Ex Met Police BMW 530d

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Fri 23 Feb 2007 21:33
Ex Met Police BMW 530d - Wales Forester
Seeing my old 'Ex Met Police Vectra V6' thread being resurrected got me thinking;
I'm not in the market for one, but I'm seeing more and more of the Metropolitan Police BMW 530d cars going through Ebay and on Auto Trader for what seems like good money. Models as new as 04 plates going for around £8000 with 90k on the clock. They're all semi auto (or whatever BMW call it) and are all uprated from 193bhp to 225bhp from factory. Surely one of these would be a good buy, certainly plenty more life left in one than a Vectra of the same vintage. Does anyone have first hand experience of one of these Met Beemers or know what price they're going through auction at?
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Fri 23 Feb 2007 22:43
Ex Met Police BMW 530d - midlifecrisis
We had a 530d tourer on our fleet for two and a bit years. Wasn't nearly as reliable or popular as the 3.2 Vectra's. Had quite a few faults during its time. Not bad to tootle around in, but not much good as a fast response car. Nobody was sorry to see it go (and it hasn't been replaced)
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Fri 23 Feb 2007 22:59
Ex Met Police BMW 530d - Cardew
We had a 530d tourer on our fleet for two and
a bit years. Wasn't nearly as reliable or popular as the
3.2 Vectra's. Had quite a few faults during its time. Not
bad to tootle around in, but not much good as a
fast response car. Nobody was sorry to see it go (and
it hasn't been replaced)


The real test is which went faster on the M54!!
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Fri 23 Feb 2007 23:00
Ex Met Police BMW 530d - midlifecrisis
Well it wasn't the BMW!!!!
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Fri 23 Feb 2007 23:01
Ex Met Police BMW 530d - Pugugly {P}
Vectra v. 530d.......tee hee Vectra anytime. ;-0
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Sat 24 Feb 2007 09:50
Ex Met Police BMW 530d - MichaelR
ex police 530d's stick out like a saw thumb - they are non UK spec cars, so Orange indicators all round on the facelift models. The interior spec is also rubbish - no climate control, only aircon, no cruise, no multifunction wheel and horrible cloth seats.

I'd rather pay a few grand more and get a nice UK spec 530d Sport on an older plate.
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Sat 24 Feb 2007 10:46
Ex Met Police BMW 530d - Westpig
the police 530d's that i've driven were quite good, but didn't seem to have much top end ( i think they were noticeably inhibited by the roof bars, fitted as a roof rack type device).......but there were some annoying traits

1, seat cannot be properly adjusted manually without having to get out of the car and pull at it....really, really
annoying if there is more than one driver using it.

2, wipers set up for LHD, left a noticeable patch on the windscreen that if you're tall or have the seat high up,
catches your eye.

3, the police usage kept blowing off turbo hoses

The interior trim will be knackered and really basic. There won't be a sunroof. The wiring system will be
'interesting' because of all the extras that will have been wired in such as alternate flashing headlamps, rear reds (fog lights) and the blue lamps on the roof bars. This extra wiring will not necessarily be to a good standard.

Knowing what they go through i.e. through fields, parks, down steps, across pavements and having the life squeezed out of them on most days, i wouldn't go near one with a barge pole.
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