Mr. Random is a quintessential American who stands for true old values by defending the Panther Platform. We Crown Vic users know what this means. Keep up the great work you do, brother!
@@AmosFivetwelve RUBBISH! electric battery cars are nothing but a fad for liberals. It's the Dodo Bird of the 21st century. Hydrogen Engine cars would be the wave of the future. Diesel and gasoline engines are here to stay.
Crazy to think that these are disappearing after having worked at a place in the late 90s that installed the partitions, lights, etc.... With the amount of these coming through there you would have thought these would be around forever.
Its not just Crown Vics, it's most cars. The manufacturers discontinue parts support for their cars after about 7 years.....but the average age of a car on the road is 12 years. Its all about crushing the middle class.
This is the problem. 100 percent correct. I have a 1991 Mustang LX, 5.0, 5spd. Ford makes next to nothing in terms of parts support. Have to rely on aftermarket. A lot of junk parts out there. Luckily the Fox Mustang is popular enough you can get decent aftermarket support. When the OEM stuff is no longer being made it’s usually the end of the line. Luckily though the Panther platform was popular enough that the aftermarket should be able to help.
I will say that it is harder to find the cleaner vics on marketplace, a lot of them are damaged or not well taken care of. Yeah sure there were mass produced but they are disappearing at an alarming rate
I have owned a couple of Grand Marquis and LOVED them. In 2005, I purchased a new Ford Thunderbird when Ford were step selling them for very reduced prices. In 2015 I sold it on as parts were getting hard to find for this ten year old classic. Mine had an issue with a cracked gas tank and after weeks, ended up with a used, modified tank from a Lincoln LS. I am looking for a Marauder at the moment, to keep and restore as a future classic. Great videos.
Out here in Arizona, there are many police agencies that still run these cars and as long as they're in LE use, Ford will produce parts for them. You can still go down to the dealer and order most parts for them.
Northwest Canada went to Ford for a new marker light and interceptor badge Badge was ordered as a Taurus part and marker light they shrugged their shoulders. There is 1 2009 cvpi left in service out here serving over 250km of highway alone. The only hope for parts are off the other lines such as Mustang or Mercurys. Even still, a little dent or a cracked marker light case will have the insurance total your pride and joy tl:dr technically in service no parts anywhere
One such example: Cleetus mcfarland's stupid derby race involving multiple Crown Vics. You have a valid point though. Parts crunch will be felt tighter in normally "Rust Belt" areas, but it's only a matter of time before the Southwest and PNW will also be in the same situation. Same thing happened to the Ford LTDs of 80s cop cars. Can you believe it's hard to find the full-size hubcaps to a Crown Vic that's seen on multiple Taxi cabs and Civvie vehicles? Hubcaps! For purely cosmetic reasons!
I think you're blowing smoke. The water pump failed on my 1972 Datsun 240Z recently. I can pick up a water pump for it (in stock) at Autozone, NAPA Auto Parts or O'Reilly Auto Parts (I'll be getting a theoretically higher quality one from Motorsport Auto in California - also in stock and ready to ship). The same with the Alternator (which I replaced back in 2015). If parts are readily available for my half century old foreign sports car, I'm pretty sure they're also available for a common and recent Ford Sedan which sold in the millions.
Dude I WISH, I could afford to get another Miss Piggy. (P71) . I had an awesome one, turned right on a red light didn’t see buddy coming. Wrote it off, no collision insurance… Now they are out of my price range. I’m driving a 95 Lincoln town car now.
This is largely dependent on your area. Near me in NY you can go to any parts store and they have everything in stock. I don't even call ahead anymore, I just go to the store. Not saying this isn't happening in places, just that it's really a matter of where you live.
Yeah I'm thinking this is a regional thing... I haven't had any issues buying new parts for my jimmy. Probably because GM put that 4.3 in every vehicle lol
Couldn't believe how hard it was to find parts for my 97 grand marquis. It's like there's millions of them, but I had to order everything online 😤 Shame most people see them as "old people" cars.
Been in the Taxi business for 20 years, mostly using P71s. Converted to Corollas last year and been using the now "Drag Vic" for Bracket Racing. The Homies always asked how much. $3500 including many spare parts. They're bulking now but it's my last Vic. Next Bracket car will be a dodge or a trailered footbrake ride.
I have a Mercury Marauder since new and always loved the Panther platform I can't believe they stopped building them or don't reintroduce them as they were such a good car as well as such a good police car at a good price and they don't understand why no one wants to buy the cars they want to sell now
I have noticed CL, Craigslist & other spots have much fewer P74s P71 sedans since 2020 but parts are not yet a super big problem. Cheap, poor QC Crown Vic parts from 🇨🇳 are a problem.
It is getting harder to find parts for these cars. I was in an accident that destroyed the right rear quarter panel of my p71. The insurance company tried totaling it out. I wouldn't let them. I continue to drive it. I just can't find a right rear quarter panel... And when I do find them someone wants 400-$500 for it, and at that point I can basically buy a wrecked Crown Vic for that price. So I've just been driving my p71 with a destroyed right rear quarter panel...
If you say so. I sell a lot of Town Cars. They show up at auction regularly. I buy parts just the same as always. Copart has lines of them. Local bone yards are covered in them. ALL old cars become increasingly difficult to get parts for as time goes by, but these are still easy.
My local Autozone has all the parts you mentioned in stock, along with over 2 dozen common parts I searched for. The big issue, as far as keeping these cars going appears to be computer parts. Parts like the ABS control module are no longer available new, you can get them rebuilt, but they cost around $700. That kind of thing is why I am against all the trash technology (and ABS is definitely trash technology, but nowhere near as bad as what newer cars have) that they are putting on newer cars. You can still get almost anything for most '60s and '70s cars that don't have trash parts like that. I have one Crown Vic and two Grand Marquis, and I don't have any place to put any more. All three are in excellent condition.
the crazy thing about the "new" technology in new cars is they're like more than a decade behind on chipsets. these new fancy tech featured cars are just full of junk technology that costs almost nothing lol.
We own a 2004 Grand Marquis. Bought it for 700.00 from a junkyard. Had 184000 when we bought it. Replace the axle shaft and seal on the passenger side.Replaced brakes rotors plugs and 3 coils. Change oil every 4000 miles. Lots of them still in the Philly South Jersey area. Will keep mine until the engine goes.
