Would you buy an ex police car or ex taxi?

[Smoke Pursuit]

Id buy an ex chaser providing it was cheap and had been in no accidents and was a presitge colour (not white) as dealers are less likely to pick up its history at trade in time. They are pretty good buying at the moment and seem to be reliable enough.

[Donny]

The big Dealerships dont buy these kind of cars at auctions, and if they traded one in, they would wholesale it straight off to one of their subsidgery yards, or the yard who offers the best price for it. In the 90's (An most likely still the same now) most dealerships had a few "preferred" car yards that they would flick stuff like that off to. Ex govt vehicles (eg...Q-Fleet in QLD) go straight to the auctions and the smaller yards pick em up, and a lot of normal people pick em up at the public auctions too.

At the end of the day there will be good ones and not so good ones. That goes for any second hand car. Doing as much homework prior to purchase is the key.

[Jastel]

As a taxi owner/operator I would never buy a new car to be a taxi, you pay $20000 more for a new car smell. On it's first shift a drunk will spew in it and fix that. I have had Falcons from XE onwards and one car will be good, one will be a lemon. I have bought cars from government auctions all around Australia, often the one with the nicest body has the worst engine/gearbox and vice versa, there is no easy way to tell how long it'll last until it gets some kms up.

Most taxis are ex government or police cars to start with anyway whether they are Falcons, Commodores or Camrys and they might have been flogged or babied by grandma, apart from obvious damage it is very hard to tell.

In Qld taxis have to get a roadworthy check by Queensland Transport every 6 months whereas private cars don't until they get sold. Therefore most defects get fixed on taxis and as other people have said if a taxi is broken it won't make you any money so preventative maintenence is best.
Taxis encounter all problems before most private cars will due to the high kms we do so just about every problem on this forum I have already had multiple times and have replaced multiple parts as well. As a rough guide engines about 500000km unless you cook them, gearboxes about 350000km, diffs in BA about 200000km if your lucky, AU live axle about 350000km, power steering, starter motor and alternator 200000km. My cars get engine oil change every 10000km and automatic oil change evry 40000km, once a year grease or replace wheel bearings and half shafts and suspension bushes and shocks
At around 500000km I replace the car as the breakdowns and rust start to get excessive and more expensive. Also electrical wiring tends to be a problem due to heat at this age.

If you buy a decent ex taxi with half a million kms on it will not be perfect but if you are a little bit mechanical and get your habds dirty you can get 2 to 5 years of cheap motoring or a cheap start to a custom project. The other thing is after 5 years parts are easier and cheaper to get (both from wreckers and Ford and other aftermarket stores) Don't pay more than $3500 for an AU2 or 3 or $1500 for an EL. With LPG EF/EL will be getting near the end of their tank life of 10 years so that is an added cost to consider.

Saying buying a new car gets you a warranty is OK if your Ford dealer knows what he is doing and will actually honor it. My local dealer is useless, refuses to honor warranty on an ex police BA at 60000km and 14 months old, just says "Police broke it" or "it's within specifications", install non Ford Gas and you get the same answer, "it's the gas, not covered by warranty". I am not stupid enough to complain to Ford about a problem with Gas which is not fitted by Ford. As a driver with millions of kms in Falcons and endless hours of repairing them I do know what I am complaining about when I go to the hassle of taking a car to Ford. In my opinion a warranty is not worth the paper it is written on and certainly not worth $20000 extra.

Buy an ex taxi or ex police or brand new, some are good, some are not.

[fpv_gt]

Originally Posted by xt3valve

I bought a ex fedral police car. I know it isnt a traffic cop car but its still police. I couldnt be happier with it. It only had 26000 k on it, had lowred suspention with king springs. It was just like a new car. V8 too. Dont know why though. Didnt think police had v8.

protection unit has V8s.

[xt3valve]

Originally Posted by fpv_gt

protection unit has V8s.

