Mileages of ex police cars suspcioiously low?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Alan
  • Start date Start date
SteveB said:
There was a copper talkng last night on one of those 'follow the traffic
cops around' programs about his great new BMW X5 compared with the unloved
Range Rovers they'd been using. His last RR was on its third engine in
70,000m.
Click to expand...


Not a flame but...

Why are BritCops driving Range Rovers and BMW X5's?
I bet GM or Ford would be quite happy to send a few right hand drive police
versions of one of our basically bulletproof, although somewhat less refined
4wd suv's over for much less then those luxo barges cost, and indeed one
area in which the US makers continue to shine is the ability to fit powerful
V/8's for low cost.

I bet Dodge and Ford would also be quite joyful (if enough were ordered) to
send over hemi chargers and Police Interceptor Crown Vic's for less then a
volvo cop car costs...well, perhaps not on the Ford since I just realized my
error, but mopar is going to be pusing the hemi charger very big for police
use!
 
I bet Dodge and Ford would also be quite joyful (if enough were
ordered) to send over hemi chargers and Police Interceptor Crown
Vic's for less then a volvo cop car costs...well, perhaps not on the
Ford since I just realized my error, but mopar is going to be pusing
the hemi charger very big for police use!
Click to expand...

Simple answer; they're not right hand drive.
 
Steve ([email protected]) gurgled happily, sounding much like they
were saying :
Why are BritCops driving Range Rovers and BMW X5's?
Click to expand...

Why not?
I bet GM or Ford would be quite happy to send a few right hand drive
police versions of one of our basically bulletproof, although somewhat
less refined 4wd suv's over for much less then those luxo barges cost,
and indeed one area in which the US makers continue to shine is the
ability to fit powerful V/8's for low cost.
Click to expand...

Yes, but our roads have bends in them, thank you.
I bet Dodge and Ford would also be quite joyful (if enough were
ordered) to send over hemi chargers and Police Interceptor Crown Vic's
for less then a volvo cop car costs...well, perhaps not on the Ford
since I just realized my error, but mopar is going to be pusing the
hemi charger very big for police use!
Click to expand...

They use the odd Merc ML and E-class, too.
 
Why are BritCops driving Range Rovers and BMW X5's?
Click to expand...

The Range Rover is made in the UK?
I bet GM or Ford would be quite happy to send a few right hand drive
police versions of one of our basically bulletproof, although somewhat
less refined 4wd suv's over for much less then those luxo barges cost,
and indeed one area in which the US makers continue to shine is the
ability to fit powerful V/8's for low cost.
Click to expand...

Would that be in the same way they send over crappy Chryslers etc, but
sell them at 'special' UK prices where the pound equals the dollar?

A basic Jeep Cherokee V6 costs 21 grand here. What is it in the US?
I bet Dodge and Ford would also be quite joyful (if enough were ordered)
to send over hemi chargers and Police Interceptor Crown Vic's for less
then a volvo cop car costs...well, perhaps not on the Ford since I just
realized my error, but mopar is going to be pusing the hemi charger very
big for police use!
Click to expand...

Perhaps it's escaped your notice that Britain is in the EU and it makes
sense to trade with other member countries as hopefully they do with us.
 
Knight Of The Road said:
Most used car guides I have read say that ex-police cars are a good
buy. They are very rarely "thrashed", but spend the majority of their
time parked or patrolling. They are also well-maintained regardless
of cost.
Click to expand...

Plenty of the volvo forum guys have ex cop cars, only the odd spec (often
cloth / manual with oodles of power through 16" rims and no stereo) can be
awkward. Well maintained but not loved is the usual condition - interiors
worn but engines happy - I recall one running 13s quarters (with chip and
nitrous) despite 160k miles and being purchased from a police auction mega
cheap.
 
Dave Plowman (News) said:
No - it's a Ford unit. R R did use BMW diesels, though.
Click to expand...

