Buying an ex-police car?

BeenThroughItAll

Retrogamer wrote: »

I wouldn't touch them. Generally they're driven hard, especially when cold and take a lot more punishment than the average car.

The thing is, they aren't cold that often, as a lot seem to be in pretty much constant use based on the units I see based from our local nick.

BeenThroughItAll

Marktheshark wrote: »

Check with insurance, some dont like ex police, taxis or army vehicles

Rubbish. Name one.


Never once in the last 20+ years have I ever been asked if my car is ex-police, ex-taxi, or ex-forces. If any insurers were bothered by it, then they'd ask.

forgotmyname

I have had 2 ex police cars, not intentional but the right car at the right price etc.

One was a Rover SD1, bought for the V8 engine and scrapped the rest. It was an armed response vehicle with all sorts of brackets and strengthening to the rear boot floor.
The other was also suspected to be an armed response vehicle. The normal plastic wheel cover in the boot had been strengthened and various blocks bolted to the floor and the rear load space tie downs had been removed and something previously bolted to them.

That one was used for over 5 years and was a very good car. Although the rear bumper did appear to be a dfferent shade in certain angles/lights.
That turned out to be a good purchase and kept longer than expected.

ElefantEd

It worked ok for the Blues Brothers, so go for it.

GDB2222

Low mileage sounds completely wrong to me, but maybe a dog handler's car is different?

How about a link to the website?

Robisere

Some years ago I bought the ultimate Sweeney car: an ex-Police MK II 2.8 Granada. I had the advantage of being a workshop foreman carrying out Recoveries at the time and was friendly with a Traffic Sergeant. (still mates now, both long retired)

The Sgt. told me about the car, knowing I was a Motor engineer with a body shop at my disposal: it had been crashed at high speed with low mileage (22K) but was repairable. I bought it auction and repaired it, had it RAC tested and a separate Engineer's report from another workshop. I used that car for 2 years as a single man after leaving a relationship and I travelled widely all over Europe and the UK in it, it never let me down and on continental roads it was a solid, very fast tourer. I sold it for much more than I paid out in buying and rebuilding it, in order to buy something more economical, when I met my wife and we had children.

So I was lucky: I knew the car's history and had an "inside line". But would I buy this dog-handler's car? Not on your life: unless it was so cheap that it would be fine for, at most, a year.

ado

Most of our response cars leave the force at around 5 years old with around 140,000 on the clock. I'm not sure about our dog vehicles but I don't think they would be lower mileage as they are a county resource and get run off their feet.

worried_jim

ElefantEd wrote: »

It worked ok for the Blues Brothers, so go for it.

It's got cop shocks, cop motor, cop brakes........

vansboy

If you are looking at the K9 units, which are actual estate car conversions, you will find trim issues, of course, where additional communication equipment will have been fitted, which will mean a scruffy dashboard potentially, as well as sometimes radios missing. But these can all be replaced, with a bit of googling used art suppliers.

What you will have, will be a professionally converted and safe enviroment, with proper ventilation for your dog.

Wear n tear on the actual car, will be more than a private vehicle, but mechanically, reasonably well maintained.

Not sure what you mean by 'low' miles, as mentioned earlier, forces don't tend to dispose of vehicles at a low mileage.

What you could do, if you are able to find time and are happy to buy at auction, is look at http://woma.co.uk as they hold regular sales on behalf of Police forces.

When I had my sales business, Police dog units were always popular with breeders, handlers, trainers, as they knew the true value of a well fitted out vehicle, rather than making do with anything else. I often had waiting lists for these vehicles.

VB

lincroft1710

worried_jim wrote: »

It's got cop shocks, cop motor, cop brakes........

"It's got a Cop motor of 440 cubic inches, Cop tyres, Cop suspension, Cop shocks. Made before catalytic converters so will run good on regular gas"

Go to a Mount Prospect Police Auction, they may still have a 1974 Dodge hanging about, although be aware they have a tendency to self destruct after hard driving