It’s not just crown Vics, lots of cars are having parts troubles. Even new cars are having part issues. I’m getting GM parts today that I ordered in January or February so it’s pretty much everything is getting hard to find and more expensive when you do
Ive owned 2 p71 over 8 years. My current p71 is totaled due to rear quarter panel is smashed. On the plus side. I just picked up a 2014 Taurus SHO and it is amazing. I do plan keeping my vic tho
That's just sad. They only been off the books for a relatively short time. But I been hearing this - no parts. My elderly neighbor has a 2003 Crown Vic that she doesn't want to give up. It's a workhorse and even though she is 80 - she loves her Crown Vic and doesn't want to give it up. She goes out in blizzards for God's sake AND she has a heavy foot! Hate to see the Vic's go by the wayside Life sux when this crap happens.
I own a used 2005 rare floor shifter style P74 Crown Vic LX Sport. 185000mi. I've had the black P74 since 2020. It has a V8, 4.6L with Flowmaster add ons. I had many major parts upgraded or fixed: Bosch platinum spark plugs, 2 new ignition coils, new Good Year Max Life tires, new water pump, new rear LCM, new window regulators(2), new hoses, new car battery, new lights(brakes).
Thanks for doing this. I am very proud to be a Ford man and owner (Ford GTs) etc and it's good to know someone as yourself is doing this. Long live the Vics.
I bought a starter and 4 brand new shocks for my 99 crown Vic napa had it all in stock. As for these cars getting rare, yes that’s true 😭 my one buddy bought an 01 crown Vic only had 78k miles on it no rust at all and put it in the derby. I tried buying the whole car he wouldn’t sell it. But I did buy the engine/transmission full engine wiring harness and computer. I’m keeping in touch with him for more future parts
It's crazy to me that these are approaching 30 year old tech and still as efficient as most everything on the road today. While also not giving up much, if any, performance or comfort compared to most modern offerings.
My 2005 Ford LX Sport P74 has a smooth quiet ride due to new Good Year Max Life tires, good shocks but it is also old, wearing out. I plan to drive the P74 Ford until 2026.
@@DavidLLambertmobileI just purchased a 2007 Mercury Grand Marquis a couple weeks ago. It is in brand new condition, with 36,000 miles on it. I bought it from the original owners (they had the original title, as well as a large stack of maintenance receipts) There is not a scratch on it that you can see without a magnifying glass. Not a single mark on the alloy wheels. I am 64, a retired mechanic, and plan to drive it for the rest of my life. I have another running Grand Marquis and Crown Vic that I am also still driving, and lots of parts. I've noticed that most of the Panther car videos on TH-cam are about the Crown Vic P71. I believe the Mercury Grand Marquis is a much better car for normal driving, and is likely to last longer. Its engine is in a lower state of tune, it has softer suspension for a better ride, and it has the 2.73 rear axle, which means the engine and transmission turn over a lot slower at highway speed than the Crown Vic P71.
Why you think I'm still driving older mercury 03 Sable on a Ford Taurus platform, and an old 04 jeep grand Cherokee limited. There starting to get old and parts are getting more expensive and harder to find. The 8v s even the 4.7 8vs are getting harder to come by. Along with the older generation 3.0 sohc are hard to find in good conditions so I understand how you feel. The newer engines are dohc and turbos and i dont want either of those. My cars are becoming classic models but I don't want a brand new car or an EV.
I was never much of Ford fan but hats off to Ford Mo Co for building this AMerican icon. Sucks that it has to meet a fate like this when it served so many communities for so many years. Hell, the boxy Crown Vic prior to this one,,,,1993 (?) with the 351 OHV was even cooler. On the Ohio turnpike back in 1993 at a comfort station, I was parked kind of close to the turnpike on my way to Norwalk raceway park and I watched an Ohio state trooper take off from the shoulder, punch it at maybe a 5mph roll and that SOB had tire smoke coming out of both wheel wells. Never forget that and how cool it looked. GM crapped out long ago with a cool sedan cop car.
Always loved these, but I never owned one. However, I feel your pain; my Cherokee XJ is meeting the same challenges. Cash For Clunkers didn't help......
There was a demo derby in my area last summer that had lots of ex taxi and police crown Vics that were completely destroyed by the end of the event. Hurts the soul 😢
I have a 1998, CV. I haven't had any problems finding parts. In fact, last month, I had my windshield replaced with an OEM Carlite, It was even upgraded to the later style with the dot matrix over the rear view mirror. On top if that, insurance covered it! If anything is going to be hard to find it's OEM glass - It's all still available windshields, door, vent and back glass. one just has to ask fir it at the local glass shop.
Can confirm less panthers in the junk yards. Just two years ago my pick n pull was getting new ones in every other week. Now maybe a couple show up each month. A damn shame.
It isn’t just finding parts, it’s finding good parts. It’s an axiom in the lighting community that OEM headlights are best for quality. I bought OEM lights for our P71, and they were losing plating and going bad in a few months. We finally gave the P71 away, but I miss it.
98-02 town cars are wayyy harder to find parts for with fewer being produced and that body style ending 21 years ago i’m already experiencing this issue.
If you are gonna buy a grand marquis or a crown vic, make sure its a 2005 or above. I just got rid of a perfectly good 2001 grand marquis because the parts I needed to get it inspected are completely discontinued. Junk yards, ebay, online...everywhere. Ford is not making a majority of aftermarket parts for those vehicles before 2005
You are on to something... Everyone knows i buy junk panthers ( main staple diet here ) The issue for me is the land to store the cars... What we need to start is our own database for Vic guys that have ( said parts ) t needed ( just for us buy ,sell ,and trade with in our community. And every Panther guy needs that 2nd or 3rd car...
Time to invest on good 3D printing and foundry skills. Also jury rigging parts making it compatible to Crown Vics. One time my brother bought a rebuilt CV shaft for an Integra, and I was surprised to see a FORD logo on it. Somewhat they managed to make Ford CV shaft compatible with Hondas.
Shortage has been happening here in nyc for the last 5 years! They dont want these cars on the road anymore because ford realized that this car really can run forever !!! I loved my 2010 lincoln town car but i got rid of it 3 months ago because its gas guzzling ways just wasnt for me anymore but i did love the car becauSe it helped me financially save alot of money while i had it due to its reliability!!!!
I just had to replace a front anti stabilizer bar bracket. I had upgraded the bar to a 35mm a while back. It took several attempts to find out I couldn't locate the right part. Had to take it to a repair shop and 2 attempts later they found a replacement part. I think the issue here is the cars are becoming obsolete for everyday driving b/c of 4-5 $$ a gallon gas. However, mine has 243k and runs awesome and Mr R is right about everyone misjudging how long these cars last. My plan is to get 500k. We'll see.
Some people are trying to blame Cletus,but if you check the schedules of most of the racetracks in the southeast there are crownvics on their race schedules.
