It's NOT an unmarked Police car BECAUSE.......

[monthefish]

• It's a convertible
• It has a private reg plate
• It is over 10 years old
• It has aftermarket alloys
• There are children/kids car seat in the back

Any more clues that help you rule out cars from being unmarked plod?

Yes, there are probably rare exceptions to what I have posted (and what anyone else may post), but generally it is probably correct - if you dispute it, we need pics!

[FreeLitres]

• The driver is naked.

[CommanderJameson]

It has "Shaz" and "Baz" on the sunstrip.

[rallycross]

towbar
silly stickers

Be looking out for;

two rear view mirrors
small aerials on the roof
hidden lights

Noticed a new one on unmarked cars is having cameras installed in rear and side rear windows. Have seen a few VAG unmarked cars on A1 recently with these new cameras looking at you as you approach / go past - very difficult to spot. Have seen them on A4 avants and Skoda saloons, dark colours 10/11 reg inconspicuous TDi saloons/estates..

[roachcoach]

It's badged up as a police car?
Painted a dark green with armed men inside?

Sorry. Had to. It's Friday.

[Marf]

There are two occupants in the car and one is smoking.

[Stu R]

It's a fire engine.

[MuffDaddy]

I've seen them with blue LED's built into the mirror turn signals. They are getting harder to spot.

[iphonedyou]

There's a post code on the number plate.

[chriis]

[CommanderJameson]

It's a p-reg imported Pajero towing a caravan.

[Mini1275]

Stu R said:

It's a fire engine.

[Marf]

Stu R said:

It's a fire engine.

Or an ambiwlans

[BoostMonkey]

Just a heads up, some plod car's do have private plates

[CommanderJameson]

BoostMonkey said:

Just a heads up, some plod car's do have private plates

TVP used to (might still) have an M5 with the plate "M5 YEP".

Well, I read that on the internet, so it's true.

[vdubbin]

Yesterday, on the commute home I passed a Transit minibus that had just pulled a biker in. Plainclothes cop in tracksuit pants writing up a ticket, LED blues built into the taillights and front grille, absolutely nothing else to give the game away.

Surveillance van in Dublin is covered in tacky stickers and chrome stripes, only for the roof vent you'd think it was a member of the Campfire and Roadside Caravanning Club.

[RDMcG]

Very sinister one here in Canada......Marked car but signs designed to look like a taxi.....unsporting, this:

[bigandclever]

Alright, it's an old one, but MGB V8...

www.britishv8.org said:

The police equipment used in these cars included Police Radio, two-tone horns concealed behind the front grille, two flashing blue lights set back into the front grille, fire extinguisher, portable "slow" signs and warning lights, tape measure, 6 red & white cones, crow bar, and a police sign fitted on the rear floor just under the tailgate window so arranged that when the police driver pulled a cord fixed to the roof close to his right shoulder the sign would lift up to show through the rear window and illuminate with the words "POLICE" and "STOP" (in red).

[Dog Star]

That Taxi (and the minibus - hope that was in ROI) are bang out of order.

I saw someone being pulled on the M62 a couple of days ago by a grey-ish 5 series. In common with all of the unmarked cars I've seen lately the strobe lights were built into the normal clusters - you'd never spot them.

I reckon that a lot of them are well nigh impossible to spot now - you need as much good luck as observation skills, and if you're a habitual speeder it's going to happen - not if but when.

[roachcoach]

Dog Star said:

if you're a habitual speeder it's going to happen - not if but when.

My understanding was it took someone being a right dick to merit an unmarked pull, it may be wiffle but made a degree of sense to me.