Best Police Car Ever!

[Ibby]

I've been having a discussion on another site, (a car enthusiast site) about what the best police cars have been. So what do you say? The Crown Vic since early 2000's have been OK, a good car overall I think, but for me it has to be the 96 Caprice with the LT1 package. Power, handling and good in the snow, just a great car. My worst has to be around 1987 Crown Vics (with the squared off front and rear ends), just a horrible car, that to stop in the snow you had to throw it in neutral, then hit the brakes, otherwise it would go sideways.
Anyway, 96 Caprice is my top pick, what's yours?

[SmallCityCop]

Any one that runs and I don't have to pay gas for.

[Mulgrave600]

Unfortunately I can't directly compare the ones I've driven to yours

[hemicop]

Best police car EVER?!?! That's a pretty tall order, but being a car enthusist also, I'll play.....
For me, it'd have to be the '68-70 Satellite/Coronet from Mopar. With all the availible options in them, they could be set-up for anything from a small-town cruiser (6-cyl) to basically a 4-door musclecar. With a disc/drum brake set-up they weren't unlike many newer police cars but had more interior room, greater acceleration & greater durability then current police vehicles. As proof, I submit the lack or a reputation for exploding (Crown Vics) , lack or power ( again, Crown Vics & some 9C1 Caprices) and as mentioned, greater interior & trunk space. The Mopar's ability to idle for hours & accelerate put them in the high 13/low 14 second zone, not too different from today's cars. Perfect? Hardly!
The seats seriously lacked side bolsters, they rattled like crazy & admittedly though they braked pretty well, they would brake unevenly & fade sooner than modern cars. Given a choice, I really do think I'd take an older car than ANY of the new police cars........

[Iowa #1603]

1981 Dodge St Regis

Ran like stripped arse ape------------heavy enough to hold the pavement in a curve---------& you could land a small aircraft on the hood

https://www.google.com/search?q=1981+dodge+st+regis+police+car&biw=1280&bih=628&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=z7tOVOu5DcOcyATCj4Io&ved=0CB0QsAQ

You also could put an elephant in the back seat & have room left over

[SmallCityCop]

Since I started policing in 2007, I can only attest to the vehicles I have driven thus far as patrol cars.

2004 Impala- roomy (no cage), fast, FWD so better in snow and ****poor weather
2007 Crown Vic- fast, strong, durable, sucked in snow and ****poor weather
2005 Trailblazer #1- 4WD, relatively peppy for an older SUV, civilian model dressed up as a patrol car, roomy (no cage)
2009 Impala- fast, great in bad weather, not as roomy
2005 Trailblazer #2- 4WD, this one was SLOW (barely hit 50mph), roomy (no cage), but also no space for patrol rifle and shotgun mount was in the trunk
2006 Crown Vic- fast, durable, sucks in bad weather

[Name Taken]

The new "performance" offerings from Ford, Dodge, and Chevy are blowing away anything from the previous 2 decades.

The Ford TT Ecoboost with AWD is a nasty little car. Likely much faster in real world driving then those old big body big motor hunks of days past.

We do not have the TT models just the V6 AWD and although they sound embarrassing driving next to a CV it's no comparison in power, handling, and ride comfort.

[hemicop]

The Ford TT AWD Ecoboost is a great & interesting car. My gripe with that one is cost & complexity. IIRC it's the most expensive police vehicle out there. Fine for smalldepts. or ones with big budgets but for the "average" PD I'd be concerned about initial cost & maintainience expenses...

[lpstopper]

After driving a Hemi Charger for a few days, im not sure how we still have Crown Vics working speed enforcement on the highway. From a dead stop The CV takes forever to catch up to a car traveling 75+ , compared to a Hemi car which accelerates to 60 before you even realize it. I do love the sound of the CV motor accelerating which makes it appear to be moving faster than it is lol.

[Mulgrave600]

The Ford TT AWD Ecoboost is a great & interesting car. My gripe with that one is cost & complexity. IIRC it's the most expensive police vehicle out there. Fine for smalldepts. or ones with big budgets but for the "average" PD I'd be concerned about initial cost & maintainience expenses...

I've got a feeling that American imports are going to make it down here once we stop manufacturing our two local large sedans.

The new Ford Taurus looks like a pretty good option.

[hemicop]

Right now the "best" policecar seems to be the Chevy Tahoe. I'm told it's the least expensive, & has the most room for for passenger,equipment & prisoner transport. The police package ones are a touch lower than the civilan version but I'm not a fan. I'll sign out a regular car if I can.......

[nightrider43]

After driving a Hemi Charger for a few days, im not sure how we still have Crown Vics working speed enforcement on the highway. From a dead stop The CV takes forever to catch up to a car traveling 75+ , compared to a Hemi car which accelerates to 60 before you even realize it. I do love the sound of the CV motor accelerating which makes it appear to be moving faster than it is lol.

I do LOVE the sound of the vic.....however, at least from the outside, the hemi chargers ROAR! Definitely quieter inside than the vic though.

[Speedbird543]

My vote goes to the Chevrolet "AintNoRoomInA" Lumina. Specifically 1995-1997. Just kidding, WORST CAR EVER. 3.4L 215HP V-6, couldn't get out of its own way. And for such a small car, the Ain't-No-Room-In-A had an abysmal turning radius. Luckily I only had to spend a year in that dog.

Of all the cars I have been assigned, the 2008-2011 CVPI has been the best. Reliable, lots of space (especially for a former O-Lineman like myself), decent handling and performance.

The 2000-2005 Impalas were "Ok" but still kind of small and broke down all the time. The 1999-2002 Vics were bigger but the ride was like an old sofa.

Too bad cars like the Dodge Coronet 440 were way before my time.

[Gunnersmate323]

My first and still fav was my 93ish? caprice it had ALOT of miles It burned a qt of oil every 2 days!! but still loved it i got to chose between that and a dodge k car! The k car was the ugliest police car ever! I had to drive it for like 3 day one time while mine was in the shop and I was to embarrassed to go to any calls. Did all the Depts all the caprices "catfish" cars or was that just us? always wondered that? I always thought a dodge magnum hemi would have made a great police car.

[3486]

1974 Plymouth Satelite. 440 magnum. burned a set of rear tires a week. Something a 20 year old should not been allowed to drive..