Opinions Needed: What is the best Panther year and why

[Rodentkiller]

Las Vegas drivers are nuts and you learn real fast how to hit the brake as one time I just made a left turn on the green arrow, some dumb woman cut me off and yours truly had to go right go into someones front yard, fortunely no damage to yard or my car but still aaaaarrrrrrgggggghhhhhhh middle finger shown at dumb woman.

[DerekTheGreat]

Then they typically look at you and flip you off.. I had one person do a similar thing to me and I'll never forget it; He cut me off, then I went to go around him and as I passed I looked over at him. He just had this stupid, "Oh well" look on his face and as he weakily flipped me off as he then reached for his coffee.

[fordnmerc]

These stories remind me of one that my dad told about from back in the day....probably the 1950s. He came to a stop at an intersection with the intention of going straight when the light changed. On the other side of the intersection was an older woman with her right turn signal blinking. When the light turned green, he started through the intersection and she turned left right in front of him and he ended up bumping her car. He got out, saw that there was no damage, and then asked her why she turned left after having had her right turn signal on. This was her reply:

"I had my right turn signal on because that's the way I wanted you to go!"



It really does take all kinds....

[tjc78]

Such a tough question. It really needs to be at the very least broken up between box and aero/whale.

So IMO like others the 89 Town Car is my favorite box. I actually like the amber turn signal lenses and the newer style emblem on the grill and trunk lid.

If we are talking aero/whale. I love the 98-02 Signature Touring which was basically a P71 Town Car. The best driving year of the whale other than the Touring mentioned above is 04. It's still a throttle cable, the timing guide problem was fixed as was the soft axles. It has also been said the computer mapping was best in 04 yielding slightly better performance. I know my 04 felt slightly quicker than any 05+ I've driven.

That's my .02

[fordnmerc]

The best driving year of the whale other than the Touring mentioned above is 04. It's still a throttle cable, the timing guide problem was fixed as was the soft axles. It has also been said the computer mapping was best in 04 yielding slightly better performance. I know my 04 felt slightly quicker than any 05+ I've driven.

My mother had a low-mile 04 Crown Vic base P73. In 2012 I drove it from Ohio to Oregon and back. On the way out, I was on the interstate in Nebraska and there was a whole string of idiots playing road games with each other. When there was a brief lull in that horseshit, I pulled out and blew by all of them. When the last one was left behind in my rearview mirror, I looked at the speedometer and it was at 107 and still climbing. So I let off and got legal again.

A couple of years later the intake manifold was causing a problem and she got rid of the car.

Which brings up another question. What is it about those intakes? Supposedly, the problem was fixed for 03 but I have read of a lot of people still having problems with the 03 and up. How is the replacement intake on the market any different than the factory 03 plus? Does anyone make an all-aluminum intake for these cars? I know there is one for the 4.6 in the trucks, but is that different and not compatible?

If anyone can clear that up, I'm sure that I'm not the only one who would really appreciate hearing the full story.

Getting back to the 04 in specific, I had a highly-optioned 04 Crown Vic P74 with 4k miles on it for a short time that year. In short trips of 7 miles or so, compared to my mother's P73, it seemed even quicker. Never had that one out on the interstates though.

All things considered, I am thinking of looking for an 04 P71 as our next car. I really enjoyed the 98 P71 that I had, but the tranny was bad in that one. It had been a New York State trooper car.

The $485 2000 Grand Marquis that we have now is quick in its own right, and handles mighty nice too, but it probably has a bad torque converter according to what I have been reading. It will move, but the engine rpms have to be higher than normal until it gets warmed up. Going to hate to let that car go because I came to really like it right away.

[jaywish]

At least almost everyone agrees on four things. You should buy a Grand Marquis or a Crown Vic or a Town Car or a Marauder. Well perhaps an obs pickup or conceivably a Mark VII or Mark V or Mark IV or maybe a Mark VIII?

[sly]

or a brick or bull nose.

[gadget73]

I think most people agree that they disagree with me about many things

only the true gluttons for punishment seek a Mark VII, or at least those that want to keep the car running as-built for a good while. The rest hack them up and turn it into an overweight Thunderchicken.

[knucklehead0202]

What did this person say? Did they ask you why you hit them? lol...

After I cleared up "where the other guy went". That was me of course, clearing the intersection instead of blocking it like a stupid fuck. I get "wah happen?" I told him he turned in front of me and got the good old "no comprendo" look. Of course he then produced his California illegal immigrant driver's license and an expired insurance card for said shitass insurance company, which apparently only insures the worst drivers and never pays out, I looked it up on yelp. Since I had only liability on my car my insurance company would do nothing for me so I basically took that one right in the tailpipe.

My buddy told me to fill up a water balloon with brake fluid and go chuck it on this guy's car. I'd rather do it with something on fire and on the guy himself...

[Rodentkiller]

KH you have my sympathy I had the same thing happen to me a dumbass south over the U.S. border type hit me and pulled the I don't speak english until I said I am calling the cops and suddenly he understood english, Cops came and told me he does not have inshurance so let it go I drove off pissed cursing the south of the border types as I drove off.

[lincolnlarry]

In the whales I have gathered that 04 is my pick. Before that had timing chain problems 03 had soft axels and 05 started drive by wire.

Now talking Marks... The Mark III would be my favorite.

[Whosondephone]

I prefer the boxes. 1987 in particular. Last year the bumpers wrap around the body. I also prefer the horizontal speedometer. Is that a difference between the Vic and the Marquis or year? I'm told that the will run forever. I haven't proved that wrong yet. The biggest issue I foresee with mine is the insolation on the wires is deteriorating. Not to mention the frame is rusted out on one side.

[DerekTheGreat]

They don't have insurance but are let go? We don't have insurance and are fined? How does that work?

[knucklehead0202]

They don't have insurance but are let go? We don't have insurance and are fined? How does that work?

Price you pay for being a foolish, tax-paying citizen I guess. Boy is my face red. It's ok though, they're underprivileged and here in socially-conscious California we welcome them with open arms, and even raise taxes so they can have free healthcare, groceries, and housing!

[DerekTheGreat]

Price you pay for being a foolish, tax-paying citizen I guess. Boy is my face red. It's ok though, they're underprivileged and here in socially-conscious California we welcome them with open arms, and even raise taxes so they can have free healthcare, groceries, and housing!

I like how their problems become everyone elses'. I'm not asking anyone to pull my weight.