2003 Ford Crown Victoria Standard V8 from North America
Summary:
Affordable sleeper V8 power
Faults:
Gas cap seal failed, resulting in a "check engine" light. Easy and cheap fix though by buying another gas cap.
General Comments:
I was tired of driving econoboxes (was on my 3rd Japanese car) and wanted something with some ooomph. But I'm on a limited budget, and wanted something practical as well.
This car met all those requirements, and I am really happy with the car. The biggest impression this car makes is that it feels like a tank. I've gotten the car up to 95 mph, and it's rock solid, with no annoying jiggles, and with the powerful V8, it can easily pass semis on the highway.
As a matter of fact, it took a little adjusting for me coming from a long line of underpowered 4 bangers. The first time I stepped on the gas, my head snapped back, and before I knew it, I was already ahead of the truck. Whoa Nellie!
And I love the spacious interior, I call this a "couch on wheels", you can fit 6 people in this car, and those 6 people don't have to be midgets too.
One surprising thing about this car is how well it handles, given its size and weight. I feel more confident taking on curves in this car than my previous Nissan Sentra.
Another surprise is how fuel efficient it is on the highway. Last time I went on a highway trip, I averaged 27 mpg, which is not bad at all for a V8!
The only downside is that the styling is a little bland, but when you take into account all the upsides, it isn't that big of a deal.
I love this car, and would recommend this to anyone wanting a powerful, affordable sedan!
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 27th January, 2012
29th Nov 2013, 13:43
To add to my review, I started having problems with my headlights failing to turn on even though the bulbs are good. After doing an internet search, I find that they have problems with the LCM and the best bet is to buy a refurbished LCM from eBay.
The problem is if you buy a new LCM, it will fail AGAIN due to weak wiring. A refurbished unit will take care of this at a fraction of the cost and will last forever.
So far I'm at 93k miles, and this is the only major issue I've run into. I love this car!