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Seems like too much money to me.
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This car would be about £30k+ new remember :)
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Never went fast.......only plodded along
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Seems like too much money to me.
Normally they would go for about £7-8k
This is the last of the TD5s with the 'facelift'
£4500 would have stuggled to get me anything newer than a 1999 model with similar mileage, albeit with 7 seats.
So I had a choice between buying a much older one with perhaps a dubious service history or a newer one with known past as in my previous post, and from a year where hopefully many of the issues were sorted.
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It terrifies me what some of these vehicles fetch.
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You sir a very brave man :).
Brave is one way of putting it - thank you.
A hell of a lot of car for very little money though :)
The logic that lead me to this purchase was that:
1) This car is not pretending to be anything it isn't. It is ex police with the usual issues with trim, body condition (though this one's pretty good actually) etc etc. But on the flip side it has obviously been well maintained (you could see from overall condition underneath and in the engine bay) and not been off road. All the tyres have virtually full tread - and they are all the same make and model.
2) It was based at Heathrow airport, so no high speed chases and spinning bandit cars off the road - you can't execute a high speed chase in a Disco!
3) There is no tow hitch fitted, and evidence suggests that it has never had one. Again this points to complete lack of towing abuse, bar pulling a car off a bank I suppose.
4) There have been no attempts to hide anything. No major repairs to the body seem evident as it still has the Met battenburg all over both sides. If someone was going to try to bodge a repair I doubt they would go to the trouble of replicating the battenburg!
5) It passed the HPI check. (I got free 7 day driveaway cover with Aviva with HPI)
In all it's a genuine car. The oil leak could have happened on a car at half the mileage. I knew about this when I bought the vehicle.
I guess I'll spend a few quid on it in the coming months but then I will have a perfectly good vehicle for several years to come.
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I am amazed that all traces of it's origin weren't removed, i.e Battenburg etc.
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I would leave it as is, and put the blue lights back!
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Putting the blue lights back might be considered iffy, but it's very tempting to leave the battenburg decor. No-one will ever cut you up, or even overtake you probably! Brilliant!
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a hell of a lot of t cutting , when that tape is taken off?
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write VOSA on the sides and drive at 50mph on the motorway , now that will pink fluffy dice people off
Edited by Webmaster on 03/02/2010 at 00:59
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This time last year I nearly bought an ex police Astra, it was a 04 reg I think they wanted £1600 for it but it had 120k on the clock. I went to see the car and it was quite obvious it was used as a panda car with all the abuse that goes with it so I left it well alone. I figured a new engine, gearbox, clutch and suspension would be needed soon. It also had the usual holes.
May well have been a very good car for the money and may have made an ideal taxi but for me age didn't matter so much. There are some good bargains in ex cop cars but the trick is to find one like this Land Rover which has not been used to chase crinimals through Peckham or Moss Side.
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It's probably worth that in parts alone - I'm surprised that they haven't removed all the markings - there is supposed to be an issue around this in the world of terrorism. Nice car - probably a TV star as well on those never ending Police documentaries ! HPI'd it !!! I had a chuckle at that but know what you mean !
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Can you take some photo's engine bay exterior and put on here?
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And they wonder why lorry drivers and their loads get hijacked so easily.
Is it any wonder when we have to stop for vehicles like this?
Pat
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And they wonder why lorry drivers and their loads get hijacked so easily. Is it any wonder when we have to stop for vehicles like this? Pat
You don't have to stop for the vehicle - you have to stop for a constable in uniform.
I would replace the blue ligts with some blue painted imitations and drive up the motorway at 65!
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I beg to differ ijws15.
Police, VOSA and now the Highways Agency vehicles have the power to stop us and we have to obey the signs in the rear window of the vehicle to follow them.
Those signs are very easy to come by, as are police uniforms, so a vehicle in police livery would not raise any alarm for us.
Pat
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The brother bought an Ex RUC car over her a wheen of year ago.
A 214? Rover if i recall, an unmarked car, but with the usual signs of police occupancy, high miles too.....but...........very cheap at auction ..........and absolute cracker as it turned out.
And the underside was done with some sort of resin based anti magnet / ballistic protection stuff.............he NEVER had to do the brake pipes for MOT, well other than the wee flex hoses at the wheels.
He drove it till he were scundered with it, it would NOT lie down.
