Buying a Used Ex-Police Car

[Ext User(Me)]

Has anyone purchased an ex-policecar recently?
Seen a few BA XR8s around, ex-NSW police...
Seem to be in good nick, how flogged are they?
Would there be any warranty issues later on with these?
TIA

[Ext User(Rainbow Warrior)]

"Me" <Me@dude.com> wrote in message news:43c25e02$1@dnews.tpgi.com.au...
> Has anyone purchased an ex-policecar recently?
> Seen a few BA XR8s around, ex-NSW police...
> Seem to be in good nick, how flogged are they?
> Would there be any warranty issues later on with these?
> TIA

Which cop was driving the one you want?

[Ext User(Noddy)]

"Me" <Me@dude.com> wrote in message news:43c25e02$1@dnews.tpgi.com.au...
> Has anyone purchased an ex-policecar recently?
> Seen a few BA XR8s around, ex-NSW police...
> Seem to be in good nick, how flogged are they?
> Would there be any warranty issues later on with these?

In Victoria, police vehicles are disposed of when they reach 50k kms, as the
department considers them to be a maintenance risk beyond this point due to
the service life they have.

Draw your own conclusions from that.

--
Regards,
Noddy.

[Ext User(Dan---)]

"Noddy" <dg4163@dodo.com.au> wrote in message
news:43c2d1f4$1@news.comindico.com.au...
>
> "Me" <Me@dude.com> wrote in message news:43c25e02$1@dnews.tpgi.com.au...
>> Has anyone purchased an ex-policecar recently?
>> Seen a few BA XR8s around, ex-NSW police...
>> Seem to be in good nick, how flogged are they?
>> Would there be any warranty issues later on with these?
>
> In Victoria, police vehicles are disposed of when they reach 50k kms, as
> the department considers them to be a maintenance risk beyond this point
> due to the service life they have.
>
> Draw your own conclusions from that.

Even most of the VIC police prefer the SS's over the XR8 and I can see why.
:-)

--
Regards
Dan

[Ext User(budgie)]

On Mon, 09 Jan 2006 21:13:25 GMT, "Noddy" <dg4163@dodo.com.au> wrote:

>
>"Me" <Me@dude.com> wrote in message news:43c25e02$1@dnews.tpgi.com.au...
>> Has anyone purchased an ex-policecar recently?
>> Seen a few BA XR8s around, ex-NSW police...
>> Seem to be in good nick, how flogged are they?
>> Would there be any warranty issues later on with these?
>
>In Victoria, police vehicles are disposed of when they reach 50k kms, as the
>department considers them to be a maintenance risk beyond this point due to
>the service life they have.

In WA back in the late 80's, all govco fleet vehicles (which in those days were
owned, not leased) were disposed of at 40,000/2years. This was because after
that point ANY car starts to require progressively increasing maintenance costs
due to kms under the belt. Tyres especially. It used to work fine, and they
recouped more than their buying cost on most occasions.

>Draw your own conclusions from that.

I did. Knowing people in the "right place" to get the info, I bought my VL
Commode ex-CIB car at auction in Oct 89 (41,000 + 15 mths). Maintenance records
showed that, apart from routine consumables, only a fan belt had been replaced
in that time.

Dealers were snapping them up at the same auction, detailing them and
pinstriping, and adding $3500 in return for three months warranty.

Up until 200,000k the only issues I had were tailshaft CV joint and a weeping
solder joint on the radiator - and well after the first 12 months, so 3months
warranty would have been academic. After the non-reflective borrowed it for a
jaunt, it was another story though.

To the O/P - every car will have a different history and have been treated
differently. You can't label them all as thrashed or mollycoddled. If you want
it as a 3-year proposition, it may well be good value. In my case, I still have
the machine after 16 years, but I wouldn't suggest for a moment that will be the
norm. When I bought mine, a mate used to get one from the auction every 18
months or so. That $3500 difference meant he could generally also get cost
recovery at sale. Nowadays, who knows ....

