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12-10-17, 05:59 PM
#106
Lexus Champion
Yes, the trucks are durable, but they don't handle and steer like the Crown Vics. And their higher stance and center-of-gravity compromises stability in sharp cornering.....important in higher-speed pursuits.
Automotive history is full of mistakes where certain products were dropped that shouldn't have been. Ford could have at least kept it as a special-order only vehicle for the Police/Taxi/Limo market....they would still have plenty of business today.
Automotive history is full of mistakes where certain products were dropped that shouldn't have been. Ford could have at least kept it as a special-order only vehicle for the Police/Taxi/Limo market....they would still have plenty of business today.
The modern police vehicle is just a tool, and a mobile office. IMO, it's certainly not a Starsky and Hutch wheel spinning, tail hanging show piece. There is a certain requirement where such vehicles are needed. For eg. CHP or freeway/highway policing. But that's all traffic stuff and you're just talking about Dodge Chargers, Ford Explorers etc. No need to keep an aging platform around.
Taxis? Toyota Camry Hybrid/Prius.
12-10-17, 06:05 PM
#107
Lexus Fanatic
Don't want to side-track the thread too much, but, IMO, that just sounds like feel-good legislation that may look good on paper, but, in fact, plays right into the hands of criminals and ties the hand of police. That's exactly what criminals want....the knowledge that they can successfully use their vehicles as getaway machines, and the cops won't chase them.
12-10-17, 06:09 PM
#108
Lexus Fanatic
Yes I see what you're saying but isn't that an antiquated view of the policing world? Who are you hanging out with? Most police by now use helos, cell phone tech to track anybody that they're looking at. It's very rare to chase anybody. What do you need all of that for, other than to crash into innocent people in a high speed chase. In fact, as Jill says, these are mostly banned because police are routinely sued if they're found in the wrong.
The modern police vehicle is just a tool, and a mobile office. IMO, it's certainly not a Starsky and Hutch wheel spinning, tail hanging show piece. There is a certain requirement where such vehicles are needed. For eg. CHP or freeway/highway policing. But that's all traffic stuff and you're just talking about Dodge Chargers, Ford Explorers etc. No need to keep an aging platform around.
Taxis? Toyota Camry Hybrid/Prius.
The modern police vehicle is just a tool, and a mobile office. IMO, it's certainly not a Starsky and Hutch wheel spinning, tail hanging show piece. There is a certain requirement where such vehicles are needed. For eg. CHP or freeway/highway policing. But that's all traffic stuff and you're just talking about Dodge Chargers, Ford Explorers etc. No need to keep an aging platform around.
Taxis? Toyota Camry Hybrid/Prius.
Last edited by Toys4RJill; 12-10-17 at 06:17 PM.
12-10-17, 06:17 PM
#109
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Yes I see what you're saying but isn't that an antiquated view of the policing world? Who are you hanging out with? Most police by now use helos, cell phone tech to track anybody that they're looking at. It's very rare to chase anybody. What do you need all of that for, other than to crash into innocent people in a high speed chase. In fact, as Jill says, these are mostly banned because police are routinely sued if they're found in the wrong.
No need to keep an aging platform around.
12-10-17, 06:24 PM
#110
Lexus Fanatic
I am a licensed pilot myself....though type-rated for fixed-wing aircraft and not helicopters, I know some of the the benefits helicopters can provide. They can track (under the right circumstances), but do little else.....and then, only when the weather is good and they can actually see the ground. Sometimes a speeding car can be tracked by an aircraft, even under blind conditions, by radar or infra-red devices, but even then, only under ideal circumstances, without echo
12-10-17, 06:30 PM
#111
Lexus Champion
I am a licensed pilot myself....though type-rated for fixed-wing aircraft and not helicopters, I know some of the the benefits helicopters can provide. They can track (under the right circumstances), but do little else.....and then, only when the weather is good and they can actually see the ground. Sometimes a speeding car can be tracked by an aircraft, even under blind conditions, by radar or infra-red devices, but even then, only under ideal circumstances, without echo-interference.
I'm not necessarily the one who liked the Crown Vic platform. It was a favorite of the police and taxi drivers (and, in the Lincoln Town Car, for the limo-firms). They were the ones who liked it...and were ticked off when Ford dropped them.