Edited by dieseldogg on 02/02/2010 at 08:31
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If it was at Heathrow then it won't have gone over 50 often, except when they are hungry! Frankly it sounds like a good deal.
A mate had to source a new engine for his A6 - he found a suitable one at a breaker in Wiltshire. The engine had only done 60k - after some digging it appears that the car had been run by MI5 or perhaps Special Branch, and on disposal they insist that the shells are crushed - though it's hard to imagine why if the sneaky-beaky kit is fully removed.
He got a fine, just run in engine for a very fair price.
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Why HPI it, who was selling it?
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It's probably worth that in parts alone.......
I hadn't thought of that but seeing how much those engines sell on e bay for, there's nearly 50% there already. I remember when I bought by TDi those engines were selling for nearly £1000, which is why my insurance company insisted on a thatchem 1 alarm before they would insure it for theft.
I'm quite pleased the markings are still there as it helped be to assess repairs on the car. There are a couple of very minor dents, which should pose no problem to one of these dent mastet guys. I know what you mean though, they really should have been removed. I intend to remove them soon anyway, lest it be a target for thieves wanting to pull off some sort of job impersonating police officers.
As far as the HPI check is concerned, the car has passed through 2 pairs of hands since it left the force. I'm told that the first chap wanted one but had to buy a minimum of 2 from the leasing co. so he sold the 2nd one through e bay last may. The guy I bought it from, a very nice chap actually. However, when you're looking at £4600, £20 to check it out seemed appropriate, plus as a bonus I got that free 7 days drive away insurance from aviva, which would have cost me more on its own, so the HPI check meant I was in pocket - no brainer really.
Someone asked for some photos - here's the e bay listing for now. You'll see that the wrong reg number is on the listing. That is a mistake by one of his staff when she prepared the listing - that is his other discovery.
cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1603...3
You'll see it finished on £5200. That is not the price I paid, that was someone else wanting to come in if I didn't buy it. The seller was of the view that he had reached an agreement with me and would see that through before entertaining another buyer. I have a huge amount of respect for him for this. Having said that I was in constant contact with him whilst organising the money, transport etc and he probably felt I was a genuine buyer as opposed to someone who acted on the spur of the moment. He was extremely helpful, picking me up from the station etc. A genuinely nice guy - you don't meet many of them.
Edited by Hugo {P} on 02/02/2010 at 09:47
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It looks like you could easily put it onto film sets with just a little work. I don't know how much demand there is for the film vehicles but I'm sure one of the agents would tell you.
My father used to work for a marine research lab, who had a decompression chamber in a transit van, and ambulance plastered all over it and blue lights. It was always the first choice for anyone wanting to do a trip during the tourist season as a flash of the headlights [they weren't allowed to use the lights or siren except for diving emergencies] would have the tourists moving over to let them through!
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Cracking machine, fantastic price! Well done hugo.
As for holes in the dashboard, nothing a new dash out the scrappies wouldn't fix :-)
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it has obviously been well maintained (you could see from overall condition underneath and in the engine bay) and not been off road.
Why, in the name of all that is creosoted, are the Police buying hideously expensive Land Rovers if they're not going to be used off road????? What use are they on the roads? They can't be pursuit cars because they'd topple over. They're surely no better as standard patrol cars than an Astra. For carting cones and stuff up and down a motorway, surely a standard estate car will do.
Bah.
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they can tow things, they can be seen, you can see things from them.
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Of course. I was forgetting that a Vauxhall Astra can fulfill none of these requirements, at a third of the cost.
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In the access roads round heathrow, they are important.
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Hmm. Perhaps. But surely there is a network of CCTV cameras in place around Heathrow which can do the required snooping?
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Can you get 2 armed body armoured cops in and out of an Astra in a hurry ? and how do you tow a broken down shed or suspicious car out of the way with a CCTV camera ?
Edited by Pugugly on 02/02/2010 at 11:32
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www.expolicecar.co.uk/stock_special.asp
For all of you who want one place your order now!
Can you get 2 armed body armoured cops in and out of an Astra in a hurry?
They get out of the volvo and that is not much bigger than the astra & the landy is no bigger, it's down to muscle it looks the part.
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it looks the part.
There it is. It costs the part too. Hey ho.
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Good man Hugo.. keep us informed how you get on in time.
We sold our mint rust free, never welded, 200TDi about three years ago as our 4WD need had lapsed and we had to start carrying an elderly person who couldn't climb up into it.