[Ext User(GK)]

"Me" <Me@dude.com> wrote in message news:43c25e02$1@dnews.tpgi.com.au...
> Has anyone purchased an ex-policecar recently?
> Seen a few BA XR8s around, ex-NSW police...

I wouldn't recommend buying a white one... (most of them being ex-marked
sedans) as they are subjected to the roughest treatment, imo. Not only are
these vehicles generally driven hard, but they are also left to idle for
long periods (whilst conducting vehicle stops, attending traffic accidents,
Macca's drivethru, etc ;-) ). They also u-turn over traffic islands,
median strips, etc (check for underbody damage).

If you can get one in another colour, there is a good chance it would have
been used by detectives, or for admin-type duties (oops... unless of course,
it was used as an unmarked traffic car, in which case the abovementioned
factors apply).

Not sure if NSWPOL detectives use XR8s, or if they just give em V6/V8
Executives/XTs....


> Seem to be in good nick, how flogged are they?
> Would there be any warranty issues later on with these?

Nothing more than any other secondhand vehicle would have, generally.

The main thing is that Police vehicles are rigourously serviced to the book.
If something needs replacing, it is replaced.



Regards,

g!

[Ext User(tlai909@visto.com)]

The cops buy the cars tax free?

Studies show 40,000km, 2yrs is the best time for 'cost recovery' ie,
resale.

Therefore it is in their best financial interest to get rid of them?

[Ext User(Kieron)]

On Mon, 09 Jan 2006 21:13:25 GMT, "Noddy" <dg4163@dodo.com.au> wrote:

>
>"Me" <Me@dude.com> wrote in message news:43c25e02$1@dnews.tpgi.com.au...
>> Has anyone purchased an ex-policecar recently?
>> Seen a few BA XR8s around, ex-NSW police...
>> Seem to be in good nick, how flogged are they?
>> Would there be any warranty issues later on with these?
>
>In Victoria, police vehicles are disposed of when they reach 50k kms, as the
>department considers them to be a maintenance risk beyond this point due to
>the service life they have.
>
>Draw your own conclusions from that.

Is that the actual ruling or is it in fact because its a good point to
break even on resale?
Many Govt. cars are unloaded at the 50K mark, not just cop cars.

[Ext User(Untermensch)]

About the same as buying a WRX of a Habib, both have had a terrible life of
thrashing and dickhead drivers. (highway patrol vehicles especially) At
least the cop car wont be a rebirth.If you can get the info and score an old
sargeants car then go for it but a V8 chaser, forget it.


"Me" <Me@dude.com> wrote in message news:43c25e02$1@dnews.tpgi.com.au...
> Has anyone purchased an ex-policecar recently?
> Seen a few BA XR8s around, ex-NSW police...
> Seem to be in good nick, how flogged are they?
> Would there be any warranty issues later on with these?
> TIA
>

[Ext User(mark jb)]

> The cops buy the cars tax free?
>
> Studies show 40,000km, 2yrs is the best time for 'cost recovery' ie,
> resale.
>
> Therefore it is in their best financial interest to get rid of them?

If they offload them at 20 thou/1year, they actually make profit.
-mark

[Ext User(Katharine & Paul)]

I bought an AU2 6 cylinder. Compared to a base AU2 it has electirc wondows,
speedo marked out in 2k intervals (instead of 5k), ABS, sump guard and
sports suspension fitted.

I have had no problems in the 3+ years I have had it. Came with its full
factory warranty. Had some some things fixed under warranty.

THere was one warranty issue which came up. The drivers door was slightly
out of alignment touching the rear door at the top. They told me it could
not be fixed under warranty, as the cops had additional wiring running thru
the door for their roof mounted lights. So that was not fixed.

If it has been 'flogged' it has not shown up in its current use.

