ex police cars volvo T5 or omega ........any good?
Discussion
Ex-Police patrol cars are a bargain, but you need to remember the following points:
* They'll have had a hard life and will be high mileage, but no expense will have been spared maintaining them
* They will have holes everywhere - in the dash, in the roof, etc. You will need to factor in some cash to repair these.
* They generally only come in white.
EDIT: I see Podie beat me to it on mentioning the holes in the dash!
>> Edited by JonRB on Tuesday 30th July 09:29
* They'll have had a hard life and will be high mileage, but no expense will have been spared maintaining them
* They will have holes everywhere - in the dash, in the roof, etc. You will need to factor in some cash to repair these.
* They generally only come in white.
EDIT: I see Podie beat me to it on mentioning the holes in the dash!
>> Edited by JonRB on Tuesday 30th July 09:29
Dont know about T5's, but watch out for the Omega models. Prone to overheating and as a result had an extra fan fitted to some models prior to delivery. However, it seems that some forces remove the wiring for this before sale and as a result you get a car that runs very hot....
Only know this as someone that I know fell for this one and ended up spending a fortune getting it sorted out. Speak to a Vauxhall dealer about this before making a decision....
Cheers,
Paul
Only know this as someone that I know fell for this one and ended up spending a fortune getting it sorted out. Speak to a Vauxhall dealer about this before making a decision....
Cheers,
Paul
Just a further pointer about ex police cars, yes they will have 100k plus mileage but they spent the vast majority of their time at 60ish mph which hardly stresses the engine. Well serviced and if it goes wrong its replaced (well in West Yorkshire anyway) So they will be well run in and a very good buy. As regards the low trim level the new T5's being used by my mates still in the Police have all the mod cons including a/c. Apparently its easier to buy with than have it removed.
But don't ever ever buy an Astra etc these are thrashed to death and always end up as complete bags of sh#te. I should know, I'm rsponsible for blowing enough engines up
But don't ever ever buy an Astra etc these are thrashed to death and always end up as complete bags of sh#te. I should know, I'm rsponsible for blowing enough engines up
When you look at the car at the auction, ask to see the service record. That will tell you everything that has ever been done to the car, including if and when it had a new engine. Even replacing light bulbs are put down on the log and the mileage it was done at.
The hole in the roof no longer happens as the blue light bars are now attached on the same principle as a roof rack.The wiring for these bars now tends to come out of the pillar between the front and rear doors at the top just under the roof.
The car will have been fitted with genuine parts from the manufacturer whenever they needed replacing. Most traffic cars now come as top spec with air con and all the other dangly bits.They also have uprated discs and pads which are regularly changed.
Many forces run covert or enforcement type vehicles for their traffic departments. These will come in a variety of colours and will not have had any roof bar attachment as the blue lights are fitted in the grille and on the inside of the boot lid so that when the vehicle is stationary, the boot is opened up and the lights are visible from the top of the lid lip.
These days the transport dept of most forces are aware that re-sale is affected by holes in the dash board etc. They now avoid screwing through dash board fabric to attach the operating buttons for equipment. There may be one or two holes but nothing like there used to be.
A good tip is to go to the local Police servicing garage in your force area and talk to some of the mechanics about any cars that are coming up for de-commissioning. They will be able to tell you exactly what they think about each car. You will be surprised at how accommodating they can be if you explain that you are interested in buying a de-commissioned car. they will also be able to tell you when and where the car will be auctioned so that you have a head start on anyone else. I know of several colleagues that have bought fantastic bargains through this avenue.
Dont' be scared of walking in to the garage and asking. You may be asked what you are doing on the premises but if you are polite and reasonable in your request it will pay dividends. Alternatively find a traffic officer that is kicking his heels around the place, explain to him why you are there and ask if he will introduce you to one of the mechanics to discuss the issue. Most will accommodate you.
IF YOU DON'T ASK, YOU DON'T GET.
The hole in the roof no longer happens as the blue light bars are now attached on the same principle as a roof rack.The wiring for these bars now tends to come out of the pillar between the front and rear doors at the top just under the roof.
The car will have been fitted with genuine parts from the manufacturer whenever they needed replacing. Most traffic cars now come as top spec with air con and all the other dangly bits.They also have uprated discs and pads which are regularly changed.
Many forces run covert or enforcement type vehicles for their traffic departments. These will come in a variety of colours and will not have had any roof bar attachment as the blue lights are fitted in the grille and on the inside of the boot lid so that when the vehicle is stationary, the boot is opened up and the lights are visible from the top of the lid lip.
These days the transport dept of most forces are aware that re-sale is affected by holes in the dash board etc. They now avoid screwing through dash board fabric to attach the operating buttons for equipment. There may be one or two holes but nothing like there used to be.
