25th Nov 2008, 14:06

"The Crown Vic is light years ahead of any Honda."

Hahahaha! You must be joking! The Crown Vic does not come with nearly as many standard options as the line-topping Accord, Odyssey, Ridgeline and probably even a Civic. Crown Vics are for people who like things simple and basic. The owners usually are not technologically savvy at all. I do give the Crown Vic many points ahead of Honda as far as comfort is concerned, other than that, they can't touch the hem of a Honda's dress.

26th Nov 2008, 14:02

I'd like to see a LIST of the "standard options" that ANY Honda has that the luxurious Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis DON'T have standard. They come with power brakes, power steering, automatic, air, cruise control, tilt wheel, power windows, power locks, power mirrors, power seats, CD player with MP3 capability, rear window defroster, a better warranty and a plush, quiet and comfortable interior.

Just WHAT comes "standard" on a Honda that is NOT standard on a Marquis??

It's obvious the commenter has never even looked at a Crown Vic or Marquis, let alone driven one. These are luxury sedans, not basic transportation. The Honda is comparable to the Focus, but certainly not a Crown Vic or Gran Marquis. You can't compare large luxury cars to cheap basic transportation appliances.

27th Nov 2008, 15:24

We're still waiting for that huge list of standard features that Hondas have and the luxurious Mercury Marquis don't. Something tells me it will be a LONNNNNGGG wait!!

28th Nov 2008, 03:03

I have not driven a Crown Vic or Grand Marquis and will NEVER have the desire to do so. Secondly, unfortunately, I have looked at those gas guzzlers and wish they were off the roads so I'd no longer have to see those dreadful monsters. I'm not sure about luxury. I think more along the lines of Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, Acura or even Lincoln when I think of luxury, Ford or Mercury just dosen't fit the bill. Accord models come standard with A/C, power windows, door locks, power mirrors, keyless entry, bucket seating, front and side impact airbags and more. The features listed are all that I look for in a vehicle. Besides, Crown Vic, Grand Marquis are at the top of the line for their respective brands so it would be utterly stupid not to offer plenty of standard equipment. Besides, Hondas are far more fuel efficient and environmentally friendly. Crown Vic and Grand Marquis both have a high risk of catching fire and burning on impact. That's what I look for when I talk about safety!

28th Nov 2008, 03:09

Also, all the options you listed for the Crown/Grand, come standard on ALL 2008-2009 Accord models maybe with the exception of the seating (which can be upgraded to a firm, supportive leather seating surface) which is no big deal. The majority of those options may also be had on a Civic. It's sad a Honda is competitive with a Ford. Also, Honda sells far more Civics and Accords than Ford does Crown Vic (which is why sales have been relegated to fleet) and Grand Marquis together. So I will let the sales numbers speak for themselves as far as what the consumer is looking for.

28th Nov 2008, 12:14

"I have not driven a Crown Vic or Grand Marquis and will NEVER have the desire to do so".

Typical import fan reasoning. That's like saying "I have never eaten ice cream, and I never will, but I KNOW what it tastes like". I test drive DOZENS of vehicles before I buy one. I drive Japanese and domestic vehicles. That is why I currently own 2 GM vehicles and 1 Ford vehicle. They have a better warranty, more standard equipment, ride better, drive better and are a far better value. As a mechanic I feel very much qualified to make such a judgment after driving many different vehicles.

I don't care for large cars either, though our family has owned a number of Lincoln Town Cars. I hate to burst the bubble of commenter 03:03, who (obviously) is not very savvy about domestic vehicles, but Lincoln IS a FORD. The Town Car is basically a Crown Victoria with $20,000 and snob appeal attached.

When it comes to sales, I am quoting from an article in this morning's paper regarding the U.S. auto industry"

"Ford outsold Nissan, HONDA, BMW, Mercedes Benz, Mitsubishi, etc. by about a MILLION AND A HALF vehicles last year in the United States.

Ford's quality of vehicles is the best in the world, as rated by J.D. Power.

Ford sold about a MILLION F-series trucks last year; people DO want big vehicles.

The Fusion hybrid gets SIX MPG BETTER than the Camry hybrid.

Alabama, Tennessee, Texas and Mississippi all allowed foreign manufacturers tax abatements (bailouts) to build in their states.

The Detroit Three are NOT the only ones asking for money."

And I am quite sure the "it catches fire" argument will go over big with my former neighbor, whose HONDA ACCORD caught fire in his carport and destroyed their home. That probably affected his decision to replace the Accord with a Ford Fusion.

29th Nov 2008, 12:26

As a mechanic I feel very much qualified to make such a judgment after driving many different vehicles.

The one domestic model I owned was crap and would be hard-pressed to spend my hard earned money on another.

"They have a better warranty, more standard equipment, ride better, drive better and are a far better value."

As a consumer you are allowed to state your opinion but it is just that, an opinion. Also, as far as resale value is concerned maybe that's correct. That is why a 2-year old, low mileage Cadillac DTS is worth half its original price today. Don't say it isn't because my uncle wanted to trade his in and was told it would only be worth $25K!

"The Town Car is basically a Crown Victoria with $20,000 and snob appeal attached."

Town Car is not stripped down, I would pick a Town Car over Crown Vic., simply because Crown Vic's are too cheap and offer few OPTIONS. AND, neither has had a major redesign since 1998, I like domestics because they keep their bodystyles up-to-date at least.

When it comes to sales, I am quoting from an article in this morning's paper regarding the U.S. auto industry"

"Ford outsold Nissan, HONDA, BMW, Mercedes Benz, Mitsubishi, etc. by about a MILLION AND A HALF vehicles last year in the United States.

Your quoting is still ineffective. Ford sales large trucks, SUV's, etc. and is the king of badge-engineering. Also, for owns a stake in Volvo and Jaguar and others which are likely included in total sales.

"Ford's quality of vehicles is the best in the world, as rated by J.D. Power."

This too is just what it is, an opinion.

"Ford sold about a MILLION F-series trucks last year; people DO want big vehicles."

They come in many different configurations unlike most models of cars. Something would be wrong if they weren't selling that as the minimum amount annually.

"The Fusion hybrid gets SIX MPG BETTER than the Camry hybrid."

A Camry will outlast a Fusion by at least a decade if well cared for. Accord was rated in latest consumer reports as having a 78 while Fusion scored only 77.

"Alabama, Tennessee, Texas and Mississippi all allowed foreign manufacturers tax abatements (bailouts) to build in their states."

Rightfully so. Tariffs for shipping would be outrageous and cars would be far more expensive than they are if they were shipped from the home country of manufacture. It's only fair.

"The Detroit Three are NOT the only ones asking for money."

They are the only ones begging for money. They are bygone companies and should accept the facts. They all should scale back car production and only manufacture trucks.

"And I am quite sure the "it catches fire" argument will go over big with my former neighbor, whose HONDA ACCORD caught fire in his carport and destroyed their home."

Wow! One instance. He was probably another who assumes that reliability in a Honda = maintenance free.

"That probably affected his decision to replace the Accord with a Ford Fusion."

I wish him luck. I will be sticking with Honda and Nissan, I will only buy from the big three if I ever need a heavy-duty pickup for hauling and nothing else. Imports just last longer and are more dependable than domestic makes!