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Post by Red Dragon Negotiator on May 17, 2012 22:03:47 GMT -6
Ced, the Grand Marquis looks really nice. I personally have never owned or had family that owned a Ford 4.6, but I have a friend who used to have a Crown Victoria. Chris owned a Crown Vic, so he can chime in. As far as reliability, those engines are one of the best. And if they need work, they are one of the last engines these days that you can tear apart easily. Other than routine things, they probably won't require any work though. My buddy never had an issue with his CV. Just oil changes really. I don't remember exactly what he said he'd get for MPG's but I'm pretty sure those cars get around 16 maybe 17 city and 20-25 highway. Obviously depending on your driving habits.
In my expirience with the 4.6 Northstar, I usually pull off a combined average of about 18-19MPG. Not bad at all for a 300HP V8. In bad weather and in really cold weather it will drop 1 or 2 MPG. However, I RARELY do any highway driving. The majority of the driving I do is city and rural. In traffic I get about 15/16MPG, rural areas I'll get between 18 and 20. It's possible to get high 20's with this engine on highway trips. I'd imagine the numbers would be similar with the Ford 4.6.
As far as gas expense, I always fill up when I get to roughly a quarter of a tank left. I just got gas yesterday and spent $50 bucks for 93. So depending on prices, $75 seems like it would be about right from empty. Personally I don't have a problem spending extra on gas and it's not even that bad anyway. Almost everyone I know pays roughly the same or more for various cars. As I've said before, I would much rather own a car that I love and pay extra for gas. So that's a decision you'll have to make. It'll definitaly be a different from the Honda's MPG's though.
One of the best things about having a V8 is the power and responsiveness at higher speeds. Accellerating at 70MPH isn't much different than at 40 in my car. That's where those extra cylinders show their power. No matter how much HP they crank out of newer, smaller engines, they still won't feel as smooth and powerful as a V8. And back in the 30's people probably said this about the V12 and V16, lol. Back then the 8 was like todays 4.
This actually reminds me of someone I know who just totalled their Cadillac Seville STS. He bought a BMW 323i with an I6. He loves the engine in the BMW and said it's the smoothest engine he's ever driven. But he said powerwise, it doesn't compare to the Seville.
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Post by BlackAce on May 18, 2012 10:23:35 GMT -6
The amount of power doesnt come from the amount of cylinders. Less cylinders, the more efficient the engine is. Less mechanical friction and alot less weight. Thats why these days normal cars dont have any more than 4 cylinders, usually combined with a turbo. Even 6 is starting to become rare. 8 isnt really even produced for "normal" cars anymore here in europe. BMW for example has their new 328i with a 2 litre i4 gas engine that produces 245hp and 260lb/ft with peak torue at just under 1300rpm. 0-60 in 5.7 seconds. Yet the fuel efficiency is at the same level as an average sized turbodiesel. Really puts my 3.5 v8 to shame. And even Ford just put out a new 3 cylinder 1 litre engine and even that comes with a nice 150hp and possibly even more in the future. Better face it, big engines are a piece of history
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Post by TOP' on May 18, 2012 12:03:54 GMT -6
3 cylinders 1 liter and 150hp! Incredible my Honda have a 4cyl. 1.7L with 105hp! The technologu made a lot of progress those days!
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Illousion
Frequent Flyer
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Post by Illousion on May 19, 2012 6:48:56 GMT -6
3 cylinders 1 liter and 150hp! Incredible my Honda have a 4cyl. 1.7L with 105hp! The technologu made a lot of progress those days! I maintain that the old Cadillac 8.2's with ~190hp is a way better setup.
