Indestructible. I've never understood why "fleet car" is used as an insult in most automotive magazines. If a certain car is used more than its competitors as taxi cabs, rental cars, and police cruisers, that's an indication of its durability, no? What am I missing here?
@@travelseatsyellowlab Now that Ford had discontinued the Panther platform, suddenly they've increased on the market value now, as have parts for the vehicles.
Ford held back a year offering this car to the fleet market...just like Chevy did with the 2014 Impala (redesigned and upgraded) and the 2010 Ford Taurus.
Then you'd probably love the later model ones. I was a porter at a Lincoln-Mercury dealer till 2012, so I was there when they cut production. I'm telling you, the newer ones are just as good as the old ones if not better. If you're ever in the market for another car, don't be afraid of going with a newer model. Still a heavy, simple car with acres of space and minimal maintenance. One of my favorite cars to drive (and I drove a lot of different cars) was the 2010 Lincoln Towncar. I think the newer ones handle much better with the rack and pinion steering.
I will eventually be moving to a newer model. Probably a 2004. I want the performance improved heads and rack and pinion steering, but I want to avoid the newer drive by wire throttle.
Bradley Schallig Ah yes, the drive by wire lol. Yeah not a favorite of mine either. I can't recall which year they started that on those bodies. Can't tell the difference in driving just around the dealer parking lot lol. You should go with the Marauder, they only made them in that year era and I'm sure it's still got a throttle cable. They run a little pricey for such an old car, but man I always loved how the exhaust sounded on those! And the fact the shifter is in the center console instead.
+MAN_ON_WHEELZ I would love a marauder if I could find one and a good price. The drive by wire started in 2005 model year. That and the factory tune make the 2005 one of the least popular model years.
Bradley Schallig Still a good car, though a nit-pick, I personally like the most modern steering wheel style on these cars. Just something about the one-piece wheel that doesn't sit right with me in the newest body styles. Somewhere in there, I'm thinking probably 2008 or so they started using the more boxy harder plastic airbag covering which in my opinion looks and feels better. This seems to go for all 3 of those cars.
If you still own one of these 90s or even 2000's era cars, like I do, parts are still readily available and fairly inexpensive. I have spoken to several mechanics who love working on these cars due to their relative simplicity versus vehicles we have today. One mechanic told me we don't have 'cars' anymore today, we have fancy computers on four wheels. I would have to agree. Who knew the day would come when cars could actually be hacked?!
I saw a gorgeous maroon 2000s Grand Marquis with the faux beige vinyl top on the rear half of the passenger compartment in the parking garage grandpa's retirement home. Looked to be in great shape and I'm betting it had low miles. Man it looked good, and I don't even like maroon...
Panthers were so pleasant to drive...very quiet, plenty of power, insanely reliable, smooth comfortable ride, decent mpg, plenty of space to stretch out. They steered like boats thanks to the 70s chassis underneath, but you got used to it.
Owned an early nineties Crown Vic, with all the bells and whistles, was a beautiful car to drive! It had plenty of room, smoothest ride of any car I ever owned, plenty of power and started easy in all seasons! Miss my old Vic!
Ronald de Rooij Obviously it is dated, Ford had the 4.6 L V8 for years and kept it up until 2011. What do you expect? Chevy's done the same thing. lmao
+Maestro_T Good chassis design that uses the tires to their full potential. Big disc brakes at all 4 corners help too. And like Harakudoshi904 said, less overall weight and less rotational weight. Probably less unsprung weight too. What make this even more astounding is how they stopped and cornered like they did in spite of all the dead weight items (spare tire + jacking kit, A/C system, heater core, etc.) and less-than-ideal tires. Ditch all that dead weight, and throw on some modern 255 width sporting tires for a good time. 255 is the widest you can go on 16 inch wheels on 1979 to 2002 panther platform cars. Any wider and you get rubbing issues and/or abnormal wear patterns. There is aftermarket support for bigger and racier brake parts. From pads to rotors to calibers. It's all there! Weight reduction and sticky tires were the two best things I did for my 1989 Grand Marquis. Watching this review wants me want to buy additional panthers and build them up accordingly. Thinking of the 1992 to 1994 generation. My car needs stablemates.... it will get lonely waiting inside the garage all alone over the winter!
+Maestro_T My 03 MGM has KYBs on all four corners and I'm running 245/45r18's wrapped around cross drilled rotors. Mine stops amazingly well with the better shocks and wider tire patch. It's like hitting a big, soft wall.
***** Oh yeah. Guys on the forum swear by those KYB police spec gas shocks. Energy suspension has poly bushings and end links, that'll round out that package. Going that route come spring once the snow melts and it's safe to drive my '89 again. :D
Running wider rubber also helps the car stick better and I chose tires with wide water channels to improve handling in wet weather. Almost killed myself in the car, it rained really hard on the way home from work one day. I came up on an accident at 65mph... ABS helped but the tires gave up their grip when I twitched the wheel to avoid and I slid sideways into the grass. I ordered tires and bought my wheels shortly after that. Now, she sticks and moves a whole lot better. I tell everyone that the best upgrade to a panther car is good, fat rubber. Once I retire her from daily driver duties, she's getting 300's in the rear and 3.73 gears, just for fun.
My '93 Grand Marquis is still going strong after 22 years! I get compliments saying it looks a lot newer than it is. They're always surprised when I tell them it's a 1993.
@@davidp8627 1992 was the last year the doors and roofline had a major restyle, a 2011 had the same doors, handles and general shape basicly. On the exterior just the front and rear fascia the wheel covers tire size and trim appointments were different. Every year was the "last" year for these for 30 years so they did not change much. It was like the 77 to 92 cadillac brougham or the 82 to 96 century long runs in the same body w/ refreshes. I own a 2000 they are great cars.
These cars are now the best bang for your buck. One of the most reliable and safe vehicles on the road. I bought a 98 grand Marquis a few years ago with only 16,000 original miles and it only cost me $2600.
@@wilchambers1401 That's why they need to be made again. Those kinds of guys total their cars, buy another one, total it, over and over again. Vics won't exist in a decade if they keep pimp n' junking the cars.
These were cars that I used to see as a 90s kid, and several middle-class families used to own one of these. This design is also infamous for patrol cars and taxi cabs for the Ford Crown Victoria models in the 1990s.
