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Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis

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Comments

  • R92688R92688 Member Posts: 7
    Thanks you for the comments. The CV is a great car that takes alot of beating and keeps on going. It will be very unlikely that I will ever be in a situation like a police cruiser and get rear-ended at high speed. Just the same, I will move forward and get the small modifications done to my 95 CV. I still prefer to be in it for the defense against all those SUVs and trucks out there. MASS equates to energy as well as safety.
  • orangelebaronorangelebaron Member Posts: 435
    My Father is getting a 96 GM LS with 71K for $6500. He will get the 2 year warranty insurance by Chubb Insurance for about $1400, which covers almost everything. Is this a good idea? The car seems to be pretty good.
  • rea98drea98d Member Posts: 982
    The only common problems I know of on '96's are intake manifolds made of play-doh that self destruct after a while. The bad news? It will eventually happen, if it hasn't already, and the Grand Marquis s one model Ford's not offering an extended warranty on that part. The good news? It's only about $400 to fix, much cheaper than the $1400 extended warranty. If it were me, I'd pass on the extended warranty, considering the Mercury's record, put $400 of that in the bank waiting for that time bomb of an intake manifold to go, and buy beer & pizza with the...oops, I mean save the rest for the kids' college fund ;-)
  • jrosasmcjrosasmc Member Posts: 1,711
    Do the 2003 Crown Vic/Grand Marquis still use a rigid live axle in the rear?
  • cuesewcuesew Member Posts: 3
    Just a note to all... I have had my 1999 Grand Marquis for about 5 weeks now... All I can say is I LOVE IT!!!! I bought this car with 11,000 miles for $10,000 private... The car rides as nice as my 95 town car with more toys.... I would like to have better gas miles... But am very happy with the looks, ride and comfort... Since I have owned this car, I can't believe how many I see on the road.....
  • 93cvowner93cvowner Member Posts: 2
    Hello all,
    This forum has been a pleasure to read and extremely helpful on problems with my 93CVLX. However, I have a new problem that I have not seen addressed previously. The air conditioner fan now only works in auto mode for a short while then quits completely. I have to set it at max hi for it run again. If I put it anywhere else in between auto and manual hi, it stops altogether. Has anyone experienced this problem ? Any ideas would be much appreciated. TIA Bedra
  • harmarharmar Member Posts: 94
    out of curiosity, are you getting? I've seen complaints in prior postings about getting 16 mpg, but a buddy who has driven GMs for years has consistently averaged 22 - 26 (town - freeway), and I've averaged 25 - 28 (town - freeway). My buddy tends to have a lead foot, while I do not.

    My '00 GM is, without a doubt, the best car I've ever owned. Gas it, service it per factory suggestions, and go! (I am aware of other's suggestions re: rear axle problems, etc.)
  • ron35ron35 Member Posts: 134
    93cvowner - I have had this problem with several vehicles. The cause of your problem is a defective variable resistor, which controls the fan speed. In some vehicles it is under the dash and in others it is on the firewall under the hood. It normally is not an expensive part but it can be difficult to get to. Unfortunately I cannot tell you where it is on a 93 CV.

    Ron35
  • kinleykinley Member Posts: 854
    Maximum 35 lbs per tire.
  • 93cvowner93cvowner Member Posts: 2
    Hello again guys. Two of my power windows have come down with a problem with the cables that make them go up and down. The motors work just fine, but the windows are not moving. I recall that this was discussed a long time ago here, but I cannot find it. I am thinking that it must be prior to the new forum and I cannot figure out how to access the older boards. If anyone remembers what the problem was and how to solve it, I would be ever so grateful. I love my CV it runs flawlessly other than these two problems. Thanks again guys.
    Bedra
  • ron35ron35 Member Posts: 134
    Bedra - Below is a post I saved from a different forum www.crownvic.net (they have archives and FAQ which you can go to for further help). There is someone who advertises on E-Bay (do a search on For Crown Victoria) who sells these power window regulators, which he has rebuilt using stronger materials, they are cheaper than from Ford and supposed to last much longer.

