RE: Lexus for Wiltshire Plod
Tuesday 18th February 2003
Lexus for Wiltshire Plod
282bhp GS430 to be used for motorway patrols
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There was a time that British police forces would use British made cars for their fleet. Not any more. Plenty of forces around the UK now use a variety of German motors to police our roads.
Lexus is now giving itself a pat on the back after placing a GS430 with Wiltshire Constabulary.
The Lexus will be used principally for patrols along the M4 motorway and will have a service life of around 150,000 miles in three years.
Steve Botham, Wiltshire’s Fleet and Service Manager, commented: "The car came on a short term demonstration and it was so well received when we put it out to our traffic units we decided to purchase it."
"The reports on the car were very favourable, particularly because of its power and the space inside. Some of the vehicles we use have to be modified – the suspension, for example – but with the Lexus the quality is so good, no changes will have to be made."
Despite the fat-man exec proportions, the GS430 is quite spritely. The 4.3 litre V8 is good for 282bhp and can whisk plod to 62mph in 6.3 seconds. Radical speeders might take comfort in the fact that it is limited to 155mph however.
Suggestions that police drivers will have to acquire shirt stretching bellies and smoke cigars have been dismissed.
Police Links
Discussion
being as it is the second largest British manufacturer behind Rover/MGThis pisses me off an inordinate amount for some reason. Why oh why cant they use British cars or cars that are at least built in Britain.
They dont need to be ultra fast as they have radios and helicopters for that sort of thing. I just find it fairly difficult to stomach that we have an ever dwindling manufacturing base and one of the ways in which this could be helped is via policy enforcing the use of British cars.
Whatever happened to the British Is Best campaigns? Makes me sick.
Matt.
They dont need to be ultra fast as they have radios and helicopters for that sort of thing. I just find it fairly difficult to stomach that we have an ever dwindling manufacturing base and one of the ways in which this could be helped is via policy enforcing the use of British cars.
Whatever happened to the British Is Best campaigns? Makes me sick.
Matt.
My neighbour is a Wilts. traffic cop and from what he tells me 150,000 miles is quite a high estimate.
Most days there are two patrols AT MOST on the road in Wilts. at any one time one is usually dealing with an RTA and associated paperwork which leaves one human patrol for all the roads in Wiltshire.
And many, many robotic ones
Most days there are two patrols AT MOST on the road in Wilts. at any one time one is usually dealing with an RTA and associated paperwork which leaves one human patrol for all the roads in Wiltshire.
And many, many robotic ones
Amazing the Plod's actually still do Patrolling, well their doing something I guess, now all they got to do is patrol out streets as well, and what about the envorinment a V8 engine, they want us to get out of our powerful cars while they enjoy the best. All these nutcase Chief Constable's that refuse to talk to you "I know I'm trying to get to one right now" should be elected then they would have to start thinking about how things should be done and stop them whinging about manpower nd makihng policies designed for their comfort
Amazing the Plod's actually still do Patrolling, well their doing something I guess, now all they got to do is patrol out streets as well, and what about the envorinment a V8 engine, they want us to get out of our powerful cars while they enjoy the best. All these nutcase Chief Constable's that refuse to talk to you "I know I'm trying to get to one right now" should be elected then they would have to start thinking about how things should be done and stop them whinging about manpower nd makihng policies designed for their comfort
It's odd tho' - go to any other country that actually makes cars, and they all use their own country's cars for police etc. Even in Italy when I was last there they were all running around in Alfa 33's. Don't know why I found that funny, but anyway.
Except here: Volvo, BMW, Mercedes, Lexus, Vauxhall (Omega is German).
Are our cars really that rubbish? They could have a useful fleet of - Ford, Vauxhall, Peugeot, Nissan (!), Land/Range Rover, Rover, Jaguar, TVR, Lotus ...
Perhaps, despite whinging from our continental neighbours, the British are very cosmopolitan and open minded in a lot of ways, most mainland European peoples are a lot more chauvinistic than we are.
(I confess here to having two Japanese cars and a German one
Anyone want to buy a Subaru?)
Except here: Volvo, BMW, Mercedes, Lexus, Vauxhall (Omega is German).
Are our cars really that rubbish? They could have a useful fleet of - Ford, Vauxhall, Peugeot, Nissan (!), Land/Range Rover, Rover, Jaguar, TVR, Lotus ...
Perhaps, despite whinging from our continental neighbours, the British are very cosmopolitan and open minded in a lot of ways, most mainland European peoples are a lot more chauvinistic than we are.
(I confess here to having two Japanese cars and a German one
Anyone want to buy a Subaru?)I have known traffic cars do 80k in 3 years, but m-way can do over 100k a year. Depends what they are using it for.
Most forces get "free" trial cars all the time, we have had Skoda, Smart, Subaru, Fords, Merc, Jag to name a few. They always send them back after a couple of months though (cheap buggers!) as the fleet contract is with Vx for patrol cars, Ford for the vans and RRover and Volvo for m-ways.
I think some years back they were offered a deal from BMW for traffic cars, it worked out cheaper than the ford Mondeo ST24 but they still went and got the Ford because it was "visually more economic..."
Most forces get "free" trial cars all the time, we have had Skoda, Smart, Subaru, Fords, Merc, Jag to name a few. They always send them back after a couple of months though (cheap buggers!) as the fleet contract is with Vx for patrol cars, Ford for the vans and RRover and Volvo for m-ways.
I think some years back they were offered a deal from BMW for traffic cars, it worked out cheaper than the ford Mondeo ST24 but they still went and got the Ford because it was "visually more economic..."
bluesandtwos said: I have known traffic cars do 80k in 3 years, but m-way can do over 100k a year. Depends what they are using it for.
Most forces get "free" trial cars all the time, we have had Skoda, Smart, Subaru, Fords, Merc, Jag to name a few. They always send them back after a couple of months though (cheap buggers!) as the fleet contract is with Vx for patrol cars, Ford for the vans and RRover and Volvo for m-ways.
I think some years back they were offered a deal from BMW for traffic cars, it worked out cheaper than the ford Mondeo ST24 but they still went and got the Ford because it was "visually more economic..."
Pity the poor buggers sent out in a fully-marked up Smart
What force Blues?
I think there should be legistration that public services can only buy British built cars, vans and trucks.
Why?
They surely have a duty to get the best value for money. If this vehicle is best suited to the job for whatever their requirements (space, running costs, high mileage reliability), then this is the best vehicle. One certainly shouldn't force them into buying a "made in Britain" product if it's not as suitable - that's then a waste of money... taxpayers money.
pikey said:I think there should be legistration that public services can only buy British built cars, vans and trucks.
Why?
They surely have a duty to get the best value for money. If this vehicle is best suited to the job for whatever their requirements (space, running costs, high mileage reliability), then this is the best vehicle. One certainly shouldn't force them into buying a "made in Britain" product if it's not as suitable - that's then a waste of money... taxpayers money.
Hmmm.
Not quite. You've forgotten one very important thing. The money spent on foreign cars goes straight overseas. Whilst money spent on british manufactured goods stays in this country and helps the workforce here. These people/corporations also pay their taxes here as well.
Even if it is slightly more expensive to buy british (and at the moment it will be due to the strong pound) then it would be worth it cos at least it helps keep folk in work.
Also it looks bad when the british police are in german cars.
Aren't ours good enough??? (don't answer that
) Andy
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