It is amazing how the Grand Marquis body style lasted 19 years until 2011 and was applied on the Crown Vic from 1998 forward...The only weakness in those modular 4.6 engines was the composite intake manifold from the late 90's.
The Crown Victoria was best suited for police/taxi service, while the Grand Marquis was built for the retiree crowd. Both are classics. And I like them both equally.
I have a 93 Crown Victoria and a 2005 Crown Victoria and i love them both. Although i drive the 93 daily as it has 393k on the clock and the 05 only has 52k so i keep it garaged and only drive it when the weather is great.
Pathetic? It's a full-size sedan with a small-block V8, all designed in the 90's. It's not exactly a rocket ship but it does it's job well. Also I want to see what economy cars run high 15's, what cars and what numbers?
I have heard that these taxi cars are consistently getting 500k miles before they are sold off to small metro area taxi companies, where they get another 200k to 300k miles.
If the taxi fleet has a dedicated garage, you can be sure they're getting more than 2 or 300k more miles off these cars. Get into a minor wreck? Pull a fender off one of the dead ones parked out back. Engine blows up because it was driven with no oil? Pull one out of the wrecked unit. On pretty much every 90s Crown Vic, the odometer's plastic gears stop working after 100k miles, so nobody really knows how many actual miles are on these cars, but I can guarantee there's a higher percentage of million mile Crown Vics than maybe any other car ever devised.
I wish people were more like myself in wanting to keep their older big american cars. I remember how many of these cars I use to see even a few years ago. Now many people have been sucked into trading them in for new crap cars. These were excellent reliable, economical comfortable cars to drive daily. People should have kept them instead of spending all that money wasted on the new and foreign cars. If people want to "go green" and save money, I suggest buy an older car like these Fords and Gm's and keep on driving them. I would take that same amount of money and use it for continued upkeep and maintenance! And in the end I have myself a good well built car built right in Michigan by proud Americans!!!!
Funlu Canada is right next door to Detroit Michigan and they are neighbors. Unlike now using China and Mexico to supply the auto makers for either building vehicles or supplying parts. I support only UAW built vehicles both here in the U.S. or in Canada.
Alex Dean I currently own mainly GM's and Cadillac's but I do love these Ford panther body cars very much and mostly the Lincoln Town Car of the 80s and 90s are my top favorite.
I own a 1997 Grand Marquis with 84K. Bought it last year with 80K from the original owner. Like the original owner, I don't drive it in the winter months and plan to keep it as long as possible.
I own a 1997 Grand Marquise LS. It’s the best riding car I’ve ever owned. I’m 36 so I’ve owned about 15 to 20. It’s luxury mixed with performance. I love the sound of the 4.6 V8 and when I hit a bump in the road, it acts like a boat going over it. The seats are comfortable and it has a very light steering wheel. From Earth to the moon is approximately 238,000 miles, my car now has 234,000 miles on it. So it’s held up through the years. Everything still works except the air ride was switched out about 5 years ago. Oh by the way, I paid $600 for it from a car lot going out of business. It’s my daily while I keep my 2010 Camaro SS covered up in my garage.
Thank you once again today for another great one! I appreciated this video. I hope there is more stuff like this from GM and Ford( Mercury and Lincoln)
I'll give Ford Panther body vehicles one thing, they sure did have some of the best reliability in the domestic market. Like a Crown Vic/Grand Marquis could go toe to toe with an LS400 for reliability.
why did you stop doing those big American cars? they were the U.S.A. brand image! I am French, and those big American cars made us dream in Europe! the 70s were the golden age of the great ships! Too bad !
I don't know why either man. I guess people were more into SUV' s, crossovers, and economy cars as well as hideous imports like Toyotas, Hondas, and Nissans.
Michael T. : Who tells you this ? a voice in your mind ? lol ! You think wrong. I love big american cars. In the 90's i drove an Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme 1981. I had much success with it on the roads of France.
Justin Noker I know man. Someone from did a restomod on a 1985 Mercury Grand Marquis. It has a panther frame off of an 07 crownvic with upgraded brakes and suspension, 03 Marauder wheels and carpeting, 96 Mercury Grand Marquis dash that has been painted black, and a 5.4L DOHC 32V V8 out of a Lincoln Navigator with 03 Cobra cylinder heads, 96-98 Cobra camshafts, an Aussie Boss 290 intake manifold and a Mercury Marauder airbox along with long tube headers and free flowing dual exhaust which combine that gives this car 341 HP and 351 Ibs of torque at the rear wheels and it sounds like a beast. The engine he swaped in before was a supercharged 4.6L SOHC 2V V8 making 390 HP and 386 Ibs of torque at the rear wheels.
@@CJColvin 341 ain't that great though nowadays. All that work and you get less than a new Explorer with the V6. xD What I want to see is a 2011 Crown Victoria with a V10 Triton swap out of a newer Super Duty. 362 HP and 457 Ibs of torque stock would be very interesting to see. ;D
picked up a 92 rebuilt crown vic for 800.00 from my buddy's parents last summer its been a great daily commuter i full tank can usually last just about two weeks for me that's the type s model
Had a 97 GM. Great driving car. With 2.73 gears it will cruise all day on the Hwy at 70mph and get 25mpg!! Then lower it, with 16's put on dual exhaust with high flow mufflers, open up the air box and install a K&N 3.73's, Jmod (shift kit) a good aftermarket tune and it becomes a 4dr performance car! Capeable of mid 14's in the 1/4 mile. All while looking good!
Same here, I bought my first car at 18, it was a black '97 Grand Marquis, all my friends said it was a bad idea, they wanted me to buy a Mk2 or Mk3 VW Golf like they did, but I said nope, I want RWD and a V6 or V8. Walking down the street I saw this Grand Marquis for $750 and I bought it, it needed some work and stuff, but after another $700 it was running great! It was more fuel efficient than my friends Golf and more comfortable to drive 20 miles to school everyday, my friends ended up loving it so much that they got rid of their cars and started to commute with me and drive my car around to parties and stuff, people used to believe that they were my bodyguards, LOL. I sold my Grand Marquis before going to college, the guy who bought it still has it and is his daily driver, such a great car! :]
Although I will never be able to afford these old style American cars (too expensive to drive in Europe), I love them. Although the one time I sat in one, a taxi in Denver, the taxi driver complained that the car was utterly unreliable. His driving style was very relaxed, by the way. Good!
