Would you buy an ex Police Car ?

[Escort2dr]

mgroadster said:

I used to sell cars for a used car dealer who often bought ex old bill cars.(maybe 3 at a time) They are maintained thoroughly and over a good weekend I would sell the lot! Many folk have the wrong idea about Police cars and think they've been shafted and shagged to within an inch of their lives, but the staff cars are a fantastic auction buy and will sell almost immediately with the right spiel to the customer.I even had to promise a disgruntled customer that I'd find him one after I sold a car he had been looking at only an hour previously, and whilst away checking insurance came back to find I'd just sold it to someone else. They really are good sellers.

Did the "right spiel" including telling them the T5s were all 300bhp?

[busta]

The way I look at it is you know an ex police V70 T5 has been driven quickly, you know it has probably had different things wired into it and holes in the dash but you also know it has been serviced mostly on time, probably with genuine parts and by a decent mechanic. It will also have been lept pretty clean. You know that the milage, although high, is genuine.

Buying a car at the same price privately you know non of these. At that money it's unlikely to have a full service history. The milage may be lower or higher but there's a much bigger likelihood it's been clocked. And there is also a chance that the previous owner drove it flat out everywhere, didn't slow down for speed bumps and his kids puked up in the back once or twice. There might not be any holes in the dash but there will be chunks taken out of the back door trim where they squeezed a ride-on lawnmower in the back and the boot carpet will be embedded with dog hairs. The rear suspension will be shagged as it's spent half it's life towing a 24ft twin axle caravan through the scottish highlands, and there will be dents in the roof where the roof box fell off because it wasn't attached properly. The spare wheel will be flat and the jack will be buckled. It will have 4 different brands of tyres, 1 premuim and 3 ditch finders.

So take your pick! A cheap car that you know has had a hard life but been looked after accordingly, or a total un-known that has more than likely been neglected, will be less genuine and probably smells.

[eskidavies73]

do traffic cars get tunned up remaped whatever a traffic cop once told me that his unmarked 3 series 330 i think was had no prob staying with the scoobys and evos in a chase around town

Edited by eskidavies73 on Sunday 16th January 17:55

[kwk]

eskidavies73 said:

do traffic cars get tunned up remaped whatever a traffic cop once told me that his unmarked 3 series 330 i think was had no prob staying with the scoobys and evos in a chase around town

Edited by eskidavies73 on Sunday 16th January 17:55

No they don't. Mods are usually limited to suspension and electrics and sometimes brakes.

[dannytherev]

kwk said:

eskidavies73 said:

do traffic cars get tunned up remaped whatever a traffic cop once told me that his unmarked 3 series 330 i think was had no prob staying with the scoobys and evos in a chase around town

Edited by eskidavies73 on Sunday 16th January 17:55

No they don't. Mods are usually limited to suspension and electrics and sometimes brakes.

Most of the Police cars are fast enough not to need remapping etc the current 330d's being a case in point

[Urban Sports]

kwk said:

eskidavies73 said:

do traffic cars get tunned up remaped whatever a traffic cop once told me that his unmarked 3 series 330 i think was had no prob staying with the scoobys and evos in a chase around town

Edited by eskidavies73 on Sunday 16th January 17:55

No they don't. Mods are usually limited to suspension and electrics and sometimes brakes.

Really?

I'd be very surprised if modern police cars were modified, they may be but I'd be surprised of they were.

Surely rather than modifying a car the police would buy a model that was fit for purpose in the first place?

[dannytherev]

Will be keeping an eye on tomorrow's auction

[markmullen]

North Yorkshire's firearms 530ds are remapped.

[eskidavies73]

just been on ebay ex police v70t5s 300 hp other adverts not ex police of same car year spec quoting 265 brake one advert expolicecar.co.uk even claims car mapped to 300 but has no paper work to prove

[WeirdNeville]

So lets get this straight:
Dealers love them because they're buttons to buy and easy to sell.
Buyers love them because they're a bit cheaper and they are under the impression that they will have been well driven and well cared for.
Police Officers wouldn't touch them because they have first hand experience of what a Police car goes through.

Does that about sum it up?

[Martin Keene]

Urban Sports said:

kwk said:

Mods are usually limited to suspension and electrics and sometimes brakes.

Really?

I'd be very surprised if modern police cars were modified, they may be but I'd be surprised of they were.

Surely rather than modifying a car the police would buy a model that was fit for purpose in the first place?

I know the Volvo's come in Police spec, and one of the mods is to fit the brakes from an XC90.

Cambs traffic also use Skoda Superbs as unmarked's, a Passat R36 in a different suit, 280PS 4x4 DSG, a real weapon apparently.

When it went for it's first service, the Police spec Volvo came up in conversation and the Skoda guy just laughed, saying if they built them properly they wouldn't need Police spec.

So, it varies car to car.

[Nickyboy]

I would, but i wouldn't buy one expecting it to be trouble free. Not all are treated/driven like people have said. Some might have had a prang, some might have bounced over kerbs day in day out. But not all. They are serviced reguarly with genuine parts, something you cant guarantee with a private car.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/VAUXHALL-VECTRA-2-8T-V6-VXR-...

If you want it for the running gear moreover the shiny leather then its £5k+ cheaper than the standard version. Perfect as a load lugger or a project. Same car without the bling

[eskidavies73]

carfolio.com gives specs for cars actually the v70t5 r auto is close to 300 brake this was on 2006 models

Edited by eskidavies73 on Sunday 16th January 20:02

[Mr Trophy]

I want this!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2002-VAUXHALL-OMEGA-SPECIAL-...

[Stedman]

eskidavies73 said:

carfolio.com gives specs for cars actually the v70t5 r auto is close to 300 brake this was on 2006 models

Shame the V70R of that generation and V70 T5 have different turbos and different engines. (Bar the last year or so, where I lose track).

Basically you're a mug (not you specifically eski') if you believe the it's been remapped st. Anyone who thinks a 240/250bhp car can get another +20% power with just a remap alone is plain and simply not using their brain.

The Volvos might have uprated suspension, although probably not. They will have bigger alternators and the early v70s/850s will have larger brakes.

[Urban Sports]

Mr Trophy said:

I want this!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2002-VAUXHALL-OMEGA-SPECIAL-...

Buy it then.

[Flintstone]

WeirdNeville said:

So lets get this straight:
Dealers love them because they're buttons to buy and easy to sell.
Buyers love them because they're a bit cheaper and they are under the impression that they will have been well driven and well cared for.
Police Officers wouldn't touch them because they have first hand experience of what a Police car goes through.

Does that about sum it up?

Well you'd know

I've thought of buying ex-plod cars but this thread does it for me. Unless it's one that you've first hand knowledge of and only used in a fairly cushy job like ferrying around the brass around it'll have been caned. I'll stick with what I have.

Mind you. Given that so many people hold the mistaken belief that they're a sound buy I might start trading in them.

[MGJohn]

Not read all the posts but, yes I would...

I've always fancied a V8 "Bluesmobile" as used by Elwood and Jake ... The Blues Brothers...

That would be cool ... except for fuel at £1.30 per litre ... and rising....

Back in 1968, I drove a Ford Fairlane 500 ... for a few days only as it did about 8 mpg ... ... and fuel was about a mere 4/= a Gallon back then. Four Shillings... That's 20 pence.... Great days gorn forever...
..

[mph1977]

panda = thrashed from cold and /or running round the clock ?

Traffic / ARV how many times has it been TPAC'd ?

[dickbastardly]

saw this, might be worth a look!!
http://auctionview1.british-car-auctions.co.uk/Aut...
Auction of police card at Tweksbury this Friday.
Andy