Paul


"Me" <Me@dude.com> wrote in message news:43c25e02$1@dnews.tpgi.com.au...
> Has anyone purchased an ex-policecar recently?
> Seen a few BA XR8s around, ex-NSW police...
> Seem to be in good nick, how flogged are they?
> Would there be any warranty issues later on with these?
> TIA
>

[Ext User(Noddy)]

"Kieron" <kieronm302@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:43c35180.299356656@203.50.2.233...

> Is that the actual ruling or is it in fact because its a good point to
> break even on resale?
> Many Govt. cars are unloaded at the 50K mark, not just cop cars.

As far as I'm aware, there's two different "unload" options for government
cars in Victoria: Mileage in the case of "heavy duty" applications, and age
for regular use.

For Police, fire, SES and other such emergency vehicles a set mileage is
used as the vehicles are often driven under extreme duress. That mileage
figure was 50k km's in Victoria, but I heard that it has been lowered to 40k
km in recent years now that most of their vehicles are fitted with automatic
transmissions.

For regular "public service" vehicles, the standard practice was to offload
them when they were two years old, regardless of the mileage reading.

--
Regards,
Noddy.

[Ext User(GK)]

"Noddy" <dg4163@dodo.com.au> wrote in message
news:43c38e98$1@news.comindico.com.au...
>
> "Kieron" <kieronm302@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:43c35180.299356656@203.50.2.233...
>
> > Is that the actual ruling or is it in fact because its a good point to
> > break even on resale?
> > Many Govt. cars are unloaded at the 50K mark, not just cop cars.
>
> As far as I'm aware, there's two different "unload" options for government
> cars in Victoria: Mileage in the case of "heavy duty" applications, and
age
> for regular use.
>
> For Police, fire, SES and other such emergency vehicles a set mileage is
> used as the vehicles are often driven under extreme duress. That mileage
> figure was 50k km's in Victoria, but I heard that it has been lowered to
40k
> km in recent years now that most of their vehicles are fitted with
automatic
> transmissions.
>
> For regular "public service" vehicles, the standard practice was to
offload
> them when they were two years old, regardless of the mileage reading.

Here in WA, some Police vehicles are doing 100,000kms (or more) before being
changed, particularly the Holden Rodeo 4WDs (this includes the ones in the
city, being used for general tasking). I've also seen a particular marked
VY sedan with 98,000 kms on the clock....


G!

[Ext User(budgie)]

On Tue, 10 Jan 2006 21:23:23 +0800, "GK" <polo12antispammo@westnet.com.au>
wrote:

>
>"Noddy" <dg4163@dodo.com.au> wrote in message
>news:43c38e98$1@news.comindico.com.au...
>>
>> "Kieron" <kieronm302@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:43c35180.299356656@203.50.2.233...
>>
>> > Is that the actual ruling or is it in fact because its a good point to
>> > break even on resale?
>> > Many Govt. cars are unloaded at the 50K mark, not just cop cars.
>>
>> As far as I'm aware, there's two different "unload" options for government
>> cars in Victoria: Mileage in the case of "heavy duty" applications, and
>age
>> for regular use.
>>
>> For Police, fire, SES and other such emergency vehicles a set mileage is
>> used as the vehicles are often driven under extreme duress. That mileage
>> figure was 50k km's in Victoria, but I heard that it has been lowered to
>40k
>> km in recent years now that most of their vehicles are fitted with
>automatic
>> transmissions.
>>
>> For regular "public service" vehicles, the standard practice was to
>offload
>> them when they were two years old, regardless of the mileage reading.
>
>Here in WA, some Police vehicles are doing 100,000kms (or more) before being
>changed, particularly the Holden Rodeo 4WDs (this includes the ones in the
>city, being used for general tasking). I've also seen a particular marked
>VY sedan with 98,000 kms on the clock....

Commercials were always treated differently than sedans, even back in the days
when WAPOL (and the rest of govcoWA) purchased rather than leasing. 4x4's would
be turned in at some very high "mileages", typically over 100,000.

All the sensible rules went out the window when Carmen started the move to
leasing by putting resale funds into CRF instead of back into the agency's
budget to pay for the replacement. Purchase-and-resale was largely
self-funding, leasing never will be even close.