This is a manufactured crisis. The profits of car companies are in direct opposition to durable, lasting cars. Open source advocates need to start taking the helm here and employ 3d printing and other rapid manufacturing tech to produce needed parts and deal with falling support for these vehicles and others like it.
I feel your pain. I have an 85 Thunderbird 5.0, and years ago, the yards were full of these for the taking. I did grab a few parts, but I should have picked up the pieces that you don't realize you need until 38 years after the fact. If you need some random trim part it is no where to be found. Oh, and if you do find it, then plan on opening your wallet as wide as possible. I can't even find anyone who will work on it. Most shops want plug and play. I can do the paint and body, but I'm not a mechanic. Shops say that with these old cars, you fix one thing, then ten more things go wrong, and the customer thinks you're trying to cheat them and refuse to look at the car. They are tired of getting burned by customers.
You are correct because I've been down this road before. In the 80's I used to collect and fix up late 50's tailfinned Chrysler products. Once incredibly common and cheap in the 60's (because they fell out of favor), they virtually disappeared during the 70's and 80's. I had to keep driving farther and farther out into rural areas to find cars and parts. Then in the late 80's, buyers from northern Europe were snapping them up and exporting them, thus making them even more scarce. The same thing could happen to Panthers. It is up to individuals like you to stockpile vehicles and parts in preparation for the inevitable. It has happened before. In the 50's, there was a man in Mount Vernon, NY named Sam Adelman who loved the classic cars of the 20's & 30's. After the Depression and WWII, he saw them fall out of favor and scrapped at an alarming rate. He decided to start collecting as many as he could find, parting them out and cataloging & stockpiling as many parts as he could. Throughout the 50's, he gained a nationwide reputation among car collectors as the go-to guy for rare parts. The New York Classic Car Association has a Sam Adelman Award, given to people who help preserve antique cars. For anyone wanting to stockpile Panther cars & parts, take my advice and secure a place to put them FIRST. Get a piece of property-it doesn't have to be large-and if possible, some type of barn, both for storage and for working on them. THEN start your collecting. Good luck.
Nine yrs ago i bought a 2000 crown vic with 3 flat tires at auction for $300 & am still driving it. Cleetus Mcfarland is buying them by the dozen & smashing them up
It’s amazing how many of these cars that used to be on the road and have now virtually vanished! Same as the Aerostar, the Escort and soon the 2008 to 2012 Escape. In their day you couldn’t go out anywhere and not see a few of them. Just like the escapes that will soon be a distant memory which I own, a 2012 v6 AWD with about 150,000 km’s i think under 100,000 miles on it and hopefully I can keep it going a long time.
What about the Mercury Grand Marquis ? There are still millions of them still on the road and I believe the parts on them would be compatible to Crown Vics.
Still rockin' my '01 LX with 104K miles on it. Was a nifty car 21 years ago when I bought it from the original owner. She was ordered with quite a few options - digital dash, handling/performance package, air suspension, leather, keyless entry, etc. She's got quite a bit of "patina" these days though... and needs more frequent minor (though highly inconvenient) repairs - so far parts haven't been an issue. Last couple of things were the fuel pump (had a couple different kinds to choose from), brake rotors/calipers/master cylinder and some front-end parts. Bought a new car recently and the Lexus dealer wouldn't even consider it as a trade-in, LoL. Their excuse was that the Carfax showed a "possible odometer rollback" of a couple K miles many years ago. Whatever, I'll just keep it in the driveway for now... still runs and drives just fine
My 98 has rust, that will do it in. Loaded Grand Marquis. Older original owner I bought it from got EVERYTHING except for air suspension. Told me he had an older one in the 90s (very high miles) that had bad air suspension and it cost a fortune(no real choices back then)
The used car market was first dealt a severe blow back when the government offered rebates consumers to trade in “gas guzzlers” that went to the crusher. One of my sons was working at a Ford dealer during that time, and there were a lot of V-8s that got traded in that were otherwise in pretty decent shape that had to go to the crusher. Couldn’t even donate parts. I wonder how much that also contributed to the disappearance of the older pushrod powered square body police interceptors.
I try to keep my 08 crown Vic nice and clean, it’s true it’s hard to find parts for it but not impossible I agree if you have one get some spare parts for it.
Hi. We are moving to USA MA and I thought to buy a p71, and save some money. But now it is easier to buy used explorer rather crown Vic. They are almost the same price. Hopefully I will buy a decent one just for my kids after we settle on place.
Not just the US, up in Canada too. Some dick smashed my Driver's rear window last April. Something I used to get easily at the junk yard. I had to get ordered in out of province. I must have phoned 10 different junkyards trying to get that stupid piece of glass I needed! I thought about just buying one of those Ford Taurus the cops drive now but I just don't like the styling of them. Sure there AWD but the Crown Vic has a stronger frame and can take a hell of a lot of a beating then a Ford Taurus ever will! If I had the room I would probably buy a spare parts car.
Eh idk where I'm at parts isnt a problem but to be honest ford shouldn't have stopped making them. They brought back the bronco they should bring back one of the most well know car platform
There is a Crown Vic where I live in Scotland, it's a nice example, but I own a 1998 E11 Corolla, and a few years back I had a couple suspension parts replaced, took me a lifetime just to find em, since it isn't the most well known models no parts stores had em, and I couldn't find much online.
Same pattern happened with Foxbody Mustangs third gen camaros and square bodys. They were everywhere cheap as dirt and now everyone asks where did they all go? Bummer, but that's just how it goes. Keep what you got.
Crown Vic is an antique. Last one I owned was 6-7 years ago. I used to buy them by the truckload 15 years ago when coming out of police service. Up in the northern climates, I HATE driving them in the winter. Ill take an awd Hemi Charger to daily.
Don't get so worried about electric ⚡ because their downfall is that most cities electrical GRIDS are so outdated that when the juice starts flowing poppitty Pop One by one lights out, and I am getting sick and tired of Vic's and the Mercs being used for general Lee car's and demo's, plenty of junk Taurus's that could be used if they gotta smash a car.
Mr. Random, sadly I’m with you. I have an 09 and I’m seeing the part crisis coming. Struggling in Maine to find another one for parts. Hell you can’t even get a replacement hood latch or trunk latch through the stores
At my local derby I can easily count over 10 crown vics. I hate seeing it. Most of the time they run LS engines. I saw one 4.6 powered one. But that 4.6 powered Vic literally one the derby this past summer
The secret is to attend estate sales, especially at farms. The Mercury Grand Marquis LS seems to be their favorite. Most are garage kept and dealership maintained. I've owned several, and you will never get more car for the money.
