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2005 and Earlier Chevrolet Impala

13620 messages,  Last post on Jun 02, 2013 at 7:08 PM

You are in the Chevrolet Impala Forum.

What is this discussion about? Chevrolet Impala, Sedan

    

Messages Page 1225 of 1363

#12238 of 13620 bz4 impala police by charts2

Nov 06, 2003 (10:20 am)

.....I have talked to a few officers in our city including my nephew who is a police officer, we have about 30% Impalas and the rest Crown Vics......some like them some don't......the 2000-2002 Police Impalas had week springs in the front and rear, since have been upgraded by Chevy. Our provincial police that patrol our busy highways in Ontario purchased 700 police Impalas in 2000, 2001 and 2002.....have since gone back to Crown Vics and a few Intrepids...most officers still prefer rear wheel drive and I believe the high front end maintenance costs outweigh the fuel savings for many departments.....I don't see any major changes coming for the current police Impala platform.....the car will be redesigned in less then two years when the 2006's come along...currently the Dodge Intrepid is cheaper then the Impala and many US departments have been purhasing a few of them....many large departments have recently purchased a mixture of Crown Vics and Impalas and or Intrepids....
   The Impala police or civilian versions also needs an under the hood light and stronger lighting in the trunk...my opinion......I like my 2001 LS but I can see where some changes were needed..

#12239 of 13620 Intrepid by b4z

Nov 29, 2002 (7:01 am)

has a huge backseat. So when the cage is added there is still sufficient legroom.

#12240 of 13620 The best cop car by b4z

Nov 06, 2003 (10:26 am)

Was the '94-96 Chevy caprice.
4100-4200lbs. 260 hp. 0-60 was less than 8 seconds. Considered by many to be the fastest cop car also.
Even faster than the Dodge and Plymouths of the early '70s with 440 engines.
Caprice had 50 more hp than the Crown Vic.
Was so popular that many Law Enforcement Agencies had the entire car rebuilt rather than buy a Crown Vic.

#12241 of 13620 More by b4z

Nov 06, 2003 (10:28 am)

Current Impala with 240 hp 3900 V6 would be quicker than old Caprice. 600 lbs lighter but only 20 less hp. A lot less torque, but gearing can make up for some of that.

#12242 of 13620 impala/caprice police by charts2

Nov 06, 2003 (12:28 pm)

.....I agree the 94-96 Caprice 5.7 was an excellent police car....it had the interior size, comfort, and performance....but during the past few years police chases are becoming a thing of the past as liability costs mount....also so many cities today are more $$ wise with spending....there is a company that rebuilds the old Caprice police vehicles....they redo the engine and actually make it more powerful, replace the suspension, front seats, and other components that wear out......I believe it is about $8,000-$10,000 per vehicle, a lot cheaper then a new one...but they are now becoming dated where police departments are looking at the huge savings in fuel costs that smaller police vehicles offer...Crown vics have been plagued by the crash and burn problems with their exploding gas tanks....I believe that in the next few years Ford will bow out of the police market as they continue to be plagued by this negative news and mounting lawsuits....A perfect police vehicle would be a little larger then the current Impala with a v6 with another 40 to 50 hp...that is cheaper to operate then the current Crown Vic...

#12243 of 13620 too bad... by rctennis3811

Nov 06, 2003 (4:39 pm)

i woulda liked to see Holdens here...even as Chevys or Pontiacs or whatever GM brand..hey, FORD is even using nicer things inside their new cars, why not GM!?!
 
also, CHRYSLER and DODGE are now making nicer cars with help from MERCEDES-BENZ, just look at the new CHRYSLER 300C!

#12244 of 13620 To charts2 by jpstax

Nov 06, 2003 (4:41 pm)

I agree that high speed pursuits are becoming a thing of the past. The newer police radios have certainly helped with where to set up road blocks. However, you still need chase cars with enough speed to at least keep up with the bad guys. I really don't know what the answer is for an economical, fast, and reliable police vehicle for the future. Maybe GM, Ford, or Chrysler's design people can create such a vehicle. One thing's for sure, it should be as bullet proof (or rocket-propelled grenade proof) as possible. The latest terrorist attacks in Iraq seem to be showing that.

#12245 of 13620 cop power by b4z

Nov 06, 2003 (5:54 pm)

Doesn't really come down to chases.
Has a lot to do with speed enforcement.
Officer needs to be able to catch up to that guy going 80 or even 100mph in a reasonable time.
The quicker he catches him the safer it is(in most cases).
 
I'll never forget when I was on I-95 driving about 78 mph.
I see this Volvo sedan coming up behind me at a ton. An easy 100 mph.
He flew past us and literally 5-6 minutes later here comes a SC trooper in a Crown Vic. Came up fast behind me but would slow down when he got close to vehicles then speed up in areas were there were no cars.
10-15 minutes later we come upon the Volvo and cop on the side of the road.
The whole thing probably took at least 20 minutes.
(Not the chase, but from the time the Volvo first passed me to the time we saw him on the side of the road.)
I'm not saying I want cops driving 120-140 mph catching speeders, but a quick accelerating car can put a stop to a potential chase many times.

#12246 of 13620 cop power b4z by charts2

Nov 06, 2003 (8:06 pm)

....RIGHT ON!!!!!!

#12247 of 13620 cop power bz4 by jpstax

Nov 07, 2003 (3:57 pm)

I agree with you on speeders. A fast cop car will usually catch up with a NASCAR wanabie. In my post I was referring to high speed chases of suspects who have committed robberies, or worse. A road block with some spike mats spread across the highway can sometimes be an effective way of stopping a fleeing car. I think we could probably argue for hours about the most effective, and safe, police techniques for catching speeders and criminals on the run. Am I right?

Messages Page 1225 of 1363

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