Happy As A Pig In Mud: 2011 Ford Crown Victoria P71

The 2nd generation Crown Victoria  was introduced in 1998 and was available to the public (mostly old dudes) through the 2007 model year.  From 2008 to 2011 the Crown Vic was only sold for fleet/rental use and was the police car of choice for many precincts.  This made spotting smokey and dropping to the legal speed limit an exercise in Crown Vic spotting and its recognizable shape will be missed as it has been replaced with various Malibu, Taurus, Charger, Caprice, and various SUVs/Tanks/Black Helicopters if you read (and/or believe) the news these days.  Regardless, if you are in the market for a used Crown Victoria and want to escape the madness in the big (and small) cities (again...if you read and/or believe the news...), you'll need a Crown Vic that has been converted into an off road escape machine. Find this 2011 Ford Crown Victoria P71 offered for $5800 in Solvang, CA via craigslist. Tip from Mike Jr.

Happy Halloween: 2008 Ford Crown Victoria P71 Turbo

This next Horrorod comes from DT tipper Michael who writes: Right color and it makes 'turbo noises'.  So true! It is also a great smoke machine for your Halloween party. Find this 2008 Ford Crown Victoria P71 Turbo offered for $2500 in Pueblo, CO via craigslist.

K9 Police Interceptor: 2007 Dodge Magnum

If you enjoy the thrill of a good ride in the back of a police car, then this next ride might be right for you.  You'll also need to enjoy holding your head out of the window at speed and chasing tennis balls, because only a canine will be happy in the metal back seat enclosure of this ex-Police K9 wagon. Find this 2007 Dodge Magnum offered for $4500 in Phoenix, AZ via craigslist. Tip from FuelTruck.

4 Speeds Good, 6 Speeds Better: 1996 Chevrolet Caprice 6-Speed

The forth generation Chevrolet Caprice was used by so many Police departments for many many years that they still evoke a instinctive brake check from motorists...myself included.  Today's next example won't be mistaken for an active duty police cruiser, but it should be a hoot to drive.  Find this 1996 Chevrolet Caprice 6 speed offered for $3000 in La Canada, CA via craigslist. Tip from Sean S.

The Thick Blue Line: 2008 Ford Crown Victoria P71 Police Interceptor

Sales of Ford's legendary Crown Victoria sedan stopped for the general public after the 2007 model year, but fleet sales continued through 2011. Legend has it that many police departments put in large orders for the aging Panther platform beast because they were concerned about the reliability of the replacement vehicles from Chevy/Ford/Dodge, but if you want a slightly used ex-Police use Crown Vicky, you can get one for the contents of a child's piggy bank. Find this 2008 Ford Crown Victoria offered for $2450 in Warren, MI via craigslist.  Tip from Rock On!

Plainclothes: 2011 Ford Crown Victoria P71 Detective's Car

Ford's final foray into the fullsize body-on-frame segment was a curious mix of old and new - from 2003 - 2011 the Crown Victoria used an all new chassis and suspension, but kept the same old body it had since 1998, which really was just an evolution of the aero design model that debuted way back in 1992. The good ol' 4.6L Modular V8 soldiered on as well, but despite these similarities a final-generation Crown Victoria Police Interceptor feels almost nothing like riding in Grandpa's Vic. On top of that, the detective-spec models are quite attractive, built as they were with all the police goodies but wearing civilian paint colors for a more incognito look. Find this 2011 Ford Police Interceptor for sale near Portland, OR for $4,650 via craigslist.

Police Style: 2013 Chevrolet Caprice PPV 9C3

In 1996 the Chevrolet Caprice disappeared from the North American lineup, where it was replaced a few years later by the front-wheel-drive W-body Impala.  With the death of Pontiac, GM now had no large rear-drive full-sized car to sell for fleet use, so they started importing the WM generation Holden Caprice in 2011 as a Police Patrol Vehicle.  Find this 2013 Chevy Caprice PPV 9C3 offered for $6350 in Wallingford, NY via craigslist.  From Cory.

