Help Me Feel Some Hype

Hey Veeky Forums. I need to get a new car. My old car needs some work to be done and its getting unreliable as a daily driver. So I have decided to store it and turn it into a restoration project.

With my financial situation pic related seems to be the most viable car for my new daily driver. It's a 2011, 4.6L V8, only has 88,000 miles on it, seems to be in good shape, interior seems in decent shape and roomy, plenty of cargo space, rear wheel drive. They want $3800 for it.

Looks like a good deal all around for a police car, but it seems like such a dull car to me. I heard Veeky Forums likes these cars, so fill me in fellas, why are these cars so good? Hype me up for this purchase. tips and advice appreciated.

Get them right from the auction.
Try find one that spent most it's time on the highway.

>I heard Veeky Forums likes these cars
I don't think so, however there isn't really any car that Veeky Forums collectively likes.

I know a lot of people argue that police vehicles have the wrong "kind" of miles on them (lots of idling and flooring), so even at something decent like 88k, you should be careful.

2 year anniversary of DDing a 2007 P71 this month.

It's a reliable daily if you're fine with the mpgs (16city-22hwy) they're great because it's the last car built body on frame style. The overall design never changed since the the late 70's. Flip through the trip button and you'll see an idl hour meter, if it's under 1500 hours I would say the miles are accurate. More than 1500 hours I'd consider the engine more worn than 100k miles but these engines can handle it. $3800 is sort of steep imo if you're not a hardcore fan of a panther. 2011 is the last year so some say they have poor build quality, but also that year has good resale since it is the last year. If it's white that paint is really shitty. A lot of white P71s peel really early. Really simple car with V8 rwd feels, not fast but feels good, it'll cruise at any speed and it comes stock with 150mph rated tires. Interior isn't fancy but I see it as a plus. Vinyl floors can take all the dirt/mud you can throw at it and it'll sweep out. Bottomless trunk. Like a truck in sedan form.

>Looks like a good deal all around for a police car, but it seems like such a dull car to me.
It's a V8 powered, rear wheel drive land barge that sticks its ass out faster than a dog in heat the first time you take it in the snow. It's no Ferrari but it's certainly no less dull than a Honda Civic.

Veeky Forums likes them for the same reason most people do, they're cheap, reliable cars with lots of space and they're sturdy as fuck to boot, being the last of the body on frame sedans.

As said, police cars often have the piss beat out of them, and those 80k miles won't show the endless hours sitting around idling. IIRC you can see the idle mileage on the odo someplace but don't own a P71 so couldn't tell you how.

If it turns out you don't like it, there's always the Mercury Grand Marquis and Lincoln Town Car on the same platform- the Town Car is cheap 'luxury' and the Grand Marquis is basically a Crown Victoria without the 'I want to be a cop!' aura.

You could also shoot your wad and go for a Marauder if you find one.

Aren't most cars floored and idled everyday?

no

idling for a few minutes in traffic is different than a cruiser spending hours and hours and HOURS sitting idling on the side of the road, every day, day in and day out, and if you're flooring the pedal that much you should learn to drive

Honestly I floor my car at least once a day because I like driving it for fun. Is that bad?

no, in fact it's probably good for your engine

i mean idling for hours and then BRMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM BRMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM BRMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM nonstop until they get to the scene/donut shop and then it's back to idling for hours until another call goes out and then BRMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

Idled a lot... yes
Floored occasionally... yes

You'll get written up if you burn through 2 tanks of a gas flooring it at every light. Plus they log all the maintenance on the cars you drive, if your cars come back worn out and fucked up your gonna get fired.

Kek I guess I'm in the clear then

If it's good and warm not really. Google "Italian tune up" high revving gets the combustion chambers really hot and it breaks up carbon deposits.

Well I take since its a rear wheel drive and a big landbarge style car, its probably got a big roomy engine bay. Are these cars easy to work on? If I ever get some cash to burn I may consider doing some work on the car. What are some things to consider improving?

I've driven Vics for 20+ years. Too bad they don't still make them. The used ones at ~5 years are just getting beyond my comfort zone mileage-wise, when you can find the increasingly rare church/grocery getter retiree vehicle.

I've had very few problems with any of my Vics, and none of them serious. Domestic parts are cheap, and service is relatively straightforward. Yes, they have their minus points (e.g., coil on plugs) but overall a great car.

Relatively roomy. If it were mine, I'd try my hand at swapping in a mustang manual transmission

Really easy to work on. The only engines they've ever had were the pushrod 351 and 302, then the SOHC and DOHC 4.6 (Mercury Maruder) so the engine bay isn't monstrous. The powertrain is basically a 1997-2003 mustang GT so you can mod it if you want.

Most recommend a J-Mod. Which is a modification to the transmission. It's how the inventor envisioned the transmission but Ford cut the transmission fluid flow to made it shift slower and smoother. J-mod will make it shift faster, harder and more transmission fluid flow for better life.

>What are some things to consider improving?
Intake manifold. Older Panthers have a garbage plastic manifold which the alternator fucking bolts onto the front of, which inevitably causes the manifold to crack and spew coolant eventually.

After a bunch of years and complaints Ford finally updated the manifold to a newer design that is still garbage and plastic but at least is reinforced at the stress points and has a metal bracket the alternator bracket mounts onto.

You can also swap in a newer airbox into an older car (google Marauder airbox) for a tiny power increase if you reflash like you're supposed to but honestly they're big, cozy land barges, performance shouldn't be the first thing in your mind and if it is you should be looking for a Handling/Performance Pack car in the first place for the twin exhausts and sweet, sweet 3.27 or possibly 3.55 LSD.

2004 and up police cars have a pretty much Marauder intake on them already.

I own a town car and I love it. don't drive now it because I fucked it up, but I loved it.

OP here, I went to pick up the car today. It is a pretty nice car but my main complaint is that it lacks many things Id expect from a 2011 car. No remote locks, no cruise control, a basic radio with no cd player, etc. The entire car interior had armor-all used on it, especially the vinyl flooring so its kinda slippery.

Regardless of these little gripes, the transmission is smooth the car feels sturdy and its almost rust free. Got the fluids checked and changed. Feeling pretty good about this purchase.

thats because the cars design is about 20/25 years old, that and if its an ex service vehicle it probably didnt need any of those mod cons