New Garda fleet

V8 Interceptor

Those CRDI engines are pretty decent though (for diesels).

baldshin

The Hyundai's are completely unsuitable for the task at hand. The Gardaí need cars that are designed and built to be police cars, with the ability to take abuse and be on the road for upwards of 20 hours a day 365 days a year. They also need priority service package whereby when a car is dropped to the garage it becomes the number one priority to be fixed and sent back out on the road. That's just not the way it is right now.

dense

road_high wrote: »

I reckon Hyundai must be giving them for half nothing to promote the brand here- people think if the Gardaí are using them then they must be very tough and robust. Because I don't know why you’d willingly pick an I30 over and above so many talented alternatives unless it was a lot cheaper

Hyundai won an open public tender to supply the vehicles to the required specifications.

The authorities got what they asked for and Hyundai can expect to benefit from being seen as manufacturing vehicles suitable for a police force, which is something many suppliers would like to be able to say in the showroom.



It would be normal for them to tender as low as possible for the public exposure that such a deal brings and possibly make up the shortfall from the service element.



As for their reliability, they're apparently now rated very highly.
https://www.fleetnews.co.uk/news/manufacturer-news/2018/07/11/hyundai-is-most-reliable-car-brand-according-to-jd-power-survey

Del2005

baldshin wrote: »

The Hyundai's are completely unsuitable for the task at hand. The Gardaí need cars that are designed and built to be police cars, with the ability to take abuse and be on the road for upwards of 20 hours a day 365 days a year. They also need priority service package whereby when a car is dropped to the garage it becomes the number one priority to be fixed and sent back out on the road. That's just not the way it is right now.

Yet they are suitable for the UK and Australian police. So apart from our Gardai being largely untrained drivers what's the other reason they aren't suitable?

dense

Del2005 wrote: »

Yet they are suitable for the UK and Australian police. So apart from our Gardai being largely untrained drivers what's the other reason they aren't suitable?

This is a special country so we need special police cars?

DaveyDave

Opinions of the cars aside, I thought they were moving back to Ford because of the reliability issues they had? I've seen people saying the cars are off the road for repairs a lot etc.

What's the reason for picking a small SUV over an estate?

dense

DaveyDave wrote: »

What's the reason for picking a small SUV over an estate?

Tougher and more macho looking, can handle all the months of snow we get each year and the cross country detail better too, and a much better centre of gravity, not.

V8 Interceptor

DaveyDave wrote: »

What's the reason for picking a small SUV over an estate?

Just going with the trend probably.

baldshin

Del2005 wrote: »

Yet they are suitable for the UK and Australian police. So apart from our Gardai being largely untrained drivers what's the other reason they aren't suitable?

This-

DaveyDave wrote: »

I thought they were moving back to Ford because of the reliability issues they had? I've seen people saying the cars are off the road for repairs a lot etc.

They are constantly off the road, a station with 2-3 cars can expect one of them to be in the garage at least once a fortnight, and can often take an age to have repaired.

road_high

Del2005 wrote: »

Yet they are suitable for the UK and Australian police. So apart from our Gardai being largely untrained drivers what's the other reason they aren't suitable?

I’m sure they’re equally ****e there too. It suits Hyundai as an up and coming maker to push their vehicles into police fleets as the advertising and PR perception is priceless for them to build up credibility.

Zubeneschamali

road_high wrote: »

It suits Hyundai as an up and coming maker to push their vehicles into police fleets as the advertising and PR perception is priceless for them to build up credibility.

Not so much if they are off the road in the garage all the time. Ireland is a small market, and word gets around.

bigroad

More helicopters are the way forward.
This craic at chasing criminals at 150mph is not good for anyone.
Also all Garda cars should be fitted with push bars.

dense

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

Not so much if they are off the road in the garage all the time. Ireland is a small market, and word gets around.

Where's the evidence that shows them being "off the road and in the garage all the time"?


Have the garda authorities published this information anywhere, or is it just more anecdotal gossip that Joe Duffy would love?

tedpan

Vicxas wrote:

Q7's are the Armed Response Unit? No?

alexlyons wrote:

they are, water unit have a discovery as well

Definitely have seen at least one Traffic Corps Q7

Damien360

tedpan wrote: »

Definitely have seen at least one Traffic Corps Q7

There is one in Newbridge and one in Castlebar. Both are armed Gardai. Not traffic Corp. They are for dealing with more serious criminals and were allocated to a various towns with bigger issues than unarmed Gardai could deal with.

Armed Response is a different unit out of Phoenix park and not sure where else. They deal with hostage situations and terrorism. (To answer Vicxas question)

billie1b

Damien360 wrote: »

There is one in Newbridge and one in Castlebar. Both are armed Gardai. Not traffic Corp. They are for dealing with more serious criminals and were allocated to a various towns with bigger issues than unarmed Gardai could deal with.

Armed Response is a different unit out of Phoenix park and not sure where else. They deal with hostage situations and terrorism. (To answer Vicxas question)

Blanchardstown have a Q7 and X5 in their traffic corps fleet, they also have both in the ERU units too

V8 Interceptor

Which European Country has the best "patrol" cars? By patrol car I mean their general day to day workhorse not their specialist vehicles.

ba_barabus

V8 Interceptor wrote: »

Which European Country has the best "patrol" cars? By patrol car I mean their general day to day workhorse not their specialist vehicles.

They all have basic cars for tipping about. The Carabineriri in Italy have lovely Alfas with go faster stripes which look great. Coolest police cars I know.

sligojoek

A few weeks ago I was driving through Sligo when an unmarked 07 Focus came up behind me and hit the sirens and lights. Drove past me fairly lively and stayed going. A few days later I was having a pint with a detective and asked was it him. He said , "No. I never drive that car". I Asked, "Why not? Is it attached to another section?" He said "No. It's because it's a haype of shyte".

JCX BXC

Everytime that I read about gardaí and new vehicles on Facebook I find these sort of comments:



We shall have completely underfunded services while toolboxes like these manage to insist their opinions everywhere.

Atlantic Dawn

V8 Interceptor wrote: »

Which European Country has the best "patrol" cars? By patrol car I mean their general day to day workhorse not their specialist vehicles.

I'd say Germany, lots of middle end BMW's and Mercs.

Atlantic Dawn

JCX BXC wrote: »

We shall have completely underfunded services while toolboxes like these manage to insist their opinions everywhere.

They are working harder and not smarter, IT is about 10 years plus behind the UK. Is the problem no funding or no union acceptance of new tech?

sligojoek

A friend of mine is on a panel of testers for a traffic corps in the UK. He's driven some serious machinery in his time and reckons if he had his way the police over there would drive nothing only Volvos.

Del2005

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

. Is the problem no funding or no union acceptance of new tech?

The same as all our problems Government ineptitude, brought about by 5 year election cycles where no politician wants to sign off anything which takes longer than 3 years to implement.

We can keep throwing billions into the money pit of the HSE because its "good" news and instant "results", but we can't afford to properly police, defend or house our population because it'll take more than 5 years to fix the problems and no politician wants to have their project finished by someone else. Look at the Boris bikes in London introduce by Ken Livingston to see why nothing happens in our electrical systems.

tedpan

sligojoek wrote:

A friend of mine is on a panel of testers for a traffic corps in the UK. He's driven some serious machinery in his time and reckons if he had his way the police over there would drive nothing only Volvos.

A fleet of Geelys

sligojoek

What's a Geely?

California Dreamer

sligojoek wrote: »

What's a Geely?

I knew a Lee once.....never got to see her g.... :eek::cool::)

dense

V8 Interceptor wrote: »

Which European Country has the best "patrol" cars?

Hard to say nowadays, they all look the same now with that stupid, but "edgy" Battenberg wrapping on them :pac:


God be with the days we had the more sedate looking navy-blue Cortinas and the white Vauxhall Victors for special duties.

Del2005

sligojoek wrote: »

What's a Geely?

Volvos owners.

lawred2

Del2005 wrote: »

The same as all our problems Government ineptitude, brought about by 5 year election cycles where no politician wants to sign off anything which takes longer than 3 years to implement.

We can keep throwing billions into the money pit of the HSE because its "good" news and instant "results", but we can't afford to properly police, defend or house our population because it'll take more than 5 years to fix the problems and no politician wants to have their project finished by someone else. Look at the Boris bikes in London introduce by Ken Livingston to see why nothing happens in our electrical systems.

Investment in the HSE delivers good news and instant results? Really?

dense

dense wrote: »

Hard to say nowadays, they all look the same now with that stupid, but "edgy" Battenberg wrapping on them :pac:


God be with the days we had the more sedate looking navy-blue Cortinas and the white Vauxhall Victors for special duties.

It’s a high visibility device appropriate to the vehicles use. It’s not intended to be fashionable. It’s like someone lamenting the use of camo in the military and longing for the good old days of red or blue coats with white belts and gloves.

Dog be with the days blah blah blah. Poxy old bog-spec Escorts, Renault 4’s and Ritmos.

Nostalgia has its place but this probably isn’t it.

Del2005

lawred2 wrote: »

Investment in the HSE delivers good news and instant results? Really?

Did you miss the inverted commas?

Grab All Association

Hyundai/Kia customer criteria

Lack imagination,
stuck in a boring job with no prospect of a promotion,
suffer from erectile disfunction
Gave up in life.
Live in the midlands

lawred2

Del2005 wrote: »

Did you miss the inverted commas?

Actually I did.

But funnily enough I still don't agree with the contention that the annual 500,000,000 budget overrun in health is ever seen as a "good" news item with immediate "results"..

Health is almost universally seen as a black hole for public finances in Ireland with little in the way of "good" news stories for politicians seeking short term PR gains.. it's equally a black hole for funding and the political aspirations of many.

The guards could have the fanciest motors going but I'm not sure they even have the manpower for sufficient utilisation of them

colm_mcm

Grab All Association wrote: »

Hyundai/Kia customer criteria

Lack imagination,
stuck in a boring job with no prospect of a promotion,
suffer from erectile disfunction
Gave up in life.
Live in the midlands

How’s the Skoda going?

Del2005

lawred2 wrote: »

Actually I did.

But funnily enough I still don't agree with the contention that the annual 500,000,000 budget overrun in health is ever seen as a "good" news item with immediate "results"..

Health is almost universally seen as a black hole for public finances in Ireland with little in the way of "good" news stories for politicians seeking short term PR gains.. it's equally a black hole for funding and the political aspirations of many.

The guards could have the fanciest motors going but I'm not sure they even have the manpower for sufficient utilisation of them

I agree but as I said our election cycle means that no politician will do something that doesn't get a visible return in their 5 years. To fix health, and the rest of our state inststutions, will require painful decisions and no politician will do that so instead we squander billions on the HSE. Sure even the formation of the HSE was a mess they merged numerous health boards but not a single person was made redundant. That meant that there were and still are way to many back office staff, who don't have easily transferable skills, while we loose front line staff, with transferable skills, because of a lack of resources.

r3nu4l

road_high wrote: »

I’m sure they’re equally ****e there too. It suits Hyundai as an up and coming maker to push their vehicles into police fleets as the advertising and PR perception is priceless for them to build up credibility.

The Tuscon was a best seller in Ireland long before the Gardaí had any on their fleet tbh.

As for reliability, first off, it's always a friend of a friend who "told my mate"/works for Hyundai servicing, that they are always in the garage.

Secondly, even if they are in the garage a lot, take any car, put it on the road for up to 20 hours a day, every day of the year and drive it hard and see how often it ends up in the garage...

Most of the people here moaning about the Hyundai's would be the very first to moan if the the Garda fleet was full of powerful, expensive models. "You'd think they would spend the money on the homeless/tax breaks! Sure Irish roads don't need powerful cars like that.". Ireland, land of the moaners...he says, moaning about the moaners

AndrewJRenko

Del2005 wrote: »

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

. Is the problem no funding or no union acceptance of new tech?

The same as all our problems Government ineptitude, brought about by 5 year election cycles where no politician wants to sign off anything which takes longer than 3 years to implement.

We can keep throwing billions into the money pit of the HSE because its "good" news and instant "results", but we can't afford to properly police, defend or house our population because it'll take more than 5 years to fix the problems and no politician wants to have their project finished by someone else. Look at the Boris bikes in London introduce by Ken Livingston to see why nothing happens in our electrical systems.

I don't disagree with your point about short term thinking, but do we want to blame the politicians or the gobsh1tes who vote for short term populists?

And btw, last time I looked, our Dublin Bikes had higher usage rates than the London bikes.

AndrewJRenko

Grab All Association wrote: »

Hyundai/Kia customer criteria

Lack imagination,
stuck in a boring job with no prospect of a promotion,
suffer from erectile disfunction
Gave up in life.
Live in the midlands

Do people still fall for the "cars as a status symbol" advertising?

MadYaker

I drove past a 182 garda discovery parked in a petrol station yesterday, made me do a double take. Are they just normal Gardai?

California Dreamer

MadYaker wrote: »

I drove past a 182 garda discovery parked in a petrol station yesterday, made me do a double take. Are they just normal Gardai?

Water or dog unit

Fann Linn

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Do people still fall for the "cars as a status symbol" advertising?

Shure do. Wasn't that the reason the reg plates were changed?

road_high

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Do people still fall for the "cars as a status symbol" advertising?

Cars are more of a statue symbol than ever. Why else the flight towards premium in the past 15 years.

AndrewJRenko

road_high wrote: »

Cars are more of a statue symbol than ever. Why else the flight towards premium in the past 15 years.

I thought that was because more and more people can 'buy' the cars on the never never. Is it really 'status' to say 'I got a big PCP payment and huge balloon coming that I've no idea how I'll deal with'?

But isn't it just a bit silly to be trying to impress people by driving a big car?

Eric Cartman

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Do people still fall for the "cars as a status symbol" advertising?

nah, Ireland is even worse than that, its about the 3 digits on the start of the 10 quid piece of plastic on the back that they care about. Spend tens of thousands to get a higher number on that plate, and the less you can afford it, the more likely you are to have it thanks to pcp finance and scrappage deals.

Damien360

MadYaker wrote: »

I drove past a 182 garda discovery parked in a petrol station yesterday, made me do a double take. Are they just normal Gardai?

A unmarked Range Rover 182 passed me on M1 northbound last week. It had 3 aerials on the roof, strobes (not on) in dash centre and the only other reason I think it was Garda is the i40 unmarked Garda car didn't go after him that was directly behind me when he went past. Both left motorway at N2 exit. Can't be 100% sure it was Garda in Range Rover so I would love if someone could confirm.

They are going the same way as NI with more and more out of the ordinary cars as unmarked.

California Dreamer

Damien360 wrote: »

A unmarked Range Rover 182 passed me on M1 northbound last week.

That would be close protection.

Eric Cartman

Damien360 wrote: »

A unmarked Range Rover 182 passed me on M1 northbound last week. It had 3 aerials on the roof, strobes (not on) in dash centre and the only other reason I think it was Garda is the i40 unmarked Garda car didn't go after him that was directly behind me when he went past. Both left motorway at N2 exit. Can't be 100% sure it was Garda in Range Rover so I would love if someone could confirm.

They are going the same way as NI with more and more out of the ordinary cars as unmarked.

yeah, they had an armoured 2006 range rover and I believe a 2010 one for the queens visit too. Theres always one of those 'we need to move somebody really really important and not have them shot' cars.

V8 Interceptor

Eric Cartman wrote: »

the idea of needing new training to drive a sub 200bhp fwd tractor around says an awful lot about this country and its attitude to motoring

LOL!

V8 Interceptor

Chuck_Norris wrote: »

They definitely had ST220's. I was in one!

A kindly Garda took me for a quick, pun intended, spin in one about 7 years ago. Made me promise not to tell anyone. Fairly shifted to be fair.

Did the dash in 7 seconds those yokes. Not bad for the times.