Two estate cars later and we decided to change the car again this Christmas. Both SWMBO and the teenage girls asked if we could possibly have another Discovery. I did look at ones the age of yours for a while but couldn't quite reconcile a 15mpg loss over the diesel estate we settled on.
However we are quite flexible in thoughts so will re-visit the Discovery idea when the next change is due in 3yrs at a time when we should be doing far less mileage running the girls about.
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Good for you Hugo, sounds like you have a bargain.
Good underbody clean up in the spring and a serious rustproofing session?
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I'm jealous of the siren.
;-)
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It hasn't got the bog standard registration number that Met Police vehicles usually have i.e. they all usually go in sequences and use letter sequences that are a bit of a give away.
I'm not 100% convinced it's an ex Met vehicle, it doesn't 'look right'..and when i've been to police transport depots, the stuff going out for auction has all the decals taken off it. Heathrow is policed by the Met.
If it was a Traffic vehicle, it should definitely have a tow hitch.
The other thing is all those extras, I can't see why the police would order some of them.
Are you sure it wasn't owned by Walter Mitty Security Services.
I'm quite willing to eat my hat of course if you prove me wrong, as i'd admit the Battenberg decals look real enough.
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WP I do so hope you are right.
I, in no way at all, blame Hugo, but I was shocked to think that a vehicle could be bought so easily and used in lorry hijacks.
Please reassure me the decals are removed, we always get asked why we 'fell for it' when anything happens and I'm sure the general public think we've been totally stupid.
If cars and uniforms are this readily available then lorry drivers simply don't stand a chance.
Pat
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A couple of miles from where I live there is an industrial estate.
Police transport depot at one end and a fake police station at the other as part of the studios where they film
The Bill.
Leads to some confusion.
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Please reassure me the decals are removed we always get asked why we 'fell for it' when anything happens and I'm sure the general public think we've been totally >>stupid. If cars and uniforms are this readily available then lorry drivers simply don't >>stand a chance.
There's an enormous set up for managing the vehicle fleet and whilst it's outsourced nowadays, it's efficient enough. I cannot say for sure, but it would surprise me greatly if something went out with a siren still in it, because for example, the radios are disabled if a vehicle goes 'outside' for dealer work, so there's a system in place to prevent abuse.
The company that kits out the MPS fleet will have their name in it somewhere, inc on the number plates. If the OP would like to post what name/post code is written on the number plates, i'll confirm whether or not it is genuine.
Edited by Westpig on 02/02/2010 at 18:00
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The company that kits out the MPS fleet will have their name in it somewhere inc on the number plates. If the OP would like to post what name/post code is written on the number plates i'll confirm whether or not it is genuine.
Just looked at the plates. They are Guy Salmon with the dealer postcode K7OTA. This ties in with the paperwork in the vehicle. All the engine and chassis numbers etc tie up
I think Westpig may be right - we may be looking at a security vehicle, not police. The reason I mention this is that whilst I found evidence of its life at Heathrow inside, I have also found in amongst the owners manual some blank forms entitled 'Security Department ID and Vehicle Pass Confiscation/Advisory Notice. The BAA Heathrow logo is in the top right hand corner. The form details possible 'offences' relating to passes for secure zones and the action taken. There are 3 copies of each form, White, blue and yellow. The form number is BAA/F/10006.
If not police I definitely think it was Heathrow Airside Security. That would tie in with what the seller tells me his seller said. He mentioned something about police on the runway/taxiing area. Certaily it would appear that his seller was very open about him buying the two from the leasing co. Obviously with a number of vehicles and personnel airside their clearences have to be policed.
One assumes therefore that it would have had virtually no exposure to normal roads etc until it was sold off.
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Just looked at the plates. They are Guy Salmon with the dealer postcode K7OTA.
They are not the usual MPS suppliers.
Heathrow/BAA security sounds right. I'd agree with Fullchat though, you'll have a better deal if that's the case, it won't have been thrapped so much.
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I wonder if it might have been Customs at Heathrow? That would explain the police-like livery, but the lack of Met badges.
A common giveaway on plod vehicles is the seat damage where the belt kit rubs on the base of the seat backs, esp in the front seats.
Any vehicle used at Heathrow on the air side will have had extra radios, anyway.
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I was wondering if the 'POLICE' decals had been removed but there is no evidence of them ever being there. I would expect ghosting in the paintwork.