I'm not necessarily the one who liked the Crown Vic platform. It was a favorite of the police and taxi drivers (and, in the Lincoln Town Car, for the limo-firms). They were the ones who liked it...and were ticked off when Ford dropped them.
12-10-17, 06:34 PM
#112
Lexus Fanatic
I understand all of that, but we live in a world where every dad, mom, kid and probably by now Labrador Retriever has their own Facebook page and a smartphone cam. Every smartphone has a cell site and unless you're a super smart criminal, there is very little you're doing that the authorities don't know about. If some idiot stole a F150 yesterday, chances are he's using it to commit a crime today. But the problem is that he's so jacked up on something, he'll crash it somewhere or catch the attention of a cop with a licence plate scanner. It's all balanced out in the end.
In the digital world. We all leave a "footprint" whether we try to deny it.
12-10-17, 07:31 PM
#113
Lexus Champion
^^^This is the thing. The old style Crown Vic, Chevy Impala car chases are like black and white movies about Keystone Cops. You might as well be watching Dan Ackroyd, Eddie Murphy stuff. It's only a rare event. We have been conditioned to expect a movie magic outcome about fast cars and the legends behind them. The Crown Vic is relegated to history.
12-11-17, 05:51 AM
#114
Lexus Fanatic
There certainly are still police chases every day in this country. But, a professional can be trained to drive anything, and a Body on Frame Crown Vic was hardly a handling machine.
12-11-17, 07:04 AM
#115
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
12-11-17, 08:28 AM
#116
Lexus Fanatic
Miata? Anyways, you are right. A crown Vic should be in theory superior to a large top high SUV. Issue woth the Crown Vic is that is a very old vehicle. That is where it really gets hurt. A modern day OPP Tahoe likely would outperform a 1980s designed Ford.
12-11-17, 10:31 AM
#117
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
) OR an suv, isn't great in practice using 'great handling' because if you carry ANYTHING in the vehicle that's not tied down it's going to be flying all over. then there's the PEOPLE inside. most sedans and suvs don't have strong side bolstering so people tend to be thrown around too. but about "high stance SUVs" (aren't they all?) "can be a lot more tipsy", gone are the days of suzuki samurai's and suv's with lousy suspensions... they all handle great and comfortably, with minimal body roll in corners in normal driving, and most likely handle FAR better than the ANCIENT crown vic!
12-11-17, 10:54 AM
#118
Lexus Fanatic
let's go there... 'handling' and ride quality is about many things... and yes, center of gravity is one of them, but older cars tended to have a lot more body roll than new ones because the suspensions were either very stiff with 'good handling' or very soft with 'lousy handling' but today there's less trade-offs with massive improvements in shocks, sway/roll bars, wishbones, etc. and especially electronically adjustable and dynamic suspensions today. plus, even if a car has incredible handling (flat cornering, grip, etc.), is it something that's actually useful? for example, a large sedan (oh right, the subject of this thread ) OR an suv, isn't great in practice using 'great handling' because if you carry ANYTHING in the vehicle that's not tied down it's going to be flying all over. then there's the PEOPLE inside. most sedans and suvs don't have strong side bolstering so people tend to be thrown around too. but about "high stance SUVs" (aren't they all?) "can be a lot more tipsy", gone are the days of suzuki samurai's and suv's with lousy suspensions... they all handle great and comfortably, with minimal body roll in corners in normal driving, and most likely handle FAR better than the ANCIENT crown vic!
) OR an suv, isn't great in practice using 'great handling' because if you carry ANYTHING in the vehicle that's not tied down it's going to be flying all over. then there's the PEOPLE inside. most sedans and suvs don't have strong side bolstering so people tend to be thrown around too. but about "high stance SUVs" (aren't they all?) "can be a lot more tipsy", gone are the days of suzuki samurai's and suv's with lousy suspensions... they all handle great and comfortably, with minimal body roll in corners in normal driving, and most likely handle FAR better than the ANCIENT crown vic!
12-11-17, 11:20 AM
#119
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
who drives a large sedan or an suv at the extreme unless you're in the movie ronin (awesome s8 chase 
)?
)?
12-11-17, 11:33 AM
#120
Lexus Fanatic
But yes, for everyday use. CUVs are a bit better than body on frame suvs but most people it won't matter.
For my 4Runner. There is almost no body rolll in average day to day driving.
Last edited by Toys4RJill; 12-11-17 at 11:58 AM.