One of life’s great challenges is determining what cars will become future classics. Success or failure can be equally spectacular, and many knowledgeable people have been left with egg on their faces when they got it wrong. That makes me cautious when assessing cars like this 2005 Ford Crown Victoria LX Sport. It seems to tick many of the right boxes for inclusion into that exclusive club, but only time will tell if it succeeds or fails. However, the bidding history might provide a reasonable guide. The Ford is listed here on eBay in Walpole, Massachusetts. The price has raced to $15,200 but remains short of the reserve.
Ford introduced the Second Generation Crown Victoria in 1998, and it proved to be a model of great longevity. The last car rolled off the line in 2012, although it had only been available to fleet buyers and law enforcement agencies since 2008. Our 2005 model is the LX Sport, and its presentation is excellent for a car with eighteen years under its belt. Its Dark Toreador Red paint shines beautifully, but a close inspection reveals a few marks and scratches. None are severe, meaning the new owner could address them as time and circumstances allow. The panels are as straight as an arrow, with consistent gaps. The supplied underside shots confirm the car is rust-free, with the floors and frame appearing in as-new condition. The plastic and glass are flawless, but one fascinating decision made by Ford was to supply the Crown Victoria LX Sport with Black exterior mirrors. Many similar cars from this era featured color-keyed items, but I guess these mirrors help the vehicle to stand out in a crowd. Unique 17″ wheels were an integral part of the Sport Package, and the ones on this car are free from physical damage and stains.
The Crown Victoria’s luxury credentials are evident the moment we open the doors. The new owner will confront acres of leather trim, dual airbags, climate-control air conditioning power windows, power locks with keyless entry, six-way power front seats, remote exterior mirrors, cruise control, a leather-wrapped tilt wheels with controls for the cruise and stereo, and a premium AM/FM radio/CD player. The overall condition is in keeping for a low-mileage survivor. There is no evidence of wear, abuse, or UV damage. There are no aftermarket additions, and all the new owner needs to do is slip behind the wheel and drive placidly into the sunset.
Ford equipped the Crown Victoria LX with a 4.6-liter V8, producing 224hp and 272 ft/lbs of torque. It upped the ante with the Sport variant, pushing those figures to 239hp and 287 ft/lbs. Power feeds to the rear wheels via a four-speed automatic transmission, with power steering and four-wheel power disc brakes with ABS standard features. The additional engine power doesn’t seem significant, but it had a measurable impact on outright performance. While an LX would cover the ¼-mile in 16.9 seconds, the Sport slashed that number to 16.1 seconds. The Sport Package didn’t merely bring unique wheels and additional engine power because buyers received revised springs, shocks, and stabilizer bars. The 3.27 rear end was standard, and the dual exhaust liberated the additional power. This Crown Victoria is original and unmolested, with 10,000 genuine miles on the clock. It runs and drives perfectly, making it a turnkey proposition. The seller includes the original Window Sticker, Owner’s Manual, and other documentation. Further adding to its appeal and authenticity is the fact that the original tags on the glove compartment door for the airbag and the quality control oak tag/paper sticker on the gas tank and EVAP lines are intact.
This 2005 Ford Crown Victoria LX Sport has attracted an impressive seventeen bids since the seller listed it, suggesting people like what they see. It might not be the fastest car on the planet, but its ability to cruise effortlessly at 70mph while cocooning its occupants luxuriously must be admired. It is impossible to say whether those traits will qualify it as a future classic, but there is one factor worth considering. Vehicle manufacturers will almost certainly turn their backs on V8 engines at some point as they seek to comply with tightening CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) standards. That will signal the rise of hybrid and zero-emission models, but they can only counter the impact of V8 models for so long before companies place them out to pasture. That could see enthusiasts clamoring for vehicles like this Crown Victoria. If that happens, values will inevitably climb. That means now could be the ideal time to park a car of this caliber in your garage. Do you agree?
A very nice Cruiser but what’s the mpg on this babe?
18/25
This car is nice & as I age it seems like what I should be driving & if it was a Marader from Mercury worth the ask but I’m not sure at what price for this Crown Vic.
Probably bring a fortune in Riyadh. Old crown vics are ridiculously popular there.
One of the best cars i ever had is my 04 Grand Marquis, V8, 4 speed auto with most of the options. Had to replace the motor, the guy that had it before my dad bought it never changed the oil. I inherited it when he passed in 2012.Since the engine change it’s been bullet proof mechanically. The AC quit and the dash controls messed up inside so only blows out the dash vents are it’s only problems. Not bad for 250,000 miles.I’d love this car but it’s too far to go to look at. Someone will be happy with it for years.