    "It actually pretty easy. Fortunately I bought a couple of specialized tools in 92 that make the job much easier and less time consuming. On average takes about 30 minutes. You can alway rent the two tools I've described or carefully use the alternate meathod.

    Tools Needed
    Regulator ($45+-)
    Drill
    Pliers
    1/4 inch (I think) drill bit
    Hammer
    1/8 inch punch (I think)
    Vacuum
    Large 1/4"? rivet gun
    2 long and 2 short aluminum or better still nylon
    rivets
    Special tool is to mill off the existing aluminum rivet head (on the window glass) for easy removal. Imagine a short 1/2" diameter mill end with a hole in the center to use in your drill. The shaft from the rivet, in the middle of the head fits into this hole and mills off the rivet head. Facilitates pin removal with minimal stress on the glass.

    From Memory
    Disconnect battery.
    Remove the door panel.
    Pull window glass to 3/4 up positon.
    Mill off rivet head from window. Need to align with opening in door. Gently tap out the rivet pin with punch/hammer. (or support back side of regulator at window rivet with piece of wood and knock out pin W/O breaking glass!)You'll need to reuse plastic/metal spaces. Metal to inside.
    Use 1/4 inch drill to drill out rivet. (may need to hold back side of rivet with pliers if it starts to spin)Then do 2nd rivet at window.
    Knock out other 2 rivet pins in door and drill out rivet in same manner.
    Remove 2 nuts in window regulator at top center of door.
    Disconnect elec wire from motor.
    Remove 3 screws in door to remove elec motor. 1 or 2 of the screws only need to be loosened and motor will pivot out from open hole.
    Manipulate and remove regulator. Dont need to remove window unless you want some more room (remove rubber seal at top first)It's a bit tight with the two studs at the top, jussut go easy.
    Vacuum up all debris from inside door, floor and elsewhere.

    Insert new regulator. Two nuts at top finger tight for now.
    Connect motor to regulator hub. BE CAREFUL not to pull outward on hub. It may come out, wire and all.
    Secure motor to door. May need some adjusting as you go.
    Insert 2 rivets (do not expand yet)at door to regualtor.
    Insert disks into window holes. Move window up so holes align with opening in door to insert rivets.Probably need to connect battery and raise regulator to position and insert rivets.
    Align and fit rivets in holes and verify proper placement glass in track and regulator.
    Secure rivets in door.
    Secure rivets in window.
    Tighten 2 nuts at top of regulator.
    (an alternate to rivets is nuts, washers, bolts and lock tite. Be VERY careful tightening nuts in the glass. Very easy to get a bit strong and shatter the glass.)
    Check operation of glass. Use silicon on track.
    Replace door panel.
    Now you're ready for the other side.
    Secure rivets in window

    It actually pretty easy. Fortunately I bought a couple of specialized tools in 92 that make the job much easier and less time consuming. On average takes about 30 minutes. You can alway rent the two tools I've described or carefully use the alternate meathod.

    Tools Needed
    Regulator ($45+-)
    Drill
    Pliers
    1/4 inch (I think) drill bit
    Hammer
    1/8 inch punch (I think)
    Vacuum
    Large 1/4"? rivet gun
    2 long and 2 short aluminum or better still nylon
    rivets
    Special tool is to mill off the existing aluminum rivet head (on the window glass) for easy removal. Imagine a short 1/2" diameter mill end with a hole in the center to use in your drill. The shaft from the rivet, in the middle of the head fits into this hole and mills off the rivet head. Facilitates pin removal with minimal stress on the glass.

    From Memory
    Disconnect battery.
    Remove the door panel.
    Pull window glass to 3/4 up positon.
    Mill off rivet head from window. Need to align with opening in door. Gently tap out the rivet pin with punch/hammer. (or support back side of regulator at window rivet with piece of wood and knock out pin W/O breaking glass!)You'll need to reuse plastic/metal spaces. Metal to inside.
    Use 1/4 inch drill to drill out rivet. (may need to hold back side of rivet with pliers if it starts to spin)Then do 2nd rivet at window.
    Knock out other 2 rivet pins in door and drill out rivet in same manner.
    Remove 2 nuts in window regulator at top center of door.
    Disconnect elec wire from motor.
    Remove 3 screws in door to remove elec motor. 1 or 2 of the screws only need to be loosened and motor will pivot out from open hole.
    Manipulate and remove regulator. Dont need to remove window unless you want some more room (remove rubber seal at top first)It's a bit tight with the two studs at the top, jussut go easy.
    Vacuum up all debris from inside door, floor and elsewhere.

    Insert new regulator. Two nuts at top finger tight for now.
    Connect motor to regulator hub. BE CAREFUL not to pull outward on hub. It may come out, wire and all.
    Secure motor to door. May need some adjusting as you go.
    Insert 2 rivets (do not expand yet)at door to regualtor.
    Insert disks into window holes. Move window up so holes align with opening in door to insert rivets.Probably need to connect battery and raise regulator to position and insert rivets.
    Align and fit rivets in holes and verify proper placement glass in track and regulator.
    Secure rivets in door.
    Secure rivets in window.
    Tighten 2 nuts at top of regulator.
    (an alternate to rivets is nuts, washers, bolts and lock tite. Be VERY careful tightening nuts in the glass. Very easy to get a bit strong and shatter the glass.)
    Check operation of glass. Use silicon on track.
    Replace door panel.
    Now you're ready for the other side.
    Secure rivets in window"
  • kinleykinley Member Posts: 854
  • jbrown31jbrown31 Member Posts: 1
    I'm strongly considering purchasing a 2001 Crown Vic or Grand Maquis in the next few days. I've been researching the 02's and 03's CV and noticed that when the Handling & Performance pkg was added, it included dual exhaust. I can't find any similar info on the 01's however. Is there any way that I can tell for sure if the CV has the handling package? Also, does the GM even come with that option?

    Thanks for any help. I look forward to owning what looks like it's going to be a great car.
  • johnclineiijohnclineii Member Posts: 2,287
    Both CV and GM come with handling package. The surest method to ensure the car has it is to count the exhaust pipes. Two means the car does. One means it doesn't.
  • rea98drea98d Member Posts: 982
    Just be sure and get down under the car and count the actual exhaust pipes, and not just the tips sticking out the rear end. My T-Bird has dual exhaust tips, but only one exhaust pipe that splits in two just before it gets to the back of the car.
  • kinleykinley Member Posts: 854
  • jsylvesterjsylvester Member Posts: 572
    the alloy wheels are different - the "lace" pattern similar to an early 90's BMW.

    Exhaust and wheels are the easiest giveaways.
  • gmarquisgmarquis Member Posts: 11
    I have a problem that started this weekend. I was in a store parking lot getting ready to go home and my 2000 Marquis wouldn't shift out of park. I went through everything a couple of times but it just stayed locked in park. I was finally able to get it going by putting the ignition switch to off (but not in the steering wheel lock position), shifting into neutral, starting the car, and them putting it into drive/reverse. When I got home I noticed that the brake position sensor fuse was blown. I thought a new fuse might fix it, but two fuses both blew as soon as I put them in. I noticed a smell from the fuse blowing and remembered smelling the same odor when I
    was driving earlier, but I can't remember if it was before or after the problem occured, so I don't know if it was the original cause, or
    the aftermath from driving with whatever relay involved in the park lockout circuit activated. Anybody else ever have this problem? My wife is driving the car right now using the workaround, but I need to get it into the dealer if it isn't something I can do myself.
    Thanks ahead of time,
    Ted
  • johnclineiijohnclineii Member Posts: 2,287
    The lacy spoke wheels are no longer a guarantee the car has the handling package. Ford made them available as an option without the handling package a year or so ago.
  • beembeem Member Posts: 2
    Just purchased a 2001 Grand Marquis LS, but now notice that it does not have dual exhaust. I was under the impression that dual exhaust was standard on the LS. Is this correct? Thanks
  • johnclineiijohnclineii Member Posts: 2,287
    Nope. Dual exhaust comes with the handling package. No handling package, no dual exhaust, as far as I know. The dual exhaust means an increase in horsepower and torque, a different rear end ratio, and, to some extent, lower gas mileage.
  • beembeem Member Posts: 2
    When I purchased my 2001 GM LS from a dealer, they did not give me the door pad code. Any ideas on how to find the code to be able to use the door pads? The manual says it may be taped to the computer module. Where is the computer module? If its under the dash on the driver's side, it looks like I'll need to pull off or disassemble the plastic cover on the underside above the brake pedal.
  • kinleykinley Member Posts: 854
    tells you how to change the code so you can use a different one that came from the factory. I use my wife's birthdate as the alternate on both cars so one code opens both the T Bird and the Towncar.
  • harmarharmar Member Posts: 94
    I believe I recall a TSB re: some defective brake interlock switch on '00 GMs. Whether there is one or more and whether you can replace it/them yourself, I don't know. This TSB came out within a year of their introduction, if I remember correctly. Good luck.
  • rea98drea98d Member Posts: 982
    "The dual exhaust means an increase inhorsepower and torque, a different rear end ratio, and, to some extent, lower gas mileage. "

    I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, and assume you meant the handling & perfornace package in that sentence, cause whether the car has dual exhaust, single exhaust, or whatever, has nothing whatsoever to do with rear end ratios.
  • iusecadiusecad Member Posts: 287
    which would you buy first?


    an ex 1999 Crown Vic cop car for $6200 or a 2000 Grand Marquis for $13000? (I think the Merc has the HPP because of the lacy wheels and dual exhaust, but thought it was not available on the GS in 2000.)

  • rea98drea98d Member Posts: 982
    Depends on how long you want to keep the car. If you're only looking at driving it 2 or 3 years, save your money and get the Ford. If you're looking to keep it 10 years, then definately get the Mercury. Being an ex-cop car, and a '99 to boot, the Ford will be pretty well used up. I'd guess it probably has 150,000-180,000 miles on it, just for a ballpark figure. There's also the luxury aspect to consider. The Ford was a cop car, and most police depts cheap on on luxury features in their cars. The Mercury is likely to have better interior quality and more "gadgets" than the ex cop car, have less miles, and less abuse, hence the higher price. I'm not saying there's not much life left in the Ford, but if you're looking for a car for the long haul, the Mercury would be a better choice. If you want a decent car for the time being, with plans to upgrade in the next 2 or 3 years, I'd save my money and go with the Ford. All of what I said has been generalizations, of course. You've seen the cars, I haven't, but ask yourself what you really want out of a car, and pick out which one of the two will best fit that, would be my advice. (My advice, BTW, is worth exactly what you paid for it ;-)
  • iusecadiusecad Member Posts: 287
    when you say the Ford has 150,000-180,000 miles on it, are you figuring in idling time? Because the listing says it has 74k. [ Those are links, if you didn't realize - check out the spiffy 2-tone brown on the Ford! ;) ] Otherwise I agree with everything you said, although the only real dificiencies with the Ford is the lack of center arm rests for the front seat; a "camper light" mounted on the ceiling; the antennae base still on the roof; and the unknown of how much idling it went through... I do like the spot light. How would the Merc look with one? :0
  • gfrankegfranke Member Posts: 1
    After what I must admit is a very cursory review
    of information available on various internet web
    sites, I have reluctantly concluded that a de
    sign flaw (gas tank situated behind rear axle)
    is probably responsible, at least in part, for
    the fires that sometimes occur after very high-
    speed rear end collisions. Apparently, even
    a high level Ford executive has conceded (I be-
    lieve under by questioning by some plaintiff's
    attorney) that more gas tank related fires have
    now been reported with the CV than with the
    notorious Pinto. That said, because of its laud-
    able performance in both the NHTSA and IIHS-HLDI
    crash tests, and its weight (which I've read de
    creases the likelihood of occupant injury or death in the event of a multi-vehicle collision,
    all other things being equal), I am interested in
    purchasing a CV. I know of one municipal pol-
    ice department that has arranged to have its ex-
    isting fleet of CV Interceptors undergo fuel tank
    modifications so as to hopefully reduce the risk
    of fuel tank rupture and subsequent fire (fuel
    tank bladder and safety-shield). My question is
    this: as a private citizen, would I have access
    to such services, and if so, are they affordable
    (the definition of affordable, I realize, is highly subjective)? The foregoing question as-
    sumes that one would have already followed the
    recommendations issued by Ford in a TSB, the sub-
    ject of which is reducing the fuel-tank puncture
    potential of a hex-bolt which, by virtue of its
    proximity to a vulnerable part of tank and its
    sharp edges, could conceivably puncture the tank
    in a rear end collision.
    Since, I only drive about 7000 miles a year, unlike alot of law enforcement officers, is this
    a case, to borrow from Shakespeare, of "much ado
    about nothing?" Please, if any one can offer
    any advice to help this writer put this thing in-
    to perspective, it would be greatly appreciated.
    If you've read the page of the Center for Auto
    Safety's Web site which is dedicated to the Crown
    you might wonder if this car is in fact safe (and
    I know it is!!!)
    Thanks for your consideration
  • kinleykinley Member Posts: 854
  • rea98drea98d Member Posts: 982
    Links? Huh? Must have been asleep while on the internet. Oh well. That's just a generalization. Seems to be the figure most departments retire their cop cars around. 74K is good mileage, but still, you gotta consider they do things with cop cars that most people dont do. Watch an episode of "Cops" and then decide if you want those guys patrolling around in your car.