Yes, agree about parts as a whole is getting bad. The salvage yards are just seeing money for crushed ones and they want to move stuff instead of waiting to see who buys what.
Agreed. I am in a plethora of Crown Vic groups on Facebook and still see jackasses claiming that their are "millions" of them out there and then when I correct them they act like total jackasses. So many "enthusiasts" relentlessly chirping the shit out of sellers too for not asking $800 for their car too. It's ridiculous.
I work on various makes and models!! This isn't due to time or the parts not selling. It's a supply chain issue. Think about where the raw material comes from and what's going on with them and us.
I have been trying to find a 1986-1991 Hyundai Excel for over 4 years and have yet to find one period in any condition I hope the Ford Crown Vic doesn't not go down this path like so many other cars that were just thrown away for the most part
I got my 2011 Crown Vic two years ago for $2700 and have since had the tranny rebuilt and a new intake and new struts and shocks it runs really good at a 167000 plus miles on it , however it has electrical issues that I cant figure out . The tire psi light and door ajar light would come on and the key fob,pwr locks, pwr mirrors, rear defrost and door chimes would stop working , open and shut the drivers door couple times and they would all work again but this only worked for a while . Iam 55 yrs old and dont care to much to or able to mess around with vehicles much anymore and with the electrical issues I hear that others have had I dont think there will be another Crown Vic in my life . They are a good , long lasting car for the most part but I will stick with my 100 percent trouble free Toyotas that Ive been driving since 1992 . But you are right the Panther platform is on the endangered list and anything decent they want a fortune for theres a used car lot near me that has three of them and the cheapest one is a 2002 and their wanting $7000 .
My 2000 dodge ram truck I had to go to fleet pride to have charging wire and battery cables made the over the counter ones the lugs were to big to mount to alternator and the batteries power control module
I bought one 25 years ago for $300 drove it for 6 years sold it for same price. The reason so cheap someone took a bat to every inch of the body & also busted windshield. Would get up to 25mph on long Hwy trip it was a smooth riding car even with 3 broke off shocks. The reason I sold it was the rear end had a drop of gear oil always hanging on the diff cover never saw it drip but after a few years it went dry. I was on a trip to Conroe Tx on I45 when the diff started singing I knew why it was it was dry. Drove it another 30 miles to get to a quick lube it was smoking & hot when I got there. The tech said it's going to blow up lol he pulled the hot fill plug & filled it. It sang all the time after that drive just a whine told the guy I sold it to to ck the diff because of the drip. An engine oil dip is not too bad but if a diff is damp with diff oil it will go dry after a while.
Unfortunately it is inevitable as they get further away from production. Part of the parts store issue is that the number of parts they have to stock compared to 20 years ago is immense. It makes sense to stock parts at a regional distribution center and send them to the store that needs them. Even many common parts on popular cars have to be ordered nowadays as the application range of parts becomes less and less. Gone are the days of a thermostat housing fitting every smallblock made in the last 30 years.
I appreciate your enthusiasm for the old Crown vicks. However, if you want to make them fast, and keep them on the road there is a plethora of LS1 swap parts. No need to worry we've got you covered. SWAP IT!
Insurance is totaling crown vics solely based on year. Something as simple as a scraped bumper cover needing a cover/repaint is considered a total, now.
This is not just a Crown Victoria problem. Parts shortage is going to be an issue for any car model that is 20 or more years old. We take it for granted now but soon going up the street to AutoZone or O'Riley will be a thing of the past. Everything will have to be ordered online. This is where we are headed folks.
Well, being kinda disposable by fleets, being totaled, worn out and neglected yeah, at a point they are going to get rare. Look at the boxy style, aero designed generation. Alot of taxi companies retire/junk these. At that point there's nothing left.
I stand with our brother, as a man who owns a fleet of panthers myself we must keep these cars from the extinct list.
Yah u stand with the hoarding because your also a hoarder
@@bored2323 say what!!!!
Ask Jay Leno about parts suppliers....and his 3D printer
Mr. Random is a quintessential American who stands for true old values by defending the Panther Platform. We Crown Vic users know what this means. Keep up the great work you do, brother!
🙏🙏
The inevitable transition to electricoal
@@AmosFivetwelve RUBBISH! electric battery cars are nothing but a fad for liberals. It's the Dodo Bird of the 21st century. Hydrogen Engine cars would be the wave of the future. Diesel and gasoline engines are here to stay.
th-cam.com/video/y_W8clK4mb8/w-d-xo.html
If you think parts are bad for your Crown Vic, try living in Germany with a Crown Vic 😭
eBay is your friend
@@iiiii5256 ewwwww. Too many Counterfeits...
I'm surprised Germany let's you drive that Earth's destroying vehicle
Super cool to think our cars are appreciated in other countries that usually have really different vehicles
I could sell you all kinds of parts 〽️
FedEx is not your friend
Crazy to think that these are disappearing after having worked at a place in the late 90s that installed the partitions, lights, etc.... With the amount of these coming through there you would have thought these would be around forever.
You can thank our buddy Cletus for helping to thin the herd.
Its not just Crown Vics, it's most cars.
The manufacturers discontinue parts support for their cars after about 7 years.....but the average age of a car on the road is 12 years.
Its all about crushing the middle class.
10 years, they are required by law to provide parts for cars 10yrs after manufacture.
This is the problem. 100 percent correct.
I have a 1991 Mustang LX, 5.0, 5spd. Ford makes next to nothing in terms of parts support. Have to rely on aftermarket. A lot of junk parts out there. Luckily the Fox Mustang is popular enough you can get decent aftermarket support. When the OEM stuff is no longer being made it’s usually the end of the line. Luckily though the Panther platform was popular enough that the aftermarket should be able to help.
@@twoeightythreez Yes and no. There are guys with 11-18 F150s with a bad trans part, ford makes only a handful of them. Only aftermarket junk.
prime example of this is box/bubble chevy and bmw36s
I will say that it is harder to find the cleaner vics on marketplace, a lot of them are damaged or not well taken care of. Yeah sure there were mass produced but they are disappearing at an alarming rate
Must just be your location
@@dubghost1829 bro you can find a piece of shit anywhere but can you regularly find clean cars?
@@hondaservicecenter in nc from my experience yes
I have owned a couple of Grand Marquis and LOVED them. In 2005, I purchased a new Ford Thunderbird when Ford were step selling them for very reduced prices. In 2015 I sold it on as parts were getting hard to find for this ten year old classic. Mine had an issue with a cracked gas tank and after weeks, ended up with a used, modified tank from a Lincoln LS. I am looking for a Marauder at the moment, to keep and restore as a future classic. Great videos.