Maybe the price seems a little high, but you are practically guaranteed to get 250k-300k miles if you take care of her.
Very solid cars and relatively easy to work on, and parts are cheap and plentiful.
There is a ton of value here.
I have owned CV LX sports for many years and the two things that cause me headaches are the air shocks. No matter how nicely you drive, the rubber does wear out and you will need to get them updated every five years or so. The other Achilles heel with these cars are the lighting control modules. Very expensive to replace.
Otherwise, they are solid cars. I got over 250K on one and the other (which I still have) is coming up on 300K.
For my money, if I was going to buy a CV, I would buy a low mileage CVPI without the air shocks.
The lighting control module is a recall and a free fix at Ford. I didn’t pay for mine when it went out. It wasn’t even under warranty.
This was FORD’s Marauder, I looked a one when it was new. Brought a Lincoln LS instead . It was quicker but HIND SIGHT is always 20/20
Not talking politics here…but. Those CAFE standards can be reduced. We car guys just have to encourage our friends act accordingly.
I had a 2000 Crown Vic. Got 22mpg and put over 100k on her, with zero problems.
I’d be fine with just replacing the arcane CAFE “footprint” formula with an EU-style purchase tax scaled to a vehicle’s fuel economy, thereby reinforcing a market incentive for more fuel-efficient vehicles because they’d be cheaper to buy than gas guzzlers.
We have the CAFE footprint targets to blame for the disappearance of truly compact pickups and affordable wagons here, and the burgeoning of SUVs/CUVs/crossovers/etc. because they’re classified as “trucks” subject to a laxer MPG target for their footprint size:
https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2012/10/how-cafe-killed-compact-trucks-and-station-wagons/
Reducing CAFE standards is definitely the worst thing to do. The planet is dying! “Oh, what’s CAFE standards got to do with that?” Jiminy Cricket!
be careful larry.. i heard that the sky is falling!
Oh, brother. This is a cycle Larry.
These are pretty rare, I wonder if it was ordered by an individual. Dealers weren’t really stocking them and Ford wasn’t pushing them.
Excellent. 3.27 gear, dual pipes, rims, any suspension upgrades w that pkg ?
Great comfortable driving here.
The car is equipped with air springs in the rear instead of the coil springs in other CV’s, not air shocks as someone mentioned. They have a much better ride than coils and the ride was tuned for comfort unlike the Marauder.
Where is this car located. Would like to go & see it.
Bob
Read the article.
Marauder Lite
Yes its a nice car and at $16k and reserve still not met for a car that only books out to about $7,500 on KBB makes me wonder what the reserve is because at the end of the day its still just a Ford crown vic.
Had several Crown Vics and Mercury Marqui’s over the years, BUT our 1 owner 2008 CV SPORT was the most satisfying by far! Wish we had kept it instead of over paying for a sweet 88 Town Car Signature!!
Had one and loved it! And I’m mostly a GM guy. Not worth that much to me though. Seems more like Marauder money…
I love the American car market’s use of the word Sport….just too funny. I had a Dodge Caravan Sport, came with white rims and a pin stripe. I guess that makes it sporty.
Put all the power you want under the hood, but if the body rolls like a keg down Everest and the understeer is measured in lane widths, it just shouldn’t be called Sport.
Looks like a clean example though. Nice for those who like to ride in comfort.
The only thing worse than the industries’ use of the word “Sport” is the use of the word “Limited”.
I can’t believe someone would pay money for this car.
as the daughter of a retiring Boston Police Officer Crown Vics are special to me because dad used to bring the Cruiser home every so often when I was a kid in the 90s and there was a cop that used to patrol outside the Ice rink my elementary school class skated at used to let a few of the kids take a ride back to school in the cruiser sometimes always loved those old cop cars because the AC blew cold as heck when cars still used R12 Freeon until it was phased out in 1994
I have one just like this and it has been my favorite car. Over 220,000 so far. I wish it wasn’t wearing out. This one just costs too much, but then, it is a like-new CVS.
Have any of you people checked prices for Crown Vic PIs or any police package cars on Ebay or Facebook? This car is a bargain. Drove Crown Vics for most of my 28 year career-great cars-except in snow. If you don’t think they didn’t handle or stop well I don’t think you ever drove one.