User Panel
Posted: 2/15/2015 5:47:48 AM EDT
I'm in the market for a Used LE Tahoe, either a PPV or SSV.
For you guys that use them and know the abuse they typically endure, would you buy one as a base for a SHTF/Bug Out Vehicle? I'd be looking for a 4WD with Brush Guard, Gun Safe/Storage, etc? |
|
[#1]
Was it the Chief's rig that got driven a little bit to meetings and such, or was it a patrolmen's vehicle that deals with all the abuse that entails? Police trade-in vehicles have a tendancy to be beat to hell if they are patrol rigs. I wouldn't buy any of the vehicles my PD has sold since I've been here.
|
|
[#2]
My department has a few Tahoes. They go through transmissions regularly. The engines seem to be ok.
If you do buy one, I'd budget for a new transmission. |
|
[#4]
I had a 99 tahoe used by NYSP, 4wd ssv. High mileage but ran like a champ. I regret getting rid of it. Have a pre purchase inspection done on it before buying, could save you lots of headache down the road.
|
|
[#5]
Transmission are shit and most PD policies are to remove everything. The rear storage shelves cost thousands, etc. most brush guards are removed due to liability as with most interior items.
As stated, it probably Isnt worth it. V OUT |
|
[#6]
I would never buy a patrol vehicle of any make or model. Prove to me that it was an admin vehicle that was driven like a normal car and I'd consider it.
|
|
[#7]
Hell no.
You don't know how many times someone "forgot" it was in 4 wheel drive and left it that because there was little patches of ice on the road. I definitely wouldn't buy one unless it had the newer 6 speed transmission(2009+ I think). Those are pretty bomb proof. Active fuel management on the other hand(2007+) will leave you stranded when a lifter fails and eats a lobe on the cam. |
|
[#8]
With patrol cars, it isn't about the mileage. It's about the hours. They get left running for a full 10-12 hours shift, or 24 hours if it's a pool car. Hot or cold, 100 degrees or -20, they run.
As said above, most of the time the brush guards, spotlight, gun rack, etc get yanked out to be used again in the next car. |
|
[#9]
|
|
[#10]
Hell no. I wouldn't buy a used police anything vehicle related. I know how I drive, and I'm not as bad as some of the guys I work with. It's probably going to be ragged completely out.
|
|
[#11]
|
|
[#12]
I know they get them for cheap but I put 100k on one in two years so I know how they're run.
|
|
[#13]
Dealership in my neck of the woods will sell us Police Tahoes brand new. Zero mileage. $28k. Have to have police ID.
I test drove one, but I didn't care for the ride. |
|
[#14]
I wouldn't buy a used LE anything. Those things are the definition of being rode hard and put up wet.
|
|
[#15]
Belonged to a "hands off" supervisor? Maybe
Belonged to a supervisor who was out on the streets or as a patrol vehicle? Not if it was free. |
|
[#17]
|
|
[#18]
I rarely shut my patrol car off in a 12 hour shift. If I run in the gas station or into the office, sure.
That and the zero to 75-100mph stop and goes if you're running a lot of traffic (depending on in town, highway, or interstate) beat them down fairly quickly. |
|
[#19]
Quoted:
I'm in the market for a Used LE Tahoe, either a PPV or SSV. For you guys that use them and know the abuse they typically endure, would you buy one as a base for a SHTF/Bug Out Vehicle? I'd be looking for a 4WD with Brush Guard, Gun Safe/Storage, etc? View Quote UNLESS it was the chiefs ride I WOULDNT buy ANY used police vehicle. We are not easy on them. For every mile on the Odo there are prob 10 additional hours of idlings, etc. J- |
|
[#20]
Not just no, but HELL NO!! For one, most get retired at over 100k miles, for every mile times that by 3 or 4 in idling time...that should show u how many real miles that engines been running for. Then look at the fact that those miles were driven harder than any normal persons car ever gets driven. Sure most are maintained and fixed when necessary, but knowing what we do to our rigs, unless you gave it to me, I wouldn't pay a dime for an old police vehicle.
|
|
[#21]
Used to work in the State Park system.
Couple of years we had a few Tahoes that the Rangers used for patrol. By the time they were turned in they were so beat to shit it wasn't funny. Leaks, tweaked frames, electrical issues yada yada yada. Buyer beware. |
|
[#22]
I don't know why people seem to think that used cop cars are good buys. Our dept has gone from dumping a vehicle after X miles to just rolling them until they start getting too expensive to maintain. Last Tahoe I had got to where it was loosing oil somewhere. No leaks, no smoke, but every so often it would show up two quarts low and off the stick with the low oil light coming on the dash. Maintenance crew just said to keep an eye on it and if it keeps up they'll ship it off to auction while it still runs.
