Where To Buy Used Police Cars

What Vehicles Do The Police Use

Here’s What I Think About Buying a Used Cop Car

Buying a used police car doesnt mean youre limited to a Crown Vic, although there is a limited number of vehicles that are available with police packages that are available for US police departments to choose from. Among the most popular models used by American police at the moment are the Chevrolet Tahoe, Dodge Charger, Dodge Durango, Ford Fusion, Ford Explorer and the Ford F-150.

Used Police Cars Have Massive Trunks And Lots Of Interior Space

Pro: Police cars are designed to have a large amount of trunk space as they have to carry a lot of equipment. That means these vehicles will be great for running errands, carrying around large bulky items like strollers or groceries. You will also find that there is a considerable amount of legroom in both the front and rear seats.

Con: As a result, used police cars in the United States, unlike those used in many European countries, arent small. This can make parking in inner-city areas and within tight building parking areas more of a challenge.

Queensland Police Kia Stinger Gt S

Behold, the first non-Australian car to police Queensland streets. Its a Kia Stinger GT S, and it probably couldnt be much better suited to the job.

The Australian car industry has dwindled in recent years, and its two big home-grown saloons the Ford Falcon and Holden Commodore are no longer produced. Which is a pain for police forces whove relied entirely on these slightly overpowered rear-wheel-drive saloons for the past few decades.

Happily, Kias bombastic new Stinger GT S just so happens to be a slightly overpowered rear-wheel-drive saloon, too, making it the perfect substitute. Its twin-turbo V6 produces 365bhp and hits 62mph in sub five seconds, enough to catch most miscreants, wed think. The Queensland Police Service has initially bought 50, but up to 200 could be put into service.

Police Vehicles Are Generally Kept In Good Condition

Dont assume that just because police work is so intensive that the used cop cars that are up for sale are all beat-up clunkers.

Because vehicles are so essential to the job, cop cars are usually well maintained. After all, you wouldnt want to be in hot pursuit of a criminal, only to have them slip away because your engine overheated.

Take it from Josh Bailey of the Canadian Black Book: Typically, the vehicles that are retired from heavy-duty service like police work, are generally, perhaps wrongly, viewed as being heavily abused. In fact, theyre probably highly maintained vehicles.

Buying Used Police Cars At Reasonable Prices From Auctions

Should You Buy a Used Police Car? Car Buying and Selling

By | Submitted On November 28, 2006

Are you planning to purchase a car?

Every one needs a car, nowadays. It is more than just a desire. It is actually a necessity today to be able to have a car to help one get around.

However, not everyone has the financial capacity to purchase a brand new car. Prices are so high nowadays and it is not easy to earn that sufficient amount of money.

Thus, one should know the other options in buying a car. One can buy it under a loan or mortgage. Some seek for second-hand vehicles that are still good for use. Some look for old cars for remodeling.

People now should also start exploring buying used cars from auctions.

Public Auctions

Public auto auctions are conducted by the through the local government agencies or the local police department.

The auction offers cars such as those seized by the government, retired police cars and even government vehicles that are not anymore used.

These public auctions can offer the cars at very reasonable prices, considering the need to dispense with the properties. Some can even be bought for as low as 5 percent of the actual market price.

Buying Used Police Cars

It is actually a good idea to buy used police cars from the public auctions.

For one, not everybody can own a police car, even if it is one that has been retired already.

There are no warranties when purchasing used police cars from public auctions, but you can at least have the assurance that you get a car with good condition.

