Ex police cara
Discussion
Anyone here has bought an ex police car?
Tempted to buy the new shape x5 and they are quite cheap
Millage is high and from research it seems they are well looked after whilst in care of police but some say due to abuse by police they may not be good and other bad point was they are basic models mostly
Tempted to buy the new shape x5 and they are quite cheap
Millage is high and from research it seems they are well looked after whilst in care of police but some say due to abuse by police they may not be good and other bad point was they are basic models mostly
I had an E61 525d (ex Heathrow ARV).
Basic spec, cloth seats etc.
It ran faultlessly. Brilliant and quickish. Bought with usual holes in the dash etc, no centre console, but all the bits were bought from BMW and eBay.
I needed a cheap large car as I'd just moved has and was strapped for cash. Fitted the bill perfectly.
Became my commuter car and ran it for 30k miles or so. I was genuinely sad to see it go.
Basic spec, cloth seats etc.
It ran faultlessly. Brilliant and quickish. Bought with usual holes in the dash etc, no centre console, but all the bits were bought from BMW and eBay.
I needed a cheap large car as I'd just moved has and was strapped for cash. Fitted the bill perfectly.
Became my commuter car and ran it for 30k miles or so. I was genuinely sad to see it go.
blackscooby said:
I had an E61 525d (ex Heathrow ARV).
Basic spec, cloth seats etc.
It ran faultlessly. Brilliant and quickish. Bought with usual holes in the dash etc, no centre console, but all the bits were bought from BMW and eBay.
I needed a cheap large car as I'd just moved has and was strapped for cash. Fitted the bill perfectly.
Became my commuter car and ran it for 30k miles or so. I was genuinely sad to see it go.
An ex Airport car won't have suffered anything like the abuse others will have done.Basic spec, cloth seats etc.
It ran faultlessly. Brilliant and quickish. Bought with usual holes in the dash etc, no centre console, but all the bits were bought from BMW and eBay.
I needed a cheap large car as I'd just moved has and was strapped for cash. Fitted the bill perfectly.
Became my commuter car and ran it for 30k miles or so. I was genuinely sad to see it go.
Yours was clarly a good buy because of that
Some X5's are as described as being "Non-Runner/Engine Seized/Holed" - which is beyond me, and such waste, and a scandal if you ask me!
https://www.brightwells.com/timed-sale/5750/lot/76...
Good video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEryJeBcg-8
https://www.brightwells.com/timed-sale/5750/lot/76...
Good video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEryJeBcg-8
7 5 7 said:
Some X5's are as described as being "Non-Runner/Engine Seized/Holed" - which is beyond me, and such waste, and a scandal if you ask me!
https://www.brightwells.com/timed-sale/5750/lot/76...
Good video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEryJeBcg-8
there was a big issue with the engines seizing and then people trying it on so they just make the engine beyond repair.https://www.brightwells.com/timed-sale/5750/lot/76...
Good video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEryJeBcg-8
Piston2022 said:
...it seems they are well looked after whilst in care of police...
Have you not watched a single Police show on TV?!An ex Police car, especially a big/powerful/fancy one like an X5, is like a rental car thats been rented out to a destruction derby fan.
I'd rather buy a car from Gumtree in Bradford than buy an ex Police car!
7 5 7 said:
Some X5's are as described as being "Non-Runner/Engine Seized/Holed" - which is beyond me, and such waste, and a scandal if you ask me!
https://www.brightwells.com/timed-sale/5750/lot/76...
Good video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEryJeBcg-8
Didn’t that happen after that 3 series caught fire and the officer died due to metal fillings in the oil caused by lots of high speed driving, I thought that was what signalled the beginning of the end for BMW police cars in the UK.https://www.brightwells.com/timed-sale/5750/lot/76...
Good video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEryJeBcg-8
I think it very much depends on your expectations and what exact car you buy as some have had much harder lives than others, plus if you're expecting a showroom fresh minter for a cheaper price... I fear you'll be very disappointed, however if it's cheap tool that you don't care much about, then it may work out ok for you.
A friend bought an ex traffic Omega MV6 estate a few years back, base spec albeit with the good mechanical bits but he wasn't remotely bothered as it was basically shed spec so the bodywork was irrelevant. It had clearly seen action, evidence of punting stolen stuff into ditches and the like but it drove very well and racked up many many miles dragging a car trailer up and down the country for a few years.
A friend bought an ex traffic Omega MV6 estate a few years back, base spec albeit with the good mechanical bits but he wasn't remotely bothered as it was basically shed spec so the bodywork was irrelevant. It had clearly seen action, evidence of punting stolen stuff into ditches and the like but it drove very well and racked up many many miles dragging a car trailer up and down the country for a few years.
