True, the CV, GM, and now, the Town car are assembled in St. Thomas Ontario. They are, by most definitions, imported.
I agree on the Mark VIIIs, nice drive.
The Grand Marquis is virtually identical to the Crown Victoria. Ford does some weird stuff sometimes so there may be differences in whether there is an anti-sway bar or some other suspension feature or not, but generally, Crown Vic GX model = Marquis GS, and Crown Vic LX = Marquis LS.
If you are really going to load up the trunk, consider looking for rear air suspension. It is/was optional on the LX and LS models and included on Sports and HPPs. The HPPs have more rigid air springs, but the Sports do not given their larger wheels.
Note that although the Continentals are about the same size as Mark VIIIs, they are FWD.
For specific questions you are best off asking at www.crownvic.net. As for the Pre 70s cars, sure they are a lot of fun, but they won’t be nearly as reliable or safe as a more current car. The same thing goes for the 90s Impalas, but to a lesser extent. The big Fords are very reliable vehicles.
But I don’t think the Continental comes with a 4 cylinder engine!
“They are classic RWD (right wheel drive) body-on-frame sedans with updated engineering”. You do mean rear wheel drive don’t you??
The Crown Vic’s VIN code beginning with a 2 indicates a North American build. I THINK it may actually be built in Canada, technically an import. Is that where you are coming from on your EPA assertion?
BTW, I second (or third or fourth) the Crown Vic / Grand Marquis nomination as the right car for your needs. If you want to go for something really neat, get a Mercury Marauder. It’s a Grand Marquis on 300 HP worth of steroids.
If you buy a Grand Marquis, it is highly unlikely to have been used as a police car. Police budgets require buying from the lowest bidder, and the Crown Vic in police trim (black grille etc) is cheaper than a Grand Marq every time. Another give away would be fancy factory alloy wheels and upgraded upholstery. Cop cars often have a vinyl back seat to the perp’s blood and/or vomit is easier to clean up. I would not intentionally buy a used cop car. Too much WOT abuse, followed by too much sitting at idle.
Where is the OP living now, Germany or the USA?
Lets go down the list and pick out the non-US vehicles:
1: Ford Crown Victoria / Mercury Marquis - Built in St. Thomas (near London) Ontario, Canada! Ford has essentially been building this car for 20 years now, they should have most of the bugs worked out of it by now.
6: Lincoln Town Car - See above, escentially a gussied up Crown Vic
7: Muscle Car - older Chevy Cameros and Pontiac Firebirds could have originated from a plant in Quebec Canada. Of the current ones, the Dodge Charger/Challenger/Magnum are built by Chrysler in Brampton, Ontario, Canada.
9: I could have helped you there 6 months ago. The Cadillac Deville/DHS/DTS is great to drive. You wouldn’t want to throw it down a 2 lane country road, but it will run all day on an Interstate at 75 mph without any complaints.
10: Minivan - Ford Windstars were from Oakville, Ontario, Canada. Most Dodge/Plymouth/Chrysler minivans were from Windsor, Ontario, Canada.
The “All American Car” is harder to find than you may think.
It’s not just what car is manufactured where…but what part is manufactured where. Like the 90’s Chryco Mini-Van using Mitsibuishi engines in some of their vehicles…Geo Prism sharing the same parts as the Toyota Corolla…GM/Ford/Chryco using most electronics from Japan an Korea…GM/Ford/Chryco using a good portion of their steel from Japan, Korea and China…and the list goes on.
But they don’t put a 4 cylinder in a Continental
…and what does that have to do with this discussion?
Are you really so immature that you can’t contain our disagreement to a single thread? Could you at least pretend to be an adult?
Agree the Crown Victoria is ASSEMBLED in North America; St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada, to be exact. This plant will be closed for good this year as part of Ford’s downsizing program. However, there are so many imported parts that they were able to classify it as a non-NAFTA import fo EPA calculations, allowing Ford to not be penalized on CAFE average.
Having said all,that, it is a thoroughly American Detroit iron car, and differrent form any import. A Buick Roadmaster would also qualify as a really American car.
Locate and restore a Checker Marathon. Your dream come true…
Well…and this is not a sales pitch, I’m just about to put my 1973 Chrysler new Yorker Brougham on the market - conditionally.
If you want an American car, they don’t really come more American than this. 20 feet long bumper to bumper, sky blue, 440 4 barrel engine, 727 transmission.
Looks like an aircraft carrier (though the fuselage window design replicates the B17G bomber) and flies off the line like a rocket.
I may sell the car under the right conditions, to the car and me.
NOPE, But the Continental is a V6. surely you wouldn’t reccomend one of those? With that heavy engine, the car would be too nose-heavy. It’s already front-wheel-drive.
HEY, I am wrong for the first time in years. I looked up Continentals and found them with V8s. My sister had one a few years ago and it was a V6.
Hey, I had a '73 Newport once. Great car with a 400 engine. Only bad thing, it rusted out behind the rear wheels. It was a sedan, not a hardtop. I often wish I had kept it. I later had a '78 Newyorker 440 but not high performance.
Elly, Youngtimer asked me to recommend a car that meets his needs, not my needs. So that is what I did. Would you have liked it better if I injected my own preferernces into my recommendation?
My goal is to be impartial, so will you please stop being so petty?
I don’t suppose you could put a picture of that car on here?
Sure - here you go. This car is big enough to have its own weather system.
I’m jealous my Caprice only has its own zip code.
Ed B.
Nice car. It’s too bad they quit those cars in '96, but there should be some nice ones out there (besides yours)