There was a lighbar apparently, and there is evidence of something being fitted to the gutter above the pillar between the rear doors and the rear quarterlights.
Inside the vehicle there is what looks like an ethernet cable coming out of the centre console (LHS of thegear lever), brackets for a radio or similar communications device on the left hand side of the console. The siren is still in the vehicle. I think it is controlled via a box underneath the passenger seat.
On top of the dash there are 4 small holes about 5 inches apart in a line.
Also, I don't know if it's that obvious to some but there are two small arials mounted on the top nearside of the screen.
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'Front red grill mounted Strobes (disabled but we can reconnect for you)'
Hmmm... Police vehicle would not have red lights to the front.
I'm with WP, I know its not got the badges on but it doesn't look quite right. As someone mentioned there should be marks where badges and logos were stuck.
MOD Plod or Civil Nuclear Constabulary?
Stand to be corrected though.
Edited by Fullchat on 02/02/2010 at 20:33
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I think we're looking at Heathrow Airside Security here - not police.
.....and it's my car!
I really don't mind. It seems genuine enough, no issues with the HPI check etc. Even checked the serial no of the V5 and it wasn't one of the stolen ones ;)
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As above, Its sounds like BAA security. It would have two radio's A UHF PMR for the office, and an AM VHF set for the tower. The light bar would have been Yellow and Red (like the Highways agency)
Edited by Altea Ego on 02/02/2010 at 20:42
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OK I think we are probably agreed.
I have an Ex BAA security Discovery - Waaay!
It goes like stink with the auto box in sports mode - who cares!
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In which case should not have had much abuse. Sounds like a good purchase.
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In which case should not have had much abuse. Sounds like a good purchase.
Probably less abuse than many private cars of this age.
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Can anyone here, especially the police officers, confirm one way or another whether I would be breaking the law having the battenburg on the car.
Or is possession of the lights etc an offence or to be frowned upon? I guess if I used them I may be committing some sort of offence.
More importantly - do the lights and siren have a market value if sold to legitamate buyers?
I certainly don't have a use for all these extras, apart from to make the vehicle look a bit flash and prevent antisocial driving.
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I cant seem to get access to Construction and Use Regulations or the Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations.
I have found this link:
www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/authority_for_the_r...2
It suggests that silver reflective markings down the side contravene the RVLR regs.
I am certain that having any form of siren; other than one that emits a 'continuous uniform and strident note,' FITTED contravenes C&U Regs.
Again the article suggest that the fitment of blue lamps or similar lights also contravenes the LVLR regs.
I'm shooting in the dark here without access to the small print. :-{
Edited by Fullchat on 02/02/2010 at 21:35
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I think Its the blue reflective bits that are illegal. Thats why the HA vehicles have Black and yellow battenburgs.
As is the use or fitting of blue lights, which again is why the HA have yellow and red.
Edited by Altea Ego on 02/02/2010 at 21:44
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So the blue areas within the battenburg are illegal then.
As is the use of the siren. If it is fitted but put beyond use would I be in the clear?
There are no blue lamps on that vehicle. (Correction - on the front, they'll have to go)
I think I will need to strip the car down.
I've got two questions.
Is it relitively easy to disconnect and remove this lot without intefering with the original wiring looms?
Also, is there a market value/use to anyone in any of it? The siren could go back to any police force in the country, whilst I guess the lights would probably only be of interest to airport security or anyone else permitted to use them.
Edited by Hugo {P} on 02/02/2010 at 22:12
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If it disconnected then I would suggest its not 'fitted' but don't quote me.
They usually run an extra loom from the battery then link all the extra equipment in so it shouldn't be to hard to strip out.
Second hand market?? Ebay, but then the stuff might fall into the wrong hands but it can all be bought legally its just the fit and use of the stuff that's illegal. Some genuine ex Police vehicle enthusiasts out there.
If you want rid find a local Police/Fire/Ambulance workshop they will dump it for you. They tend to fit new kit on vehicles on a rolling basis.
Lightbulb moment - how about donating to one of the volunteer services - Mountain Rescue, Mines Rescue or even RNLI, Coastguard?
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If it disconnected then I would suggest its not 'fitted' but don't quote me.
OK thanks, I may try and remove it all anyway, I think there is some sort of control unit under the passenger seat and the horn for it is under the bonnet.