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Mitch
Gold Certificate Member
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Post by Mitch on May 19, 2012 17:40:08 GMT -6
I maintain that the old Cadillac 8.2's with ~190hp is a way better setup. Some people just dont understand that it isnt all about the numbers.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 20, 2012 18:25:57 GMT -6
Well, I got it! More pictures later
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Illousion
Frequent Flyer
Sweden sucks
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Post by Illousion on May 21, 2012 1:05:49 GMT -6
Congratulations on a fine car.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 21, 2012 7:46:47 GMT -6
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Post by Red Dragon Negotiator on May 21, 2012 10:42:23 GMT -6
Congrats on the purchase. I don't think you'll regret it. The Panther platform came out in 1979 and was used on Ford, Mercury and Lincoln RWD models. The similar GM platforms were the B-body and D-body. Those go way back to the 1940's but had a handful of major redesigns along the way. The reason GM and Ford built very similar vehicles? Competition. Plain and simple. But it was good competition because they were putting out a few of the best vehicles ever built. Even though they were "enemies" in the public eye, I like to think of those vehicle's as friendly cousins. GM was moving toward FWD as early as the 80's though. So they dropped the RWD passenger car platform in 1996. 1996 Impala SS B-body with 2002 Crown Victory Interceptor '93-'96 Caprice 1991-1996 Buick Roadmaster B-body 1993-1996 Cadillac Fleetwood D-body 1983-1987 Ford LTD Crown Victoria with a 1989 Caprice Brougham 1989 Ford Crown Victoria Touring
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Post by Red Dragon Negotiator on May 23, 2012 12:50:38 GMT -6
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Illousion
Frequent Flyer
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Post by Illousion on May 23, 2012 14:00:02 GMT -6
She's looking gawgeous as always man.
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Post by Red Dragon Negotiator on May 24, 2012 10:19:30 GMT -6
Thanks man.
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Illousion
Frequent Flyer
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Post by Illousion on May 25, 2012 12:41:19 GMT -6
The Brougham left me stranded today. Had dinner at a McDonalds (glamorous, right?) that took about ten minutes, went out to fire the car up and get over to a buddys house. The engine hardly turns. The alternator is super hot so I started to wonder if it was shot. So I managed to arrange for another buddy to come over with jumper cables. She started, so I've taken it home now but the alternator bearings (I think) are making lots of noise and the battery won't hold power. Shite.
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Post by Red Dragon Negotiator on May 25, 2012 20:56:51 GMT -6
Could be the alternator. But be sure it's not just the battery since it's not too common for alternators to go bad. There could also be a short somewhere. How's the availability of parts in your area?
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Post by Chris on May 25, 2012 22:35:03 GMT -6
If the car runs after a jump, it's the battery. If the alternator is fucked it won't hold enough power to even move the car. Especially a car and engine of that size. It might even need both depending.
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Post by Red Dragon Negotiator on May 25, 2012 23:04:02 GMT -6
Yep^
How old is the battery that's in there now? Alternator might of just been hot from the extra stress of the failed cranks etc.
When my battery died a few months ago, I was glad to have the voltage readout on the DIC to keep an eye on while I drove after a jump. On the Northstar Cadi's the motor will run around 1500-2000RPMs when there's no pressure on the pedal to keep the alternator charging. Modern tech does have it's advantages.
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Post by BlackAce on May 26, 2012 3:24:13 GMT -6
You can easily determine whats wrong with a normal voltage meter. Start the car up and see how many volts you're getting on the battery. Should be between 13-14 volts. If its around 12 volts, your alternator is most likely bust. Check the cables and make sure nothing has come loose or anything. If the battery refuses to hold power, it could leak back somewhere like to the alternator. Could be that theres just some busted diodes or something. It could also be the battery. Best way to check is a battery tester if you know someone who has one. Its also wise to maintain your battery every once in a while, make sure the fluids are topped up. Car electrics are a bitch. Its usually the battery or alternator causing trouble, but if its something else...lol..good luck with that.
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Illousion
Frequent Flyer
Sweden sucks
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Post by Illousion on May 26, 2012 9:04:59 GMT -6
Battery is all new. My father knows a guy who will have a look at the alternator. Parts availability is great! Plenty of stores either have parts or can order them. This isn't really a big problem since a guy can use either the Volvo or the Ford.
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Post by Red Dragon Negotiator on Jun 3, 2012 11:30:17 GMT -6
Any word on what was wrong with the Brougham Illousion?
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Post by Chris on Jun 3, 2012 21:34:22 GMT -6
I wanted to post this article from cars.com, it's about sedans getting more rare. With the announcement of more sophisticated, technology-laden versions of the Toyota Avalon, Ford Taurus and Chevrolet Impala, you'd think the state of large, non-luxury family sedans was pretty sound, but think again.
