Help me find the right P71

patgizz wrote:

Stealthtercel wrote: It's not exactly local to the Sunshine State, but I've been impressed with the attitudes (and the inventory) on the website of Emergency Remarketing in Ohio. There is obviously a cost involved, but having somebody else clean and refurbish your ex-police car has a lot to recommend it. Why try to distinguish between donut sugar and cocaine in your own driveway?

i bought my 99 from them, it was in their "economy cruisers" listing and he took a good bit off because i got to it before they cleaned it up

+1 for emergency remarketing

I bought my 2002 CVPI from Brett and the car was great and he is a nice guy to deal with.
Get a cop car. Period. you WILL have fun.

My 01 P71 has been good to me 20mpg inthe city! It hauls my RC suff with ease. Mine was a K9 car, so not to meny dumb things have done in it. It have plug's in the whole's, the spot light kicks @ss.

All in all I love my car.

Oooh ooh! I can help with this one

Nearly 2 years ago I bought my 2001 w/ 120K on it for $2350. It has been 19K miles, 28 autocross runs over 3 events, a gymkhana, a drift event, 3 track days/HPDE's, and 150+ 1/4 mile passes later I still like it.

Stay away from the 2000 and older models, they have the non-PI (Performance Improved) 4.6 which was rated at ~175HP? and plastic thermostat housings that blew out. They are also no cheaper.

2001-2002 are really hitting their sweet spot in pricing. They also have the PI 4.6 worth 239HP. A real P71 nets you the HD version of the 4R70W with a cooler, an aluminum driveshaft w/HD u-joints, quicker rack w/power steering cooler, oil cooler, 8.8" rear diff w/LSD (usually a 3.27), HD control arms and shocks, higher/stiffer springs, and 16x7 steelies. The brakes are freaking HUGE and a quick pad/rotor upgrade away from popping your eyeballs out of their sockets. The brakes are seriously the best part of the P71.

2003-present got a completely revised frame, suspension, and brakes. Power uprated to ~250ish? but the only difference is the intake tube and the tune. The suspension is better, but mostly in a packaging sense, and the steering became rack and pinion instead of recirculating ball. The brakes actually got lifted from the P71 of 03+ to make the brakes in the 05+ Mustang, so upgrades galore are available there. Otherwise, they are pretty much the same. On 03+ 17" wheels are the minimum and they use a FWD/05+ Mustang offset.

Of the two it's preference on what you want. Mustang take-offs are cheap and the r&p has better feel, which makes me want to upgrade to an 03+ one day, but the 01-02 is lighter with better handling and has sexier wheels. Either way you win in my book.

You can find an ex-patrol P71 for $2000-$3000 for a decent mileage nice one. Some will have holes (mine has 3 antennas and 1 hole) but if you're lucky you can find a "clean" one. Don't even bat an eyelash at the interior, all of the Grand Marquis and civvie Vic stuff bolts right in. I was able to find NOS in the box seats in the color I wanted in my hometown in less than a week. Carpet was $89 shipped new on eBay. All cars have the power seat harness tucked under the carpet/rubber so you can upgrade there as well.

Maintenance is cheap, insurance is ridiculously cheap, they are 5-star crash rated for the kiddos, and they have the good baby seat hooks. The trunk is big enough to park a Miata (we fit an entire FB interior in the trunk including the seats, headliner, and dash plus the P71's full size spare AND a driver's door for the 7 with no problems)! You can also fit an entire GSL-SE suspension in the trunk (including a complete rear axle, it's narrower than the trunk). Or a 302/AOD hooked together. Or two 17x9's w/255/45's, two 17x10's w/275/40's, and the 225/60/16 spare. It hold a LOT basically.

ANy other questions?

Anybody know what the towing capacity is on P71s?

A LOT. The rating is absurdly low, but with traditional body-on-frame design, giant 4-wheel vented discs with ABS, and a HD trans with a cooler they are built like a truck, literally! I have seen them tow 5000+ lbs without breaking a sweat. You can also buy pre-built Class V receivers. I plan on a hitch and aluminum trailer (open) one day to tow th 7 around and pick up projects.

There's also a place that specializes in these on the west-side of Indy near the airport. I've never stopped there - I know better - but the prices in their ads seem fair.

There is a dealership close to me by the Fort Lauderdale airport that specializes in P71's. They have some really nice looking ones outside. Dozens of cars. P71's are a favorite for taxi use. I assume that is their main market. I should stop by to see what the prices are.

http://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/ctd/1375239078.html

http://www.chicagomotors.com/

These guys have over 40 (so they say) cars at any given time. If you can't find one locally, you may see if they have any contacts in your neck of the woods.

CRAP! I just got a "new to me" car. That is why *sometimes8 I don't like reading stuff here. I am now Jonesing for a P71.....

Damn!

