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I'm quite sure that if you get an LX with the handling package, you retain the chrome accents.
Also, isn't the antenna in the rear window now, too? It looks like my 2004 LX has a rear window antenna.
When is Ford going to update these engines? They need to up the HP to 300 to get respect from their customers. The 2006 Toyota Avalon puts out 280HP from a 3.5L V6 and so does the Infinity engines.
In all fairness my friend, you're not really accurate. Have you ever driven both? I did, in the same hour as a matter of fact. The V-6 in the 2006 Avalon does have great horsepower output, but this is at a higher rpm than a Crown Vic. When I drove the Avalon I noticed that it did have good power at higher rpm, but it lacked torque of any kind. The Toyota didn't even compare at all with the Vic when it came to the smoothness and quiteness department either. My wife even noticed it and she doesn't know a thing about cars! We both thought the Crown Vic felt much more substantial and even more powerful....just not as jerky as an Avalon. And the Toyota engine REQUIRES high octane unleaded in order to get the full hp out of it. The Ford just needs regular. Hey, some of these new Mitsubishis are putting out volumnes of hp from 4 banger engines....but would they drive nice or be powerful AND comfortable? No way. The Avalon is also about 5 grand more than the Crown Vic....and not worth it in my book. Like I said, drive both, side by side like I did, THEN decide which car feels like a luxury model and the other one a toy.
Sorry bud, V-8 wins every time!
Still loving my 94 Grand Marquis - in fact my parents like it better than their 2002 Honda CRV. They have had my GM for about 2 months as the body shop tries to put the crackerbox CRV back together.
Exterior
Optional 16" chrome wheel on LX available
Rear window antenna in rear glass
Trip computer standard on LX and Sport
New color....Tungsten Clearcoat Metallic
Deleated color....Midnight Grey
Interior
Auto temp. control standard on LX
Light Camel trim replaces Medium Parchment
Medium Light Stone trim replaces Light Flint trim
Charcoal Black trim replaces Midnight Black trim
That's pretty much it for the '06 changes. Fleet and police get other changes. No real cosmetic changes until '07. Don't know about the engine. the Grand Marquis was supposed to get a facelift in '06 though. I haven't been able to confirm it or see any photos.
Thanks again.
Really? An internal filter? Is this even something that a home mechanic can do without special tools or filters from Toyota? I never even heard about it...thanks.
I'll bet your parents like the GM better than the CRV. My wife owns a CRV and it is reliable, but it rides like a go-cart with plastic wheels! When she test drove a Crown Vic she was shocked at how easy, smooth, and totally comfortable the drive was. I told her before hand (used to own a Vic years ago) but I don't think she believed me. Lol.
Yep, the Crown Vic/ Grand Marq are really great vehicles. I sure hope they don't change them too much in the coming years. I just love them like an old friend!
Just as a note about this other discussion regarding the Crown Vic vs. the Avalon. I was looking at an Avalon, actually, as I was very impressed with it at the Detroit auto show: it has great interior room and comes very well equipped. However, nothing beats the torquey feel of the CV's V8, even if it is not as powerful as Toyota's V6 (and the Toyota's trunk room doesn't even come close). Also, with the revised transmission for 2004, I find the acceleration of the CV downright impressive. By not trying to squeeze every last pony from the 4.6L, Ford has been able to keep the engine smooth and effortless.
We haven't gotten CVs in Canada for a number of years now - ironic, given that they're made here - but by getting mine used I saved a pile of dough and have a very unique car. Hmmm, $20k (Canadian) for a Crown Vic that isn't even a year old or $40k for an Avalon (which, I will point out, uses new technology that has yet to be proven like the CV's); that's a no-brainer to me!