There's quite a few noticeably HEAVILY used ones still presumably going strong throughout the midwest; either VERY well polished & clean looking or VERY baked paint job... not really inbetween lol
Hmm, interesting. All these years I thought the CV's from 1992-97 were all grille-less. Never noticed that 1992 was the only yr with that distinction. 1993-97 does indeed have a grille, though much smaller than the 1998-2011 CV's. Still my favorite years of CV's have to go to the box body 1988-91's. And my all time favorite era of the full size Fords are the 1968-72 Galaxies/LTD's. I guess I'm a sucker for retro time travel.
They lasted all the way through 2011. I own a 2006, and I'm never giving it up. They are the end of an era. And it has nothing to do with oil shortages or gas prices. Much larger, heavier vehicles are selling well, and they get a LOT less gas mileage. My '06 Grand Marquis has gotten 30 mph on the highway at 65 mph. If ford were to reintroduce these cars right now, just as they were in 2011, they would still be highly profitable. Ford pulled the plug on these cars, not because they weren't selling well, but because they wanted to get into smaller more high tech cars, which DIDN'T sell well at all. Now Ford is going to stop making cars altogether. I wonder if they ever knew what they had with the Panther cars?
2012 mandated that all new cars sold need have ESC as standard. The panther platform was not capable unfortunately of supporting this technology. That's why they stopped, they literally rode it til it died
@@senorcartmenez8902 I just don't get how they can't support the esc systems. We live in the future, and such things like esc systems should fit in panther platforms and should be made possible to be compatible. With the madatory world-wide rule of producing all-electric cars by the year 2030 nearing closer, panther bodys should come back as an electric trend and be made not just electric, but look enticing and attractive. Perhaps, redo the retro 60's style, but in a modern twist.
I agree, the full size sedan was shamed out of production by the Obama administration cash for clunkers and all that bullshit, but yet massive suvs and big ford f150s are just fine. They dont kill the environment right?
In addition, the lack of updates affected these cars Just compare the evolution of the Lexus Ls to the Panther platform since 1992, and you'll find that Lexus has a double overhead cam engine and a 5-speed automatic gearbox on the GX, the Panther platform, which didn't get radical updates
PantherP74 Check your numbers. The Merc has the handling package that gives it tighter suspension, dual exhaust that ups power from 190 to 210, and gives it a 3:27 rear axle. The Crown Vic with standard suspension has s 2:73.
Mom had a Crown Vic, I bought the Mercury..plush car, comfortable. The Ford was a little faster for some reason, both were nice traveling cars in 1989. Felt like you were driven a Lincoln .
Smaller rear axle gear ratio is more fuel efficient and gives a lower engine RPM on highway speeds. To me it is actually better if you are trying to make your car last.
These cars had the all aluminum manifold. Only issue was valve seals, which caused the EGR crossover to clog. A few hours of work and as good as new. Worked in a placed long ago that serviced livery panthers, they were very well maintained (trans fluid every 30K) some of these saw ungodly mileage, with very minimal repairs. a well maintained used panther today is as good (reliability wise) as any new car on the lot.
The primary reason the grille-less crown vic was changed to add a grille was because of cooling problems in warmer areas especially since the cars were often used for heavy duty cop/fleet needs. The grille gave better airflow to the radiator. Handling at least on the crown vic was much improved later on with a stiffer suspension and rack and pinion steering. P71s and performance package vics made 260 horsepower by the end of the vic being made The Crown Vic lasted so long as a big car when big cars seemingly were dying because the crown vic found a perfect market with police and with heavy duty use. Crown vics are basically built like a ford truck but with a car body on them
I still have my 93 Grand Marquis nowadays ! With it's original 31 thousand miles !
5 лет назад
These body on frame rear drive V8 cars had reached their technological peak at this time, nothing compares to the solid feel, durability and easy serviceability of these cars. When my oldest son was ready to go off to University I searched for a car that would get him through 4 years of college while being safe and reliable. I found a 2003 Crown Vic with 46 thousand miles that had been traded in by an elderly gentleman. It was fully loaded with leather interior, sport suspension, dual exhaust, climate control etc. and air spring rear suspension. He scoffed at first when seeing it but as we got into the car it was quite warm, looking down at the instruments I realized the engine was running. The engine was so quiet and smooth there was no physical or aural indication it was running. He adjusted the seat and mirrors and off we went on a test drive, he was immediately impressed with the smooth power delivery and effortless handling. He said, yes I want it. He ended up driving it through his college years and 6 years beyond with just tires, brakes and oil changes. On the way home from work on a winter night he hit a deer on the interstate damaging the front end launching the air bags. The insurance company said it was a total loss which was sad but ended up paying him 90% of the original cost. If not for the accident he would likely be driving that same car now.
FINALLY! I was going to request this episode as I just bought a 1992 Crown Victoria. I hoped you guys would upload it because this was a major redesign at Ford Motor Company and the Panther platform turned out to be historic. Not many 1992s on the road with that Ford front end. Awesome post. Keep Crown Vic vids coming!
I bought a 92 grand marquis for $500 from a neighbor in 2007 and drove it until 2016. Loved that car. All the money my friends were putting into car payments went to my IRA.
Love the panther platform cars. Have owned, 1995 Grand Marquis LS, 2000 Grand Marquis LS. Presently own a 2005 Grand Marquis Ultimate Edition w/144K and a 2006 Grand Marquis LS-Premium w/42K. Awesome cars! Too bad Ford gave up on them.
Except for that, and some wear and tear stuff it is as reliable as hell itself. I did replace that when I bought it. i also ordered new coolant hoses before i got the car, totally didn't need them but i wanted the peace of mind. Wear and tear were lower ball joints and a leaking axle seal(small weep). I don't count things like brakes or trans fluid services i did. Oh, I got a dorman pan with a drain plug. It is much more reliable than some new crap my neighbors own, including bmws. I also have 177k on it. So far it cost me 1500 bucks including the purchase price for 40k miles. If I wanted something similar new it would cost a fortune. We aren't talking about an econobox,, but I do get 22.5mpg. The car in the vid had the alumniun boat anchor manifold. They would clog up the egr passages, and the engines needed valve stem seals.
