Would you buy an ex Police Car ?

[V88Dicky]

Doesn't seem to be anything wrong with this little Almera. A nice little runaround for someone. Its ex-Northumbria liason car I'd guess.



http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...

[ipsg.glf]

WeirdNeville said:

Absolutely not.
They've had their looms cut to bits.
Their suspension has been hammered, day in, day out.
Their engines have been run from cold, mis-fueled, revved through the rev limiter countless times.
They're driven hard by people who love driving, or badly by people who don't care.
They will have been damaged and repaired many times over.
The servicing is no longer carried out in house - it's contracted out to the lowest bidder and they are serviced no more regularly than any other example of that model. They will have had more brakes and clutches though, because they make nasty noises when they're overdue which is hard to ignore.
A police mile is worth 5 regular miles. I used to (on occasion) drive an Astra 1.7 Tdi with 90,000 miles on it. It might as well have been 900,000. It felt like neither subframe was connected to the chassis in any meaningful way. Absolutely shagged.

Frankly, having driven police cars for the last 7 years, I'm amazed they're even saleable at the end of their working lives. It must cost more than the £500 you get for one to decomission it.

I bought an ex South Yorkshire Driver Training car (Volvo S70 T5) and it was in excellent condition, inside and out.

[thehappyotter]

mph1977 said:

thehappyotter said:

I think you'll find that's 'couldn't be arsed to take him in'.

Bunch of prima donna's!

or more to the point the FIM/ Inspector in comms wanted them available as an ARV not tied up in custody for several hours ...

when you actually have a chance to discuss this with relevant bodies and take a service / system wide view it makes sense ...

it is also part of the differences between resourcing in The Met , vs the the other Metropolitan forces (WY/SY/GMP/WMids) vs a county force ... and then you have to remember
that some 'county' forces cover significant conurbation areas with 'big city' crime problems as Mr Green (CC of Notts ) is fond of pointing out

I know. That's why I said I was only leg pulling in my next post and included a sticky out tongue smiley in my first. In my force (Notts, as it happens, although Mr Green retired nearly 3 years ago!) there's a healthy and friendly banter between us section lads/lasses and the ARV's. When the st hits the fan and there's a job to be done we all stick together, we're all doing the same job to the same end when it boils down to it.

We get on really!

[BenMk3]

I don't think I would personally, only because I'm not a fan of the cars themselves, new Volvos etc.

That said I would love to own this - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FORD-CROWN-VICTORIA-AMBULANC... (Okay, not specifically a police car, but still)

[dannytherev]

Seems Greater Manchester Police are getting rid of their fleet of X5's just looked on BCA

[dannytherev]

BUMP just checked on BCA seems that one the ISF's is up for auction

[SirTainly]

Considered an ex RCMP Crown Vic when I replaced my car last month, but the fuel bills would have been a killer, although I'm sure my commute would have been reduced - people always let a CV into traffic!

[J4CKO]

alfasud1 said:

Not in a million years.ragged out the yard from cold. Speed bumps.high revs low gears. Crap all over the inside.spew blood piss and on the odd occaision "man batter".heavy kit in the back shocks goosed.washed with stones once a week and generally flogged to death. It might be serviced but thats by monkeys who only do what's on the card ....nothing more. You can't polish a turd

Oh yes, Police cars are always slathered with jizz, no "upstanding member" of the public ever ejaculates in their cars, except that Gillian Taylforths friend that time, beastly matter, if you have a second hand car you always run the risk of spotting it in some photos on a porn site, blokes queued up at a top Dogging spot all boffing some old munter on your lovely upholstery or the bonnet, you may well be driving a mobile sperm bank !

So, seeing as ex Police cars are so knackered should they be crushed ?

If it drives ok, it probably is, if you can stand a few miles and some scuffs buy one, if not dont, simple.

[PigFilth]

Amazes me, this thread. Question asked, people who drive the cars respond and generally say "don't". And yet people still argue that they are well looked after. No doubt some are OK, but a general view is that they are absolutely hammered.

[1878]

Yeah, go for it:

[The fatboy]

After watching the police interceptor on youtube, remember to expect scratches, crashes and shocks, structures may have been affected.

[Baryonyx]

ipsg.glf said:

I bought an ex South Yorkshire Driver Training car (Volvo S70 T5) and it was in excellent condition, inside and out.

Excellent cars too, got any pictures?

[koolstude]

So; a couple of years later, would you say this was a good buy? Any major issues with it?
The reason I ask, is that I'm considering buying an ex-police car - a Volvo V70 (2008 model).

focusguy said:

As i mentioned last week, i am now the proud owner of a 2007 Volvo V70 T5 ex-police car


Bad points:

It has had nothing done to it since leaving the police, except having all the equipment (lights/sirens/data recorderss etc...) removed, theres still extra wiring which has been chopped and left, the paintwork needs some attention as its still in 'police' state (holes in roof/bumper etc...) and some of the interior trim is slightly worn.

All of the above will cost me approx £700 to sort out, which i had expected anyway.
At least by getting the work done myself (im in the motor trade) i know it will be done properly by people that do a good job.

Sure, its done 150k, but its got full service history, including 2 cam belts and 1 clutch. When i consider what i paid for it, that kind of mileage doesnt worry me

ANY second hand car is a gamble to some degree, no matter where it came from or who had it, and im (so far) very pleased with my purchase...

[eddy02]

thehappyotter said:

And to answer the question. No, I wouldn't buy one. Not having watched numerous people be sick, bleed, urinate, and st in them. That's before I even start thinking about the mechanical side!

Sounds like any car that has had a baby seat in the back.