Police vehicles

[DanJR1]

What kind of tuning mods do police cars have? I've always wondered

[Daimlerman]

Don't know, but a friend of mine has a Vauxhall Vectra that was produced to try and sell to the police.

It was the one that made the news when it was clocked at some 135mph when on test!!!

Had a run in it and it was one awsome car

[GORDON STREETER]

I know that when the North Yorkshire force changed from cossie's to scubie's
they were sent to Prodrive. So no doubt they had a few "tweaks" and not just in the power side but a handling package as well.
The cossie's might have been good for the quick stuff but not so good chasing across fields !

[mountainstar]

Here in the states the predominant police car is the Ford Crown Vic. It features a larger oil cooler, more powerful electrical system, heavy duty shocks, armor in the seats and doors, a few small engine and transmission mods, etc. It will do 130 mph.

After about 80,000 to 100k miles these vehicles get sold at auction so you see plenty of them on the road after their service lives.

[dj choc ice]

considering my dad was on traffic for 30 years i know a fiar bit about the mods they do, north wales now run volvo V70 T5's, but a few years ago the vectra V6's had lowered stiffened suspension to improve the handling and the GSI vectra engine instead of the 2.6 engine, improved cooling for the engine, improved electrics and a bigger battery as well.

dad used to tell me that once you got ona good back road is was pretty hard to shake one of the police vectra's, because of the modifications the handling was very very good and they had a fair bit of straight line poke with the GSI engine.

and like in the states, once the cars reach about 80,000 miles or more they then get sold on usually by auction.

[R59]

OK, here we go..

The specs for Vauxhall's - if required by the force - include chip upgrades, Senators/Omega's often had BBR Starchips, or similar - the Omega chipped up to circa 220bhp, with a good increase in midrange grunt.

The Vectra's they run now are VXR280's, and they can be chipped to over 300bhp.

Suspension-wise, they tend to fit Irmscher sports-packs to them. I had a Senator which had the kit fitted, and it was great. My Omega Estate is ex-Dorset (ARV) and it's bog standard in terms of suspension, but the engine has been "chipped" (these days, it's nothing more than a re-program).

I've just bought a ex-Surrey Volvo V70 SE T5, which is their 'std' spec of 300bhp up from 250, with the 6speed box. The speed limiter is also removed, so it'll see 155+.....Suspension wise, it's pretty well standard T5 from what I can see. I haven't had much time to explore it's handling yet, as I only picked it up on Friday, and it's in for it's first MoT tomorrow (monday).

I've worked with two Police forces, and got to know their vehicle workshop staff pretty well when I was installing radio communications for them.

As for selling the cars at 80K, you'll find that different forces have different ideas. Generally, it's 3 years, regardless of mileage, unless they get stellar miles on them, then they go at around 140-150K regardless of age.

You may find "low mileage" cars, but they are often CID, or driving school. I was offered a 55plate Vectra 3.0CDTi Estate, but it was a slush box, and I prefer a stirring stick. Other than that, the car was pretty mint - just three holes in the roof - one of those was for the factory "Jimmy Young" aerial at the back which was obviously removed when they put the force comms in it.

[Belatti]

Wanna join the force?

[Nortad]

in portugal highway patrol has several cars, i think they are atleats chipped normal patrol units, but unmarked (no visible police "marks") chase units (subbies and 330 bimmers) are certanly tuned, and the drivers get regular training from bmw fahrer training.

Others like unmarked Astras for other police branches are chipped and maybe handling is changed too, ive seen footage of those well over 230kph.

near my place, the local gnr (sorta gendarmerie) uses skodas octavias that sound tuned (huge turbo spool up noise) and ive been chased by them (a bit speeding) and they catch up really quick... :P

heres an old boy, now is used more as an exhibition tool rather than active duty, but it was a pretty good deterrent for boyracers back in the late 80s/ early 90s...

[Armco Bender]

NZ Police drive Holdens reknowned for thier off road abilities....

http://www.pbase.com/garylowndes/image/51597449