The cars were all about BUSINESS. The reason why I love my 2005 Crown Vic Police Interceptor is because it is honest. There is no hidden gimmicks. It is simple, dependable, reliable and tough,
Love these things. I took my driver's test in a '93 Crown Vic and use an '02 as a daily driver. The Buick Roadmaster I used to have had more character though.
3:01-3:11 I never seen a power antenna switch on the dashboard of any car before, lol. We got to lower the antenna if you want to go to an automatic, soft-touch car wash at our leisure.
Best car ever made for reliability, durability, and all around use. I had a1987 Police Interceptor purchased new because my friend worked for area Ford sales, and coded it to a local RCMP detachment. 351 HO, when the only civilian motor was the 302. Hd everything. Velour interior. Bulletproof, no pun intended.
It's funny that this car was considered antiquated when it was new in 1992. I still drive my '92 crown vic everyday. It has holes rusted through the body but it still runs. Easy to make fans of your company when you make such a well-made car!
I love my 03 MGM. Makes a great cruiser and with alittle work, it can have enough grunt to have some fun with. This is one of those "slow cars that are fun to drive fast".
Авто/Мото
After a few years in the auto repair business, I learned the three toughest cars of all time:
1. 70s-80s Benz diesel
2. Ford Crown Vic
3. Volvo brick
agreed
+Skyline Fever Still see them on the road here in Maine. Still see a few Volvo bricks too.
+Skyline Fever I'd have to agree, I would love that lineup in my driveway ;)
Don't forget Ford trucks with the 300 I6.
Buick 3800 V6 would be number 5 ;)
Indestructible. I've never understood why "fleet car" is used as an insult in most automotive magazines. If a certain car is used more than its competitors as taxi cabs, rental cars, and police cruisers, that's an indication of its durability, no? What am I missing here?
Indeed it is. Automotive magazines are stupid unlike motorweek that honestly understands caes
You make an excellent point, however, when automakers sell in bulk to fleets, it's drops the car's resale value.
@@travelseatsyellowlab Now that Ford had discontinued the Panther platform, suddenly they've increased on the market value now, as have parts for the vehicles.
@@deltaboy767 Sorry, I meant new car sales.
Ford held back a year offering this car to the fleet market...just like Chevy did with the 2014 Impala (redesigned and upgraded) and the 2010 Ford Taurus.
Some of the best cars Ford has ever made.
+ZL1Gimpelson You said it man. Quality was job number one!
I miss my '96. Had it 14 years, never let me down. Great car.
The Enthusiast Right you are!
Yap I love my 2006 Mercury Grand Marquis so much
I love my 97!
I'm still a proud owner of a 1992 Ford Crown Victoria. Best car I've ever owned!
Then you'd probably love the later model ones. I was a porter at a Lincoln-Mercury dealer till 2012, so I was there when they cut production. I'm telling you, the newer ones are just as good as the old ones if not better. If you're ever in the market for another car, don't be afraid of going with a newer model. Still a heavy, simple car with acres of space and minimal maintenance. One of my favorite cars to drive (and I drove a lot of different cars) was the 2010 Lincoln Towncar. I think the newer ones handle much better with the rack and pinion steering.
I will eventually be moving to a newer model. Probably a 2004. I want the performance improved heads and rack and pinion steering, but I want to avoid the newer drive by wire throttle.
Bradley Schallig Ah yes, the drive by wire lol. Yeah not a favorite of mine either. I can't recall which year they started that on those bodies. Can't tell the difference in driving just around the dealer parking lot lol. You should go with the Marauder, they only made them in that year era and I'm sure it's still got a throttle cable. They run a little pricey for such an old car, but man I always loved how the exhaust sounded on those! And the fact the shifter is in the center console instead.
+MAN_ON_WHEELZ I would love a marauder if I could find one and a good price. The drive by wire started in 2005 model year. That and the factory tune make the 2005 one of the least popular model years.
Bradley Schallig Still a good car, though a nit-pick, I personally like the most modern steering wheel style on these cars. Just something about the one-piece wheel that doesn't sit right with me in the newest body styles. Somewhere in there, I'm thinking probably 2008 or so they started using the more boxy harder plastic airbag covering which in my opinion looks and feels better. This seems to go for all 3 of those cars.
If you still own one of these 90s or even 2000's era cars, like I do, parts are still readily available and fairly inexpensive. I have spoken to several mechanics who love working on these cars due to their relative simplicity versus vehicles we have today. One mechanic told me we don't have 'cars' anymore today, we have fancy computers on four wheels. I would have to agree. Who knew the day would come when cars could actually be hacked?!
I saw a gorgeous maroon 2000s Grand Marquis with the faux beige vinyl top on the rear half of the passenger compartment in the parking garage grandpa's retirement home. Looked to be in great shape and I'm betting it had low miles. Man it looked good, and I don't even like maroon...
Panthers were so pleasant to drive...very quiet, plenty of power, insanely reliable, smooth comfortable ride, decent mpg, plenty of space to stretch out. They steered like boats thanks to the 70s chassis underneath, but you got used to it.
Owned an early nineties Crown Vic, with all the bells and whistles, was a beautiful car to drive! It had plenty of room, smoothest ride of any car I ever owned, plenty of power and started easy in all seasons! Miss my old Vic!
You must've owned the Crown Victoria LX. That one has all the luxury options in it.
These cars were about as close as bulletproof by the end as a car could get. 20 years on the same body and drivetrain and 32 years on the chassis.
I've never drove one of these, but I've definitely spent enough time in the back seats of them.
clean up the act. and get you one. you'll love it
fuzzy wuzzy Shit-tier attempt tbqh.
Stop taking taxis and buy a fucking car.
fuzzy wuzzy you gay bro 🤔
I hope you mean taxis, not police cars.
Ford's Panther platform the longest running automobile platform in American Automotive history. 32 model years to be exact.
+Lord Maul3 I don't know if that is a good thing, actually.
+Ronald de Rooij why not? just shows they were a reliable pos
+Focus On the Focus I doubt it. But what I do not doubt is that many buyers of cars got very outdated technology.
Ronald de Rooij Obviously it is dated, Ford had the 4.6 L V8 for years and kept it up until 2011. What do you expect? Chevy's done the same thing. lmao
+Quickest Rendezvous They're aren't a pos.
