Ever noticed back in the early 1990's that you still seen the boxy/square-ish police and taxi cars of the 80's on the roads of any city?  ???

Heck, I've thought about this too! I was actually just rewatching some old cop shows I taped (I used to really be into those) around 1993-'95ish. One was called Real Stories of the Highway Patrol...and I noticed alot of the officers were still using the squareish ones. I guess vehicles probably stick around for about five years (departments probably have a limit on how old they can be), so I bet some of the '80s ones were still in use that late.

Speaking of that, I wonder when the early-mid '90s Caprices and Crown Victorias went out of circulation? I haven't seen one of those for a long time. What's weird is even though they're rounded and fairly modernish...they still look old school today! They're not spaceship style, lol.

Yeah, police stations and taxi services used mostly Ford LTD's and Chevy Caprices.  At the time there was really no need to switch since the cars weren't that old.  around 95 they started to switch over to crown victoria's.

Personally I like the older cars from the 80's.  I like old cars period.  New cars just suck, they all look the same, and dont really have any style.  The square look in my opinion looked more professional than any of the junk you see today.

Bobby?  is that you?

I still sometimes see box/square-ish police cars

Yeah, police stations and taxi services used mostly Ford LTD's and Chevy Caprices.  At the time there was really no need to switch since the cars weren't that old.  around 95 they started to switch over to crown victoria's.

Personally I like the older cars from the 80's.  I like old cars period.  New cars just suck, they all look the same, and dont really have any style.  The square look in my opinion looked more professional than any of the junk you see today.


I agree. I think the boxy cars were sturdier, better built and probably safer too. Just because they didn't spend as much time on all the bells and whistles. For instance, most rounded 1991+ cars have those plastic bumpers which are painted the same color.

That might be more decorative, but if you're in an accident, won't the metal ones be safer? ;)

That might be more decorative, but if you're in an accident, won't the metal ones be safer? ;)


They go for what's cheaper.  They'd rather save money, then save people :\'(

Cars made in the 80s and before were way better made than the ones today.  Much much safer.  Nowadays, it's all cheap fiberglass.  You get in an accident today, and your car is totaled

Heck, I've thought about this too! I was actually just rewatching some old cop shows I taped (I used to really be into those) around 1993-'95ish. One was called Real Stories of the Highway Patrol...and I noticed alot of the officers were still using the squareish ones. I guess vehicles probably stick around for about five years (departments probably have a limit on how old they can be), so I bet some of the '80s ones were still in use that late.

Speaking of that, I wonder when the early-mid '90s Caprices and Crown Victorias went out of circulation? I haven't seen one of those for a long time. What's weird is even though they're rounded and fairly modernish...they still look old school today! They're not spaceship style, lol.
I think the early-mid '90s Caprices and Crown Victorias went out of circulation around 2000-01.

the boxy "80s"caprice was produced from 1977 until 1990. the rounded "jellybean" caprice lasted from 1991 to 1996.
the boxy  "80s" crown vic was produced from 1979 until 1991. The rounded version lasted from 1992 until 1997. the 1998-current crown vic is more like a combination of the 80s and early 90s styles.

the boxy "80s"caprice was produced from 1977 until 1990. the rounded "jellybean" caprice lasted from 1991 to 1996.
the boxy  "80s" crown vic was produced from 1979 until 1991. The rounded version lasted from 1992 until 1997. the 1998-current crown vic is more like a combination of the 80s and early 90s styles.
Riiiight....

They go for what's cheaper.  They'd rather save money, then save people :\'(

Cars made in the 80s and before were way better made than the ones today.  Much much safer.  Nowadays, it's all cheap fiberglass.  You get in an accident today, and your car is totaled
I think cars were bigger in size in the 80's than the cars that are out today thats probably why 80's cars are more safer than todays cars(stuff like the Ford Fairmont, Mercury Grand Marquis, and The Buick Regal, The Buick Grand National, and the pre-1986 Caddy Seville I think before the Seville got downsized in for the 1986 model year I think. Of course there were small cars in the 80's like the Chevette, VW Rabbit, Toyota Corolla, Ford Escort, The Honda Civic. At least todays cars are more reliable than the cars that were made in the 80's.

I did total my car that I had for 6 years about 4 months ago(it was a 2002 model year car)so I had to buy go to buy another car. Of course the person that I had gotten into an accident with had a pick-up truck so that explains why there was so much damage to my totaled car as opposed to just a scratch down the side of his pick-up truck. There was too much damage to the front of my car and some and they said the suspension may have been too damaged too to even fix the car. Frankly I was happy they ruled it totaled because if there was suspension damage it wasn't going to drive like it did before the accident.

I agree. I think the boxy cars were sturdier, better built and probably safer too. Just because they didn't spend as much time on all the bells and whistles. For instance, most rounded 1991+ cars have those plastic bumpers which are painted the same color.


The plastic bumpers are good in 5mph accidents but if you are in a high speed accident and get hit in the back the plastic bumper is of no use.

Yeah, police stations and taxi services used mostly Ford LTD's and Chevy Caprices.  At the time there was really no need to switch since the cars weren't that old.  around 95 they started to switch over to crown victoria's.

Personally I like the older cars from the 80's.  I like old cars period.  New cars just suck, they all look the same, and dont really have any style.  The square look in my opinion looked more professional than any of the junk you see today.
I rrather have a 2007 car than one from the 80's. I'm sure American Companies Luxury Cars were good from the 80's in terms of being well built like a Lincoln, or a Caddy. Even Mercedes(well they're German) those were good cars in the 80's I'm sure. I rather drive a 2007 Honda than a 1985 Honda though.

The new crap is just that, crap.  Fiberglass, spaghetti wiring, you change a lightbulb wrong and you can screw up your electronic transmission.  ::)

The plastic bumpers are good in 5mph accidents but if you are in a high speed accident and get hit in the back the plastic bumper is of no use.


Yeah, it seems like that. Luckily I've only been in 3 accidents in my life (although I wasn't driving), and all were in older cars. I'm sure it could've been alot worse if they didn't have real bumpers. I do agree, they don't seem to put as much effort into them as they used to.

I can't imagine any of today's cars being classics in either sense, because the high tech of the 2000s will be very outdated in, say 2020, and the cars themselves won't have the sturdiness or safety of the older, boxy models.