V70 ex Police - Good cars? Bad cars?

[MisterC1501]

Looking through the classifieds, the ex Police cars seem at first sight, to be great value for money.........but are they! Apart from a few holes in the dash, and maybe the roof, are they cars to be attracted to, or avoided?

Do they have to have a full main dealer service history as part of the lease contract (assuming they are leased), or are they put through the Police's own garages?

Would you buy one, or would you steer clear. Are they mainly T5's or do they use the D5 to.

Would they make an ideal project car..........

Muchos.....

[Flash B]

I know this will upset a lot of people on here...I'd avoid them like the plague. I know they are great cars at a good price but;

They are NOT looked after very well at all. Yes they may get serviced on a regular basis, get all the new parts, but they are driven hard for most of the time, by people who don't really care (because it's not their car).

Cars are often 'ragged' from cold on an emergency call (high revs, high speed) before anything is warmed up, causing major problems down the line.
Mileage is high (used 24 hours a day)
Interior is bogging - especially in the rear where there have been prisoners throwing up, hiding dirty needles, bleeding etc.
Even though the vehicles are 'Non smoking' there always seem to be cigarette burns in the front seats!!

They use T5's and now the D5 (most with performance upgrades)...I've been in & driven both and feel annoyed (as a Volvo owner) that these fantastic cars aren't treated as they ought too be.

I could go on forever...

I'm waiting for abuse

[BigJC]

Depending on what you want from the car.

If you want a usable quick estate that has been maintained but worked hard, they represent good value for money if you buy from an auction.

The likes of xpcarsales.co.uk will buy direct or from an auctions and cosmetically tart them up (fill/paint holes) put a stereo in, replace bits of trim etc.. and obviously passes on the cost to the customer. They're still cheaper than the civilian counterpart though.

If you want something with leather, all the extras, better resale value and fsh that you can see buy a non plod car.

A non plod car won't guarantee hassle free motoring btw.

I've had both, I'm trying to sell my V70 for £2800 which is £100 more than I bought it for but I've spent £600 (and counting) putting it right.

[v70torslanda]

Spec check

All the bits that distinguish a V70 from - say a Mondeo - are all missing from Police cars.

Leather - no.
Winter pack - no.
Fog lamps - no.
Dolby ProLogic - no.
Auto Climate - no.

However, if you want something that's never cooled down on duty, carried a quarter of a ton of equipment everywhere its ever gone, played dodgems with dickheads in stolen motors and bounced off the armco on every motorway in the division there's nothing better.

Caveat bloody well emptor but, crack on, pal!

[Al115]

I've had one ex-plod V70 T5 - it was a lot of work to get it up to standard.

[RT MECHANICS]

I know this will upset a lot of people on here...I'd avoid them like the plague. I know they are great cars at a good price but;

They are NOT looked after very well at all. Yes they may get serviced on a regular basis, get all the new parts, but they are driven hard for most of the time, by people who don't really care (because it's not their car).

Cars are often 'ragged' from cold on an emergency call (high revs, high speed) before anything is warmed up, causing major problems down the line.
Mileage is high (used 24 hours a day)
Interior is bogging - especially in the rear where there have been prisoners throwing up, hiding dirty needles, bleeding etc.
Even though the vehicles are 'Non smoking' there always seem to be cigarette burns in the front seats!!

They use T5's and now the D5 (most with performance upgrades)...I've been in & driven both and feel annoyed (as a Volvo owner) that these fantastic cars aren't treated as they ought too be.

I could go on forever...

I'm waiting for abuse

Very well said

I will second that 99 % of the ex police cars we have seen are not good at all it would be the last Volvo i would ever buy....

[thebadger]

Speaking from my own experience of getting an ex-plod, I would say you're best to shop around in this particular market.

My car is a 2001 (Y) V70 ex-plod T5.

It came with no service history, a dodgy stereo & some replica pegs.

Mechanically it was quite sound. It only had 72K on the clock! Something I have yet to understand was why the car had such a low milage & be in such good nick!

The car has no leather, but I'm personally against freezing my A*rse off in winter time on cold leather. It does have the headlight wipers, aircon (manual) but not much else in the way of extras.

Exterior wise, the cars paint job may have been replaced post plod use. Not very perfectly, but well enough for my daily runner.