Having seen close-up the contractors removing vinyl stripes off the marked units
with their hot-air guns, the paintwork damage was invariably "significant" and
would dent the resale value noticeably on a 2yo/40-50,000 as it would require a
respray - and that in turn would detract from the resale value. So each
'turnover" would attract a sizeable penalty, and that can only be minimised by
reducing turnovers i.e. hold each marked vehicle significantly longer.

But I'm still surprised to hear of marked ones with that sort of kms.

[Ext User(Spooky)]

"Me" <Me@dude.com> wrote in message news:43c25e02$1@dnews.tpgi.com.au...
> Has anyone purchased an ex-policecar recently?
> Seen a few BA XR8s around, ex-NSW police...
> Seem to be in good nick, how flogged are they?

Fords don't get "flogged". they can't handle the rough treatment.
What a horrid car they are to drive for 8 hours a day.

....but seriously, to answer your question, ex HWP cars are usually
a pretty good buy. We look after them fairly well and they are serviced
religously. Anything that goes wrong is fixed straight away, (which means
the Fords are always in the workshop and the SS's are our pride and joy).
You generally have a maximum of two officers that drive any one car and we
treat them like they're our own. Having said all that, there are still
some, who
treat the cars not so well and don't give a rats arse about them, but most
like to know that the car is in good, serviceble, reliable and safe
condition
because our lives depend on them being in that state.

Spooky

[Ext User(Kieron)]

On Tue, 10 Jan 2006 21:23:23 +0800, "GK"
<polo12antispammo@westnet.com.au> wrote:


>Here in WA, some Police vehicles are doing 100,000kms (or more) before being
>changed, particularly the Holden Rodeo 4WDs (this includes the ones in the
>city, being used for general tasking). I've also seen a particular marked
>VY sedan with 98,000 kms on the clock....

Havn't looked in a while, but a few years back the ex cop stuff I
looked at (AU V8's) where all circa 40-50,000k's.

some Gov departments also roll them over at this mark or every 6
months, whichever comes first, this is sedans given to office workers.

[Ext User(Kieron)]

On Tue, 10 Jan 2006 19:37:38 +1100, "mark jb" <nukeleer at internode
dot on dot net> wrote:

>> The cops buy the cars tax free?
>>
>> Studies show 40,000km, 2yrs is the best time for 'cost recovery' ie,
>> resale.
>>
>> Therefore it is in their best financial interest to get rid of them?
>
>If they offload them at 20 thou/1year, they actually make profit.
>-mark

A guy I know who works for a country council here in WA was a test
case for the BA XR6 (they where badly bitten on AU's so didn't want
Falcons in the fleet). The car was bought for circa $32K with 6 months
rego (they sell them after 6 months) and it had to sell within circa
$2.5K of its buy price.

[Ext User(Maxfli**)]

"Spooky" <spooky24042@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:lA%wf.213362$V7.11625@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
>
> "Me" <Me@dude.com> wrote in message news:43c25e02$1@dnews.tpgi.com.au...
>> Has anyone purchased an ex-policecar recently?
>> Seen a few BA XR8s around, ex-NSW police...
>> Seem to be in good nick, how flogged are they?
>
> Fords don't get "flogged". they can't handle the rough treatment.
> What a horrid car they are to drive for 8 hours a day.
>
> ...but seriously, to answer your question, ex HWP cars are usually
> a pretty good buy. We look after them fairly well and they are serviced
> religously. Anything that goes wrong is fixed straight away, (which means
> the Fords are always in the workshop and the SS's are our pride and joy).
> You generally have a maximum of two officers that drive any one car and we
> treat them like they're our own. Having said all that, there are still
> some, who
> treat the cars not so well and don't give a rats arse about them, but most
> like to know that the car is in good, serviceble, reliable and safe
> condition
> because our lives depend on them being in that state.
>
> Spooky