Soooo, knowing that, I'd be very leery of any old cop car. The likelihood of getting something I would consider reliable for transporting my family around in regularly is not in your favor. Even with cars that have low miles there's a reason the department is getting rid of them, likely they know something about it that you don't but will find out in short order. That and you look like either a wannabe or a turd driving what's known as a "felony in progress" car and wind up drawing more attention than you would have if you'd just been cruising along in regular sedan or minivan that gets washed regularly. |
|
[#23]
I personally wouldn't buy one. My patrol Tahoe has 184,000 miles on it and still runs great at 130 mph!!!
|
|
[#24]
I personally wouldn't buy one. My patrol Tahoe has 184,000 miles on it and still runs great at 130 mph!!!
eta: I don't drive that fast normally lol |
|
[#25]
Unless you are a mechanic and have cheap access to parts I would not buy any police vehicle car or suv. They get driven hard most of the time.
|
|
[#27]
NO, but more likely to buy one of them than those damn Chargers which are royal pieces of shit. We have had so many go back to the shop with only a few thousand miles on them.
|
|
[#28]
Quoted:
NO, but more likely to buy one of them than those damn Chargers which are royal pieces of shit. We have had so many go back to the shop with only a few thousand miles on them. View Quote yep those are the lowest mileage cars in our fleet, but have still been left running for hours, jumped over curbs, etc. J- |
|
[#29]
I have a 2013 and like it a lot (bought new, non-police) but I wouldn't have any problem with one from my local pd. The hardest use they would probably get is "rushing" to a call about a neighbor's cat crapping in someone's flower bed. ymmv
|
|
[#31]
If the Department you are buying it from has a take home car policy its gonna be in better shape . I know guys that baby the hell out of theirs.
They still go through hell though. If its a line car , you would be better off buying a used rental car . It would have been treated better. |
|
[#32]
not unless I got it at a great price..
counting on the fact I would probably be putting more $$ into it for maintenance & to fix what was destroyed while it was in service |
|
[#34]
Quoted:
Unmarked maybe. View Quote This. Otherwise it's treated like complete, unadulterated shit. Patrol rides are tools, just like anything else on our duty belts or out of our gear bag. You know how police turn-in guns look? Now think about this, police cars are used hard a million times more often that police guns. I have only fired a gun a few times on duty, but my squad gets driven hard every shift. |
|
[#35]
Nope.
I would look at used lease return commercial vehicles. You might be able to get one that has extras. |
|
[#36]
|
|
[#38]
|
|
[#39]
A USED LEO TAHOE?? Much Less 4wd??? Not no, but HECK NO....
**EDIT** Previous owner of a brand new, first owner 2011 Tahoe 2WD PPV..... There is a REASON USBP chops half the bumper off the front of theirs. As far as a g ride they are good strong vehicles. So Far overall hold up better than Crown Vics, surprisingly being as a vic would take me places a 2wd PPV Tahoe won't.. Because of durability overall my agency is replacing vehicles with 150K miles VS Crown Vics 200K+ miles because of amount of money department is saving in maintence. That said... Unless you know 150% it was the Sheriff/Chief/Captain assigned vehicle, NO!!!! |
|
[#40]
Just a note, The State Of Texas sells off state vehicles at the auction barn in Austin (Bolm rd for those local.) Going to look at them is always a hoot. Game Warden Truck with $190K, note on dash says it burns a quart of oil per tank, starting bid $18K.
|
|
[#42]
I'd recommend looking into GSA auctions. I've bought and driven both US Govt vehicles and local patrol vehicles, I'd go with the federal stuff. Both are driven like they were stolen but the federal stuff normally has lower miles/hours and are better maintained. The last GSA auction I went to in Chattanooga had over 400 vehicles. I'd also look at vans for what you wanna use it for.
|
|
[#43]
Quoted:
I would never buy a patrol vehicle of any make or model. View Quote I'm in one of the newer ('07) pool cars at my agency. It currently has 77,795.5 miles on it. The hour meter reads 7157 hours. If driven at 60mph the odometer would actually read 424,420 miles. 30mph would be 214, 710. 15mph would be 78727. The odometer isn't an accurate reflection of how hard a patrol vehicle has been driven. Being that I'm a bike officer and don't drive it that much, I personally haven't added too many miles. I also try to take care of my equipment. I'm not the only one that drives it though. Other officers on other shifts and/or my days off drive it too. And not everyone gives a shit. One pool car was turned in for PMI the other day and was found to be about 4-5 qts low on oil. You may luck out and find one that spent it's life as the community resource (hug-a-thug ) officer's car that was only used to shuttle it's occupant from meeting to meeting, but most likely will get something less than cared for and used hard. It will have been used as an off-road vehicle, a blunt instrument and a bodily fluid receptacle. |
|
[#44]
Make sure they tape a quarter to it before you buy it, that way you actually get something. Honestly I don't know why they just don't scrap the damn things after were done with them. Most of them are a hazard to navigation because of what might fall off.
Jim |
|
[#45]
|
|
[#46]
|
|
[#47]
Quoted:
"are we going to lunch or did Manson escape?" -me in an unmarked car View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Unmarked maybe. shit our UC cars are beat to fuck too. J- LMAO J- |
|
[#48]
Answer this question and it will answer yours
Would you buy a used condom and use it ? |
|
[#49]
|
|
Sign up for the ARFCOM weekly newsletter and be entered to win a free ARFCOM membership. One new winner* is announced every week!
You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers.
AR15.COM is the world's largest firearm community and is a gathering place for firearm enthusiasts of all types.
From hunters and military members, to competition shooters and general firearm enthusiasts, we welcome anyone who values and respects the way of the firearm.
Subscribe to our monthly Newsletter to receive firearm news, product discounts from your favorite Industry Partners, and more.
Copyright © 1996-2024 AR15.COM LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Any use of this content without express written consent is prohibited.
AR15.Com reserves the right to overwrite or replace any affiliate, commercial, or monetizable links, posted by users, with our own.