I have just been and had a drive in a 2006 ex police st220 estate. All I will say is damn, they go!!

It was up for 3k, which makes me think something is amiss..as they are pretty rare, the hatches are going for lots more for that age. The sales guy was doing his talk about how good it was but something didn't feel right. For example, the door handles had chrome on, like a Ghia x or titanium, the back seats were boggo standard lx cloth, as opposed to the leather that should be fitted, there was a red power cable going from the battery somewhere. I put most of I down to being ex police, but it was kinda a mishmash of model specs. The heated front screen struggled to clear the condensation even with the fans going too.

It's a shame as it was perfect but the sales guy didn't fill me with confidence and when I enquired about finance, which their website says they can do, he advised me to go and get a personal loan as the finance companies will take longer and a load of other excuses. Just seemed odd as they make commission off finance sales.

What a car though, now I just need to find one. There are loads of auto trader, but the early ones only had a 5 speed box and a few other missing features.

This one also had a k&n filter, do the police really modify their cars? There was also a switch next to the gear leaver...not marked but wondered if anyone knew what it did/used to do. All the other police kit had been removed, there was even a hole for other buttons next to this one, so why not remove it as well. A small circular rocker button....

Does sound a bit dodgy that. Trying to sell it quick? Maybe there is an underlying issue with it..

How spooky, I was eyeing one of these up today, they still look smart 10 years on with the polished wheels and all the kit on them! Even in silver.

As for the mish mash of spec, I dont know if its the same as locally, but I was talking to a trader a while back who flogs ex police vauxhalls. He said when they build them for the cops, they get a boggo sri, then plonk the larger engine/brakes into it, so its not quite a VXR but has the engine and **** in it. Bit of a sleeper. This meant they were worth a fair amount less than a proper one. Possibly this could be the same kinda thing?

As for price, I found some leggy high mile cars for sub £2000 I think. Bit thin on the ground though at that money granted but if this one wasnt the full ticket and i`m guessing high miles with ex police evidence, dare I say it could be a bit over priced? The estates are pretty rare though, if that makes it worth more or less I dont know.

How was it to drive? Quick? Did it sound nice? Was there a decent amount of room inside?

Oh the noise...oh the noise!!! I nearly had an "accident" it was strange. The front was spot on, leather electric recaros etc.

Very quick, fun, noise, noise noise noise!! And the whoosh of the k&n was audible too. I want one. Badly. Loads of room.

It was spot on in every respect, I just got that feeling that something was amiss, and left.

How many miles is the Ex Police st220 supposed to have done?

Did you get a feeling it had been a 'Dog Vehicle', ie smell.?

I owned 2 ex Police Granada Scorpios & both were great but had mis matched interiors.

Both had black leather but brown plastic, both were autos but one was supplied as a manual, & both were pretty rapid.

Both had been bought by private security firms before i bought them at auction.

If you want a car to keep & you like it, then go for it if the price suits you & all is mechanically well.

Just do not pay more than you are comfortable with.

(did you even try the seller on a cash offer to see what he might of gone with)

Easy enough to get everything as you wish inside.

(as to a K&N filter, that would be worth ditching rather quickly, good for damp weather and not much else.)

If you want an nice Q car, EX something, then try and search out HMRC vehicles,

They do some nicely tuned cars, as do Royal Protection, Military etc.

There are some really nice quick Audis around that look pretty ordinary.

george

That very car is responsible for my last speeding fine (years ago), I chose to race an unmarked one (in my other car).

I'm not trying to advocate it to anyone, but yeah they really do put up a bit of a fight :-)

I would overlook the mix match interior as normal police necessity over looks, but I would question the reluctance of the salesman to sort finance

145k. It was ex Essex police, then went to a bloke in Scotland before coming down near me. The v5 had a persons name on it as the owner prior to the last one, rather than the plod. Is that normal? The service history was just a printout with Essex police at he top and then services every 5k or so with a few bits in between. 21 entries I think...

I've just looked through eBay and the 2006 model year appears to have had the chrome treatment so that is right, just the rear seat which I can understand being a police car. Maybe not so dodgy after all...hmmmm

Edit:- had mirrored tints on rear doors backwards...but smelt nice, no doggy smell. Also, the speedo had a company in Nottingham imprinted on it with a number...calibration maybe? Traffic car?

Edited 1 December, 201213 yr by chris_1d

Ahhh, sounds like a bit of me that does! Did it have cruise control? . . . . going through my check list of must haves . . . . . . What colour was it? Hummmmmm, might have a scout on the bay/autotrader.

White, cruise, 145k mmmm

Right, I`m gonna try and tap up a ford techie I know see what he has to say about them. I`ll report back.

That would be great. I'm so tempted by this one I've been to see, I might push him for some finance options tomorrow...still intrigued by this little black button by the gear stick though...