I too thought that the Avalon looks real attractive. The inside wasn't as large as I like but it was still a good size. The Toyota salesman told me that it rides better than a Crown Vic....something I took with a grain of salt and later proved that I was correct after driving it. Fast car, just empty feeling like most v-6 engines seem to me. I even drove a Nissan 350z the same day....just to see how a real sports car feels. Fast, but way too snappy for me. I felt like I was going to get a neck ache. Fun car but no way could I drive one to work every day. I'd considered some other cars more seriously but the cost/value factor was heavily in the Crown Vic's favor. The reliability of the CV can't be questioned either. I'll bet they rack up more trouble free miles than ANY comparable Japanese brand. The taxi fleets around here are still driving ten year old CV's and the cops have some from '97. Can you imagine how rough that's gotta be on a car?
Solid, reliable, smooth, comfortable, and proven.
I really like the midnight grey colour; I would have bought an '04 CV in that colour if the dealer hadn't been such a jerk. As it is, I'm glad that I got one in light ice blue instead, since it doesn't show dirt at all! My Trans Am is black, so I know what a pain in the butt it can be trying to keep a dark car looking nice :mad:
You might think that the 4.6L V8 is fast by the seat of the pants feel but in reality its average to slow for the model year 2005.
Cops will have to switch to the Dodge Charger 5.7L since the Camry/Accord/Altima V6's are faster.
Ford is behind the times with this setup and if they want customers under 50 to be interested they need to do some major changes.
1) After the car is COLD, when started it often dies the first time, and then is PERFECT on the second. This was the case for a week, aside from that, car drove perfectly.
2) NOW, this seems to happen less, however until about 4-5 mins of driving have gone by (I've been having to let the car warm up first), the car bucks as if the timing is off. Bogging down, feels like starting a manual in 2nd gear, but with a consistant on.off.on.off. pattern, UNTIL reaching a certain RPM and the LUNGING smoothly until the shift. The shift is often painfully hard.
I should add:
My car has 142k on it. I recently had the tranny flushed, as well as that ford additive people use to kill that ford "shudder" from the rear axle (shifting from 1st to second gear). It's also maroon, lol. Thanks! Help me out, I was an import man until this car won my love!
In 2000 I came close to getting one but I opted for a Sable S.W. Now the bug bit me again. I really like both the Crown Vic and Grand Marquis, but there is a $3000 difference in cash rebate between the two. So I'd opt for the latter.
Comments are welcome.
You might also want to look at the Five Hundred/Montego, but you won't find body on frame, V8 or the ride/comfort of the Panther series. You will find AWD and Volvo levels of safety, though.
The Mercury has more insulation than the CV, not less. The ride is, if anything, a bit smoother, unless you get the handling package....
Mercuries are Mercuries due to more quietness, a slightly higher level of perceived luxury, and slightly higher pricing...
As far as new goes, a local dealer actually has a new 2005 CV (odd, since they're not sold in Canada anymore!) for $32k + taxes. So, as someone pointed out, there is much money to be saved by going used, and with CVs being used in so many rental car fleets, there is a huge supply in all manner of colours. True enough, the handling package is never specified, but it seems like all of them get the Premier group, which is very nice (it strikes me as overly expensive to buy new).
I must admit that I like the style of the CV better than the Grand Marquis, especially the back. It never seems like Mercury knows what they want to do with the behind of the GM. The CV has a nice, clean, plump rear (I'm an [non-permissible content removed] man, what can I say? LOL!). As such, getting one for less than a GM is a perfect situation for me.
Now, if I could only find an LSE around, I might take the plunge.
Toyota claims it was done to be "environmentally friendly". I think it was done partially because the average Avalon buyer has no mechanical aptitude, and probably doesn't even know what an oil filter looks like.
On the weekends, I sell power lawn equipment at the local Home Depot - it is in a very nice area of town. Many of my customers have no mechanical aptitude - I am constantly explaining what a choke is, the concept of stale gas, what is a spark plug, etc. It is interesting to have a customer bring a lawnmower back with no oil, or mixed oil with the gas in a 4 cycle engine, etc.
Not to stereotype, but most of them drive large Japanese or European SUV's, or European cars. Money they have, but not mechanical ability. You can make a killing buying nonrunning power equipment at garage sales.
Drive both, then decide. After all, you are the one who will be living with the car!
