So how does an aged design stack up in 2010?
I'll give it a mixed review.
(1) Modern FWD/4WD/AWD cars have better traction control that the 'old' cars. I picked up the Crown Vic over at Archie Cochrane Ford, after they did some warranty work on it, drove out their back gate, and headed left to WalMart on Monday morning, with lots of packed ice.
I couldn't get up that little hill, thanks to hard tires, and no weight in the back of the car.
So I got a set of Winterforce snow tires, a couple of bags of tube sand, and a traction-loc for the differential, and it's a world better. But still not as good on ice as the Windstar.
(2) I had forgotten what a pleasure it is to drive a traditional car. You get in, and the seat is soft, and there is elbow room. You can drive down the road, and you get quiet operation, and a smooth ride. Handling is smooth, and effortless. I could crank out 1000 miles in this car without discomfort. Want to pass somebody? Just step on the gas. If you ever have the urge to try to outrun a Highway Patrol car, I advise you not to try it.
(3) The mechanical part. This 2008 Crown Victoria is far superior to the 'old' cars. In my 1965 Ford Galaxie, if it was cold there was a starting procedure. You would get in, step the pedal all the way down to the floor, to set the choke, take your foot away from the pedal and hit the key. Assuming it started, you sat there and listened, and when it started choking out, you would ever so gently hit the gas pedal, and it would go to half choke. Then you drove gently for a while so it wouldn't stall. With he Crown Vic, you reach in the window and turn the key and it starts and runs. It's glass smooth, and except for the slight rumbling from the dual exhaust it's quiet.
It's engine is a 4.6 liter (281 inch) engine, that makes 250 horsepower at the rear wheel.
To put it in perspective, a 1998 Ford F250 pickup, with a gas-guzzling 460 made 250 hp too.
Amazing. So mechanically, it's far superior to any of the old cars. Comparing it to other modern vehicles, it's the same, because they are also vastly improved.
So what's the verdict?
I love the car.
The say you can't go home again, which is true, since my 1965 Galaxie has been in the junkyard for many years, but getting into the Crown Victoria feels right.
There are a few downsides;
(1) Since so few of these newer Crown Victorias are not Police Cars, people keep seeing me and hitting their brakes. I was coming down Main Street, in the center lane, and traffic started backing up behind me - like I was a pace car. I hope nobody was killed when I turned off and everybody floored their cars - LOL.
(2) Mileage - the 4.6 uses a little more fuel around town than the 3.8 Windstar.
(3) Costs. Everything is expensive for this car. It has 17" x 7.5" steel wheels, and the tires it comes with cost over $200.00 each. The truck lock cylinder (mines stuck) is $63.00, plus labor to replace if you're not mechanically inclined.
So - that's it on traditional cars - the saga is over.
It's back to being a conservative blog.
I'll give it a mixed review.
(1) Modern FWD/4WD/AWD cars have better traction control that the 'old' cars. I picked up the Crown Vic over at Archie Cochrane Ford, after they did some warranty work on it, drove out their back gate, and headed left to WalMart on Monday morning, with lots of packed ice.
I couldn't get up that little hill, thanks to hard tires, and no weight in the back of the car.
So I got a set of Winterforce snow tires, a couple of bags of tube sand, and a traction-loc for the differential, and it's a world better. But still not as good on ice as the Windstar.
(2) I had forgotten what a pleasure it is to drive a traditional car. You get in, and the seat is soft, and there is elbow room. You can drive down the road, and you get quiet operation, and a smooth ride. Handling is smooth, and effortless. I could crank out 1000 miles in this car without discomfort. Want to pass somebody? Just step on the gas. If you ever have the urge to try to outrun a Highway Patrol car, I advise you not to try it.
(3) The mechanical part. This 2008 Crown Victoria is far superior to the 'old' cars. In my 1965 Ford Galaxie, if it was cold there was a starting procedure. You would get in, step the pedal all the way down to the floor, to set the choke, take your foot away from the pedal and hit the key. Assuming it started, you sat there and listened, and when it started choking out, you would ever so gently hit the gas pedal, and it would go to half choke. Then you drove gently for a while so it wouldn't stall. With he Crown Vic, you reach in the window and turn the key and it starts and runs. It's glass smooth, and except for the slight rumbling from the dual exhaust it's quiet.
It's engine is a 4.6 liter (281 inch) engine, that makes 250 horsepower at the rear wheel.
To put it in perspective, a 1998 Ford F250 pickup, with a gas-guzzling 460 made 250 hp too.
Amazing. So mechanically, it's far superior to any of the old cars. Comparing it to other modern vehicles, it's the same, because they are also vastly improved.
So what's the verdict?
I love the car.
The say you can't go home again, which is true, since my 1965 Galaxie has been in the junkyard for many years, but getting into the Crown Victoria feels right.
There are a few downsides;
(1) Since so few of these newer Crown Victorias are not Police Cars, people keep seeing me and hitting their brakes. I was coming down Main Street, in the center lane, and traffic started backing up behind me - like I was a pace car. I hope nobody was killed when I turned off and everybody floored their cars - LOL.
(2) Mileage - the 4.6 uses a little more fuel around town than the 3.8 Windstar.
(3) Costs. Everything is expensive for this car. It has 17" x 7.5" steel wheels, and the tires it comes with cost over $200.00 each. The truck lock cylinder (mines stuck) is $63.00, plus labor to replace if you're not mechanically inclined.
So - that's it on traditional cars - the saga is over.
It's back to being a conservative blog.
Interesting observations on cars, Eric. I have worked on them all my life, both as a shade tree mechanic and as a professional working in dealerships.
ReplyDeleteCars I have owned: 1956 Chevy Bel Air; 1959 Chevy Impala; 1963 Ford Galaxy; 1965 Chevy Biscayne; 1966 Corvette Stingray; 1968 Volkswagen Beetle; 1972 Volkswagen Super Beetle; 1976 Datsun B-110; 1983 Nissan Sentra; 1986 Silverado K2500; 2004 Silverado 2500HD; 2008 Ford F-250 Super Duty.
(I also owned four different motorcycles during the 1960s and 70s, but that is another story.)
I travel a lot around the country on business. I fly to most destinations and then rent a car. I always rent the biggest and best cars available. I do that just to find out what they are like and to see if I might be interested in buying one. This is sort of like an extended test drive for me.
So far, I have not found anything that compares to my 2004 Silverado when all things are considered: power, comfort, safety, traction, etc. I know it is not a car, but the darn thing drives like one. My 2008 Ford F-250 Super Duty has everything on it, including a 10-cylinder engine. But the thing is a beast to drive. Not very civilized at all. I guess it would be fine for pulling a house behind it.
What I find most interesting about the new vehicles is the greatly extended maintenance cycles and the extremely close fit on engine and drivetrain components. Back in the old days, engine oil was shot in just a few thousand miles. Now the stuff is clean enough to eat after 6000 miles. Spark plugs needed to be thrown away at 20,000 miles, if your engine was in top running condition. Now the engines are so clean inside, spark plugs, with platinum tips, go 50,000 to 100,000 miles. And then there were the points, rotors, condensers, and distributor caps that always needed replacement, not to mention four, five, or six V-belts.
When I look at my garage floor these days, there are no ugly stains from dripping fluids. Somehow, leaking gaskets are a thing of the past.
All in all, I am very pleased with the progress that has been made in automobile technology over the years. On the other hand, cars have been around for more than 100 years, so it is about time they got it right.