Does make you wonder! Doesn't matter how you cut it, a Mercedes is going to cost more than a Mondeo, and the mondeo is more than fit for purpose.

But is it really fit for purpose ?

Try spending 6-8 hours a day driving. A mondeo seat isn't the most comfortable place to be. A decade or 2 ago, a lot of the police big utility cars for M-way use were Volvos or Range Rovers - the Volvos especially were reknowned for being comfortable to drive, sue to the seat design. The RRs were used because they could see over traffic, and had the sheer grunt to haul almost anything out of the way if needed.

These days, they are using 5-series estates, A6 estates and E-class estates for the same purposes. If you go to a county fair this summer, you'll probably see a police stand. Go over and have a look at the amount of gear they carry, and the 'luxury' spec you seem to imagine their cars are fitted out with. You may just start to change your mind a bit

Does make you wonder! Doesn't matter how you cut it, a Mercedes is going to cost more than a Mondeo, and the mondeo is more than fit for purpose.

It's the total cost over the car's operational life that counts. Purchase, conversion, running and depreciation to final sale price on being withdrawn from service. ISTR those here concerned with leasing company cars point out that monthly payments for a MErc or BMW are much closer to a Ford than you might think.

Something to do with higher residuals.

If you're that bothered some FOI requests to police authority and engagement with your electd Commissioner might be in order.

Does make you wonder! Doesn't matter how you cut it, a Mercedes is going to cost more than a Mondeo, and the mondeo is more than fit for purpose.

But how much do the police pay - they obvisouly get them discounted and probably lease rather than buy them.

I guess that article answered my question. 6 to 12 months later they're bought by plod privately

That was a case of officers in one unit of one force. They were detectives in a specialised branch who were too stupid for belief. And now they're out of a job. What are the career options for a copper sacked for dishonesty?

Covert operations are NOT the same thing as using unliveried* cars for motorway enforcement. If items such as blue lights behind the rad grille and a festoon of aerials are obvious to a passing motorist they're not going to pass muster staking out a bank heist are they?

If you really think N Yorks officers are on a similar scam you have a DUTY to report it to the Commissioner.

* Thinking about it I seem to remember a suggestion that the value of 'jam sarnie' livery was being questioned. While it certainly creats a law abiding 'bubble' around individual vehicles it has little real deterrent value. Furthermore its application, requirement for a pale coloured base coat and removal at end of service life add a significant cost.

I guess that article answered my question. 6 to 12 months later they're bought by plod privately - who probably are badge snobs, they can't take their mondeo down to the lodge when everyone else has a MB.

If you go to auctions, you'll see ex-police cars there regularly. Dashes with holes in (mounting brackets for radios, etc) roof with holes in (aerials), 100-200k miles on the clock, strip marks on the bodywork where the logos and stripes were.

So the cars are sold at auction, and are tatty when sold. I've seen them, at BCA and others.

And yet you believe the police are buying them out themselves. Got any evidence to back that up, or is it another conspirscy theory from the tinfoil-hatted brigade ?

Many many years ago I relaised its pointless debating with cynics, even less trying to reason with them.

If you can provide evidence that the police buy hi-spec/performance cars outright and then auction them off within 12 months I will go to the top of the road I live on, drop my pants and stand there for 1 hour.

Me too, picture evidence please of Ted Crilly being handcuffed and shoved into the rich velour back seat of some overluxurious patrol car.

Hope it's not cold that day, or will modern zoom do...

:-))

There was an unmarked 5 series estate 3.0 diesel on a 08 plate with 81k on the clock and 13 services sold at Preston BCA today.

Anybody know what it went for?

There was no trade guide price provided on BCA as the car was 'police spec'.

I did observe the police know when go get shut of their vehicles before they require extensive major work.

They get rid of their fiat/GM 1.3 diesels around 80 - 95k, my experience and that of many users of this engine is they begin to become expensive at 80k onwards.

Likewise, they run their astra 1.6 petrols upto 150k; again the experience of the few people on the vauxhall forum who have high mileage 1.6 petrol astras is the cars suffer major failure after 150k

Testament to Suburu cars and Mercedes Benz vans, the police seem to keep them until 10 years old regardless of mileage.

I have not noticed many I30s showing up in the auctions to date, some of you may be aware that Hyundai are the choice of many police fleets.

Its rumoured Hyundai have taken a loss on the police contract to under cut Vauxhall and get some market share.

Edited by daveyK_UK on 28/05/2015 at 00:38

<< That is a remarkably low mileage for one of those, after police use. >>

Must have been clocked then? If it looks too good to be true, ...

Getting back to the point of the OP's post, The Police have always had some top of the range cars Jags, ......

www.google.co.uk/search?q=dubai+police+cars&es...D

Looking forward to seeing one of these......