1. Necessity over Want

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Buying Vintage Police Cars: Availability And Where To Buy Used Police Cars

Buying vintage police cars: availability and where to buy used police carswere The Blues Brothersthe Dukes of Hazzard Gone in 60 Seconds Gone in 60 Seconds IIDeadline Auto TheftThe Dukes of Hazzard The Dukes of Hazzard eBayOnline direct sales sitesCar clubs canEVOOA wrecking yardsHemmingclone a civilian versionrestoration efforts of Eric Kurz of Californiahave a police car to sell, This column is for you, the collector and enthusiast. Your feedback and input into this column is very important. I haven’t been getting the input from you, the readers of this column, that I had hoped for. If you are not registered to be able to post in the forums, it is easy and free so please register and comment! For those of you that have given your input, thanks.Other columns

Used Police Cars Come With A Bunch Of Unique Features

Generally, there are three types of police vehicles: pursuit cars, patrol cars, and suspect transportation vehicles.

Pursuit cars are the most common types of police vehicles, so youre most likely to see these in a used car auction or listing. These cars are made for high-speed chases, carrying loads of weaponry, transporting passengers, and basically just handling a lot of strain on a day-to-day basis. Theyre souped-up to keep up!

Here are some of the cool features you might find on a used cop car:

High-performance engines, usually either V6 or V8 engines
Upgraded radiators and fans to regulate heat more effectively
Upgraded alternators to accommodate the kind of power required to keep roof-mounted lights, emergency vehicle lights, radios, and sirens running all at once.
Run lock ignition, which keeps the engine on even when the key is taken out of the ignition. This system also protects the vehicle from being stolen once the parking brake is disengaged, the system kills the engine automatically.
Push bumpers or grille guards
Rear window bars or rear cages
Sirens and spotlights
Heavy-duty suspension and enhanced brake pads to accommodate the extra weight of all the equipment
Bullet-proof doors
Police pursuit tires

If you get a Ford Police Interceptor, it also comes with built-in steel intrusion plates in the front seats for added protection.

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Are All Used Police Cars Black And White

Not every used police car youll see for sale at auction will be black and white, although that color scheme is still the preferred combination in North America because it allows for the unambiguous recognition of patrol units from a significant distance. Dont forget there are a lot of police who dont wear uniforms and therefore dont drive marked patrol cars. Detectives and other non-uniformed police employees often drive unmarked cars in various colors and they come to the end of their lifespan and get put up for sale just like ex patrol vehicles.

They Really Do Practically Give Them Away

HOW TO BUY A USED COP CAR!! [P71]

Pro: When it comes down to brass tacks, you are likely to grab yourself a bargain. Almost all used police cars are sold at auction for less than what you would pay for a similar vehicle on the standard used car market. Typically, youll find them marked with an indicator price of what each car is expected to fetch at auction. Still, as there usually isnt a minimum reserve they can, and often do, sell for considerably less than the expected price.

Con: Used police cars sold at auction dont typically come with a warranty or mechanical certification. And, as you wont have an opportunity to test drive them before the sale, its a good idea to take somebody with you who knows a bit about cars. That way, you can avoid buying a lemon.

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Dubai Police Aston Martin One

Oh dear god, they just won’t stop, will they? Not content with stickering up an Aventador, FF and G63 to police duty, Dubai’s offices pressed one of the world’s most beautiful, rarest and fastest cars into service: the Aston Martin One-77. For the love of all that’s sacred in your life, please, do not speed in Dubai.

Abu Dhabi Police Lykan Hypersport

When was the last time you saw one of these? If you live in Abu Dhabi, it may be the last time you fell foul of the law. Theres nothing specific to learn about whats been done to this Lykan barring what your eyes can see a new livery, some blues and twos so lets stick to what we do know.

Its a Lykan Hypersport, which means its one of only seven such cars to exist. Each one costs around £2m, and features a 3.7-litre twin-turbo flat-six with 750bhp. W Motors reckons on 0-62mph in 2.8secs and a top speed of 242mph. So, yknow, fast.

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Fuel Repairs And Maintenance Costs Are No Joke

Because these cars are so heavy and equipped with such powerful engines , a lot of them can be real gas guzzlers. While your upfront cost may be low, it may be a pain to keep a used police car running down the line.

Another thing to watch out for is cars that have either been discontinued or are equipped with hard-to-find components. This makes repairs and maintenance both problematic and expensive.