They usually run an extra loom from the battery then link all the extra equipment in so it shouldn't be to hard to strip out.
There is a 2nd battery in the boot with a split charging system. I'm pretty sure the lights are fed from that. The siren could be as well - that would make sense. There is also the switch panel between the visors, which I would like to get shot of and have something else there. There is however a separate fuse box on the top right hand side of the engine bay. One assumes that these link to the switches then to the actual units themselves, then to earth.
Second hand market?? Ebay [i]but then the stuff might fall into the wrong hands but it can all be bought legally[/i] its just the fit and use of the stuff that's illegal. Some genuine ex Police vehicle enthusiasts out there.
That had occurred to me. I was hoping that the sale of some of this stuff to legitimate buyers would be able to help pay for some of the work needing done to the car, or fund the tow hitch at least.
If you want rid find a local Police/Fire/Ambulance workshop they will dump it for you. They tend to fit new kit on vehicles on a rolling basis.
I know the Devon and Cornwall are facing cutbacks at the moment 200+ civilian posts going and recruitment freeze on uniformed for 3 years. It occurred to me that they may be interested in this stuff - but maybe not.
Lightbulb moment - how about donating to one of the volunteer services - Mountain Rescue Mines Rescue or even RNLI Coastguard?
RNLI, now there's a thought. There are loads of stations around here. Their need is probably just as great.
Thanks for all your help FC.
I think I must remove the battenburg and the bumper mounted lights ASAP. I was thinking of linking the red liights in the rear window to the brake lights, via a relay so I don't fry the loom. I will probably leave the markings on the rear. I don't see that yellow and red would cause an issue. Most highways maintenance vehicles have similar.
I can't see any silver strips on the car, maybe you could point out which photo suggest its presence please?
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Sorry just saw the battenburg and made an assumption it was reflective. If you put a light on it in the dark and it glows then it is reflective material. If it doesn't then I would say it is legal.
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>>For carting cones and stuff up and down a motorway surely a standard estate car will do.Bah.
For cones etc. use a great big van like mine, running light, chipped, goes like pink fluffy dice off a shovel.
MD
Edited by Webmaster on 03/02/2010 at 00:50
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Ok found some legislation:
Reg 16 & 17 Road Vehicle Lighting Regs 1989
www.opsi.gov.uk/SI/si1989/Uksi_19891796_en_1.htm#t...n
Blue and other types of lights should not be fitted.
Silver reflective tape does not conform with Reg 17 which states that only amber side reflective material is allowed. Unless the vehicle falls into the exempt category - emergency services.
Regulation 37 C & U Regs 1986 states:
'The audible warning instrument fitted to a wheeled vehicle first used on or after 1/8/73 should be continuous and uniform and not strident.'
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Could the siren be a bird scarer?
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Could the siren be a bird scarer?
No wonder he's never 'pulled'
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I used to wrk at Gatwick Airport - airside. BAA Airfield OPS vehicles all used to be Yellow but they started buying white ones from around 2001 due to re-sell values.
All the vehicles were 4x4's - Land rovers, Mitsubishis etc. They would have 2 Red/orange light strobes in the rear window - for following vehicles/aircraft to see to be able to follow them and the same on the grill to pull people over (they are effectivly airside traffic police as well as other things)
On the roof they would have a long light beacon at the rear with 2 amber lights at the ends and in the middle it would say "follow me" Also they would have another set at the front.
All the things on your car sound like it could have belonged to them but nearly always on the white vehicles the roof would have been painted Yellow with large black letters and numbers.
They also used to have a astronomical amount of electrical kit inside - you name it - they had it. There was normally 2 CB radios mounted in there (1 for Air traffic, 1 for control)
Even know the speed limit is 20mph airside - these vehicles was exempt and could drive around at any speed so it would have had a good mixture of fast and slow driving. Also these cars are normally immaculate and well cared for as the people driving them would be held responsable for damage etc..
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>>> No wonder he's never 'pulled' <<<
I'll wager you've pulled a few Old Speckled Hens in your time Effendi :)
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Assuming all the 'normal' electrical stuff on the vehicle works OK I'd be a bit cautious about removing the optional extras, on the basis that any mods. to the wiring loom will have been done on the spot and for sure won't be covered by the Haynes manual. Ok if the lights are clearly driven from a relay and that's it fair enough,but I'd be a bit wary of taking stuff out.
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