    Kinley,
    My knowledge of Shakespear hath suffered much decline since my high school days. What was the Merchant of Venice about? (No, I'm not going to see the movie or read the book. Spoil it for me ;-)
  • kinleykinley Member Posts: 854
    who charges excessive interest could be similar to the revenuers of today who extract excessive dollars from us due to our relatively small problems, i.e. making gas tanks safer in CV's.
  • tbear503tbear503 Member Posts: 70
    Does anyone have knowledge of what price to expect to replace sparkplugs only , & plugs + coils, etc?...thanks
  • rea98drea98d Member Posts: 982
    Get ready to open your wallet wide. For motorcraft plugs, expect to pay 2-3 bucks apiece. $16-24 dollars, not bad, right? Well, the wires themselves are a whole other story. For the Parts Store brand, I paid $80. Motorcraft, or any other better wire will cost more. It seems the 4.6 has an exceptionally long boot on the spark plug end that goes down into the head. On the original Motorcraft wires, this boot is some sort of ceramic. Anyway, they cost a lot more than spark plug wires for Ford's older, pushrod V-8's.
  • kinleykinley Member Posts: 854
  • james130james130 Member Posts: 10
    Hi guys,I took delivery of a new 2003 Grand Marquis LS Ultimate in July.Very pleased with all aspects of the car,but one,(and you're never going to believe this)it's the ride.Oh! what have they done to the ride?The handling is superb,but the damping is so tied down that the wheels are not allowed to follow dips in the road,they just drag the whole of the car down with them.On some undulating surfaces,when faced with a sudden dip,the cars simply leaves the road for a few seconds,the front wheels making contact with the other side of the dip with a crash.Most disconcerting.Small bump supression is virtually none existant.The handling is so good,and the ride so firm,I wonder if Ford either in error,or by intention,have fit the wrong springs and dampers.i.e.,handling suspension ones.The car has single exhaust,nine spoke alloys with whitewalls,so no indication of handling package.Its certainly not an LSE!Is there any way to check the springs etc?We do not have any Lincoln-Mercury dealers over here,and I probably have the only 2003 on our small island,so comparisons are impossible.The suspension is nowhere near as compliant as my previous Chrysler LHS.Quite a suprise,as I thought that would be the last thing I would miss.Is there any adjustment possible in the rear air suspension?Someone suggested that the damping may have three settings via the message centre,but I can find no trace.Anyway,I am not aware of such a system ever being available on the Mercury.If my car is typical,I should think the traditional customer base for these cars will be somewhat dis-pleased with this new suspension setup.The car is Canadian spec.,but I would not expect this to make a difference, or would it?Has anyone had similar exeriences?Any advice or assistance in this matter would be very much appreciated,as it is taking the edge of what is a very fine motor car.Kind regards to all.
  • dbc123dbc123 Member Posts: 105
    I recently rented a 2003 GM and immediately noticed that the new suspension is MUCH firmer than that used in the 92-02 cars. It feels very much like the optional handling suspension in 92-02 cars. This is a tragedy. These cars reasons for existing are ride, silence and room. Now we have given up one of them.
    The local dealer has dozens of the 03 and 02 GM's. I've "bounced" by pushing down on the front and rear of each car and you can easily tell that the 03 are much stiffer. Stiffer even than 02 LSE's.
    I was considering buying an 03 GM or Ford CV to augment my 94 GM but the ride issue has made me change my mind. My 94 GM is much smoother riding with much less impact harshness and even a quieter ride than the new cars.
