long-lived chrysler

If you mean cars that are built in the U.S., I buy Toyota. I do own a @%&%$^#! Ford F 250 SD. The ONLY reason I own it is that the Toyota trucks unfortunately do not have the capacity I require at times.

Try driving behind that van. Even 2-3 year old Chrysler van engines stink like a 40 year old car. Oil, or something. Rumor has it that certain engine parts were made of cardboard.

Well, we had a '92 in '94, and I have mentioned the two '92 Grand V'Gers I've had in the last 3-4 years. Yeah, not bad. One had a rebuilt tranny, but had been fed ATF+3 after the replacement.

And I still lament trading my LHS for the Scion for only $600. Should have kept it and just ponied up the $600 myself. It was a nice car!

Ford.

The bad van engines were made in Japan by Mitsubishi for Chrysler. They were the ones with the blue smoke. The US built engines are just fine. Noisier than Toyota and Honda engines but the van engines hold up great. The only problem engine they had in recent years was the 2.7 with a sludge problem but Toyota had its own sludge problems too. Chrysler fixed it with a newly designed PCV system.

but how many transmissions/engines/... did the prvious 2 owners replace on it ?

I think I'd buy another Ford product. I bought a brand new 2000 Merc Grand Marquis and I love it. This is after owning 3 mid-90's Chrysler products and replacing/rebuilding the transmissions in all three before they hit 70k miles. The Merc is an old fashioned design with nothing newer than multi-port fuel injection. It's a 1940's design, push-rod V-8 updated with electronic engine management. It's a rear wheel drive platform with a solid feel and fair handling / ride. It has required absolutely no major maintenance, not even tune-ups in the seven years and 55k miles that I've owned it.

My only complaint is that it only gets around 28 to 29 mpg on the highway. That's why we also own an '07 Toyota Corolla.

Jack

Does your Merc have the Grand Marquis have the upgraded suspension, whatever they call it?

that was someone who didnt take care of your camry...

Ford has had plenty of time to work out any bugs and refine those cars, and they are a pretty good bargain.

Fords are pretty decent cars. I worked for a used car dealer and we sold mostly Fords, and if I couldn't afford a Toyota, I'd be looking at a Ford next.

And considering the size of the car, your mileage isn't bad. I had an '88 Honda brand new that got similar mileage (er, at 75 MPH on the highway...) But that's not bad, all things considered.

It's the 'police package', although they call it something like the 'performance package'.

If you get the upgraded suspension, the towing package, and opt for the HO engine, you essentially have a police car!

And they handle GREAT!

What I'm wondering is, does he have the de Sade option? ;)

Yeah, I test drove one. Very nice handling. But, at the time, they weren't offering it without a package of other stuff including leather seats. There's something about the smell of Ford leather seats that reminds me of of puke. I don't know why. Leather seats in a Lexus or Mercedes don't have that kind of smell.

It musy have been a "Dealer Package" deal. The last time I looked, (1993) you could get velour seats with climate control and AM/FM/CD. $16,950. Nice car.

We took out a 'plain' Crown Vic, and on the ramp up to the highway I was squealing the tires at 30 MPH. When we went back and got the "Touring suspension" AND the towing package and the H.O. engine (read:cruiser...) we took the same ramp at 47MPH!!!

I checked in 2002. No such package, unfortunately. That was also the year the exploding gas tank feature was in the news, although it only partially dissuaded me. I generally don't park with the car halfway into the traffic on highways, like cops do.

No it doesn't, at least it wasn't listed on the window sticker. I think they call it the police package and it includes a higher ratio rear end, stiffer springs and heaver roll bars.

Jack

I don't know what the de Sade option is so I guess I don't. I will say that it doesn't put me through Hell. ;)

Jack