Volksroddin wrote: My 01 P71 has been good to me 20mpg inthe city! It hauls my RC suff with ease. Mine was a K9 car, so not to meny dumb things have done in it. It have plug's in the whole's, the spot light kicks @ss. All in all I love my car.

20 mpg city? Crap, that's good. Hmmm, maybe this could be the answer for my next family cruiser. Seems to be lots of them for sale in the Atlanta Craigslist. My only concern would be theft in my neighborhood, but maybe the ghetto rats would think it's a police take-home unit instead and leave it alone.

Any links to P71 enthusiasts sites? I just happen to have a set of 3.73 gears for a Ford 8.8" rear axle, that would make things REAL fun.

Everything you could ever need help with on a panther here.. www.Crownvic.us www.Crownvic.net

Great site specializing in mods for our cars www.adtr.net

My wife banned me from having any more full-size Lincolns after my wreck, but a P71 could be my ticket back to familiar Ford V8 cars. The more I think about it, the more sense it makes.

Here's an idea, late 80's P72 Crown Victoria Police Package. Those model Fords came with the 140 speedometer and topped out at 130! Nice. You can either get one with a 351 or the infamous HO 5.0 Think about it.

P71 wrote: You can find an ex-patrol P71 for $2000-$3000 for a decent mileage nice one. Some will have holes (mine has 3 antennas and 1 hole) but if you're lucky you can find a "clean" one.

This is the part I'm struggling with. I'm OK with moderately high mileage (over 100k) but around here an 03 or newer is hard to find for under 3000.

I towed an e30 on a flatbed with mine. From Nebraska to Texas I averaged 14.5 mpg at 60mph with the overdrive off. On the way home I was pulling the trailer empty, drove the speed limit with overdrive back on, averaged a little over 19 mpg.

btw, that's with 3.73 gears in there.

Tom Heath wrote:

P71 wrote: You can find an ex-patrol P71 for $2000-$3000 for a decent mileage nice one. Some will have holes (mine has 3 antennas and 1 hole) but if you're lucky you can find a "clean" one.

This is the part I'm struggling with. I'm OK with moderately high mileage (over 100k) but around here an 03 or newer is hard to find for under 3000.

Look at 2001-2002's. Same engine/trans/rear, you still get a Watt's link, equal brakes, and lighter weight. I have never wished for a R&P in my car nor looked longingly at an 03+. If mine got totaled I'd have to re-think, but around here the 01-02's go for significantly cheaper than the 03+'s, and I suspect it's the same there as well.

Besides the traditional offset of the 02-'s wheels look better

Thanks for the suggestion; I also like the smaller diameter wheels. Cheap rubber FTW.

First I need to find a new home for the Neon. Tell your friends!

i dunno how you got that mileage. I never broke 20 MPG. 3:27 rear end. Average was 16.5 MPG to 17.%

Lay of the throttle CarKid

I get 18-22 in town depending on the amount of right-footedness and A/C usage (you will really appreciate the antarctic-wind of the A/C when it's hot out). Normal highway usage shows 24-27 depending on average speed. If you drive at 5AM with the nose taped up it will break 30. Got 30-33 that way

It gets 5-8 drag racing, autocrossing, or track-daying.

Tom.. You're not going to find a good deal on P71's down south. The locals buy them up at stupid prices so they can then run them down to the rent to own rims place for that balla look.....

Atleast that was my experience in SC..... (yes I actually looked).

P71 wrote: Lay of the throttle CarKid

I dont understand the words you speak.

Lay off the throttle? Huh?

I'm tempted to take money out of the bank and go buy this:

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/sat/ctd/1374113012.html

P71 wrote: A LOT. The rating is absurdly low, but with traditional body-on-frame design, giant 4-wheel vented discs with ABS, and a HD trans with a cooler they are built like a truck, literally! I have seen them tow 5000+ lbs without breaking a sweat. You can also buy pre-built Class V receivers. I plan on a hitch and aluminum trailer (open) one day to tow th 7 around and pick up projects.

Thanks P71!

So how bad are the interiors on the police package cars? From what I am reading on the Crown Vic boards swapping bits from other Panther platforms is common. Any worries on the 4.6L having over 100k on it? I know the police cars are usually serviced every 3k, but how do they treat things that are not maintenance items (like an oil pan leak)?

There seems to be a place within a mile of my house that sells P71s, I'm going to swing by there this weekend.

Guh. Talk to Tommy. He showed me every P71 in a 1000-mile radius advertised for sale before I finally got my sweet little E28.

Or there's a $2000 Camry wagon right up the road from the office. Just sayin'....

Margie

at the track all the p71's 98+ were running the same quarter mile times, PI or NPI engine, didn't matter. don't believe the hype and shy away from a 98 or 99 because ford claims more HP in the newer ones - it's still a puny 4.6 pushing a barge.

2000's are slower than the others though but that can be fixed by swapping in a 99 pcm. i've witnessed that one personally.