Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[3.2 CHARLIE]

Hello , Noticed a few ex-police Omega's Turning up at Auction .. Worth buying ? Most any good ? Regards 

[erubus]

on the one hand they will have been regularly serviced and repaired over their lives.  On the other hand they'll likely have been driven hard and abused/broken quite a lot over their lives.  They'll also have poverty spec interiors, and possibly holes where special equipment has been fitted.  but they will also usually be quite cheap and for traffic cars (I think most would have been traffic cars anyway) they'll likely be fitted with the more powerful engines.  I'd say pot luck, but would probably be worthwhile.

[Ploppy]

Well I cant complain, mine an ex arv , colour grey.
No holes what so ever , very powerful and drives like a dream.
The best car Ive had so far.
Best thing to do is try for an unmarked one, less holes etc....
Hope that helps.

Ploppy

[erubus]

i used to know a guy who had an ex-plod astra.  although just a panda car in it's former life and a diesel to boot, it was definately more powerful than a std one.  I always thought the irony of his evening job, which was shall we say in the supply and demand business, was always done in this ex police car.

[albitz]

on the one hand they will have been regularly serviced and repaired over their lives.  On the other hand they'll likely have been driven hard and abused/broken quite a lot over their lives.  They'll also have poverty spec interiors, and possibly holes where special equipment has been fitted.  but they will also usually be quite cheap and for traffic cars (I think most would have been traffic cars anyway) they'll likely be fitted with the more powerful engines.  I'd say pot luck, but would probably be worthwhile.

Engines are standard.

[Andy H]

on the one hand they will have been regularly serviced and repaired over their lives.  On the other hand they'll likely have been driven hard and abused/broken quite a lot over their lives.  They'll also have poverty spec interiors, and possibly holes where special equipment has been fitted.  but they will also usually be quite cheap and for traffic cars (I think most would have been traffic cars anyway) they'll likely be fitted with the more powerful engines.  I'd say pot luck, but would probably be worthwhile.

Engines are standard.

But usually 3.0 or 3.2 (ie 'the more powerful engines'  )

[nordic]

Having been employed by two police forces - both avoiding the omega - I can say that Motor patrol vehicles are given far better treatment and care by the Force than any panda cars.

They will be serviced more frequently and any problems will immediately result in the car being taken out of service.

The reason for this is that motor patrol vehicles are expected to be involved in high speed police pursuits where the likelyhood of a potential fatality is high.

On the other hand - no police officer treats such a 'tool of the trade' with much respect. They will have been accelerated very hard from stand still often and body work and interior trim is a regarded as a low priority.

Older motor patrol cars - particularly covert vehicles (Black Omegas) are often used as 'bandit cars' for training purposes towards the end of their lives. They will be chased and 'boxed in' during TPAC training and can get quite badly damaged. Tracking etc... will not be undertaken prior to auction for example. Pitted and opaqe headlamps will not be replaced.

Most police forces have a 'procurement department' responsible for purchasing. These talk to each other and will exchange details with regards the cost of running a particular vehicle. Volvo's are far cheaper than BMW's for example. Where Mondeo V6's give up the chase at 60k!

Driver training also impacts upon which car is chosen as a motor patrol vehicle. Volvo's require a front wheel drive course. To introduce a BMW to the fleet is very expensive with regards training for such a rear wheel driven car. If there is change there must be a course! Imagine a fatal crash involving a police car and the driver states he was never trained to frive a rear wheel drive car at such high speed!

Almost all forces undertake their own servicing approaching dealers only for computer help. My former Chief Constable had a Volvo S80 which was serviced entirely by the force from purchase. It was auctioned with its paper records of service within the Force. If you do buy one from auction the force it came from might be willing to provide you with such records? You can only but try!


As for re-sale value impacting upon a forces choice of purchase - this is largely a mith. It was the reason for some forces introducing silver patrol cars but now such vehicles are coming up to auction they have found colour still does not escape the fact that it is an ex-plod car! Values are low.

Andy

[Road Hog Mad]

A few people who I have spoken to are convinced that X police Omegas are faster than standard ones.

I suppose the only way to tell is to rolling road test them or to ask someone who works in the servicing department for the police.

[geoffr70]

They are sold when they need a service, not just after they've had one.

[joshwyatt]

They are sold when they need a service, not just after they've had one.

Not always, my most recent ex police vehicle bought direct from the police authority was serviced 365 before disposal, along with new tyres and fresh MOT along with PCO visual check. The vehicle has had 7 changes of brake fluid in 61k miles, along with many many services. I phoned the authority in question and they gave my a detailed account of what was done in each service.
I have bought numerous ex police vehicles direct from the police, and never ever had a problem. The only ex police vehicle's I've had problems with is the one's that have been in private ownership since.

It also depends which force it comes from; TVP and the Met are good, whereas some forces are just terrible.

[Andy H]

A few people who I have spoken to are convinced that X police Omegas are faster than standard ones.

I suppose the only way to tell is to rolling road test them or to ask someone who works in the servicing department for the police.

My theory is that the engines (and ecu's) are the same as everyone elses. Any differences being down to how the engine was  'run in'.

Modern production techniques result in engines that really need to be driven through a range of conditions soon after being put on the road. Maybe the Police ones are the only ones that get ever get used at full throttle for long enough to hit 140

[geoffr70]

They are sold when they need a service, not just after they've had one.

Not always, my most recent ex police vehicle bought direct from the police authority was serviced 365 before disposal, along with new tyres and fresh MOT along with PCO visual check. The vehicle has had 7 changes of brake fluid in 61k miles, along with many many services. I phoned the authority in question and they gave my a detailed account of what was done in each service.
I have bought numerous ex police vehicles direct from the police, and never ever had a problem. The only ex police vehicle's I've had problems with is the one's that have been in private ownership since.

It also depends which force it comes from; TVP and the Met are good, whereas some forces are just terrible.

Generally, they are sold when they need a service, not just after they've had one.

[Ploppy]

At the end of the day, it is luck of the draw.

I knew my current car when it started in service to its finish date  , so really lucky to have got hold of it...

[Del Boy]

Everyone ex-police car I've ever bought and there has been a few, has been fantastic. I wish I could say the same about private cars I've owned. Most of them spend most of their lives on the motorway with a few being used around town, their service schedules are tip top. I always find they go better than standard cars too, may just be me but, I've always thought that. Then again my Dad always has said and still sticks by the fact that cars are generally quicker when they're given the beans most of the time 

[pedroMV6]

As far as plod cars 'being faster' or 'more powerful'.

I think it's down to the drivers being better trained than Joe Public
Look at one make race series - exactly the same cars, and wired to stop any mods to engine and drive train internals, yet some cars are quicker than others.
Gotta be the driver...................