110 feet from 60 is mightily impressive for a car of this size, even by today's standards. I don't even know how they managed that.
+Maestro_T Good chassis design that uses the tires to their full potential. Big disc brakes at all 4 corners help too. And like Harakudoshi904 said, less overall weight and less rotational weight. Probably less unsprung weight too.
What make this even more astounding is how they stopped and cornered like they did in spite of all the dead weight items (spare tire + jacking kit, A/C system, heater core, etc.) and less-than-ideal tires. Ditch all that dead weight, and throw on some modern 255 width sporting tires for a good time. 255 is the widest you can go on 16 inch wheels on 1979 to 2002 panther platform cars. Any wider and you get rubbing issues and/or abnormal wear patterns. There is aftermarket support for bigger and racier brake parts. From pads to rotors to calibers. It's all there!
Weight reduction and sticky tires were the two best things I did for my 1989 Grand Marquis. Watching this review wants me want to buy additional panthers and build them up accordingly. Thinking of the 1992 to 1994 generation. My car needs stablemates.... it will get lonely waiting inside the garage all alone over the winter!
+Maestro_T My 03 MGM has KYBs on all four corners and I'm running 245/45r18's wrapped around cross drilled rotors. Mine stops amazingly well with the better shocks and wider tire patch. It's like hitting a big, soft wall.
***** Oh yeah. Guys on the forum swear by those KYB police spec gas shocks. Energy suspension has poly bushings and end links, that'll round out that package. Going that route come spring once the snow melts and it's safe to drive my '89 again. :D
Running wider rubber also helps the car stick better and I chose tires with wide water channels to improve handling in wet weather. Almost killed myself in the car, it rained really hard on the way home from work one day. I came up on an accident at 65mph... ABS helped but the tires gave up their grip when I twitched the wheel to avoid and I slid sideways into the grass. I ordered tires and bought my wheels shortly after that. Now, she sticks and moves a whole lot better. I tell everyone that the best upgrade to a panther car is good, fat rubber.
Once I retire her from daily driver duties, she's getting 300's in the rear and 3.73 gears, just for fun.
She's got 108K on the clock and I have a 2016 camaro in my crosshairs so, it won't be long.
My '93 Grand Marquis is still going strong after 22 years! I get compliments saying it looks a lot newer than it is. They're always surprised when I tell them it's a 1993.
There's not a lot of difference between a 1992 and 2011 with regard to styling.
@@davidp8627 1992 was the last year the doors and roofline had a major restyle, a 2011 had the same doors, handles and general shape basicly. On the exterior just the front and rear fascia the wheel covers tire size and trim appointments were different. Every year was the "last" year for these for 30 years so they did not change much. It was like the 77 to 92 cadillac brougham or the 82 to 96 century long runs in the same body w/ refreshes. I own a 2000 they are great cars.
These cars are now the best bang for your buck. One of the most reliable and safe vehicles on the road. I bought a 98 grand Marquis a few years ago with only 16,000 original miles and it only cost me $2600.
I have my 95 Grand Marquis. Great reliable car.
Tim I had one as well, never lost a race.
And we still enjoy them 25 years later!
Well engineered and high build quality. Great cars.
Orange man bad
Too bad they stopped making these cars.
Mitchell Yardanoff they sold in this exact platform for 20 years, how much longer does a car have to go on?
There is enough granny's marquis and crown vics out there for the next 20 years they are driven two miles a week by their senior owners!
Young Men love to pimp these cars out. They lower them, put large wheels on them.
@@wilchambers1401 which looks like shit
@@wilchambers1401 That's why they need to be made again. Those kinds of guys total their cars, buy another one, total it, over and over again. Vics won't exist in a decade if they keep pimp n' junking the cars.
These were cars that I used to see as a 90s kid, and several middle-class families used to own one of these. This design is also infamous for patrol cars and taxi cabs for the Ford Crown Victoria models in the 1990s.
I have a 2003. I love it. It's a quiet ride and so smooth like a cloud, steering... so effortless, and it's powerful! I love my Crown Vic!
Same here, Aspen green outside, medium parchment on the inside. That was the last year for that green color. Bought it brand new.
It is amazing how the Grand Marquis body style lasted 19 years until 2011 and was applied on the Crown Vic from 1998 forward...The only weakness in those modular 4.6 engines was the composite intake manifold from the late 90's.
I know well, I replaced the intake on my 96 Mustang at around 250,000 miles only ever thing going wrong in my car.
I still see them on the road today. Awesome vehicles.
I use to have a '92 Crown Victoria LX. It was the toughest car I've ever seen. I put over 1,000,000 kms on it, and only had to replace tyres.
racinglightning01 not even Oil, brakes, transmission fluid, belts or sparkplugs? Sounds like proper bs to me
He even said "tyres". Not many in US or Canada spell tires that way
@@tylerdulude5162 the use of kilometers should’ve tipped u off he’s not American
The Crown Victoria was best suited for police/taxi service, while the Grand Marquis was built for the retiree crowd. Both are classics. And I like them both equally.
I have a 93 Crown Victoria and a 2005 Crown Victoria and i love them both. Although i drive the 93 daily as it has 393k on the clock and the 05 only has 52k so i keep it garaged and only drive it when the weather is great.
In 1992 the Grand Marquis LS was $19,700 according to video. In today’s market (2019) that would equal almost $37,000!!!! Crazy.
best cop car ever. durable, strong, powerful. you gotta hand it to ford for making such a strong car.
+one436purcell productions doesn't the caprice cop car have the LT1 with significantly more power and arguably many of the same strengths?
+one436purcell Powerful lol, even at its highest rating it still managed a measly 250hp...a 1999 Camry will out run it.
Lol I dont even have a camry, you do realize P71s run high 15s right? Thats slow as balls and pathetic..there are economy cars that run better times
+Mr Anderson What car do you drive a Ford Ranger.
Pathetic? It's a full-size sedan with a small-block V8, all designed in the 90's. It's not exactly a rocket ship but it does it's job well. Also I want to see what economy cars run high 15's, what cars and what numbers?
The ride quality of these cars are amazing
had a 97grand marquise when I was 24. what a great car!!! super underrated
Ford should have never let the panther platform languish like it did.... Oh well..
