The demise of the rear wheel drive/Police intercep

Hillbilly · Nov 10, 2001

I believe Ford is the only company that makes a rear wheel drive car and I think the police are the biggest buyer of these cars.They distribute them under the name "Police Interceptor Package" nice looking package.

Wheeldog · Nov 10, 2001

In that price range and for sedans, the Ford and Mercury are pretty much it. There are also RWD cars made by BMW, Lincoln, Lexus, Cadillac, Mercury, Jaguar, Infiniti, Ford (Mustang), Mercedes, Chevrolet (Corvette, Camaro), Pontiac. I'm sure there are others I've missed.

jimmoore · Nov 10, 2001

You'r right Hillbilly, and they are just not the car that the Chev Caprice police package was. We have a 90 & 91 Caprice and 4 of the newer Fords. We have 6 officers and they each have their own car. They are responsible for seeing that the vehicle is serviced at proper intervals, and all other maint. What ever the vehicle needs they are authorized to have it done, new tires, wheel alignment ,etc. I singed a bill for 800.00 at the last city council meeting for repairing the electronic ignition modules on one of the Fords. In the 21 years that I was chief we bought only Chevys. The only police package w/rear wheel drive we can purchase now is Ford. The police package has everything heavy duty. I am the police commissoner now. I sure miss the old job!

jim

Hillbilly · Nov 11, 2001

I hope I do not start a flame war,but I have one General Motors pickup and my next one will be a Ford,I never will have another GM car.But I would say you have seen 1st hand the reliability etc.In your opinion is it the package where Ford falls short or is it the overall reliability?/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Jeff396 · Nov 11, 2001

I still can't believe GM got rid of the Caprice/Roadmaster series. It's as if they just gave up on competing in that size car. Am I right that if you now want a BIG car from GM you have to shell out the big bucks for a Caddy? The car I keep hearing from where my folks live in Florida which is the GM alternative to the Marquis is the Buick Regal...I think. It's almost as mystifying as why Ford took sooooooo long to produce a vehicle to compete with the Suburban!

Jeff

jimmoore · Nov 11, 2001

Hilbilly, I think that it is mostly just a personal opinion. We have no more problems with the Fords than we do with the Cheys. I just prefer the way they drive and handle. I don't like the way the Ford seats seem to lean back to much. I sit straight up when I drive and if I lean back against the seat ,it seems as if I am lying down.

jim

scruffy · Nov 11, 2001

Hillbilly, I guess it's different strokes for different folks! I had a 71 Ford P/U (bought new) that was a nightmare, in for warrenty repairs 48 times in 7 months. Replaced it with a 72 Chevy 1/2 ton, which I ran for 23 years and sold for $300 more than I paid for it new! (great vehicle) Now drive a 95 RAM p/u and have around 95,000 miles on it...no problems with it either. The point is, Ford lost a customer with that 71, Chevy gained one, Dodge gained one when I went to buy a new one, because of prices. Lot of family members with Fords, and love them. Wasn't my experience. (have a bunch with Chevys also, and a few RAM owners thrown in too)
CBDoc would probably shoot us if we tried to get HIS Ford away from him! /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

frank_f15 · Nov 11, 2001

hillbilly: last time i did a ride along with my son(las vegas metro) they still had some chevys and mostly they prefered the chevy, no special reason. now he is k9 and has a ford explorer, which he really loves. i guess it all depends on the individual.very surprised GM gave up that line.

Hillbilly · Nov 11, 2001

I am not one of these die hard Ford fans or Chevy or Dodge fan either.The main thing is for me to get good service out of it what ever name is on it and not nickel and dime me too much.

scruffy · Nov 11, 2001

Hillbilly, I can sure agree with that. I must admit the Ford didn't cost 'anything' other than time, and what I lost on trade in (not much), but the Chev, and Dodge, have both been basically trouble free. Just normal maintenance cost, tuneups, oil changes, lubes, tires, etc.