Ok, he said;

Worst thing they can do is bottom end bearings go causing a knocking. Check the rear subframe bushes are good, they are expensive/a pain to replace. Drop links knock too. Expensive to fuel & tax, plus engine parts can be expensive and labour intensive, but overall he rates them, loads of spec for the money, he said obviously its a buyers market so hold out for 'the one'.

I had a quick look at some videos on youtube. Some half decent ones on there, even stock they sound great! (well as good as a youtube video will allow lol). A couple with exhausts sound mental, lots of talk of how smooth they are too. I really like them, they look good in any colour, plus they are reasonably rare too, for a Mondeo anyway. Loads of toys/decent spec, although it`d be juicy I cant see it being any worse than the & 7 series/A8`s I was looking at in the barge thread. The parts cant be any more expensive either. A fair few about with 120/140/150,000 miles on to so they dont fall apart with a few miles on them. Hummmmm

All police cars have calibrated speedo's and are done at IRS at nottingham

Just have a good luck round front end as west yorkshire like to use them as battering rams,

The switch could be anything as they are well wired up when the police get hold of them

I'm going to speak to the sales guy again tomorrow, make an offer and see where we go.

If you do decide to invest, get one registered before the 26th(?) march 2006. After this date, tax goes to over 400quid a year!!

Edit:- IRS Nottingham. Thats the name on the speedo. My 03 plate Superb armed response vehicle didn't have that.

I really want it now!

Edited 1 December, 201213 yr by chris_1d

Hahaha, I`m 23 and using my NCB on my fabia, so my insurance will be double that, whatever age I get. Still, I might get a bit of a discount if I pair it with the Mrs Fiesta ST on a multi car policy.

Let me know how you get on tomorrow! Good luck.

Its gonna cost me around £1100 to multicar it with my ceed. 7 years ncb on the ceed, in a low crime area with 5k miles on each. Im 26.

Might try flux etc..too.

Edit- I meant 400 quid a year tax..not insurance..edited

Edited 1 December, 201213 yr by chris_1d

Ahhh yeah I get ya. Haddnt thought of that!

Just found another ex copper estate for you to compare to . .

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2004-FORD-MONDEO-ST220-3-0-ESTATE-SILVER-/281031041947?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item416ec1639b

Hi, a bit of input on ex cop cars.

The seats will be normal, we have titanium x s-max cars with all the toys however the seats are standard, police cars often get plain seats put in as leather wears too easily, even if it did have learhers seats it originally then the coukd have been damaged by a prisioner and replaced. With the mirrored glass it does sound like a dog van so it would also explain the seats. Switch gear, police cars are often like the starship enterprise, ours have 15 buttons for the lights alone! They also have switches for rear air con (dog vans) data terminals, installed torch charges, VASCAR, plus a whole hosts of other stuff. With regards to the speedo, they don't normally calibrate them especially if its a traffic car, instead they just install VASCAR either as part of a video recording system or standalone. And lastly the air filter, no. I have never seen any police car with a K&N as they give no real benefit, I have only seen the mapped/tuned.

Police cars can often be really good buys if you don't mind the holes/different bits and high mileage. But I would always urge people to think about the pros and cons as they have had 1 very careful owner but 50 dodgey drivers! Lol.

Thanks for the input. I emailed them again this morning and asked them to email me details for finance proposal and I would reply as and when as I was at work all day. They replied saying they would call me at 4.30 to take a depsosit and details for finance. They then emailed again at 15:45 saying he was going home and to call them tomorrow. Not very professional so I'm going to look elsewhere. I have decided I want an estate and really wanted white but its the only one. So I will find an estate and then if I really want it white I will get it wrapped.

There are a few local hatches around but no estates. Grrr. Will just have to look further!

White, cruise, 145k mmmm

I may be wrong but I'm sure they didn't do an ST in white...

Its ex police, so who knows....it all checks out on hpi though as a white st220.

Bit of googling and it appears the white st220 was police issue only

Like the mk1 octavia vrs's then apart from the WRC's

Bit of googling and it appears the white st220 was police issue only

And as rare as rocking horse poo....

I found the one you were looking at, damn they look good in white! Explained why I d not seen any white ones before if they`re police only thought. I know lots of people have ex police cars and they have no issues, but given the choice I`d rather a non police car (personally).

To be honest, its going to take some hunting for an estate either way they do seem a bit sparse, but I dont think that one is spectacular value at the listed price, not missing out, I`d wanna get the matching rear seats and replace the odd bits of trim to make it all fresh again tbh. Getting another coloured car and wrapping it is a good shout though, can be less fussy on its real colour if it`s going to be wrapped. Could always get it sprayed if not? Suppose it depends how much you like the idea of being able to peel it back off.