Daily drive a '96 Vic. Second panther I've owned and by far my favorite car. Trac-lok and 3.73s really helped. I swear by these cars!
I have heard that these taxi cars are consistently getting 500k miles before they are sold off to small metro area taxi companies, where they get another 200k to 300k miles.
If the taxi fleet has a dedicated garage, you can be sure they're getting more than 2 or 300k more miles off these cars. Get into a minor wreck? Pull a fender off one of the dead ones parked out back. Engine blows up because it was driven with no oil? Pull one out of the wrecked unit. On pretty much every 90s Crown Vic, the odometer's plastic gears stop working after 100k miles, so nobody really knows how many actual miles are on these cars, but I can guarantee there's a higher percentage of million mile Crown Vics than maybe any other car ever devised.
My first car was a 1992 Crown Vic! I loved that car.
Lots of people love that first year aero vic because of the muted grille style that was also shared with the Ford Taurus and the Ford Thunderbird.
My first car, a ‘93 Grand Marquis GS bought for $800 in high school. God, I loved that car. Seeing this makes me miss mine... ahh, memories.
You can still buy em
I wish people were more like myself in wanting to keep their older big american cars. I remember how many of these cars I use to see even a few years ago. Now many people have been sucked into trading them in for new crap cars. These were excellent reliable, economical comfortable cars to drive daily. People should have kept them instead of spending all that money wasted on the new and foreign cars. If people want to "go green" and save money, I suggest buy an older car like these Fords and Gm's and keep on driving them. I would take that same amount of money and use it for continued upkeep and maintenance! And in the end I have myself a good well built car built right in Michigan by proud Americans!!!!
+AMCNorthstar 93 I wish more people shared your mindset. Panther body cars will always be my favorite.
I agree with you but every panther since 1985 was made in canada
Funlu Canada is right next door to Detroit Michigan and they are neighbors. Unlike now using China and Mexico to supply the auto makers for either building vehicles or supplying parts. I support only UAW built vehicles both here in the U.S. or in Canada.
Alex Dean I currently own mainly GM's and Cadillac's but I do love these Ford panther body cars very much and mostly the Lincoln Town Car of the 80s and 90s are my top favorite.
I own a 1997 Grand Marquis with 84K. Bought it last year with 80K from the original owner. Like the original owner, I don't drive it in the winter months and plan to keep it as long as possible.
I own a 1997 Grand Marquise LS. It’s the best riding car I’ve ever owned. I’m 36 so I’ve owned about 15 to 20.
It’s luxury mixed with performance. I love the sound of the 4.6 V8 and when I hit a bump in the road, it acts like a boat going over it.
The seats are comfortable and it has a very light steering wheel.
From Earth to the moon is approximately 238,000 miles, my car now has 234,000 miles on it. So it’s held up through the years.
Everything still works except the air ride was switched out about 5 years ago.
Oh by the way, I paid $600 for it from a car lot going out of business.
It’s my daily while I keep my 2010 Camaro SS covered up in my garage.
Yeah! My favourite 2 full sized American sedans in a retro review. Thanks Motorweek!
Love my Grand Marquis
Full size body on frame rwd v8 cars are the best cars ever made! Please bring them back!
Insane that Ford stopped these. Every Cop Shoppe and taxi fleet in North America should have kept these in production
They would have put a Eco boost motor that no one would want and make it a Uni body.
@@chargermaster586 maybe putting in an ecoboost and keeping it (mostly) the same otherwise wouldnt even have been such a bad idea.
I LOVED my '04 Crown Vic cop car. It was smooth, quiet, and actually got really good mileage. I regularly saw 25mpg on the highway.
Thank you once again today for another great one! I appreciated this video. I hope there is more stuff like this from GM and Ford( Mercury and Lincoln)
I'll give Ford Panther body vehicles one thing, they sure did have some of the best reliability in the domestic market. Like a Crown Vic/Grand Marquis could go toe to toe with an LS400 for reliability.
They are very reliable cars.
why did you stop doing those big American cars? they were the U.S.A. brand image! I am French, and those big American cars made us dream in Europe! the 70s were the golden age of the great ships! Too bad !
I don't know why either man. I guess people were more into SUV' s, crossovers, and economy cars as well as hideous imports like Toyotas, Hondas, and Nissans.
Michael T. : Who tells you this ? a voice in your mind ? lol ! You think wrong. I love big american cars. In the 90's i drove an Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme 1981. I had much success with it on the roads of France.
CJ Colvin: yeah ! what a shame !
I wish they still make giant American landyacths if it weren't for the crisis.
My teacher Mr.B loves Big giant American landyacths.
I love the look of these early 90's Grand Marquis'. So smooth.
I imagine one of these panther cars with a 5.0L Coyote engine in it.
I believe that is a swap someone did once, it's an epic machine to say the least
Justin Noker I know man. Someone from did a restomod on a 1985 Mercury Grand Marquis. It has a panther frame off of an 07 crownvic with upgraded brakes and suspension, 03 Marauder wheels and carpeting, 96 Mercury Grand Marquis dash that has been painted black, and a 5.4L DOHC 32V V8 out of a Lincoln Navigator with 03 Cobra cylinder heads, 96-98 Cobra camshafts, an Aussie Boss 290 intake manifold and a Mercury Marauder airbox along with long tube headers and free flowing dual exhaust which combine that gives this car 341 HP and 351 Ibs of torque at the rear wheels and it sounds like a beast. The engine he swaped in before was a supercharged 4.6L SOHC 2V V8 making 390 HP and 386 Ibs of torque at the rear wheels.
@@CJColvin 341 ain't that great though nowadays. All that work and you get less than a new Explorer with the V6. xD
What I want to see is a 2011 Crown Victoria with a V10 Triton swap out of a newer Super Duty. 362 HP and 457 Ibs of torque stock would be very interesting to see. ;D
@@scottkrafft6830 Sounds or a 2011 Crownvic with a 7.3L Godzilla V8 swap in it along with a 5-speed manual as well.
picked up a 92 rebuilt crown vic for 800.00 from my buddy's parents last summer its been a great daily commuter i full tank can usually last just about two weeks for me that's the type s model
I had a 92 Grand Marquis it was the most reliable thing I owned and I regret selling it. This makes me want to find another.