    I'm glad to see that someone else has noticed this and maybe Ford will get the message that this is unacceptable to their largest audience for these cars.
    There is no way to adjust the ride rate of the rear air spring - only the ride height. As of the 02 model year there were only 3 different air springs: standard cars 92-94 at about 75 lbs/inch. standard cars 95-02 at about 89 lbs/inch and handling & performance at about 114 lbs/inch. I do not know if the 03 air spring rates are different.
  • houndoghoundog Member Posts: 21
    After driving a new GM/CV about 10 to 20K miles the shocks will loosen up, and the ride will be completely "normal" (whatever that means). Shocks continue to get loose as the miles pile up, and the ride gets softer. Note: this does not apply to top quality shocks such as Koni and Bilstein.
  • jasonlukejasonluke Member Posts: 1
    I've found a local shop that will replace the air ride suspension on my 95 GM for about $400. He said they just use Monroe shocks...I didn't want to press him too much, but anyone know what kind of shocks he would use? Just regular Monroe shocks that would work on a standard GM? I'd like to do the replacement myself if I can figure out which shock to order for certain, but I'm a little concerned about just trying the the plain $20 monroe shocks, it just seems too simple! Wish that mechanic was willing to give up his trade secrets...
  • dbc123dbc123 Member Posts: 105
    Thse issues I've addressed in post #1538 go far beyond normally tight new shocks - New 02 cars do NOT ride anywhere near as hard as new 03's.
  • dbc123dbc123 Member Posts: 105
    The shocks have nothing to do with the air springs. They are "springs".
    You can replace the air springs with steel coil springs for about $250 parts and an equal amount for labor or you can replace the air springs for about the same amount of money. This assumes the rest of the air spring system(compressor,sensors,tubing,etc.)is functioning properly.
  • dmersdmers Member Posts: 23
    I feel that Mercury is addressing the complaints of the Automotive Magazine people that say the GM is soft through the twistys. I generally, feel those folks don't know much anyway. After all, I don't read complaints about outdated rear wheel drive, poor mileage, and expensive high octane fuel on BMW, Jaguar, Mercedes, and Lexus automobiles.
    If I want to go through the twistys, I take my '91 Miata stick shift; if I want to go from point A to B quick, I take my '86 Honda 1100 CC Magna; but, If I want to drive up 300 miles to Chicago to visit my daughter and haul a lot of her stuff, I take the '00 Merc GM. I expect a good ride on a long haul with passing power. I also expect 150K miles out of the vehicle.
    Those Auto mag guys grew up thinking a MiniVan/SUV is the state of the art in ride quality and good mileage. I have a '90 Ford Pickup to get that kind of ride and mileage.
  • dch36dch36 Member Posts: 6
    I'm interested in more low-end torque. Right now my 2000 mgm has single exhaust and the 2.73:1 axle. How much additional power can I expect going to duals? going to 3.27:1? Is the cost even worth it? I love my car, but would like to get the most out of the small-block v8. Thanks in advance.
  • genex1genex1 Member Posts: 11
    In response to the person from GB, I can say that I am also the happy owner of a 2003 GM LS.
    I too noted the slightly harder ride which accompanies the better handling. Frankly, I don't understand what consumers seek when they opt for a "handling" package or complain about a "squishy" ride. I had a 1996 GM before this one and it didn't seem to hold the road on turns as well as my 2003. The speed sensitive steering in the 2003 gives me a feeling of a more solid ride but again I don't know what what people want from better handling.