Did they. Didnt know that. Must have come from there. Its mine now.
Couldnt be happier with it though.

[prdreilly]

I have a BF XR8 ex-chaser and I'm very happy with it for what it cost. Has a few little noises in the 6 speed auto (light tapping noise in 4th and 6th) that I need to get checked out by the dealer, but otherwise it was in good condition. Others ex police cars that I looked at were totally trashed. It's pretty easy to tell which have have hard lives.

Mine had 38,000km and is generally in very good condition, was based on the central coast.

[mickyj]

Am not sure what my EL was in its former life or lives .But after doing some work on her brakes, and brake switches and finding etra live wires and Lan connections under the drivers(not the live wires) seat the general idea from my car minded family and friends that my ex fleet vehicle from victoria was more than likely a taxi .And as my mate said yesterday you do baby your car not like some people she should last you a fair while .
She came with tickford gas and the tank was checked just before I purchased ,so I still have 10 years before it goes back in for that again.
KM's on the clock she had done 245'000 to me that was a lot but looking at the figures quoted in this topic it was not that bad.And I have had her for 5 months and she has not got to 250'000 .
So am I happy with her you bet I enjoy driving her and she is great to ride in .
After owning and driving a 1980 laser from new and the last 5 years a 1980 sigma and my wifes 1989 telstar would I ever go back to a small car NO WAY!!
And do I miss 40 bucks a week in petrol for a 1/2 hr round trip to work and back in the sigma HELL NO.

It all goes back to what you like I think I know my EL has faults but its my FALCON and that is all that matters .
So can anyone let me know if a fleet car is a taxi or a picture taker for the cops ?

[TURBOTAXI]

Originally Posted by prdreilly

I have a BF XR8 ex-chaser and I'm very happy with it for what it cost. Has a few little noises in the 6 speed auto (light tapping noise in 4th and 6th) that I need to get checked out by the dealer, but otherwise it was in good condition. Others ex police cars that I looked at were totally trashed. It's pretty easy to tell which have have hard lives.

Mine had 38,000km and is generally in very good condition, was based on the central coast.

Whne was it manufactured?

The HWP cars seem to get about 60k up before they come back. If you paid the sort of money that others do for HWP cars you have done really well.

[EBFalcs]

don't get an ex cop car, they are thrashed, maybe not engine wise, but driveline, they drive over gutters, median strips, speed bumps flat out. iv'e seen it happen quite a few times.

[JG66ME]

My wifes EL Fairmont Ghia is ex NSW Police. It had 90k on the clock when we bought it and now has 130k, its in real nice order. Full service history in the log book. Thinking of selling it though as it 10 years old in August.

What would the the Police be doing with a Fairmont Ghia?

Steve

[TURBOTAXI]

Originally Posted by JG66ME

My wifes EL Fairmont Ghia is ex NSW Police. It had 90k on the clock when we bought it and now has 130k, its in real nice order. Full service history in the log book. Thinking of selling it though as it 10 years old in August.

What would the the Police be doing with a Fairmont Ghia?

Steve

Whilst it was designated as police it was probably part of an SES (senior Executive Service) package - salary packages between $130k and about $350k. It probably never saw any duty other than a family car and a drive to work car for a senior police officer - That would be my guess anyway.

[flappist]

Originally Posted by JG66ME

My wifes EL Fairmont Ghia is ex NSW Police. It had 90k on the clock when we bought it and now has 130k, its in real nice order. Full service history in the log book. Thinking of selling it though as it 10 years old in August.

What would the the Police be doing with a Fairmont Ghia?

Steve

Senior commissioned officer's car

[prdreilly]

Originally Posted by prdreilly
I have a BF XR8 ex-chaser and I'm very happy with it for what it cost. Has a few little noises in the 6 speed auto (light tapping noise in 4th and 6th) that I need to get checked out by the dealer, but otherwise it was in good condition. Others ex police cars that I looked at were totally trashed. It's pretty easy to tell which have have hard lives.

