One for plod - how well are your cars treated?
Discussion
I've just seen an ex-TVP unmarked Mondeo ST220 for sale on my Facebook feed.
It's a tempting looking motor, but I was wondering how well looked after police cars are?
I know from personal experience that I wouldn't touch ex-Ambo cars with a barge pole (they're generally ragged to f
k and treated like st by the occupants), are the police the same?
Cheers guys
It's a tempting looking motor, but I was wondering how well looked after police cars are?
I know from personal experience that I wouldn't touch ex-Ambo cars with a barge pole (they're generally ragged to f
k and treated like st by the occupants), are the police the same?Cheers guys
I would never, EVER consider buying an ex response/traffic car. They get hammered, day in, day out, by a variety of drivers of various (usually poor) standards.
Only plus thing us that they are serviced regularly.
They will have been ragged from cold, clutch and nearly every perishable part will have been pushed to its limit, and the car itself will usually have been the base/most standard model available even when it was new.
Only plus thing us that they are serviced regularly.
They will have been ragged from cold, clutch and nearly every perishable part will have been pushed to its limit, and the car itself will usually have been the base/most standard model available even when it was new.
klingelton said:
mechanically sympathetic? No. Well maintained? Yes.
Kept road-legal, yes, but I wouldn't agree that they are particularly well maintained. Ours are serviced at the manufacturer-recommended mileages and not before.An ex traffic or response vehicle will probably have had panels and windows replaced after collisions, intentional damage, being driven over uneven surfaces. It will have unusual holes in the trim. Ours are generally expected to cover 40,000 miles a year and we're keeping them longer too.
Unless it's an exceptional car in some way, I wouldn't touch one unless desperate for cheap short-term transport.
Chicken said:
I know from personal experience that I wouldn't touch ex-Ambo cars with a barge pole (they're generally ragged to fk and treated like st by the occupants), are the police the same?
You're not far off there. k and treated like st by the occupants), are the police the same?
Ours are on the go all day every day and lead a hard life. It would have to be for absolute peanuts for me to consider buying one. Go in with your eyes open and don't expect it to be tidy/clean/reliable.
I've seen a few of our old BMW's for sale for £10k+, anyone who pays that much for an ex-police vehicle needs their head examined.
I've had nothing but ex plod traffic cars for the last 15 years or so with little problem. Mechanically been well looked after, bodywork will be very patchy depending on individual car, with some holes in roof and dash quite typical. Beware though if not buying direct. If this is your thing, check out West Oxfordshire Motor Auctions, who do police sales twice a month. They declare known faults, provide service histories etc. These are cars which only 2 or 3 weeks earlier were still in service, and could be called upon for high speed pursuits so will be mechanically sound. BCA also list on their website if you join.
Expect mileage into 6 figures, but priced to allow for this. The executive diesels can reach £6000 to £10,000 (530, X5, Range Rovers), the big petrol engine saloons probably £2500 to £4000 for most. Cars typically 3 to 5 year old.
Some manufacturer's will underwrite major mechanical components to 200 or 300,000 miles for the big traffic cars for while driven hard, they are built to cope with it. Don't touch the smaller area type cars like Focus/Astra size. They generally don't take the abuse as well.
Expect mileage into 6 figures, but priced to allow for this. The executive diesels can reach £6000 to £10,000 (530, X5, Range Rovers), the big petrol engine saloons probably £2500 to £4000 for most. Cars typically 3 to 5 year old.
Some manufacturer's will underwrite major mechanical components to 200 or 300,000 miles for the big traffic cars for while driven hard, they are built to cope with it. Don't touch the smaller area type cars like Focus/Astra size. They generally don't take the abuse as well.
Mk3Spitfire said:
I would never, EVER consider buying an ex response/traffic car. They get hammered, day in, day out, by a variety of drivers of various (usually poor) standards.
I realise that I am probably taking what you've said more literally than you have intended, but do you feel that your poor driving comment applies equally to the trained drivers as it does to the lower graded drivers?Many years ago I bought an ex plod mk2 Escort to turn into a rally car.
It was pretty tired but I was amazed to find whilst under the car that the front anti roll bar bush was worn and had been 'repaired' by wrapping s section of inner tube rubber around the roll bar and forced into the gap! That sort of summed up its apparent servicing.
I also understood that in Liverpool they had a fleet of MK2 RS2000's. Pretty much every one was written off in crashes...
And from general observation, they all have indestructible suspension the way the drivers bang them up the kerb outside not only the pie shop, but the doughnut shop as well!
It was pretty tired but I was amazed to find whilst under the car that the front anti roll bar bush was worn and had been 'repaired' by wrapping s section of inner tube rubber around the roll bar and forced into the gap! That sort of summed up its apparent servicing.
I also understood that in Liverpool they had a fleet of MK2 RS2000's. Pretty much every one was written off in crashes...
And from general observation, they all have indestructible suspension the way the drivers bang them up the kerb outside not only the pie shop, but the doughnut shop as well!
Was once a witness to an rta and had the plod round my house the next day for a statement. Ended up chatting more about their fleet, the cop was a petrol head too. They had a couple ST220 estates in their fleet and he said they were hated by all the coppers and couldn't wait to get rid of them. This was a while back but I do remember him saying the seats were ripping apart like they were made of paper.
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