Aged police cars.

[Henzy]

wack said:

Just because it was on a R plate doesn't mean the car was 20 years old,an older reg can go on a newer car

is it a stealth tactic, who'd look twice at what looks like a 20 year old car

He was going "deep deep deep DEEP undercover"

[smileymikey]

wack said:

Just because it was on a R plate doesn't mean the car was 20 years old,an older reg can go on a newer car

is it a stealth tactic, who'd look twice at what looks like a 20 year old car

I actually posted a thread on here at the time because it looked so dodgy. I then called 101 so that they were aware of it. I know undercover cars are supposed to look well "undercover" but what made me suspicious was knowing Elf and safety at Avon and Somerset Police would burst into flames at the thought of giving young coppers the keys to a high performance car that was twenty years old. They dont like lawsuits arising from wheels falling off.

[parabolica]

Was just thinking this yesterday when I saw a fully stickered-up 53 plate 5 series in south west London! Old style livery (orange and yellow but with police wording) and the car looked like it had a hard life; old-style siren also and big-block blue lights. Was on a call as they came speeding down the wrong side of the A3 at Westhill.

[Ian Geary]

A copper in an unmarked v60 stopped me for a chat a few years ago.

I'd noticed him start to follow me, and do so for about 2 miles.

I had dismissed it as a police car because I thought it was 10+ years old.

What I didn't take account of was Volvo only change their car design every decade or so.

Oops

Still, I got let off with a verbal for 40 in a 30. He was after drink drivers I think.

[Muddle238]

parabolica said:

Was just thinking this yesterday when I saw a fully stickered-up 53 plate 5 series in south west London! Old style livery (orange and yellow but with police wording) and the car looked like it had a hard life; old-style siren also and big-block blue lights. Was on a call as they came speeding down the wrong side of the A3 at Westhill.

The Met used to use these as Armed Response Vehicles. You can tell by the little yellow circles in the corners of the windscreen. I think they mainly use X5's nowadays but that doesn't mean to say they don't have a few of the old 5-Series' lurking about.

[sebhaque]

Interestingly enough I thought about this the other day when I saw a fully liveried 53-plate 5-series driving down the M25. Wasn't on a blue lights run, but I rememebr thinking it was odd seeing a 13/14 year old trafpol car on the road.

I've seen a couple of 2006/2007-vintage panda cars around Morden/Wimbledon too, although I suspect these cars are just bought from new and then run into the ground.

[parabolica]

Muddle238 said:

parabolica said:

Was just thinking this yesterday when I saw a fully stickered-up 53 plate 5 series in south west London! Old style livery (orange and yellow but with police wording) and the car looked like it had a hard life; old-style siren also and big-block blue lights. Was on a call as they came speeding down the wrong side of the A3 at Westhill.

The Met used to use these as Armed Response Vehicles. You can tell by the little yellow circles in the corners of the windscreen. I think they mainly use X5's nowadays but that doesn't mean to say they don't have a few of the old 5-Series' lurking about.

That looks exactly like it! Maybe I misread the plate.

[DBRacingGod]

covboy said:

13m said:

This one had them in the grille, and rear windows. It also had a proper siren, which was in use. I stand to be corrected but I've not seen a Trumpton before with the full disco setup.

A (senior) Fire Officer friend of mine had the full works fitted to his Jag

Possibly to avoid the tax as it 'could' be used to respond. The senior non-job staff at many police forces have cars so equipped provided as part of their perks - despite not actually having the legal OK to drive on blues and sirens themselves.

[wildcat45]

I remember seeing a 1970s Met MK1 Transit like this in service in the 1990s.

[watchnut]

Could the OP have seen a "training Car"? ALL 3 EMERGENCY services used unmarked cars for training, in Hampshire the Fire Brigade have "incident" response vehicles flying out of their HQ with blues and two's going.

[Dr Jekyll]

On the M40 on Sunday three of the VFR1200s used for VIP escort went past, followed by the inevitable unmarked Range Rover, followed by what looked like an older model Range Rover in Jam sandwich livery. All on blues but on the opposite carriageway to me so I couldn't see properly.

[wildcat45]

There was I recall a silver L322 involved with the Cameron/May trip to the palace in the summer.

I wonder if it's a vehicle used just for this role that it may be fairly lightly used compared to a traffic car. It may also have an expensive equipment fit designed for the job. A case of if it ain't broke, why fix it?

I remember as a kid in the 1980s Mrs T got driven round in a Rover P5 which at the time must have been a pretty old car.

I think it was mentioned a few months ago on here that the car JFK was shot in back in 1963 remained in service until the late 1970s. It might have been the same thread where I mentioned I'd seen a BT truck on a an old plate.

I guess some specialist vehicles have a use that outweighs the actual cash value.

[13m]

wildcat45 said:

There was I recall a silver L322 involved with the Cameron/May trip to the palace in the summer.

It'll be armoured and consequently not cheap to replace.