Faults:

When I bought the car, the low and high beams did not work. Only the driving and park lights worked. I still have not been able to fix this problem. The only way to drive at night is to hold the High beam flash toward you (makes your hand cramp out...)

The bakes wore out completely in less than three months without warning until the rotator disk wore right off the rear end on both tires. Replaced all brake pads and discs.

At 230,000 kms, the car is now making an ungodly loud clacking noise - the cam rod went in it. Needs new motor. Transmission was also beginning to wear out.

Engine burned both oil and transmission fluid.

General Comments:

Amazing acceleration and power - can get you just about anywhere you need to go.

Would be an excellent family car as there is tonnes of room in it.

Very comfortable to drive, even on long trips. (I do wish it had cruise control though, legs got tired after a while).

A/C was amazing in 30-40 degree (Celsius) weather. Would have to turn it off because it got too cold!

Faults:

Needed new front rotors

Has an engine hesitation in the low RPMs.

General Comments:

Really good car. They last forever, mine has 108,000 miles on it and it still goes strong. I did not give it a perfect score because they are fantastically large and fairly slow. If you don't mind that though, I cannot think of a better car for the price. Excellent car for highway cruising as well. The only problems with mine are I had to replace the front discs at 105,000 miles and the engine has a slight hesitation in the low rpms. I also wish they had a tach meter, but the new ones do.

Faults:

The only problems I can remember, outside of regular maintenance were:

(1) The handle to the glove box broke one time.

(2) The dome light burnt out one time.

General Comments:

I bought my 2003 Ford Crown Victoria in 2003 to replace a RAV4. I had the last straw of foreign vehicles with my 1995 Civic after it bit the dust in late 1997 (transmission failure).

I bought a Windstar to replace the Civic because there was a dealer within 4 miles of my house, and I only had a broken seat latch and one power window regulator. I also needed more room than the RAV4 I had. It always served the family without a complaint or a cough, and, truth be told, I could not ask for anything more in a minivan.

I bought the Crown Victoria based on the fact that my Windstar was so reliable.

My favorite features of the Crown Victoria are interior space, comfort, and ride.

The amount of space in the Crown Victoria is the largest of any sedan sold in North America- with the exception of the extended-wheelbase Lincoln Towncar (a more expensive version of the Crown Victoria) and this generation Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable (previously known as the Five Hundred/Montego).

The comfort is second to none. The leather is supportive, and has worn extremely well. The seats adjust properly, and finding an appropriate driving position takes about a minute. I wish my particular vehicle had memory, so I could program two settings.

The ride is as smooth as silk. Every bump is absorbed in the suspension. I feel as if I am "riding on a cloud." This may also be in part to how comfy and welcoming the interior is.

The controls on the center stack are placed logically. They are accurately sized, and all buttons, including the radio display are still as readable as the day I drove my Crown Victoria off of the lot.

My least favorite aspects of the Crown Victoria are the gas mileage (which is understandable) and a few oversights.

I have the V8 engine. I do drive with a light foot, but I get 13 MPG in the city, and 19 on the highway. This is almost pitiful. The mileage has not increased or decreased in age, it has been like that its entire life. The gas mileage (or lack thereof) is probably my most major complaint. For the few times that I do 'floor it', it is worth it.

The engineers at Ford should have paid just a touch more attention to detail. For example, the pinstripe on the side is not straight and it does not match up to the door on the same side as it.

There are no adjustable rear headrests for an unidentified reason.

There should be a 'taillight adjuster' so that on foggy days, the taillights can be set to a brighter hue for better visibility.

In conclusion, I am very fond of my Crown Victoria for these reasons:

(1) It has never left me stranded.

(2) It is comfortable.

(3) It is luxurious and cheap.

(4) The engineers did their homework, and that's what matters to me.