Out here in Arizona, there are many police agencies that still run these cars and as long as they're in LE use, Ford will produce parts for them. You can still go down to the dealer and order most parts for them.
Must be the small towns with a small budget. Here in phx it’s all explorers, Tahoe
@@chrisquas4113 I wouldn't exactly consider Mesa a small town! Also, MCSO still has some.
I can't tell you the last time I've seen a crown Vic.
They all downgraded to explorers with non-turbo 3.5 L lol
Must be 1 cvpi in the whole fleet I haven’t seen a cvpi in AZ in a long time
Northwest Canada
went to Ford for a new marker light and interceptor badge
Badge was ordered as a Taurus part and marker light they shrugged their shoulders. There is 1 2009 cvpi left in service out here serving over 250km of highway alone.
The only hope for parts are off the other lines such as Mustang or Mercurys. Even still, a little dent or a cracked marker light case will have the insurance total your pride and joy
tl:dr
technically in service
no parts anywhere
One such example: Cleetus mcfarland's stupid derby race involving multiple Crown Vics.
You have a valid point though. Parts crunch will be felt tighter in normally "Rust Belt" areas, but it's only a matter of time before the Southwest and PNW will also be in the same situation. Same thing happened to the Ford LTDs of 80s cop cars.
Can you believe it's hard to find the full-size hubcaps to a Crown Vic that's seen on multiple Taxi cabs and Civvie vehicles? Hubcaps! For purely cosmetic reasons!
I think you're blowing smoke. The water pump failed on my 1972 Datsun 240Z recently. I can pick up a water pump for it (in stock) at Autozone, NAPA Auto Parts or O'Reilly Auto Parts (I'll be getting a theoretically higher quality one from Motorsport Auto in California - also in stock and ready to ship). The same with the Alternator (which I replaced back in 2015). If parts are readily available for my half century old foreign sports car, I'm pretty sure they're also available for a common and recent Ford Sedan which sold in the millions.
Dude I WISH, I could afford to get another Miss Piggy. (P71) . I had an awesome one, turned right on a red light didn’t see buddy coming. Wrote it off, no collision insurance… Now they are out of my price range. I’m driving a 95 Lincoln town car now.
This is largely dependent on your area. Near me in NY you can go to any parts store and they have everything in stock. I don't even call ahead anymore, I just go to the store. Not saying this isn't happening in places, just that it's really a matter of where you live.
Yeah everything is very easy to buy brand new from multiple sources. I haven’t had any problem at all getting these parts
Yeah I'm thinking this is a regional thing...
I haven't had any issues buying new parts for my jimmy. Probably because GM put that 4.3 in every vehicle lol
Couldn't believe how hard it was to find parts for my 97 grand marquis. It's like there's millions of them, but I had to order everything online 😤
Shame most people see them as "old people" cars.
Been in the Taxi business for 20 years, mostly using P71s. Converted to Corollas last year and been using the now "Drag Vic" for Bracket Racing. The Homies always asked how much. $3500 including many spare parts. They're bulking now but it's my last Vic. Next Bracket car will be a dodge or a trailered footbrake ride.
I have a Mercury Marauder since new and always loved the Panther platform I can't believe they stopped building them or don't reintroduce them as they were such a good car as well as such a good police car at a good price and they don't understand why no one wants to buy the cars they want to sell now
They dont REALKY care about customers. Only getting more of your cash...by low quality/complicated exclusive patented JUNK.
I have noticed CL, Craigslist & other spots have much fewer P74s P71 sedans since 2020 but parts are not yet a super big problem. Cheap, poor QC Crown Vic parts from 🇨🇳 are a problem.
It is getting harder to find parts for these cars. I was in an accident that destroyed the right rear quarter panel of my p71. The insurance company tried totaling it out. I wouldn't let them. I continue to drive it. I just can't find a right rear quarter panel... And when I do find them someone wants 400-$500 for it, and at that point I can basically buy a wrecked Crown Vic for that price. So I've just been driving my p71 with a destroyed right rear quarter panel...
If you say so. I sell a lot of Town Cars. They show up at auction regularly. I buy parts just the same as always. Copart has lines of them. Local bone yards are covered in them. ALL old cars become increasingly difficult to get parts for as time goes by, but these are still easy.
My local Autozone has all the parts you mentioned in stock, along with over 2 dozen common parts I searched for. The big issue, as far as keeping these cars going appears to be computer parts. Parts like the ABS control module are no longer available new, you can get them rebuilt, but they cost around $700. That kind of thing is why I am against all the trash technology (and ABS is definitely trash technology, but nowhere near as bad as what newer cars have) that they are putting on newer cars. You can still get almost anything for most '60s and '70s cars that don't have trash parts like that. I have one Crown Vic and two Grand Marquis, and I don't have any place to put any more. All three are in excellent condition.
the crazy thing about the "new" technology in new cars is they're like more than a decade behind on chipsets. these new fancy tech featured cars are just full of junk technology that costs almost nothing lol.
Mine to. No shortage in jackson Ms.
We own a 2004 Grand Marquis. Bought it for 700.00 from a junkyard. Had 184000 when we bought it. Replace the axle shaft and seal on the passenger side.Replaced brakes rotors plugs and 3 coils. Change oil every 4000 miles. Lots of them still in the Philly South Jersey area. Will keep mine until the engine goes.
So far I haven’t dealt with any of these issues with town cars but I’m sure it’ll come someday
When i grow up i wanted this car to be my dream car, but now i know that they're not letting us keep our dreams :(
It’s not just crown Vics, lots of cars are having parts troubles. Even new cars are having part issues. I’m getting GM parts today that I ordered in January or February so it’s pretty much everything is getting hard to find and more expensive when you do
Ive owned 2 p71 over 8 years. My current p71 is totaled due to rear quarter panel is smashed.
On the plus side. I just picked up a 2014 Taurus SHO and it is amazing. I do plan keeping my vic tho
Except that SHO Taurus won't outlast the legendary Crownvic.😊
My brother has the cousin to the Ford Crown Victoria..The Mercury Grand Marque..he gets his parts from Parts Geek & Parts Auto
That's just sad. They only been off the books for a relatively short time. But I been hearing this - no parts. My elderly neighbor has a 2003 Crown Vic that she doesn't want to give up. It's a workhorse and even though she is 80 - she loves her Crown Vic and doesn't want to give it up. She goes out in blizzards for God's sake AND she has a heavy foot! Hate to see the Vic's go by the wayside Life sux when this crap happens.