They are getting more rare these days. Find one while you still can.
had a 91 LTD crown Vic. absolutely loved it. complaints aside, which every car has with everyone, I truly loved it.
Had a 97 GM. Great driving car. With 2.73 gears it will cruise all day on the Hwy at 70mph and get 25mpg!!
Then lower it, with 16's put on dual exhaust with high flow mufflers, open up the air box and install a K&N 3.73's, Jmod (shift kit) a good aftermarket tune and it becomes a 4dr performance car! Capeable of mid 14's in the 1/4 mile.
All while looking good!
I found a white 1993 Mercury Grand Marquis, but it had a screw-in radio antenna instead of a power antenna.
I have a 97 crown victoria and 2003 mercury grand marquis..beautiful cars
813 glz I have a 97 Crown Vic too with 240k on it too, I love my car!
They weren’t joking the panther platform stayed around for another decade! Pretty impressive
It could have gone on longer too if they had just done some more revisions.
My first car was a 1992 Crown Vic LX. It was a great choice. For an 18 yr old on 2002. Was $1800 with 87k on it. I had a lot of sex in that car...
George Lee preach!!!
Same here, I bought my first car at 18, it was a black '97 Grand Marquis, all my friends said it was a bad idea, they wanted me to buy a Mk2 or Mk3 VW Golf like they did, but I said nope, I want RWD and a V6 or V8. Walking down the street I saw this Grand Marquis for $750 and I bought it, it needed some work and stuff, but after another $700 it was running great! It was more fuel efficient than my friends Golf and more comfortable to drive 20 miles to school everyday, my friends ended up loving it so much that they got rid of their cars and started to commute with me and drive my car around to parties and stuff, people used to believe that they were my bodyguards, LOL. I sold my Grand Marquis before going to college, the guy who bought it still has it and is his daily driver, such a great car! :]
what do your kids have to say??
I bought an 89 Crown Victoria LTD for $600 as my first car.
TMI
legendary vehicles
Although I will never be able to afford these old style American cars (too expensive to drive in Europe), I love them. Although the one time I sat in one, a taxi in Denver, the taxi driver complained that the car was utterly unreliable. His driving style was very relaxed, by the way. Good!
There's quite a few noticeably HEAVILY used ones still presumably going strong throughout the midwest; either VERY well polished & clean looking or VERY baked paint job... not really inbetween lol
Up until recently my grandparents had a '92 Grand Marquis LS as their spare car... I loved it a lot! (:
Hmm, interesting. All these years I thought the CV's from 1992-97 were all grille-less. Never noticed that 1992 was the only yr with that distinction. 1993-97 does indeed have a grille, though much smaller than the 1998-2011 CV's.
Still my favorite years of CV's have to go to the box body 1988-91's. And my all time favorite era of the full size Fords are the 1968-72 Galaxies/LTD's. I guess I'm a sucker for retro time travel.
“However the caprice has far more radical styling”
Wait until you see bmw in 2021
They lasted all the way through 2011. I own a 2006, and I'm never giving it up. They are the end of an era. And it has nothing to do with oil shortages or gas prices. Much larger, heavier vehicles are selling well, and they get a LOT less gas mileage. My '06 Grand Marquis has gotten 30 mph on the highway at 65 mph. If ford were to reintroduce these cars right now, just as they were in 2011, they would still be highly profitable. Ford pulled the plug on these cars, not because they weren't selling well, but because they wanted to get into smaller more high tech cars, which DIDN'T sell well at all. Now Ford is going to stop making cars altogether. I wonder if they ever knew what they had with the Panther cars?
2012 mandated that all new cars sold need have ESC as standard. The panther platform was not capable unfortunately of supporting this technology. That's why they stopped, they literally rode it til it died
@@senorcartmenez8902 I just don't get how they can't support the esc systems. We live in the future, and such things like esc systems should fit in panther platforms and should be made possible to be compatible.
With the madatory world-wide rule of producing all-electric cars by the year 2030 nearing closer, panther bodys should come back as an electric trend and be made not just electric, but look enticing and attractive. Perhaps, redo the retro 60's style, but in a modern twist.
I agree, the full size sedan was shamed out of production by the Obama administration cash for clunkers and all that bullshit, but yet massive suvs and big ford f150s are just fine. They dont kill the environment right?
In addition, the lack of updates affected these cars Just compare the evolution of the Lexus Ls to the Panther platform since 1992, and you'll find that Lexus has a double overhead cam engine and a 5-speed automatic gearbox on the GX, the Panther platform, which didn't get radical updates
Fun fact: The Crown Vic is faster due to its 3.08 axle ratio vs the 2.73 in the Merc.
My merc gets 22.5 avg mpg tho with that axle. Slow but saves $$$$
PantherP74 Check your numbers. The Merc has the handling package that gives it tighter suspension, dual exhaust that ups power from 190 to 210, and gives it a 3:27 rear axle. The Crown Vic with standard suspension has s 2:73.
Merc got better MPG overall, plus most people who bought the Merc were older and wouldn't be doing any stoplight racing anytime soon.
Mom had a Crown Vic, I bought the Mercury..plush car, comfortable. The Ford was a little faster for some reason, both were nice traveling cars in 1989. Felt like you were driven a Lincoln .
Smaller rear axle gear ratio is more fuel efficient and gives a lower engine RPM on highway speeds. To me it is actually better if you are trying to make your car last.
Nowadays, no one manufacture a real car like this grand marquis!
Never owned one, but went out of my way to rent these during the late 90’s and early 2000’s. These were truly great American vehicles.
These cars had the all aluminum manifold. Only issue was valve seals, which caused the EGR crossover to clog. A few hours of work and as good as new. Worked in a placed long ago that serviced livery panthers, they were very well maintained (trans fluid every 30K) some of these saw ungodly mileage, with very minimal repairs. a well maintained used panther today is as good (reliability wise) as any new car on the lot.
alb12345672
alb12345672 great car for daily use.
the later ones where to blow a spark plug out.
The primary reason the grille-less crown vic was changed to add a grille was because of cooling problems in warmer areas especially since the cars were often used for heavy duty cop/fleet needs. The grille gave better airflow to the radiator. Handling at least on the crown vic was much improved later on with a stiffer suspension and rack and pinion steering. P71s and performance package vics made 260 horsepower by the end of the vic being made
The Crown Vic lasted so long as a big car when big cars seemingly were dying because the crown vic found a perfect market with police and with heavy duty use. Crown vics are basically built like a ford truck but with a car body on them
Always wanted a crown vic during those years
I still have my 93 Grand Marquis nowadays !