DT Driving from Monterey to Bremerton with the Lemons "Hell on Wheels" Rally

What could be more fun than 1,900 miles in some crummy old car in the middle of August? Doing it with a bunch of other weirdos you just met...and aren't quite sure about yet. Last year I had the opportunity - uh, the failure of judgment - to participate in part of the very first Lemons Rally, the so called "Hell on Wheels" drive from Monterey to Reno, down to Vegas, Death Valley, Bakersfield, and then back up the California coast. I wasn't able to run the full length last year so for 2017 we are going for broke. My E34 M5 was the conveyance of choice in 2016; this year my Dad and I cruising in something simultaneously newer but somehow more Lemony - a Ford P71 Crown Victoria Police Interceptor. All the way up to Seattle-ish and back. What could possibly go wrong! That isn't a question.

DT 5.0: Best 5-Oh Cop Cars

Putting together a list of the best cars from your local fuzz depot sounds easy because...well...there is the Crown Victoria.  Everything else is just a pretender.  Unfortunately, the modern cop cars are faster, better equipped, and ride nicer than old Queen Vic, but we'll kick of this festival of 5-Oh with a Vicky.

Auction Watch: 1989 Chevrolet Caprice 9C1 Police Package

Find this 1989 Chevrolet Caprice 9C1 Police Package here on eBay bidding for $5,200 in Allison Park, PA with 2 days to go.

15k: 429, C6, 3.00:1: 1971 Ford Custom Police Interceptor

Numbers mean a lot of things, but sometimes in the car world we get obsessed with 0-60 stats, 1/4 mile speeds, and skid pad g-levels.  Perhaps instead we should focus on the numbers that generate those measurable stats, such as engine size, rear-end ratio, and tire width. We'd still be vintage car geeks, but at least those numbers won't be trumped by every modern economy car.  Find this 1971 Ford Custom Police Interceptor here on eBay located in Jamestown, NY with 2 days to go.

4k: Sweaty Palms: 2005 Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor

This image will haunt car enthusiasts for years to come, even though most police units have phased out the old Crown Victorias in favor of Impalas, Caprices, Chargers, Tauruses, and Tahoes. The iconic cop car still invokes cotton mouth and nausea today, but why let the 5-0 have all the fun? Bestowing panic attacks onto other motorists is fun the first time, until you realize that you're in slow-moving traffic everywhere you drive. Thankfully, this one has been thoroughly decommissioned from service thanks to a new Billy Club Black paint job and the general lack of enforcement paraphernalia - weapons box, laptop tray, light bar, and so on. And it's listed as a "steal." Nice try, honeypot. Find this 2005 Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor in Hollywod, FL for $3,990 with 16 days to go via eBay.

10k: Cop Shocks, Cop Motor: 1967 Ford Custom Police Interceptor

The Ford Custom was a no-frills full sized automobile sold mostly for fleet use, Taxis, Police et cetera.  In 1967 the Custom shared the full sized platform with the Galaxie and was one of a few Fords available with the gigantic 428 cubic inch FE V8. This 1967 Ford Custom 2-door was originally a Police Car and is now for sale in St Paul, MN for $10,000 via craigslist.  Tip from Andy L.

5k: Bitchin' 4 Cops: 1998 Chevy Camaro B4C Police Package

The Chevy Camaro B4C package is the Police Edition for "service" vehicles and is the 20th century version of Mad Max Rockatansky's Falcon XB Pursuit Special.  It therefore easily earns a Wasteland Wednesday badge for cars that will be usable in a post apocalyptic wasteland.  Find this 1998 Chevrolet Camaro B4C Police Special Service package for sale in Harrison City, PA currently bidding for $4,550 reserve-not-met with buy-it-now of $6,950 on ebay.

5k Flash: 2004 Ford Crown Vic P71 CNG - Cop Gasser Special

There isn't a driver alive who doesn't get nervous when he sees the unmistakable form of a Crown Vic in the rear view mirror (at least in the US anyways).  Maybe he can see the police issue spot lights or notice that the chrome trim is all blacked out, but he will instinctively lift the throttle, bleed off a few mph of speed and merge out of the way with careful blinker use (even BMW drivers figure out what that stalk is for when the five-oh is behind them).  So what happens to all those Crown Vics when they've cruised for 100k miles levying taxes to fund government excess...they get sold at auction and average folks get the chance to feel like a Missouri Turnpike Moses.  Find this 2004 Ford Crown Victoria P71 Interceptor CNG powered in Gilbert, AZ curently bidding on ebay for $6400 with a few hours to go.