Over just the past five years, the full-size family sedan market has seen its relevance halved, according to R.L. Polk & Co. The segment used to have 15 models, but in recent years that number has dwindled to just seven, says Polk. Subsequently, market share has dropped from slightly above 5% of all vehicles sold to just 2.3% in the first three months of the year, Polk reports. Today, the segment is only one-third the size of the minivan market, a segment long derided as "dead" and already abandoned by big movers and shakers like GM and Ford.
This story isn't exactly new; large family sedans have seen their relevance eroded, almost in perpetuity, since the 1973 oil crisis. The SUV craze in the '90s and later the discontinuation of Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Mercury and Plymouth — historically strong brands in the large family sedan category — didn't help either. In recent years, the termination of the Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis has been the main culprit in the sudden plunge in market share.
Despite several large cars coming online, including an all-new model called the Kia Cadenza, expect market share to continue to dwindle. That's because a large chunk of full-size sales today are attributable to the Chevrolet Impala, a perennial fleet queen. The 2014 Chevrolet Impala is a more premium sedan, and the majority of former Impala fleet sales are expected to transition to the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu.
In fact, as more consumers opt for midsize sedan offerings, which are more fuel efficient, cheaper and almost as big, automakers may conclude that it isn't cost-effective to design large sedans anymore, according to Polk.blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2012/05/despite-slew-of-upcoming-models-large-family-sedans-are-an-endangered-species.htmlThat sucks. When we're old men, the largest car we'll probably be able to get is probably gonna be a honda size. Actually I can't say that, because I think the back seat in a civic has more room than the new taurus.
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Illousion
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Post by Illousion on Jun 3, 2012 23:47:33 GMT -6
Any word on what was wrong with the Brougham Illousion? Something inside the alternator had severely failed. I can't remember what it was exactly. Nevertheless, the guy fixed it really cheap, and the alternator was back in the Brougham the next day. Changed the fan belt aswell. Now she's running great. @chris It's a shame that the big cars are disappearing. The thing about a full-size car (Brougham for example) is that it makes you feel so priviliged, like you're king of the road because it's such a large car, which is why I love big cars.
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Ritchie
Diesel Jockey
Out for a rip are ya bud!
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Post by Ritchie on Jun 4, 2012 1:09:42 GMT -6
Any word on what was wrong with the Brougham Illousion? Something inside the alternator had severely failed. I can't remember what it was exactly. Nevertheless, the guy fixed it really cheap, and the alternator was back in the Brougham the next day. Changed the fan belt aswell. Now she's running great. @chris It's a shame that the big cars are disappearing. The thing about a full-size car (Brougham for example) is that it makes you feel so priviliged, like you're king of the road because it's such a large car, which is why I love big cars. They don't even make Cadillac's all that big anymore.
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Post by Red Dragon Negotiator on Jun 4, 2012 13:49:19 GMT -6
Older full sized cars are the most pleasant and interesting to look at. By design, they just look more "complete". From proportions and details, etc.
Glad to hear the Brougham issue was a simple fix.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 4, 2012 20:07:06 GMT -6
This is some good stuff
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Post by Red Dragon Negotiator on Jun 4, 2012 20:47:42 GMT -6
Mothers has good products. I've used a lot of their stuff. Their detailer is good.
And Chris, I meant to mention this earlier after I read your post but I forgot to write it lol. I've never been inside one but from what I've heard from aquaintenances and read online, the rear leg room in the new Taurus is abysmal. Which is strange considering it's a full size car and is an extrememly bloated and bulky design. From pics, even the front looks pretty crampy. I know a guy who's a chauffuer and he said in comparison to the now extinct Town Car, the new Taurus is as comfortable as sitting on a rock. A rock in a cramped space. Even the old Crown Vic's had more rear space and that was where they were a little lacking. Anyway, it's a shame the full size sedan is pretty much caput. You're right, by the time we're old I don't want to see what's on the road. I think one of the most popular newer vehicles I'm starting to see are crossovers, which are the ugliest type of vehicle IMO. There isn't ONE I'd spend my money on. Some are nice interior wise, but they are all ugly on the outside by design. I don't even like the Cadillac SRX. I thought the first gen SRX was better looking, and at least you could get it with a RWD Northstar.
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