With it's original 31 thousand miles !
These body on frame rear drive V8 cars had reached their technological peak at this time, nothing compares to the solid feel, durability and easy serviceability of these cars.
When my oldest son was ready to go off to University I searched for a car that would get him through 4 years of college while being safe and reliable. I found a 2003 Crown Vic with 46 thousand miles that had been traded in by an elderly gentleman. It was fully loaded with leather interior, sport suspension, dual exhaust, climate control etc. and air spring rear suspension. He scoffed at first when seeing it but as we got into the car it was quite warm, looking down at the instruments I realized the engine was running. The engine was so quiet and smooth there was no physical or aural indication it was running. He adjusted the seat and mirrors and off we went on a test drive, he was immediately impressed with the smooth power delivery and effortless handling. He said, yes I want it. He ended up driving it through his college years and 6 years beyond with just tires, brakes and oil changes. On the way home from work on a winter night he hit a deer on the interstate damaging the front end launching the air bags. The insurance company said it was a total loss which was sad but ended up paying him 90% of the original cost. If not for the accident he would likely be driving that same car now.
FINALLY! I was going to request this episode as I just bought a 1992 Crown Victoria. I hoped you guys would upload it because this was a major redesign at Ford Motor Company and the Panther platform turned out to be historic. Not many 1992s on the road with that Ford front end. Awesome post. Keep Crown Vic vids coming!
I bought a 92 grand marquis for $500 from a neighbor in 2007 and drove it until 2016. Loved that car. All the money my friends were putting into car payments went to my IRA.
One of my most favourite cars are panther cars! Body on frame, V8, and RWD. They ride smooth and are very reliable.
Love the panther platform cars. Have owned, 1995 Grand Marquis LS, 2000 Grand Marquis LS. Presently own a 2005 Grand Marquis Ultimate Edition w/144K and a 2006 Grand Marquis LS-Premium w/42K. Awesome cars! Too bad Ford gave up on them.
+Tim Allen, I have an an 98 Merc, I think the most reliable thing ever to roll off an assembly line. Never a bad review written that year.
Except for that, and some wear and tear stuff it is as reliable as hell itself. I did replace that when I bought it. i also ordered new coolant hoses before i got the car, totally didn't need them but i wanted the peace of mind. Wear and tear were lower ball joints and a leaking axle seal(small weep). I don't count things like brakes or trans fluid services i did. Oh, I got a dorman pan with a drain plug.
It is much more reliable than some new crap my neighbors own, including bmws. I also have 177k on it. So far it cost me 1500 bucks including the purchase price for 40k miles. If I wanted something similar new it would cost a fortune. We aren't talking about an econobox,, but I do get 22.5mpg. The car in the vid had the alumniun boat anchor manifold. They would clog up the egr passages, and the engines needed valve stem seals.
Some of the best cars ever made
Thanks for fulfilling my request! :D You guys are the best.
Had an 2003 Marquis, a tank. Road like a dream. Only traded when it wouldn't go in the snow, where I live. Wish I still had it.
The cars were all about BUSINESS. The reason why I love my 2005 Crown Vic Police Interceptor is because it is honest. There is no hidden gimmicks. It is simple, dependable, reliable and tough,
Another great video motor week, thank you
Love these things. I took my driver's test in a '93 Crown Vic and use an '02 as a daily driver. The Buick Roadmaster I used to have had more character though.
Fun fact: Those doors on the grand Marquis were used until the end of mercury production and on Ford crown Victoria from 1998 til 2011
front doors are all the same 92 up rears changed on cv in 98.
Crown Vic, Grand Marquis and even the Town Car were wonderful rides.
My first car is a 1997 Crown Victoria LX and people are always surprised when they see it since there aren’t as many out there any more
MotorWeek probably never guessed it would continue on for another 19 years. Honestly, they shouldn't have discontinued the Panther platform.
Maybe it’s just me, but the Crown Victoria is a good-looking car. Sleek clean lines with an aerodynamic shape.
I cant believe how long these cars lasted. I honestly would buy a good condition Marquis or Town Car in a couple years if I can
Great cars! Dad had a 92 Crown Vic, and I later had a 96.
The 90s had some gems!
I have a 2003 crown vic lx. I love it. who cares if i is not the most current car on the road. i enjoy driving it and, it is reliable and inexpensive.
They still look quite current, even with a design from 1998, they still look like something that could be marketed today.
i had a mercury gran marquis 1992, is one o the best car i ever had, i miss him
You can still find them today, very cheap too.
3:01-3:11 I never seen a power antenna switch on the dashboard of any car before, lol. We got to lower the antenna if you want to go to an automatic, soft-touch car wash at our leisure.
I will buy used Crown Victoria.because I very love Crown Victoria.
You won't regret it.
Panther Love!
Always loved the early 90s crown vic's
I have 150,000 miles on my grand marquis and she runs like a champ. My first car was an ‘84 T-Bird. Also a great car
Barely broken in
Best car ever made for reliability, durability, and all around use. I had a1987 Police Interceptor purchased new because my friend worked for area Ford sales, and coded it to a local RCMP detachment. 351 HO, when the only civilian motor was the 302. Hd everything. Velour interior. Bulletproof, no pun intended.
It's funny that this car was considered antiquated when it was new in 1992. I still drive my '92 crown vic everyday. It has holes rusted through the body but it still runs. Easy to make fans of your company when you make such a well-made car!
Fun fact, the grille-less Crown Victoria only lasted one year before Ford restyles the front to look
more conventional.
Yea, that is why the 92 Crown Vic is a little more valued. It had that really cool muted grille theme that the Ford Taurus at the time had.
I love my 03 MGM. Makes a great cruiser and with alittle work, it can have enough grunt to have some fun with. This is one of those "slow cars that are fun to drive fast".
i had a 91 town car. was a great car
These cars were built to last cause I still see them around and in good shape still.
yay more motor week retro reviews. :)
I just love to see cars that look similar to each other.
1:41 When he said "Clear and airy" I felt that