Current proper rangey is a BMW unit petrol and diesel. Disco / sport is the
Ford / Jag unit.
 
Alan said:
There are a few ex police T5 volvos for sale on autotrader. as there
frequently is. Usually 98/99 S and T regs. Mileages 101,000 , 109,000
etc That has to be bollocks surely? These cars often come up for sale
and have these kinds of mileages. Police traffic cars bound to do lot
more mleage than that. Can anybody confirm this? And the people
selling them the prices, half what they ask would be more realistic.
Most of them seem to have same sort of mileages that privately owned
non police T5s, That cant be right can it?

I suppose though a bit silly to clock a police car if upon
investigation with the police records the car had a higher mileage
than it has now. But then again I suppose a lot of crooks arent that
bright or dont care.
Click to expand...


Regardless of the mileage, don't buy one. Ex police cars are ex for a
reason, they're pretty well shot by then.
 
Steve said:
Not a flame but...

Why are BritCops driving Range Rovers and BMW X5's?
I bet GM or Ford would be quite happy to send a few right hand drive police
versions of one of our basically bulletproof, although somewhat less refined
4wd suv's over for much less then those luxo barges cost, and indeed one
area in which the US makers continue to shine is the ability to fit powerful
V/8's for low cost.

I bet Dodge and Ford would also be quite joyful (if enough were ordered) to
send over hemi chargers and Police Interceptor Crown Vic's for less then a
volvo cop car costs...well, perhaps not on the Ford since I just realized my
error, but mopar is going to be pusing the hemi charger very big for police
use!
Click to expand...


Over in Europe many of the cars we get as luxury cars are not so luxury
and are not terribly expensive in comparison to what it would cost to
have American cars imported. I've seen pictures of Volvo 740s with
manual crank windows, no sunroof, no AC, and even carbureted engines and
stripped down cloth or vinyl interiors, that sort of thing wasn't even
available here.
 
Steve said:
Not a flame but...

Why are BritCops driving Range Rovers and BMW X5's?
I bet GM or Ford would be quite happy to send a few right hand drive
police
versions of one of our basically bulletproof, although somewhat less
refined
4wd suv's over for much less then those luxo barges cost, and indeed one
area in which the US makers continue to shine is the ability to fit
powerful
V/8's for low cost.
Click to expand...

You do realise of course that the X5 is built in the USA and exported to the
UK?
The new MKIII Range Rover has essentially an identical drivetrain to the X5
and a similar driving experience.
The policeman who was commenting on TV was probably talking about the
previous Mk11 Range Rover with the horrendous Rover V8 [sorry Dave!]. These
had all kinds of problems, the most serious of which was the block cracking
around the main bearings on some versions. They were moderately OK with
light private use but given some stick and they would fail regularly, as the
cop pointed out.
In fact even privately owned and moderately driven ones failed at low
mileage due to, I believe, the block going porous.


Huw
Huw
 
In fact even privately owned and moderately driven ones failed at low
mileage due to, I believe, the block going porous.
Click to expand...

Just shows what happens when you sell a once decent product to Ford.
 
James said:
Regardless of the mileage, don't buy one. Ex police cars are ex for a
reason, they're pretty well shot by then.
Click to expand...

But are they? The oldest V70s are nine years old now and there are a
few intergalactic mileage ex police examples knocking around. Not that
I've been window shopping for one or anything. Oh no.
 
In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
But are they? The oldest V70s are nine years old now and there are a
few intergalactic mileage ex police examples knocking around. Not that
I've been window shopping for one or anything. Oh no.
Click to expand...

It's possbile that Volvos are more robust than other makes - but I doubt it,
because they share a lot of mechanical parts with other manufacturers.

A few years ago, I worked for a British manufacturer which was supplying
cars to the police, and we couldn't work out why they were knackering
gearboxes in double-quick time. Then we found that they were often
extricating themselves from motorway traffic jams and accidents by reversing
along the hard shoulders at high speed for a mile or more at a time -
something which 'ordinary' motorists would never do, and for which gearboxes
were not designed!