Davie said:
I think it very much depends on your expectations and what exact car you buy as some have had much harder lives than others, plus if you're expecting a showroom fresh minter for a cheaper price... I fear you'll be very disappointed, however if it's cheap tool that you don't care much about, then it may work out ok for you.
A friend bought an ex traffic Omega MV6 estate a few years back, base spec albeit with the good mechanical bits but he wasn't remotely bothered as it was basically shed spec so the bodywork was irrelevant. It had clearly seen action, evidence of punting stolen stuff into ditches and the like but it drove very well and racked up many many miles dragging a car trailer up and down the country for a few years.
But do remember cars are much more complicated these days than they where back in these days, lots more electrical systems, DPFs etc.A friend bought an ex traffic Omega MV6 estate a few years back, base spec albeit with the good mechanical bits but he wasn't remotely bothered as it was basically shed spec so the bodywork was irrelevant. It had clearly seen action, evidence of punting stolen stuff into ditches and the like but it drove very well and racked up many many miles dragging a car trailer up and down the country for a few years.
Personally I wouldn’t
X5's will fall under "advance" cars.. utilised by the likes of RPU and ARV... these vehicles will have had a very hard life. Will almost certainly been involved in hard stops and countless body panel changes.
Yes vehicles are serviced very regularly.. however they have spent nearly every mile being thoroughly abused for the role.
Yes vehicles are serviced very regularly.. however they have spent nearly every mile being thoroughly abused for the role.
Quattr04. said:
Davie said:
I think it very much depends on your expectations and what exact car you buy as some have had much harder lives than others, plus if you're expecting a showroom fresh minter for a cheaper price... I fear you'll be very disappointed, however if it's cheap tool that you don't care much about, then it may work out ok for you.
A friend bought an ex traffic Omega MV6 estate a few years back, base spec albeit with the good mechanical bits but he wasn't remotely bothered as it was basically shed spec so the bodywork was irrelevant. It had clearly seen action, evidence of punting stolen stuff into ditches and the like but it drove very well and racked up many many miles dragging a car trailer up and down the country for a few years.
You mention a few years back.Leasing was far less common and provincial police stations had their own garages. One I knew of, probably typical, maintained the cars to an excellent standard and renewed parts at the drop of a hat, also fitting premium tyres. It’s far easier to spend money when it’s not your own. A friend bought an ex traffic Omega MV6 estate a few years back, base spec albeit with the good mechanical bits but he wasn't remotely bothered as it was basically shed spec so the bodywork was irrelevant. It had clearly seen action, evidence of punting stolen stuff into ditches and the like but it drove very well and racked up many many miles dragging a car trailer up and down the country for a few years.
But do remember cars are much more complicated these days than they where back in these days, lots more electrical systems, DPFs etc.
Personally I wouldn’t
I bought an ex Manchester CID Skoda Octavia Scout from a dealer (who seems to sell only ex Police cars). Apart from the additional electrics under the bonnet, you wouldn't have known it was ex Police. 64k miles and 6 years old. £6k.
You get a simple print out of the service history (if you are lucky), which to be honest the dealer could have knocked up on Word. No MOT history of course to rely on.
It ran well for 6 months, then had an almost catastrophic failure, with the sump being holed by a bit of engine tappet being caught in between the sump and the oil pump pulley. Managed to save it just in time and got it repaired at my cost (the dealer didn't play ball as I had used my own garage to get sorted).
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
So, it had probably suffered a cambelt failure in its short life and been repaired pretty shoddily. After purchase I also realised it had some front end repairs (new bumper and wing). How did I find out - well the paint started flaking off! So I got that repaired as well.....
Despite those 2 issues, it has been a fabulous car. Now on 130,000 miles and going strong. So go in with your eyes, very wide open, and don't assume they have been well maintained (as I did). I would want to pay significantly less than a privately owned model if going down that route again.
It took the DVLA about a year to start charging me RFL, as it was still registered as a Police car.
Good luck!
You get a simple print out of the service history (if you are lucky), which to be honest the dealer could have knocked up on Word. No MOT history of course to rely on.
It ran well for 6 months, then had an almost catastrophic failure, with the sump being holed by a bit of engine tappet being caught in between the sump and the oil pump pulley. Managed to save it just in time and got it repaired at my cost (the dealer didn't play ball as I had used my own garage to get sorted).
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
So, it had probably suffered a cambelt failure in its short life and been repaired pretty shoddily. After purchase I also realised it had some front end repairs (new bumper and wing). How did I find out - well the paint started flaking off! So I got that repaired as well.....
Despite those 2 issues, it has been a fabulous car. Now on 130,000 miles and going strong. So go in with your eyes, very wide open, and don't assume they have been well maintained (as I did). I would want to pay significantly less than a privately owned model if going down that route again.
It took the DVLA about a year to start charging me RFL, as it was still registered as a Police car.
Good luck!
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