Cop Cars Are Often Sold As

What object will you find in every Dutch police car ...

Save for the equipment that civilians arent allowed to operate, most police cars are sold as is. This essentially means that once youve signed the contract, all problems, repairs, and modifications are your responsibility.

Unfortunately, this means having to deal with stuff like street-legal fittings that have not been removed from the vehicle, such as rear prisoner cages and spotlights. Many of these cars also come with industrial-grade vinyl seats in place of rear cloth seats because vinyl is easier to wipe down and clean in case of any accidents. On the bright side, you get some cool features that arent usually found on normal cars.

Other things you can expect from as is cop cars include holes and damages on the dashboard and console from previously fitted police equipment, holes in the roof from light panels and radio antennas, and brackets upfront for grille guards or bull bars. You might also have to deal with sticky glue residue from decals and black-and-white patterns that make it hard to be subtle about the fact that you just bought a police car.

The Gc Police Surplus Website

The GCSurplus website used to be the place to find decommissioned law enforcement vehicles. However, a 2020 shooting incident involving a gunman who used a replica police vehicle in Nova Scotia has halted sales of RCMP vehicles.

According to Public Safety Minister Bill Blair, “During this moratorium, the Government of Canada and the RCMP will examine the policies that are currently in place and work towards long-term solutions that further ensures these vehicles are not improperly outfitted or otherwise misused.”

Buyers in search of older law enforcement vehicles need not worry, though. It is still legal to possess or own a police vehicle, as long as the owner does not falsely represent themselves as an officer. This means removing official police logos and decals from your car.

Can I Buy An Old Police Car

Depending on where you live, it is indeed possible to buy an old police car. Most police forces around the world are constantly in the process of updating their vehicle fleets, and they typically sell off old vehicles through government surplus auctions. As a general rule, old police cars are more readily available for sale in urban areas, where a large fleet of vehicles is necessary and ample funding allows for frequent updates. In isolated rural areas, it can be more difficult to obtain a police car, especially if you live in a region where police are underfunded.

There are several ways in which you can buy an old police car. Many police forces hold periodic auctions in which surplus equipment is sold, typically at a steep discount. Large police departments may have their own auctions, while others may bundle their goods in with a larger government surplus auction which combines equipment from multiple agencies. Old police cars are sometimes also sold at used car sales and auctions, especially those held by government agencies. These auctions are all publicly listed in the paper of record for the region. Sometimes you can also buy an old police car directly from the department, especially in a small town, in which case you may want to ask the department staff about the possibility of buying retired police cars.

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Start It Up And Look Around

Some places will offer an escort and a battery jumper, while others have folks who will simply point, grunt, and let you do the heavy lifting of hoods, etc. Most car batteries will be DOA so make sure you have some juice with you if the agency won’t give you a jump box.

In nearly all cases you will be allowed to start the vehicle up and do a detailed inspection, but driving the car is not an option. As for the records, it’s almost always best to go over them with a fine-toothed comb beforehand because you really have no idea what you’re getting yourself into otherwise.

Used Cop Cars Are Affordable

Heres Why You Should Buy a Used Police Car

Used police cars are often far cheaper than their civilian counterparts. In fact, according to the Star, GCSurplus reported that the average price for a 2009 Ford Crown Victoria sedan from 2014 to 2015 was $1,184. This is much lower compared to the average cost for a similar used base model at $9,217.

Most Used Police Cars Come With High Mileage

One of the reasons why cop cars are so cheap is high mileage. Police cars are used day-in and day-out in many ways from slow, meandering neighbourhood patrols to the stop-start driving cops do when responding to calls throughout the day.

But mile count doesnt really paint much of a picture regarding how its driver handled and maintained it. Even if you can score a car with low mileage, you wont really know how hard it was pushed until the police department retired.

Tip: When buying used cars, always bring a mechanic along to perform a detailed inspection. This will help you identify potential problem areas and money pits.