I work next to a major NY state police facility, they have a lot full of brand new 2005 Police Tahoes and Crown Vics (20 each?) I was looking at the window sticker and the Crown Vic is rated at 15/21 mpg I'm glad my municipality uses Impalas that get 19/28mpg or 19/27 for the 2006 w/ 3.9L. With $3 gas and about 20 cars our town will save a lot of money with the Impala.

Even the Hemi Charger should get at least 16/24 (stock civilian Charger R/T is 17/25mpg)



btw Police Tahoe 4WD was 14/18

 

I live down the street from what has to be the largest police car supplying dealer in the state. They have no less then 150 Crown Vics there waiting for lightbars and other police equipment. The back lot looks like it's snowed theres so much white there.

 

I think we are seeing the Crown Vic's last harrah as a law enforcement vehicle, but most definately as a highway patrol vehicle.

I think large cities are likely to go with Impalas (thanks to New York's success with them) and rural area and highway patrols are set to dump Crown Victorias for Chargers in mass numbers.

Texas, Arizona, and other states have issue with Crown Vic's fuel tank & Ford's response to it, but have no other plausable vehicle to turn to.

Now there's a Dodge Charger that not only is it RWD, has the same price, & has the fuel tank safely located under the rear seat, but the car's handling, braking, and acceleration numbers carve circles around the CV. Seems fuel economy is better too.

I know California Highway Patrol is very intrested.

 

you know....i might actually miss the Crown Vic. my shop does all the "major" mechanical and body work on our towns police fleet and we have all kinds of tricks for doing the impossible on those cars. now we gotta learn all new shortcuts

 

Yeah...but the Impala will never be as cool as the Vickies...

In my home town I talked to a couple guys on the force and they were switched over to Impalas a year or so ago and they say they really missed their Crown Vics.

Now...if I was a LEO though I personally would be SALIVATING at the thought of a Charger cruiser.

 

That's nothing.

You should have heard some of the CHP guys when they lost their LT1 Caprices and went to Crown Vics across the board!!

 

I'm sure they weren't complaining when they got the LS1 Camaros though.

 

I am noticing higher numbers of Louisiana State Police Trooper Impy's these days. As of last year you couldnt find maybe but 1 or 2. However I've seen 10 so far in the last few months, all with different patrol numbers on them. Also interestingly enough they are ditching some of their Vics for.... Durangos?

 

It will be interesting to see how things play out in 2006. I now think the Crown Vic will hang in there as the top selling police car, but Ford's numbers will be down given the new Impala and Charger.

2 things are hurting the Charger, price and interior room. First: Contract prices for a Hemi Charger Police Pkg. are around $26K, while the Crown Vic is around $21K and the Impala 9C1 is around $18K which is unchanged from MY '05 prices, which is surprising given its a new car, kudos to GM. The Charger is priced with the SUVs in the police market, I just don't think that many depts. will order the Charger in mass quanities at that price point. Second: The Charger is pretty limited in room, front and back. With a cage in the back, you can not get a large person in custody back there, it is impossible. The Chargers front space is a lot smaller than the Crown Vic and Impala. So after all the police equipment goes in, its pretty cramped.

After countless recalls and problems with our Crown Vics, we switched to Impalas in MY 2005. The guys that are driving the Impalas love them, and we have had no problems so far, except we are going through front tires more, but then that is to be expected with a FWD car that is driven hard. We still have many Crown Vics on the road, and we have a lot of guys that are Crown Vic die-hards that don't like the FWD Impalas, but they have never driven the Impala either. I always tell them not to judge the Impala until you have driven it, especially the new '06 model which is a huge improvement over the '05s.