I've got 2, an 04' and a 2010 and both are under 120k milage. I'm the 2nd owner on both 👍
I own a used 2005 rare floor shifter style P74 Crown Vic LX Sport. 185000mi. I've had the black P74 since 2020. It has a V8, 4.6L with Flowmaster add ons. I had many major parts upgraded or fixed: Bosch platinum spark plugs, 2 new ignition coils, new Good Year Max Life tires, new water pump, new rear LCM, new window regulators(2), new hoses, new car battery, new lights(brakes).
Cleetus McFarland has bought a few dozen for the Freedom Factory fleet.
In our small town, the crown vics are everywhere on the road owned by We the People, and the sheriff's still drive many of them.
Thanks for doing this.
I am very proud to be a Ford man and owner (Ford GTs) etc and it's good to know someone as yourself is doing this. Long live the Vics.
I bought a starter and 4 brand new shocks for my 99 crown Vic napa had it all in stock. As for these cars getting rare, yes that’s true 😭 my one buddy bought an 01 crown Vic only had 78k miles on it no rust at all and put it in the derby. I tried buying the whole car he wouldn’t sell it. But I did buy the engine/transmission full engine wiring harness and computer. I’m keeping in touch with him for more future parts
It's crazy to me that these are approaching 30 year old tech and still as efficient as most everything on the road today. While also not giving up much, if any, performance or comfort compared to most modern offerings.
True we just aded usless electronics since 30 years now
My 2005 Ford LX Sport P74 has a smooth quiet ride due to new Good Year Max Life tires, good shocks but it is also old, wearing out. I plan to drive the P74 Ford until 2026.
@@DavidLLambertmobileI just purchased a 2007 Mercury Grand Marquis a couple weeks ago. It is in brand new condition, with 36,000 miles on it. I bought it from the original owners (they had the original title, as well as a large stack of maintenance receipts) There is not a scratch on it that you can see without a magnifying glass. Not a single mark on the alloy wheels. I am 64, a retired mechanic, and plan to drive it for the rest of my life. I have another running Grand Marquis and Crown Vic that I am also still driving, and lots of parts. I've noticed that most of the Panther car videos on TH-cam are about the Crown Vic P71. I believe the Mercury Grand Marquis is a much better car for normal driving, and is likely to last longer. Its engine is in a lower state of tune, it has softer suspension for a better ride, and it has the 2.73 rear axle, which means the engine and transmission turn over a lot slower at highway speed than the Crown Vic P71.
Why you think I'm still driving older mercury 03 Sable on a Ford Taurus platform, and an old 04 jeep grand Cherokee limited. There starting to get old and parts are getting more expensive and harder to find. The 8v s even the 4.7 8vs are getting harder to come by. Along with the older generation 3.0 sohc are hard to find in good conditions so I understand how you feel. The newer engines are dohc and turbos and i dont want either of those. My cars are becoming classic models but I don't want a brand new car or an EV.
I was never much of Ford fan but hats off to Ford Mo Co for building this AMerican icon. Sucks that it has to meet a fate like this when it served so many communities for so many years. Hell, the boxy Crown Vic prior to this one,,,,1993 (?) with the 351 OHV was even cooler. On the Ohio turnpike back in 1993 at a comfort station, I was parked kind of close to the turnpike on my way to Norwalk raceway park and I watched an Ohio state trooper take off from the shoulder, punch it at maybe a 5mph roll and that SOB had tire smoke coming out of both wheel wells. Never forget that and how cool it looked. GM crapped out long ago with a cool sedan cop car.
Always loved these, but I never owned one.
However, I feel your pain; my Cherokee XJ is meeting the same challenges.
Cash For Clunkers didn't help......
There was a demo derby in my area last summer that had lots of ex taxi and police crown Vics that were completely destroyed by the end of the event. Hurts the soul 😢
I just replaced a fuel pump and brakes on my 06 p71. It took the mechanic over a WEEK to find a fuel pump. I think I gotta start stocking up on Vics….
parts are everywhere for me. lordco, westcan, napa, all have had any parts ive needed
I have a 1998, CV. I haven't had any problems finding parts. In fact, last month, I had my windshield replaced with an OEM Carlite, It was even upgraded to the later style with the dot matrix over the rear view mirror. On top if that, insurance covered it! If anything is going to be hard to find it's OEM glass - It's all still available windshields, door, vent and back glass. one just has to ask fir it at the local glass shop.
Can confirm less panthers in the junk yards. Just two years ago my pick n pull was getting new ones in every other week. Now maybe a couple show up each month. A damn shame.
I got a 2010 crown Victoria I wast was thinking about buying a Tahoe. I might just buy another crown Vic. Vic been good to me 👍🏼
It isn’t just finding parts, it’s finding good parts. It’s an axiom in the lighting community that OEM headlights are best for quality. I bought OEM lights for our P71, and they were losing plating and going bad in a few months. We finally gave the P71 away, but I miss it.
I paid 100 dollars for an after market pair of replacement headlights for my 2011 Crown Vic about 2 years ago. They still look brand new!
@@stevomcsteve9492 great! I live in rainy western Washington and park outside. That doesn’t help.
98-02 town cars are wayyy harder to find parts for with fewer being produced and that body style ending 21 years ago i’m already experiencing this issue.
I don't have any issues finding parts for my 06 Marquis in southern Louisiana. If they're not in stock, they'll show up in the mail overnight
If you are gonna buy a grand marquis or a crown vic, make sure its a 2005 or above. I just got rid of a perfectly good 2001 grand marquis because the parts I needed to get it inspected are completely discontinued. Junk yards, ebay, online...everywhere. Ford is not making a majority of aftermarket parts for those vehicles before 2005
2005 and above drive better as well
You are on to something... Everyone knows i buy junk panthers ( main staple diet here ) The issue for me is the land to store the cars... What we need to start is our own database for Vic guys that have ( said parts ) t needed ( just for us buy ,sell ,and trade with in our community. And every Panther guy needs that 2nd or 3rd car...
There is a guy upstate NY that hoards hundreds of panthers. If you want I can post google maps.
@tezu he is in Saugerties on rt 32.
Time to invest on good 3D printing and foundry skills. Also jury rigging parts making it compatible to Crown Vics. One time my brother bought a rebuilt CV shaft for an Integra, and I was surprised to see a FORD logo on it. Somewhat they managed to make Ford CV shaft compatible with Hondas.
Shortage has been happening here in nyc for the last 5 years! They dont want these cars on the road anymore because ford realized that this car really can run forever !!! I loved my 2010 lincoln town car but i got rid of it 3 months ago because its gas guzzling ways just wasnt for me anymore but i did love the car becauSe it helped me financially save alot of money while i had it due to its reliability!!!!