I have spent quite a lot putting bit's back to what I want, but I spent just over £3k over a year and a half ago for it, so in truth I would probably have had to spend £5k plus for a similar milage & probably more if it were newer.

It's a personal choice on what you want from the car. If you want to be able to get a well maintained car cheaply, you'd be hard pressed to get any better than an ex-plod. The Cops usually use a local Volvo dealer to carry out repairs. I used to pass my local dealers (sadly now gone) and see at least one or two V70's in each week getting repaired or serviced.

I got a list of "replaced parts" on my car from South Yorkshire Police, detailing every single bit that had been bought for my car. Big list, but it gives you confidence in the high maintenence record. I'd doubt that ANY member of the forum would have such a long & detailed record of parts, and that they would all have been installed at a dealers.

Personally if I had the cash I'd maybe get a second hand from a dealers, but the plod savings can certainly make you stop & think.

[Flash B]

They are undoubtedly great cars for the money, but...not for me.

Seeing them from the 'workers' side, I would never even consider one (unless it was a project car). They are just abused all day long, hence the constant repairs and replacement parts.
I suppose you could look at this and think it's a good detailed list of parts and dealer repairs, but what other cars would need so much done to them??

[sebasteeno]

Im driving a phase one V70 ex-plod atm and my honest opinion is that if you get hold of one as it leaves the police you should get a good one. The problem i have had with mine is lots of idiots seem to have got their hands on it since the police and thats where all its problems stem from.

[thebadger]

^
Agreed, if it's been away from the cops too long, keep away, if not... bit of tlc & some fresh fluids, a wee map, some minor tweaks & you may have a very cheap car with a lot of punch.

[Dangerous Dave]

There's a buyers guide on T5D5, but its not working at the moment. They'll get it sorted eventually

http://forums.t5d5.org/library-police-buyers-guide-t170.html

I did read it ages ago, but can't remember if its any good.

[phil_woods]

Well I agree and disagree. A v70 would have been used by traffic or similar and as such they look after the cars better than local bobbys.
Some traffic actually have a vehicle assigned to them so they and a couple of others drive mainly the same car so in theory they take care of it.
You wouldn't catch me buying ex plod focus etc because they really do get hammered so as I said I agree and disagree.
I would buy one if it was right,I just think you have to take your time and look about.

[gmain1967]

I've looked at buying an ex police Volvo, but the "ragged from cold" bit always gets me and it's true.

The other aspect is the number of bumps and shunts that the traffic cars seem to get (I know this from the cars locally and if you watch Road Wars or similar, it happens elsewhere too)...

A detailed list of what has been repaired and/or replaced is all very well, but it is indicative of the exceptionally hard life that the car has had. And as the car ages, so other things that haven't been repaired or replaced, will more than likely start to fail and require replacing.

That said though, I guess that if the major items are in good nick (no pun) and the it's odds and sods that are required, and the car is perfectly useable as it is, then it possibly makes sense. Just remember that come resale, that the "ex plod" bit that got you the car cheap, now means that you will only be able to sell it cheap!

[thebadger]

I fully intend on keeping my car till either it dies or I do. Too much fun for the cash to let it go, that & I wouldn't want to let someone else mess up my hard work. May as well ask Russ to trade the peril in for the scrappage scheme.

[RT MECHANICS]

i fully intend on keeping my car till either it dies or i do. Too much fun for the cash to let it go, that & i wouldn't want to let someone else mess up my hard work. May as well ask russ to trade the peril in for the scrappage scheme.

lol

[Baj]

I had an ex Manc-plod P1 V70. Granted it had a lot of interior work done before I got it (I cannot stand the blue interior) but it was on 165k miles when I sold it and it was still going strong.
I had replaced the top mounts and the steering rack but these are things that go on any car of a certain age.

I think there is a certain amount of 'pot luck' when buying explod but there is with any car purchase, even to some extent brand new. Sometimes you just get a lemon.

For value for money you cant do much better IMO but you will need to do some stuff to it.

[850 2.5 10v]

Its total pot luck.

I have seen some lower mileage vehicles that have been used as training vehicles or used by senior officers as 'company cars' - they seem like good value...

The police are using better colours now with metallic silver now more prevalent than white.

Pays your money and takes a chance.