What is wrong with the Fords as such ?with the XR8 surely it's would a case
of 6 on one /half dozen with an SS. I heard from a mate in the force at a
barbie having nothing good to say about the turbo Falcons some time back
according to him it was very unpopular then, but i put that down to the car
being unsuitable more than anything plus they have upgraded the brakes too .
I havent seen any XR6T HWP for a while , still around or given the arse now
?

maxy

[Ext User(Spooky)]

"Maxfli**" <none@none.com> wrote in message
news:PZ3xf.213584$V7.170997@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
>
> "Spooky" <spooky24042@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:lA%wf.213362$V7.11625@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
>>
>> "Me" <Me@dude.com> wrote in message news:43c25e02$1@dnews.tpgi.com.au...
>>> Has anyone purchased an ex-policecar recently?
>>> Seen a few BA XR8s around, ex-NSW police...
>>> Seem to be in good nick, how flogged are they?
>>
>> Fords don't get "flogged". they can't handle the rough treatment.
>> What a horrid car they are to drive for 8 hours a day.
>>
>> ...but seriously, to answer your question, ex HWP cars are usually
>> a pretty good buy. We look after them fairly well and they are serviced
>> religously. Anything that goes wrong is fixed straight away, (which
>> means
>> the Fords are always in the workshop and the SS's are our pride and joy).
>> You generally have a maximum of two officers that drive any one car and
>> we
>> treat them like they're our own. Having said all that, there are still
>> some, who
>> treat the cars not so well and don't give a rats arse about them, but
>> most
>> like to know that the car is in good, serviceble, reliable and safe
>> condition
>> because our lives depend on them being in that state.
>>
>> Spooky
>
> What is wrong with the Fords as such ?with the XR8 surely it's would a
> case of 6 on one /half dozen with an SS.

Nope, far from it.

>I heard from a mate in the force at a barbie having nothing good to say
>about the turbo Falcons some time back according to him it was very
>unpopular then, but i put that down to the car being unsuitable more than
>anything plus they have upgraded the brakes too .

....and they still don't stop as good as the Commodore. Although, both
the Ford and the Commodore suffer from fade after only two good hard
brake applications, but the Commodore recovers quicker.

> I havent seen any XR6T HWP for a while , still around or given the arse
> now ?

We have 2 turbos, 3 XR8's and 5 SS Commodores. The Commodores win
hands down all round with one exception. The commodores handle better,
stop better, have better seating adjustment, are more comfortable, are more
reliable, have a better field of vision for peripheral vision, have all the
controls
the right way round within fingertip reach, appear to have more room inside
whilst
being actually overall smaller, steering response is far superior.....I
could go on.
They really are a much nicer package to drive. The one exception that I
mentioned
above, is that the XR8 is lethal in a straight line. Really quick. But,
having said
that, there is only a car length in it over about 400 metres between the
two,and
even then, it depends who is driving,and who gets the foot down a nano
second before
the other. The ford certainly does appear to accelerate quicker.

The turbos are pretty quick once you wind them up, but their handling is
atrocious. Too wishy washy in the front end and they feel too light.

My SS (that I drive at work) is good for 250+ top end, while I have not
had the XR8 over 242.

Give me the SS any day. I avoid driving the Fords, like the plague.

Spooky

[Ext User(Noddy)]

"Maxfli**" <none@none.com> wrote in message
news:PZ3xf.213584$V7.170997@news-server.bigpond.net.au...

> What is wrong with the Fords as such ?with the XR8 surely it's would a
> case of 6 on one /half dozen with an SS. I heard from a mate in the force
> at a barbie having nothing good to say about the turbo Falcons some time
> back according to him it was very unpopular then, but i put that down to
> the car being unsuitable more than anything plus they have upgraded the
> brakes too . I havent seen any XR6T HWP for a while , still around or
> given the arse now ?

Victorian cruisers are overwhelmingly SS Commodores, as most of the coppers
apparently don't like the Falcons and find them largely unsuitable for
persuit work.

--
Regards,
Noddy.