I always loved crown victoria I really like the older models especially 83 to 87
I just had to replace a front anti stabilizer bar bracket. I had upgraded the bar to a 35mm a while back. It took several attempts to find out I couldn't locate the right part. Had to take it to a repair shop and 2 attempts later they found a replacement part. I think the issue here is the cars are becoming obsolete for everyday driving b/c of 4-5 $$ a gallon gas. However, mine has 243k and runs awesome and Mr R is right about everyone misjudging how long these cars last. My plan is to get 500k. We'll see.
Some people are trying to blame Cletus,but if you check the schedules of most of the racetracks in the southeast there are crownvics on their race schedules.
This is a manufactured crisis. The profits of car companies are in direct opposition to durable, lasting cars. Open source advocates need to start taking the helm here and employ 3d printing and other rapid manufacturing tech to produce needed parts and deal with falling support for these vehicles and others like it.
I feel your pain. I have an 85 Thunderbird 5.0, and years ago, the yards were full of these for the taking. I did grab a few parts, but I should have picked up the pieces that you don't realize you need until 38 years after the fact. If you need some random trim part it is no where to be found. Oh, and if you do find it, then plan on opening your wallet as wide as possible. I can't even find anyone who will work on it. Most shops want plug and play. I can do the paint and body, but I'm not a mechanic. Shops say that with these old cars, you fix one thing, then ten more things go wrong, and the customer thinks you're trying to cheat them and refuse to look at the car. They are tired of getting burned by customers.
You are correct because I've been down this road before. In the 80's I used to collect and fix up late 50's tailfinned Chrysler products. Once incredibly common and cheap in the 60's (because they fell out of favor), they virtually disappeared during the 70's and 80's. I had to keep driving farther and farther out into rural areas to find cars and parts. Then in the late 80's, buyers from northern Europe were snapping them up and exporting them, thus making them even more scarce. The same thing could happen to Panthers. It is up to individuals like you to stockpile vehicles and parts in preparation for the inevitable.
It has happened before. In the 50's, there was a man in Mount Vernon, NY named Sam Adelman who loved the classic cars of the 20's & 30's. After the Depression and WWII, he saw them fall out of favor and scrapped at an alarming rate. He decided to start collecting as many as he could find, parting them out and cataloging & stockpiling as many parts as he could. Throughout the 50's, he gained a nationwide reputation among car collectors as the go-to guy for rare parts. The New York Classic Car Association has a Sam Adelman Award, given to people who help preserve antique cars.
For anyone wanting to stockpile Panther cars & parts, take my advice and secure a place to put them FIRST. Get a piece of property-it doesn't have to be large-and if possible, some type of barn, both for storage and for working on them. THEN start your collecting. Good luck.
I just had a 20005 MGM with 60K stolen right off the street in Jersey about a month ago. Who woulda thunk. Now I know why.
Nine yrs ago i bought a 2000 crown vic with 3 flat tires at auction for $300 & am still driving it. Cleetus Mcfarland is buying them by the dozen & smashing them up
i like panther cars. does that include Grand Marquis and Town Car.
my pops got into a accident his car wasn’t even totaled fr it was a 2011 gm with like 64k miles and they “totaled it “
It’s amazing how many of these cars that used to be on the road and have now virtually vanished! Same as the Aerostar, the Escort and soon the 2008 to 2012 Escape. In their day you couldn’t go out anywhere and not see a few of them. Just like the escapes that will soon be a distant memory which I own, a 2012 v6 AWD with about 150,000 km’s i think under 100,000 miles on it and hopefully I can keep it going a long time.
What about the Mercury Grand Marquis ? There are still millions of them still on the road and I believe the parts on them would be compatible to Crown Vics.
theres LESS mercurys on the road that there is vics. you need to see the video i made on how many 1998-2011 panther cars there are left.
Still rockin' my '01 LX with 104K miles on it. Was a nifty car 21 years ago when I bought it from the original owner. She was ordered with quite a few options - digital dash, handling/performance package, air suspension, leather, keyless entry, etc. She's got quite a bit of "patina" these days though... and needs more frequent minor (though highly inconvenient) repairs - so far parts haven't been an issue. Last couple of things were the fuel pump (had a couple different kinds to choose from), brake rotors/calipers/master cylinder and some front-end parts. Bought a new car recently and the Lexus dealer wouldn't even consider it as a trade-in, LoL. Their excuse was that the Carfax showed a "possible odometer rollback" of a couple K miles many years ago. Whatever, I'll just keep it in the driveway for now... still runs and drives just fine
My 98 has rust, that will do it in. Loaded Grand Marquis. Older original owner I bought it from got EVERYTHING except for air suspension. Told me he had an older one in the 90s (very high miles) that had bad air suspension and it cost a fortune(no real choices back then)
I want to buy it from you
The used car market was first dealt a severe blow back when the government offered rebates consumers to trade in “gas guzzlers” that went to the crusher. One of my sons was working at a Ford dealer during that time, and there were a lot of V-8s that got traded in that were otherwise in pretty decent shape that had to go to the crusher. Couldn’t even donate parts. I wonder how much that also contributed to the disappearance of the older pushrod powered square body police interceptors.
I try to keep my 08 crown Vic nice and clean, it’s true it’s hard to find parts for it but not impossible I agree if you have one get some spare parts for it.
I love the p71 and need to buy one. One ford that is rare is 97 to 98 Ford f250 with 5.4, 3.73 gear, rear wheel drive.
For the price of a few new parts today. Sometimes you can get the whole car of parts.
thats what im saying
You just need a place to store them.
I'm with you brother I'm trying to save the 97 to 03 f150s. I believe that even the junky panther cara and f150s are better than a lot of new mess.
Hi. We are moving to USA MA and I thought to buy a p71, and save some money. But now it is easier to buy used explorer rather crown Vic. They are almost the same price. Hopefully I will buy a decent one just for my kids after we settle on place.
I don't know if this counts for mercury grand marshal but there trying to do the same thing to my grandpa's car
Not just the US, up in Canada too. Some dick smashed my Driver's rear window last April. Something I used to get easily at the junk yard. I had to get ordered in out of province. I must have phoned 10 different junkyards trying to get that stupid piece of glass I needed! I thought about just buying one of those Ford Taurus the cops drive now but I just don't like the styling of them. Sure there AWD but the Crown Vic has a stronger frame and can take a hell of a lot of a beating then a Ford Taurus ever will! If I had the room I would probably buy a spare parts car.
We need to let the Indian tribes take care of these endangered panthers.