When you post it, you make it available to all kinds of automated email address collectors (spambots, etc.) that are crawling the web to harvest addresses for any number of malicious purposes. These automated things cannot get to it in your profile since someone has to be a legitimate, registered, logged-in member to see it there.
You can repost your message without the address and I can delete the one with the address in it, if you'd like. Drop me an email and I'll take care of it. Uh, just see my, um, profile for my address! :-)
Again, welcome!
Let me repeat - you have described my problem to the letter. I am in the process of replacing the MFS (multi-function switch) a fancy name for the turn signal switch (cost $55 at AutoZone). I read in another forum that this could also cause the problem. I'll let you know if it works.
Also can you tell me if you were able to find an LCM from other than a dealer and how much you paid (if you don't mind me asking). Any help would be appreciated.
David (also from Indiana (Terre Haute))
David
Welcome!! It will be interesting to see if replacing your MFS takes care of the issue. Let us know.
The plastic intake manifolds Ford used were plastic and were nortorious for cracking, thus causing coolant leaks.
The terms of the settle include:
• Ford will reimburse customers with receipts for the intake repair.
• Ford will pay $735.00 to those without receipts, provided that they can verify with a dealership that a repair was made.
• Ford will extend the warranty coverage for customers whose intakes have not failed.
Ford lost an appeal earlier in the year to have the case dismissed.
Should I be concerned, or can I let this go an few days?
I read somewhere that some parts stores will do a free/low cost while you wait scan , hoping of course that you'll buy the parts from them.
Again the car seems to be running fine and this light just poped on and stayed on as we started the car.
Any help would be appreciated
Can you provide any link for more information and remedys
The check engine light covers so many things - it is a noncritical issue, but you shouldn't go for months with it lit. If it was me, I'd check the gas cap, and then make a stop at Autozone to see what codes are thrown.
Just me personally, but I would never trade a CV for a Civic . At least up here in Canada, every second car is a Civic!
BTW do you find that the middle portion of your gas tank - i.e. the range from one quarter to three quarters - is your best mileage zone? In other words, I find that the top quarter of the tank seems to get drained very quickly, while the quarter to three quarter range lasts forever.
If you considered swapping rear end gearings, you also have to consider the computer and speedo issues. It can be done, but not sure how much it would cost you.
One big difference, though. When a General Motors gage first says empty, you usually have about 5 gallons left. When a Ford gage first says empty, you had better find a gas station...and quickly.
As for mileage, the first summer I had the '98 (2003), I got 25 hwy constantly. Now I average 22. I did just change the air filter so I'm hoping that'll help. But I've got the Focus for good mileage anyway...
I've never bought into the theory about the pump sucking crap off the bottom of the tank just because I've always felt that stuff gets stirred up into the mix every time you fill up. (JMHO)
And I live in NE MN and so far haven't had to deal with stop & go traffic. But I understand what y'all are sayin'...
- New grille and front fascia
- New headlamps and available fog lamps
- New tail lamps
- Wooptifreakingdo
- Prettydamnpitiful
Color me disinterested in 2006.
BTW the two-tone paint treatment is gross :sick: Talk about a lack of imagination. No longer is two-toning the graceful (or outrageous, depending) styling touch it was in the '50s. Simply painting the lower half of a car a different colour (and slapping on the bumpers from the corresponding colour parts bin) barely counts as two-toning: it's more like a really distinctive gravel guard treatment!
I love that fleet page - "4 distinctive trim levels". Gotta love how automakers today think that juggling a bit of equipment leads to the creation of "distinctive" trim levels.
Yes, Ford could do more to improve the panther line, but right now just keeping themselves in business is "Job 1".
I plan on getting an '06 in August before they possibly ruin the current look that I find very attractive. And when the GM actually shows itself to the public, I truly hope it looks even better, because I may just get one instead of a CV.
I appreciate that we do not like to stop and fuel up...but your reason for doing it your way is strictly convenience, with no basis in automotive principles...the reasons given NOT to do it your way, given by multiple posters, has sound automotive reasoning behind it...good luck...