Mine had 38,000km and is generally in very good condition, was based on the central coast.



Whne was it manufactured?

The HWP cars seem to get about 60k up before they come back. If you paid the sort of money that others do for HWP cars you have done really well.

It was an 11/05. So it was just under one year old when I got it. The early BF's were going for quite high prices, even high km, 80,000 were going for over $25000. Settled down a bit after more of them started coming through.

[MITCHAY]

No ******* way! Simple as that.

[Lightning Strike GT]

If any one is looking at a QFleet car PM me the rego number and I can do a search on them to see where they came from and get some history as well.
Yes I do work fro the QLD Gov't before you ask

[Scruba]

Bought an ex cop AU S3.

Love it. 97k and no problems that weren't fixed under warranty.

New tailshaft and front wheel bearing. That is it

[BeStRaFe]

i just picked myself up a BA S1
DEDICATED E-GAS X-Taxi

650,000 km's

more hits then elvis, looks ok on the outside
i paid 5k for it with 12 months of rego
im not arguing, i got the magnetic dint guy accross the road to take out dints where the lights on the roof were $220

for 5,220 it runs well... the auto is smooth...
so thats
1 X police E-GAS
1 X taxi E-GAS
i just need to fit a lsd to the taxi... falcons in the wet with non-lsd wow...
evil!!!!!

[jaydee]

My current ride is an ex pursuit XC Falcon, got it from th auctions in 1981 and still have it. It had 120k on the clock and had ben ex H'way patrol, generalpatrol and driver training so she's been well used.
Guess what, it still has the original engine and FMX today, 9" been rebuilt once, FMX rebuilt once and engine twice and still goes well.Now done just under 400 k and wouldn't sell it for the world.
With ex Police cars just look for damaged seats, especially drivers side from gun belts.
they are well maintained every 5000 kays.

[smoo]

A family friend just bought an ex cab AUI LPG on 570,000km, with the g/box rebuilt once. She drives perfect except a hard 3rd-4th gear change.

[dobz]

police maybe, cab no, unless alll the buses in perth crashed and all the trains derailed and i had to walk from gossnells to vic park.
Both of my folks work as taxi drivers and their 6 year old AU has done 700 000 k's. From the inside its good for the kays and from the outside too, but its been hit 12 times and the only thing of the body not changed is the driver door. My self working at swan taxis installing equipment and mentaining the cabs i have to say after seeing some off the cabs that are 8 years old and getting taken off the road i just wonted to puke while i was removing the equipment.



P.S. my folks car still has same engine, but has gone through endless radiators, 2 gearboxes and **** noes how many tyres.

[ThoR_]

Ex Cop cars are awsome. They are serviced every week or two because they usually wack up alot of km`s just in a week. They get run in hard. Maybe this is the reason they are faster than usual fords or commodores. I know they are chipped but these days im not sure if the chip stays in im pretty sure they do. Anyway my mate had a VX Ex Pursuit Car. 2 1/2 in exhaust, CAI and still had the chip in it. Scared the **** out of me the first time i went it.

Another one of my mates has a normal VX and this ex pursuit car just rubbed its bum in its face

[ThoR_]

There was an ex pursit car / ex taxi for sale in Perth last year. AU Falcon, Straight Gas, Auto, 5litre. I gave the guy a call and he was an older like 40 year old pom he said. Yeh it has 800,000kms but it still goes well i said to myself 800 nah to much. One of the piston rods got replaced it was bent. He said the interior had marks all through it and the white paint was rough.

$5,000 he wanted i was like nope no way.

[ThoR_]

Originally Posted by xt3valve

I bought a ex fedral police car. I know it isnt a traffic cop car but its still police. I couldnt be happier with it. It only had 26000 k on it, had lowred suspention with king springs. It was just like a new car. V8 too. Dont know why though. Didnt think police had v8.

Yup they do. They have XR6 Turbos, SS Commodores and SV6`s. Ive seen em all