I wouldn't have an ex-police car as a gift!
--
Cheers,
Roger
______
Email address maintained for newsgroup use only, and not regularly
monitored.. Messages sent to it may not be read for several weeks.
PLEASE REPLY TO NEWSGROUP!
 
A few years ago, I worked for a British manufacturer which was supplying
cars to the police, and we couldn't work out why they were knackering
gearboxes in double-quick time. Then we found that they were often
extricating themselves from motorway traffic jams and accidents by
reversing along the hard shoulders at high speed for a mile or more at
a time - something which 'ordinary' motorists would never do, and for
which gearboxes were not designed!
Click to expand...

Hence the use of autos these days which won't be damaged by such treatment.

Remember seeing a police Rover P6 3500 auto where the first gear selector
had been blanked off. Seems in a town chase they'd previously locked it in
first from standstill and just run the engine up to tappet pump up...
 
In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Dave Plowman (News) said:
Hence the use of autos these days which won't be damaged by such
treatment.

Remember seeing a police Rover P6 3500 auto where the first gear
selector had been blanked off. Seems in a town chase they'd
previously locked it in first from standstill and just run the engine
up to tappet pump up...
Click to expand...

Yes, indeed, that just illustrates my point. They may not be able to wreck
an auto box in quite the same way as a manual - but they'll find other
creative ways of wrecking things, including the engine!
--
Cheers,
Roger
______
Email address maintained for newsgroup use only, and not regularly
monitored.. Messages sent to it may not be read for several weeks.
PLEASE REPLY TO NEWSGROUP!
 
It was a yank engine first anyway wasn't it?
Click to expand...

Yes - but not Ford. Buick.

However it was substantially modified for UK use - including the way the
castings were made.
 
Adrian said:
Steve ([email protected]) gurgled happily, sounding much like they
were saying :


Why not?
Click to expand...

Cost, reliability and repairability for 3.
Yes, but our roads have bends in them, thank you.
Click to expand...

So do ours. our mountains are rather more comprable to the alps then the
hills of scotland.
The GM900 or the new model IRS explorer will outperform the rover in every
measure save ultimate off road ability, and will be close to the x5, at 1/2
the cost.
They use the odd Merc ML and E-class, too.
Click to expand...

All the more reason to go for the Dodge charger, the last E class with a
good ol boy body, and 350 hp (425 with the special version) I think 15,000
pounds should cover a RHD version in a decent order size for the 350HP
version. BTW it's got RHD in the Chrysler version right now!
http://www.chrysler.co.uk/chrysler/index.aspx

This Jeep
http://www.jeep.co.uk/jeep/versions.aspx?ID=465,18,147
is about $40,000 in the US so I see no reason why they could not bring the
GB price under 30,000 pounds for a police version.
 
Dave Plowman (News) said:
The Range Rover is made in the UK?


Would that be in the same way they send over crappy Chryslers etc, but
sell them at 'special' UK prices where the pound equals the dollar?
Click to expand...

have noticed that **everything** in jolly old costs the same as here, just
in pounds, and have noticed that for over 20 years now. Is it taxes, third
party profits, other factors, all of the above??

I still think a fleet deal would be much less expensive for US rather then
BMW or Rover!
A basic Jeep Cherokee V6 costs 21 grand here. What is it in the US?
Click to expand...

same ish 22,175 for the liberty 2wd,23,700 for the 4wd , which, although I
have about the same interest in Jeeps as Hummers - nill does look at a
glance to be the same vehicle.
Perhaps it's escaped your notice that Britain is in the EU and it makes
sense to trade with other member countries as hopefully they do with us.
Click to expand...

Perhaps it's a better idea to purchase more utilitarian and cheaper
vehicles, and perhaps you have forgotten a long and close relationship
between our countries. I would much rather see you guys buy Jeeps then
follow our lead in other (mis)adventures.
 
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