A good tip is to go to the local Police servicing garage in your force area and talk to some of the mechanics about any cars that are coming up for de-commissioning. They will be able to tell you exactly what they think about each car. You will be surprised at how accommodating they can be if you explain that you are interested in buying a de-commissioned car. they will also be able to tell you when and where the car will be auctioned so that you have a head start on anyone else. I know of several colleagues that have bought fantastic bargains through this avenue.
Dont' be scared of walking in to the garage and asking. You may be asked what you are doing on the premises but if you are polite and reasonable in your request it will pay dividends. Alternatively find a traffic officer that is kicking his heels around the place, explain to him why you are there and ask if he will introduce you to one of the mechanics to discuss the issue. Most will accommodate you.
IF YOU DON'T ASK, YOU DON'T GET.
quote:
When you look at the car at the auction, ask to see the service record. That will tell you everything that has ever been done to the car, including if and when it had a new engine. Even replacing light bulbs are put down on the log and the mileage it was done at.
The hole in the roof no longer happens as the blue light bars are now attached on the same principle as a roof rack.The wiring for these bars now tends to come out of the pillar between the front and rear doors at the top just under the roof.
The car will have been fitted with genuine parts from the manufacturer whenever they needed replacing. Most traffic cars now come as top spec with air con and all the other dangly bits.They also have uprated discs and pads which are regularly changed.
Many forces run covert or enforcement type vehicles for their traffic departments. These will come in a variety of colours and will not have had any roof bar attachment as the blue lights are fitted in the grille and on the inside of the boot lid so that when the vehicle is stationary, the boot is opened up and the lights are visible from the top of the lid lip.
These days the transport dept of most forces are aware that re-sale is affected by holes in the dash board etc. They now avoid screwing through dash board fabric to attach the operating buttons for equipment. There may be one or two holes but nothing like there used to be.
A good tip is to go to the local Police servicing garage in your force area and talk to some of the mechanics about any cars that are coming up for de-commissioning. They will be able to tell you exactly what they think about each car. You will be surprised at how accommodating they can be if you explain that you are interested in buying a de-commissioned car. they will also be able to tell you when and where the car will be auctioned so that you have a head start on anyone else. I know of several colleagues that have bought fantastic bargains through this avenue.
Dont' be scared of walking in to the garage and asking. You may be asked what you are doing on the premises but if you are polite and reasonable in your request it will pay dividends. Alternatively find a traffic officer that is kicking his heels around the place, explain to him why you are there and ask if he will introduce you to one of the mechanics to discuss the issue. Most will accommodate you.
IF YOU DON'T ASK, YOU DON'T GET.
Ahh, thank you MadCop fact rather than "a bloke down the pub told me" etc etc
quote:
Madcop: does the car retain the plates it had whilst in service or are these 'special' numbers?
Hi CarZee - any trouble getting to work after that selfish brastard decided to upend his tanker ? Selfish sods. They're getting paid watching Plod et al clear up the mess, whilst some of us don't
As far as I know, they retain the plates - certainly the ex Rover SDI my old man had a few years ago "served" with the same plates on it.
>> Edited by GregE240 on Tuesday 30th July 16:13
quote:
thanks for the replies guys...i've seen a 3 litre omega estate P reg for two and a half grand, seems like a lot of car for the money.
Most of its been said already, but ...
I've owned two Senators and found them near bulletproof. Omega uses similar running gear and is fine, early ones though can be problematic though most are now long off service. I've just upgraded to a pair of T5s, faultless.
Holes still exist in most cars, but not all. All are regulation sized for gromits, or about £150 to a body repair shop. Dashboard holes just right for GPS device !
Spec level is a lot better than it used to be, but can vary especially in Vauxhalls. T5s have air con, heated seats, electric windows and mirrors, ABS, Traction control.
Maintainance is no problem. Check any car for the usual serviceable items, tyres and exhaust, and check brake discs for wear. These are likely to be the only major costs. Worth bearing in mind that due to treatment they give cars, Police forces, and other emergency users, can get a 300,000 mile warranty from Volvo on major components. Not transferable, but it shows their confidence.
Buy direct from auction. Cheaper and more reliable. If buying private, more likely to be thrashed, or very expensive. I know many cars sold through auction and on forecourts days later with a £2000 - £3000 mark-up for having a full MoT. (Not bad on a car bought for around that much) Many come with an Mot, but not usually a full year. Most cars are sold at Witney(WOMA) or Leeds(Mannheim). Post if you need exact details.
I would recommend you visit mysite.freeserve.com/exforcevehicleinfo. This gives details of a lot of recent auctions in Excel format. Gives Car, force, price, etc to let you see what is available direct and for how much. (Ignore the log in screen - just click a topic)
WOMA at Witney do a lot of Met Omegas, usually automatic, bias towards estates, very low mileage (60,000) for just over £2000.
As you say, lot of car for the money, why buy anything else. I won't.
Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff