Garda Cars

layke

Pondering something for a long time but why do the Gardai use Fords as patrol cars. Lets face it they are definately not the fastest thing out there + the only mod they get done is a hardned suspention which is pretty pathetic.

For example: my friend's car was stolen from outside my house before, it was a 1.6L Nissan Pulsar which the guards were chasing but couldn't catch because the 2.0L squad cars they use are simply not designed as a powerful vehicle.

I know it's never going to be in the budget, but don't you think the gardai need some high powered vehicles available for pursuits? I remember seeing a subaru some years back but nothing like that recently.

prospect

"Gardai Buy fleet of BMW M5's for high speed chases."

Can you imagine the uproar at that!

R.O.R

layke wrote:

I remember seeing a subaru some years back but nothing like that recently.

There is now a fleet of 15 ish Forester 2.0T (180bhp) assigned to the traffic corps. Should be quick enough to catch most stuff.


They use a lot of Fords because historically they were built in Ireland (or had a wheel nut attached to a complete car in Cork) and because they are cheap, mainly because they are cheap actually.

maidhc

R.O.R wrote:

They use a lot of Fords because historically they were built in Ireland (or had a wheel nut attached to a complete car in Cork) and because they are cheap, mainly because they are cheap actually.

Because ford win public tenders for garda vehicles a fair bit. Mind a fair few garda cars around cork are Vectras, although Ford offloaded the world of old shape Focus 4drs to the gardaí, and a lot are being used as unmarked cars.

Bit more information on the tendering process in this decision of the information commissioner: http://www.bailii.org/ie/cases/IEIC/2003/23.html

alias no.9

The gardai buy cars in bulk orders, they work within a budget. They don't only use fords, other common ones are nissans, toyotas, renaults and fiats. Others can add to this list if they want. High speed persuits are a tiny part of the use of patrol cars and as such most are not bought with high speed persuits in mind though there are some dedicated persuit cars.

I'm assuming the pulsar was a vzr if the cops couldn't keep up. Did your friend not consider some additional security when buying a skanger magnet? Jap imports have sweet fa security as standard, that makes high powered imports top of the list for scumbags. It shouldn't be this way but it is. It's a bit late now to complain about the availability of an appropriate persuit car.

Fey!

They're also using a good few Volvos these days.

As for Prospects M5 comment, I don't see this as completely ridiculas (the sentiment, not the car!). Police in England use a lot of BMWs, Range Rovers, high end Volvos, etc.

If you look at that here, the Gardai could buy a BMW sans VAT and VRT, and at the end of it's working life sell it for it's market value. How much would it truly cost?

(and before someone says the economy losing the VAT and VRT, it's VAT and VRT that would never have been paid as the car would never have been sold, if ye get my drift).

maidhc

Fey! wrote:

If you look at that here, the Gardai could buy a BMW sans VAT and VRT, and at the end of it's working life sell it for it's market value. How much would it truly cost?

You would probably get 3 standard repmobiles for the price of a non-asthmatic 5 series though, and run the three 4 cylinder engines for the same price as well.

seamus

Speed isn't necessarily the issue. The cars should definitely have an above respectable accelaration rate, and be capable of 200km/h, but you can't expect the Gardai to chase anything, no matter how fast it goes. There's a point where the Gardai have to pull back, for their own safety.

I would assume that they don't kit out with BMWs, purely because of the sheer cost of service and replacement. More common vehicles such as Fords are cheaper to repair and service, and only cost a little bit to upgrade for more performance.

Fey!

factor in the depreciation

drdre

same happened when my dads car got robbed, the guards could not catch up. the guards have some fast cars now like the evo.

prospect

Fey! wrote:

They're also using a good few Volvos these days.

As for Prospects M5 comment, I don't see this as completely ridiculas (the sentiment, not the car!). Police in England use a lot of BMWs, Range Rovers, high end Volvos, etc.

If you look at that here, the Gardai could buy a BMW sans VAT and VRT, and at the end of it's working life sell it for it's market value. How much would it truly cost?

(and before someone says the economy losing the VAT and VRT, it's VAT and VRT that would never have been paid as the car would never have been sold, if ye get my drift).

It is not only the money thing (don't forget to factor running costs!)
If you have a skanger speeding and causing a danger to the public, having another car chasing them is only going to double that danger.
It would make more sense to use the Garda Helicopter for pursuits work. But then there is the whole practicality of it.

peasant

Personally I'm not to keen on the idea of a fast car being chased by another fast car at very high speed for hours through traffic and pedestrians.

I'd say the gardai aren't either, simply for safety reasons.

You can't really catch a stolen car with only one fast car anyway (unless you deliberately crash into it and run it off the road, thus wrecking two cars)

Several (slower) patrol cars and possibly a surveillance helicopter will do the trick though.

So I'd rather see three (fully manned) cheaper slower Mondeos in garda colours than one BMW M3 / 5.

EDIT: ahhh ...prospect beat me to it

Vegeta

peasant wrote:

Personally I'm not to keen on the idea of a fast car being chased by another fast car at very high speed for hours through traffic and pedestrians.

I'd say the gardai aren't either, simply for safety reasons.

You can't really catch a stolen car with only one fast car anyway (unless you deliberately crash into it and run it off the road, thus wrecking two cars)

Several (slower) patrol cars and possibly a surveillance helicopter will do the trick though.

So I'd rather see three (fully manned) cheaper slower Mondeos in garda colours than one BMW M3 / 5.

EDIT: ahhh ...prospect beat me to it

I agree with this.

What is a garda in a fast car going to do, wave at the other driver. He'd have to force him off the road or ram him to stop him.

you'd need a couple of fast cars to be able to catch up and box him in and then you are talking about 4 or 5 cars belting it down the road. Maybe just maybe on a quiet day on a motorway.
Can you imagine a chase taking place on a regional road. :eek: :eek:

its just not safe

j14

From what I've heard from January next the Gardai will have their choice of any car impounded by the CAB or from the Gardai impound lot. That means an awful lot of powerful "free" cars at the disposal of the Gardai. Alot of these cars are the more powerful Subarus or Evos. J.

TheBazman

I saw an unmarket Prius yesterday "tearing" down the keys with sirens blazing and blue lights flashing in the front grill. Didn't think fuel economy was the first concern when selecting Garda motors.

starn

I think its a issue of escalation as a reformed speed Junkie and " Car Borrower". If I knew the cops were in M5's it would mean I need to 'borrow' something faster so I know i could get away if it came to a chase

starn

Vegeta wrote:

Can you imagine a chase taking place on a regional road. :eek: :eek:

its just not safe

Been there done that got chased by the forester a few months back. Hadnt a clue it was the cops the chased my all the way from Virginia to the border. Scary stuff

dubstub

layke wrote:

I know it's never going to be in the budget, but don't you think the gardai need some high powered vehicles available for pursuits? I remember seeing a subaru some years back but nothing like that recently.

I completely agree with this. I drive a 1969 Dodge Charger and poor old Sheriff Rosco and Deputy Enos can never catch me in their slow Garda cars.

Rovi

j14 wrote:

From what I've heard from January next the Gardai will have their choice of any car impounded by the CAB or from the Gardai impound lot. That means an awful lot of powerful "free" cars at the disposal of the Gardai.

I know where they got that idea-


I'm waiting to see a pastel clad Guard driving a Daytona/Testarossa-


...with a powerboat-


...and a sailboat somewhere down the docks-


...and a pet alligator called 'Elvis.'

Guy:Incognito

Fey! wrote:

If you look at that here, the Gardai could buy a BMW sans VAT and VRT, and at the end of it's working life sell it for it's market value. How much would it truly cost?

The market value of a large mileage, probably battered high powered saloon car in white? Not very much I reckon.

maidhc

Stekelly wrote:

The market value of a large mileage, probably battered high powered saloon car in white? Not very much I reckon.

The german police changed their cars from white to silver for this exact reason!

Max_Damage

What the gardaí here need is a few Ford Crown Victoria's, like what they have over in the States. 4.6L Police Interceptor V8, nothing will get away from that!

peasant

Max_Damage wrote:

What the gardaí here need is a few Ford Crown Victoria's, like what they have over in the States. 4.6L Police Interceptor V8, nothing will get away from that!

What about bends and corners then?

mackerski

maidhc wrote:

The german police changed their cars from white to silver for this exact reason!

Are silver and green cars more popular?

Dermot

Max_Damage

peasant wrote:

What about bends and corners then?

If they are good enough for the LAPD and NYPD, they are good enough for us!

The gardaí may need a course in 'how to power slide' first!

sk8board

peasant wrote:

What about bends and corners then?

Last I heard, those Interceptors are made by ford and GM for $20-25k, and sold after 3 years as taxi's, for $3k. They generally have about 80-100k miles on the clock after the 3 years, but the taxi I was in recendly had 450k added on; guy said he put about 75k-90k per year!! 2 people, 24-7. regular oil change every 4k miles. Engines is as basic as they get.

As for the gardai, all the mondeo'sa re now being diluted by S40's and Saab 9-3's.

wingnut

layke wrote:

Pondering something for a long time but why do the Gardai use Fords as patrol cars. Lets face it they are definately not the fastest thing out there

Lol, yep they use Fords over here in Wales. My mate is a police officer - his partol car is a Mondeo (226bhp ST220). Would want to be a pretty serious car to get away from that.

CLADA

wingnut wrote:

Lol, yep they use Fords over here in Wales. My mate is a police officer - his partol car is a Mondeo (226bhp ST220). Would want to be a pretty serious car to get away from that.

Pal of mine works in a ford garage in dublin, they have been servicing 2.5 and 3.0 V6 Mondeos for a couple of years now, all unmarked rockets:eek:

ToxicPaddy

Actually a few gardai I know will tell you that the Ford Mondeo is one of if not the best handling car driving at speed out of all the standard saloon cars that the Gardai have in their fleet (Avensis, Corolla, Mondeo). Apparently the Avensis didnt have the handling and was known to slide all over the place and the Corollas braking is terrible at high speed.

Now this has changed with the introduction of Saab's, Volvos, Subarus, Toyota Camry's etc.

I saw an unmarked astra this evening accelerating away from the lights with blue's flashing, sirens blaring etc and I've pushed a shopping trolley faster than that thing was going..

A big part of the problem is that a large portion of the gardai driving patrol cars arent properly trained for high speed driving and just dont have the skills to drive a car at speed properly or safely.

I also agree with the idea of not chasing joyriders as this will only cause them to go all out and probably kill someone, not themselves unfortunately, but poor innocent soul, most are only out looking for the chase anyway and just using the police helicopter is a much safer option.

Tox

Stephen

Max_Damage wrote:

What the gardaí here need is a few Ford Crown Victoria's, like what they have over in the States. 4.6L Police Interceptor V8, nothing will get away from that!

One of the factory options on the police interceptor is kevlar lined doors, for hollywood style shootout action

\m/_(>_<)_\m/

prospect wrote:

"Gardai Buy fleet of BMW M5's for high speed chases."

Can you imagine the uproar at that!

that's true, because everybody would know that it should read

"Gardai Buy fleet of BMW M5's for high speed fast food snacks"