Police Crown Vic or Charger?

So I got thinking up a plan for my next driver once I get working again and save up some cash (gotta have a goal ya know?). Anyway I have always been drawn to the ex cop cars not sure why. It is even better if they have the push bars still installed

Anyway I had always figured up until recently I would just grab a Crown Vic one when the time came. However recently I was prowling about on Craigslist (yeah I know a mistake) and found a couple ex cop car Chargers with 5.7 Hemis both for around $6k. I know this is more than what I could get a good Crown Vic for but man I love the way the Chargers look.

So oh great collective which would you guys go for? I know there are all sorts of potential options for changing things up on the Crown Vic to make it even more fun. Is there the same potential on the Charger? Any reason I should avoid the Chargers? What sort of changes would you guys make to the either car to increase the fun factor yet keep it functional as a daily driver.

Sadly it looks like I maybe forced to move back to civilization for work. So if I have to deal with the traffic and the crowds of people I need something to look forward to.

As much of a Ford fanboy as I am, I would love a Hemi Charger cop car. Nearly 100 more horsepower, an extra gear, and a more menacing look.

I don't have any hard evidence on reliability though. It seemed like many of the local LEO's had teething problems with them initially, but they are still on the road.

I spent a decade pushing black and white crown vics and chargers before I promoted. My opinion about them is that...I hate them. So take my advice with a grain of salt.

That being said my department has had a lot of transmission problems with the Chargers. I hated the delay when switching park to reverse or drive. No common problems with Crown Vics except rear impacts.

Seriously though gut the interior and replace it with the interior from a civilian car. You dont want to know how much blood, phlegm, urine, feces, and vomit I had to hose out of my car. Usually twice a week...

And make sure that the car hasnt been cut up and pieced back together from the good halves of other cars. Yes that really has happened.

that's less for a charger than i'd have guessed.

Transmissions is all I'd heard out of the Chargers. The Cops seemed to like the extra speed as well. My Brother did ride alongs as a News Cameraman.

In reply to Ojala:

Good tips thank you! Yeah I was figuring on doing an interior swap out (and being very careful about it). Good to know about the transmission issues with the Dodge. Seems that they always have issues with their transmissions (my Ram has some transmission issues).

I will be sure to check for a welded together bodies

I've got no joy on Hemi chargers in my area at that price, there are a couple of V6 ones though.

Are these ex patrol or supervisor cars? My P71 is an ex supervisor's car and is nearly immaculate by cop car standards. The cloth back seat looks as if its never been sat on.

In reply to Racer1ab:

From the looks of them they are ex state patrol rigs (solid dark blue with push bars).

http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/cto/3938758583.html

There were two on at the $6k-6.5k price mark now there is just one. Another at $7.5k and another at $8.5k (without push bars).

I think at some point in my life, I NEED one of these as a track day car. The push bar just puts it over the edge.

Your statie's push bars are way better than my statie's push bars. God bless Oregon.

Yeah ours are a bit menacing looking

Neither? I'd prefer the Caprice PPV.

Those are nice Bob but not exactly being sold off as retired yet.

My Township has black chargers with the word POLICE on the side in like 97% gray. Hard to see unless in direct sunlight, very menacing and cool. I hope they sell them off for $1K like they did with their retired CVs! I'll be first in line. (Where I live, they occasionally write a speeding ticket or rescue a kitten from a tree. Not much vomit or feces in our police vehicles. Maybe it's because we have such bad-ass cop cars?)

rebelgtp wrote: Those are nice Bob but not exactly being sold off as retired yet.

I'm willing to wait.

In reply to pinchvalve: Yeah our locals use a really dark grey for their cars though the police on the side is white. They just got a couple of the new Fords as well.

I'm with Ojala. Looking back, I would have street packaged mine. No lamp, chrome grille, and civilian interior.

Yea, and check for drugs. It's better you find them than anyone else. Yes, that has happened, too.

If we're bringing the Caprice into it, I'll take me a twin turbo Taurus Interceptor.

My local PD has gone to the newer Taurus for Cop Car. Not sure on the package, however.

In reply to N Sperlo:

Yeah I would change out the seats and carpet and maybe the rear door panels. Granted with the cleaning gear we have access to we should be able to clean out damn near anything (hell Tiff has cleaned up after suicides and murders) but better safe then sorry.

Wasn't there someone on the forum that found drugs in an ex police car they bought?

Our club used to host an autocross for the local LE agencies once a year. The CVPIs routinely beat the Chargers, even though the latter are way more powerful. Could be because the wheelbase on the Charger is over 5 inches longer.

That said, I'm a Ford guy and I'd have a hard time justifying the CVPI on anything but looks.