    Does a feeling of solid control on the road have to be a trade off for smooth riding over bumps?

    I would point out that Mercury made a special point of touting the new suspension features of the 2003. To my untrained view, these features result in a more stable but perhaps less cushiony ride. I suspect that the firming up of the 2003 relates to the introduction of the Marauder which shares a common platform. I doubt that Mercury would want to go through the expense of separate frames for the Marauder and the GM so the the GM has benefited (or suffered) from this.

    Lowering the tire pressure (within prescibed limits) might help the rough ride a bit. I am not sure whether I prefer having a firmer ride over a softer ride if that becomes a choice. Again the 2003 GM spells out extensive suspension changes which sound pretty good to my untrained ear.

    Incidentally, where and under what circumstances can a GM be bought in Britain? What about the location of the driver's position?

    I think I like my 2003 GM very much but I am very suggestible and until the posting about the smoothness of the ride, I thought it was doing well on that score.
  • rea98drea98d Member Posts: 982
    So did the '03 Town Car get the firmer ride as well? I thought the whole reason people bought these cars were because they were roomy and comfortable. Maybe Ford should start to divide the lineup here a little bit. Crown Vics are the universal cop car. Give the Crown Vic the firmer ride. Leave the Grand Marquis and Town Car their tried & true comforable selves. Maybe some differentiation between the models would actually help sales.
  • jsylvesterjsylvester Member Posts: 572
    Anybody compare the ride to an 03 Buick LeSabre?
  • kinleykinley Member Posts: 854
    dch36: Keep the 2.73 and twin out the exhaust which may increase your hp by as much as 10%. You will appreciate the economy axle more than the possible performance.
  • james130james130 Member Posts: 10
    genex1 In answer to your question re GM in Britain.There is a small specialist market over here for American vehicles,which is serviced by a number of specialist dealers who import,convert as neccesary for legislation purposes,and register the vehicle for you.We are allowed left hand drive vehicles so the driver position is the same as yours.This is not as frightening as you may think.One soon gets used to it.Cadillac tried to sell right hand drive versions of the 98-00 Savilles,but pulled out of the market through lack of sales.Chrysler do well with RHD Jeeps,and Neon,but the general lack of understanding of American cars,makes companies very weary about tooling up for RHD conversions.My last four cars have all been left hand drive.93 Park Avenue; 97 LHS; 00 LHS, and now my new GM.So you can see I am quite an enthusiast.Best Wishes
  • genex1genex1 Member Posts: 11
    James 130: Since your post on the matter, I have been trying to discern the comparative ride quality of my GM. I can't be sure that the ride is harder than my 96GM but according to the GM literature the new suspension system on the 2003 is supposed to be whiz bang and presumably appealing to those who want "performance handling" whatever that is. Kinsley says that the ride for the CV, the GM and the Town Car is the same. I accept his assertion but it seems odd that the Town Car would not have a slightly softer ride.

    I'd like to hear more of what led you to buy a GM in Britain (where in Britain incidentally?) It seems that with the cost of petrol and the typically narrow roads in your beautiful country, one would have to be quite deliberate in wanting to drive an unmodified GM there.

    Gene
  • dch36dch36 Member Posts: 6
    Kinley, thanks for your sound (!) advice from one of the more trusted veterans in Town Hall. I'll do just that. I was especially honored to get more than the usual "title only" words :-)
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