[LeeT5]

Looking through the classifieds, the ex Police cars seem at first sight, to be great value for money.........but are they! Apart from a few holes in the dash, and maybe the roof, are they cars to be attracted to, or avoided?

Do they have to have a full main dealer service history as part of the lease contract (assuming they are leased), or are they put through the Police's own garages?

Would you buy one, or would you steer clear. Are they mainly T5's or do they use the D5 to.

Would they make an ideal project car..........

Muchos.....

Great value for money yes because they are billy basic with hardly any extras. You get what you pay for. They are generally over serviced which is never a bad thing and mainly by dealers using oe parts.

Be prepared to spend lots on them as like most ppl have said...most of the time they are just cruising around at 55mph however when they get a shout then they are properly ragged and this could be daily!! Also they don't care about warming them up...why would they, there not their vehicles. Personally i would avoid. Can't really see the point unless your going to strip it bare, fit a roll cage and race it to destruction on a track!

[cookie]

For Cheap base, as long as you are willing to spend some money, there are some deals to be had, but be careful of the low mileage examples

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Volvo-V70-T5-SE-ESTATE-LTD-EDT-FINISHED-IN-PEARL-WHITE_W0QQitemZ260534901471

apparently was removed from fleet after being upto dash in water, the centerconsle and lack of steering wheel controls is a dead giveaway as explod

Tim runs an old 850 explod, and there are several others I could name, its a case of looking B4 buying and knowing what you are looking for. There are also ways of getting the history if it doesn't come with car, and often you can find engine/gearbox clutch etc have been replaced within 10-20k of car comming off fleet

[Baj]

As for ragging from cold; How many times do you think a traffic ooficer has got on shift and got into their cold car only to get an emergency call? Not many I would bet. Most of the time they will get in and drive off normally and cruise the roads for a while before having to do a chase

[Markie]

Here is my Ex plod T5
http://www.vpcuk.org/forums/showthread.php?t=22342
Complete with full leather, not factory spec though, changed at a later date, no complaints from me, been no problem over the past year.
I guess it is a bit more pot luck as to good 'ens and bad 'ens, but pays your money take your choice.

[Chopster]

I'm in the motor trade and I run an Ex-plod as an everyday workhorse, these are the best value for money workhorses you can buy... I paid £1000 for a taxed and tested 51 plate P2 V70 T5 that goes like stink (no funny interior smells! lol) Ok I've had to put a leather in (no big deal cost me £80) and a 1/2 decent set of 17's for £100 to make it more aesthetically pleasing for myself but other than that I'm more than happy with it... 2 or 3 times the money for one that's not ex-plod... NO THANKS!
Oh! and the best bit... as a super friendly gesture 95% of the cars on the road just move out of the way for you on the motorways to make your journeys that much quicker ;)

[princepugh]

I don't suppose plod leaves the engine running for a few minutes before turning the ignition off to save the turbo after a hard chase though?

[Al115]

No of course not :P

Replacing the turbo ain't expensive though... 2nd hand ones go for £150 in reasonable nick on the Bay...

[thebadger]

I'd be more concerned about the gear boxes TBH.

The auto boxes tend not to get the required fluid changes, so if you do get one, you must factor in a change in ALL the fluids.

Turbo's are quite servicable & cheap to replace. (or even upgrade...)

[volvokid]

I'd be more concerned about the gear boxes TBH.

The auto boxes tend not to get the required fluid changes, so if you do get one, you must factor in a change in ALL the fluids.

Turbo's are quite servicable & cheap to replace. (or even upgrade...)

When do the police use autos???

[thebadger]

My car is.... it was deffo a plodder. I have the docs from SYP & the 10 million chopped wire loom in the boot!

Allegedly my car was used by a SupInt, so not real traffic. (I'm yet to be sold on that story)

But I have seen them on the telly too. Traffic liked them as it's one less thing to need their radio hand for.

[volvokid]

My car is.... it was deffo a plodder. I have the docs from SYP & the 10 million chopped wire loom in the boot!

Allegedly my car was used by a SupInt, so not real traffic. (I'm yet to be sold on that story)

But I have seen them on the telly too. Traffic liked them as it's one less thing to need their radio hand for.

That never crossed my mined that they used them, I would of thought they would preferd the manual because they would have more control.

[thebadger]

Easier for TPAC stops IIRC, motorway driving is the main usage I'd guess.