Being nosey - Yorkshire Police BMWs?

[DickP]

Hi,

I'm being nosey so not expecting anyone in knowledge to answer, but thought I may as well.

A couple of days ago in Yorkshire a few marked up police cars were going fast on the motorway with blues on. Both were 21 plate 3 Series BMWs. Going the other way a short while later were the usual Volvos etc.

I thought the police no longer used BMWs?

[ExBoringVolvoDriver]

DickP said:

Hi,

I'm being nosey so not expecting anyone in knowledge to answer, but thought I may as well.

A couple of days ago in Yorkshire a few marked up police cars were going fast on the motorway with blues on. Both were 21 plate 3 Series BMWs. Going the other way a short while later were the usual Volvos etc.

I thought the police no longer used BMWs?

I had would have thought that they just would not buy any more in the future and carry in using what they have to save costs - I know there was some potential issues with one type of the diesel engine (I can’t remember which) so maybe not the 3 series?

I have seen quite a few Cupras, both marked and unmarked in West Yorkshire as I have been led to believe that there are issues with the Volvos not being able to turn off some of the safety things that apparently impinge on the ability for TPACS.

[edthefed]

When BMW announced they were pulling out of the UK police market a few forces including N Yorks reacted quickly and bought petrol 1 and 3 series

North Yorks had some 72 plate 135s

[PorkInsider]

North Yorks police have (or had?) 340i (6-cyl petrol) models on their fleet.

It was the 6-cylinder diesels which were taken out of service, wasn't it?

[Jamescrs]

DickP said:

Hi,

I'm being nosey so not expecting anyone in knowledge to answer, but thought I may as well.

A couple of days ago in Yorkshire a few marked up police cars were going fast on the motorway with blues on. Both were 21 plate 3 Series BMWs. Going the other way a short while later were the usual Volvos etc.

I thought the police no longer used BMWs?

West Yorkshire Police driver training still have a couple of 330Ds I believe which are fully marked up, possibly more. The age sounds about right for those.

[119]

Wasn’t there an officer killed in a BMW that lunched its engine mid chase?

[helix403]

Yes, sadly. The N57 is the engine in question.

[AliMc99]

Yes the issue was the N57 3 ltr diesel in the previous shape 3 series (F30). When BMW announced they were pulling out of the police market, North Yorkshire Traffic asked their fleet dept to buy every (Police approved) BMW model they could get their hands on. Their priority was M340i estates but they also ended up with M340i saloons and M135i’s as mentioned by the OP. Replacements seem to be Audi A6 3.0 TDI’s. They don’t like Volvo’s for traffic (although they are used by Firearms) as they are too slow and they can’t fully turn of the ADAS

[littleredrooster]

I have to say that one of the most impressive noises I've heard was from a 330d.

Standing on the hard shoulder of a completely deserted motorway at 3am, a Police 330d went past absolutely flat-out on a shout - must have been doing 130+, I would guess.

The only noise was an almighty WWHHHHOOOOOSSSH from the turbo as he disappeared - it sounded more like a jet about to take off.

Most impressed, I was!

[LosingGrip]

AliMc99 said:

Yes the issue was the N57 3 ltr diesel in the previous shape 3 series (F30). When BMW announced they were pulling out of the police market, North Yorkshire Traffic asked their fleet dept to buy every (Police approved) BMW model they could get their hands on. Their priority was M340i estates but they also ended up with M340i saloons and M135i s as mentioned by the OP. Replacements seem to be Audi A6 3.0 TDI s. They don t like Volvo s for traffic (although they are used by Firearms) as they are too slow and they can t fully turn of the ADAS

Wish someone told our fleet team that RPU dont like Volvos...we got three new ones in 2022. They are horrible. Slow. Always in workshops. To be fair no issues with TPAC.

[imagineifyeswill]

My son is RPU in Scotland and previously Armed Response, they loved there BMWs. Hes never mentioned the ADAS but has said the Volve weight limit barely copes with the equipment they carry and also ar horrendous fuel consumption. Theyve recently got Audi A6s and seem very impressed with them.

[imagineifyeswill]

My son is RPU in Scotland and previously Armed Response, they loved there BMWs. Hes never mentioned the ADAS but has said the Volve weight limit barely copes with the equipment they carry and also are horrendous fuel consumption. Theyve recently got Audi A6s and seem very impressed with them.

[Sheepshanks]

A Cheshire Police 340i XDrive in action last month (the Volvo chickened out!):

https://www.facebook.com/reel/2230051014396314

(Can't embed this).

[fourthpedal]

In this BBC report, BMW are blaming the exploding engines on how the cars are used: oil degrading from lots of idling with occasional high strains: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cumbria-644713...

Does that seem plausible? Wouldn't you expect to see similar issues with other engines then?

[helix403]

M57 was used the same way and didn’t fail.

[SteBrown91]

I imagine it was a combination of cheapening of materials for cost reasons, measures to improve refinement and thinner oils to meet emissions and service requirements.

[Its Just Adz]

Jamescrs said:

West Yorkshire Police driver training still have a couple of 330Ds I believe which are fully marked up, possibly more. The age sounds about right for those.

I sometimes deliver cars for WYP to use for driver training. They had some pretty cool un-marked stuff in the compounds.
Also, some huge anti terror truck things that would look scary in LA.

[Somewhatfoolish]

Can confirm West Yorkshire use a (pretty obvious but it was an odd one where the usual "slow down immediately and I won't pull you" social contract wasn't obeyed) green Skoda estate with a nice man inside who talks to you about calibrated speedometers.

[119]

Sheepshanks said:

A Cheshire Police 340i XDrive in action last month (the Volvo chickened out!):

https://www.facebook.com/reel/2230051014396314

(Can't embed this).

What makes you think the Volvo chickened out?