger??

smh

3/2/2012 6:49:04 PM

tacolu by any chance would you be a person of color?

3/2/2012 7:00:08 PM

I want a reliable car that can last 2 years...for less than 6k that has some style, comfort...ehhh yeahhhhhh

My mustang is breaking down every other month it seems.

3/2/2012 7:18:40 PM

A Crown Vic is basically the total opposite of "style"

If you want something reliable, shopping American cars is not where you want to be.

[Edited on March 2, 2012 at 7:26 PM. Reason : m]

3/2/2012 7:26:23 PM

^

3/2/2012 7:40:38 PM

I don't think it looks bad...it looks fine to me.

I'm looking for more comfort in ride.

3/2/2012 7:53:37 PM

Charger chassis is from merc

Crown Vic is rock solid in comparison to most euro cars.


Yota however builds cars that can run on 30,000mile old oil.

3/2/2012 9:30:37 PM

If by that you mean oil gelling issues, than Toyota can build the hell out of those!

3/2/2012 10:22:43 PM

(get aviators for extra effect)

3/2/2012 11:01:09 PM

Quote :

"I don't think it looks bad...it looks fine to me."

It looks like something my grandparents would drive.

3/2/2012 11:55:06 PM

The Chargers are ugly as sin. The Crown Vic looks like an old folks' car, sure, but it's got classic style. The Charger's style can be described with two words: shit sandwich.

3/3/2012 12:34:38 AM

Charger.

But I don't think you're going to find one for $5k. All the ones I've seen at the State Surplus warehouse have been $9.5k-$13k.

3/3/2012 10:23:18 AM

The SHP sells its own cars usually when they hit a certain mileage, most of the state surplus stuff is literally junk.

3/3/2012 10:51:06 AM

CV's bad ass cousin MM

[Edited on March 3, 2012 at 12:48 PM. Reason : ]

3/3/2012 12:44:02 PM

My old Marauder:

Had to sell last November, needed something better on gas.

fordfreak45 also has one.

3/3/2012 1:52:49 PM

Quote :

"The SHP sells its own cars usually when they hit a certain mileage, "

Yes, but there isn't going to be any huge price difference between the two.

Quote :

"most of the state surplus stuff is literally junk."

I agree 100% on most of the fleet vehicles up there. The Chargers I've seen looked pretty good though. Most had signs that they previously held radio equipment like you'd expect from a law enforcement vehicle. I suspect they may have been SBI or something similar which may mean they weren't flogged quite as hard as a comparable HP vehicle.

[Edited on March 3, 2012 at 5:16 PM. Reason : l]

3/3/2012 5:14:59 PM

http://www.nccrimecontrol.org/Index2.cfm?a=000003,000014,001163,001227

3/3/2012 5:27:41 PM

how much are the crown vics going for at these auctions?

3/3/2012 6:27:37 PM

richthofen, too bad you had to sell. I remember seeing that car at NCSU. What did you get to replace it?

oh and vote for the CV

3/4/2012 5:49:12 PM

I bought a 99 crown vic in about 2006 from the SHP across from the fairgrounds, it was well maintained and came with the service records. They even washed it right before I picked it up. it got about 16mpg, they were ordering them with a 3.55 rear gear. The only thing I did was get some new headlight lens Assembly from ebay and replace the glazed originals, took about 5 minutes. You will get respect on the road, folks wont pull out in front of you and I know I got out of several tickets. If you pass a cop sitting with a radar gun, stay on the throttle and wave. I had several wave back when they had me dead to rights on 540 hauling ass. I would get another one if i needed some respectable looking transportation.

3/4/2012 8:13:12 PM

off topic but in like 06 or 07 fucking Clayton cop nuked my radar at 12 am

3/4/2012 8:17:24 PM

Just remember that while they might only have 70-80k on the odometer, the majority are left idling for 40+ hours a week.

3/4/2012 8:19:01 PM

with the charger i'd be worried about the transmission more then the engine.. which isn't affected by idleing

3/4/2012 9:12:58 PM

whats the best site to find these things on?

i occasionally browse ebay for crown vic interceptors, but am wondering if there is a better selection elsewhere?

3/4/2012 11:13:56 PM

^^^no load, no wear, no problem.

3/4/2012 11:37:20 PM

You have to go to the fairgrounds place to look at them.

They are going to have like several batches over the next few weeks.

3/5/2012 12:55:09 AM

while i'd vote for the cv i wouldn't say to NOT get the charger. i feel like both the vehicles have weak transmissions and if i were going to drive a vehicle only expecting to another 100k or so out of it, id' rather it have more style.

3/5/2012 7:50:50 AM

^

3/5/2012 8:29:28 AM

you can get 22's pretty cheap nowadays

3/5/2012 9:33:08 AM

Quote :

"richthofen, too bad you had to sell. I remember seeing that car at NCSU. What did you get to replace it?"

2012 Kia Forte Koup, wanted something that would average 30 MPG. Though the fiancee drives it most days and I get her 2000 Olds Alero.

3/5/2012 9:55:39 AM

another vote for the CV. i got a '00 from the SHP, had it for a few years and i really miss it now. it needed work every now and then, but it never left me stranded. don't be surprised with sub-20 mpg though

and of course the benefit of nobody fucking with you on the roads

3/5/2012 10:36:25 AM

the problem being that everyone that sees you in the rear view slows down to the speed limit +/- 2 mph

3/5/2012 11:49:04 AM

yeah, but then you just put some aviator sun glasses and a PA system, then you could stop hot girls jaywalking and get their numbers... the league style.

3/5/2012 11:59:09 AM

Charger all the way. Significantly faster and better handling. Better looking in my opinion too.

3/5/2012 12:01:31 PM

^ yes, yes, and yes...

but then there is the fact that my mom's BABIED and well taken care of 300C already needs a tranny.. and even if the CV needs a tranny its the same one from an f150 or any of the other MILLIONS of CVs on the road.

3/5/2012 12:07:06 PM

I'm really surprised to see so much love for that turd of a car that is the Crown Vic.
I guess your grandma's sense of style never gets old.

3/5/2012 12:18:39 PM

If the Charger was actually a good-looking car I might feel differently. Alas, it's not.\

Then again I'd still pick the CV on reliability's sake. The Charger would have to look like a Jag or an Audi for me to even think about forgiving all the reliability strikes against it.

3/5/2012 12:49:35 PM

^^ its the assumption that if you're buying a retired cop car, you're probably broke or looking for something that doesn't cost much that you can beat on...

The CV is cheaper to fix and will be more reliable. thus it wins

The charger is faster, heavier, rides better, is better looking, and drives a little tighter (although i HATE the steering feel). But.. if it breaks you're looking at thousands... not hundreds to fix it and that's what makes an old beat-on charger worthless to me.

3/5/2012 1:45:29 PM

Chryslers are, and always have been, trash. Sexy trash. Consider yourself warned.

3/5/2012 4:02:32 PM

^^The Charger is heavier?? Damn. Must have used a lot of lead. The Crown Vic weighs in at 4100 I think--how much is the Charger?

3/5/2012 5:01:12 PM

4160

3/5/2012 7:00:50 PM

Quote :

"Chryslers are, and always have been, trash. Sexy trash. Consider yourself warned."

Is it lost on people that the chassis and suspension of the Charger was engineered by Mercedes Benz?

3/5/2012 10:33:05 PM

im surprised no one has told you the answer of NEITHER.

go on craigslist and get something better looking, better MPG and more reliable.

3/5/2012 11:52:23 PM