Eh idk where I'm at parts isnt a problem but to be honest ford shouldn't have stopped making them. They brought back the bronco they should bring back one of the most well know car platform
There is a Crown Vic where I live in Scotland, it's a nice example, but I own a 1998 E11 Corolla, and a few years back I had a couple suspension parts replaced, took me a lifetime just to find em, since it isn't the most well known models no parts stores had em, and I couldn't find much online.
Same pattern happened with Foxbody Mustangs third gen camaros and square bodys. They were everywhere cheap as dirt and now everyone asks where did they all go? Bummer, but that's just how it goes. Keep what you got.
Crown Vic is an antique. Last one I owned was 6-7 years ago. I used to buy them by the truckload 15 years ago when coming out of police service. Up in the northern climates, I HATE driving them in the winter. Ill take an awd Hemi Charger to daily.
I lately had to get new brake pads for my 2004 Crown. Well the stores owner was upset that they didn't have the base pads in stock.
Don't get so worried about electric ⚡ because their downfall is that most cities electrical GRIDS are so outdated that when the juice starts flowing poppitty Pop One by one lights out, and I am getting sick and tired of Vic's and the Mercs being used for general Lee car's and demo's, plenty of junk Taurus's that could be used if they gotta smash a car.
When the government doesn’t invest in public infrastructure
Don’t forget about Cletus MacFarlane at the freedom factory buying up every one in florida.
@@lawnmowerdude yes I know it pisses me off
Mr. Random, sadly I’m with you. I have an 09 and I’m seeing the part crisis coming. Struggling in Maine to find another one for parts. Hell you can’t even get a replacement hood latch or trunk latch through the stores
I had a crown Vic wagon in the early 80’s I purchased used. The Crown Vic is bullet proof, and great to drive.
I live in Queens NY. to this day there’s 7 million of these things on the street as $1 cabs (now $3 btw) and other car services.
At my local derby I can easily count over 10 crown vics. I hate seeing it. Most of the time they run LS engines. I saw one 4.6 powered one. But that 4.6 powered Vic literally one the derby this past summer
My local police department still has one of these old crown Vicks. I imagine most of them like to drive the new chargers they have though
The secret is to attend estate sales, especially at farms. The Mercury Grand Marquis LS seems to be their favorite. Most are garage kept and dealership maintained. I've owned several, and you will never get more car for the money.
Yes, agree about parts as a whole is getting bad. The salvage yards are just seeing money for crushed ones and they want to move stuff instead of waiting to see who buys what.
Agreed. I am in a plethora of Crown Vic groups on Facebook and still see jackasses claiming that their are "millions" of them out there and then when I correct them they act like total jackasses. So many "enthusiasts" relentlessly chirping the shit out of sellers too for not asking $800 for their car too. It's ridiculous.
I work on various makes and models!! This isn't due to time or the parts not selling. It's a supply chain issue. Think about where the raw material comes from and what's going on with them and us.
I have been trying to find a 1986-1991 Hyundai Excel for over 4 years and have yet to find one period in any condition I hope the Ford Crown Vic doesn't not go down this path like so many other cars that were just thrown away for the most part
I wonder if these share parts with aussie ford falcons, I see some design similarities
I got my 2011 Crown Vic two years ago for $2700 and have since had the tranny rebuilt and a new intake and new struts and shocks it runs really good at a 167000 plus miles on it , however it has electrical issues that I cant figure out . The tire psi light and door ajar light would come on and the key fob,pwr locks, pwr mirrors, rear defrost and door chimes would stop working , open and shut the drivers door couple times and they would all work again but this only worked for a while . Iam 55 yrs old and dont care to much to or able to mess around with vehicles much anymore and with the electrical issues I hear that others have had I dont think there will be another Crown Vic in my life . They are a good , long lasting car for the most part but I will stick with my 100 percent trouble free Toyotas that Ive been driving since 1992 . But you are right the Panther platform is on the endangered list and anything decent they want a fortune for theres a used car lot near me that has three of them and the cheapest one is a 2002 and their wanting $7000 .
My Dash And Speedometer And Heater Goes Crazy Mechanic Says its a Bad Ground
Geez, I as considering buying a Vic police interceptor, now I don't think that I'll be able to fix it once I get it.
So true..my local junk yard has none ...not even one
We still have a handful of crown vics running on patrol at my station.
My 2000 dodge ram truck I had to go to fleet pride to have charging wire and battery cables made the over the counter ones the lugs were to big to mount to alternator and the batteries power control module
I bought one 25 years ago for $300 drove it for 6 years sold it for same price.
The reason so cheap someone took a bat to every inch of the body & also busted windshield.
Would get up to 25mph on long Hwy trip it was a smooth riding car even with 3 broke off shocks.
The reason I sold it was the rear end had a drop of gear oil always hanging on the diff cover never saw it drip but after a few years it went dry. I was on a trip to Conroe Tx on I45 when the diff started singing I knew why it was it was dry. Drove it another 30 miles to get to a quick lube it was smoking & hot when I got there. The tech said it's going to blow up lol he pulled the hot fill plug & filled it.
It sang all the time after that drive just a whine told the guy I sold it to to ck the diff because of the drip.
An engine oil dip is not too bad but if a diff is damp with diff oil it will go dry after a while.
That situation is true for almost every car after it reaches ten years of age
Unfortunately it is inevitable as they get further away from production. Part of the parts store issue is that the number of parts they have to stock compared to 20 years ago is immense. It makes sense to stock parts at a regional distribution center and send them to the store that needs them. Even many common parts on popular cars have to be ordered nowadays as the application range of parts becomes less and less. Gone are the days of a thermostat housing fitting every smallblock made in the last 30 years.
I have an 07 Grand Marquis with damage to the front and rear bumpers. I can't find reasonably priced replacements for them.
I appreciate your enthusiasm for the old Crown vicks. However, if you want to make them fast, and keep them on the road there is a plethora of LS1 swap parts. No need to worry we've got you covered. SWAP IT!
If parts are getting more hard to find. Maybe it’s not the right car to get 🤷🏽♂️
Insurance is totaling crown vics solely based on year. Something as simple as a scraped bumper cover needing a cover/repaint is considered a total, now.
This is not just a Crown Victoria problem. Parts shortage is going to be an issue for any car model that is 20 or more years old. We take it for granted now but soon going up the street to AutoZone or O'Riley will be a thing of the past. Everything will have to be ordered online. This is where we are headed folks.
just sold a running and driving vic for $700 all needed was waterpump n was kinda wreck in the back
Well, being kinda disposable by fleets, being totaled, worn out and neglected yeah, at a point they are going to get rare. Look at the boxy style, aero designed generation. Alot of taxi companies retire/junk these. At that point there's nothing left.