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Dodge Charger police cruisers
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Member Posts: 2,311 ✭✭✭
It seems like every police dep't in this part of Missouri is dumping their Fords and Chevys for new Dodge Charger cruisers. I must admit they look good, and are very intimidating when coming up behind you with all their lights flashing. I found that out the hard way the other day when one stopped me because he saw I had a brake light out. He was very polite, no ticket, told me to get it changed as quick as I could, and I did!
Is the Dodge the new popular patrol car everywhere, or are we setting the new police fashion trend? I like to think we in Missouri are alot more cutting edge then people give us credit for.
Is the Dodge the new popular patrol car everywhere, or are we setting the new police fashion trend? I like to think we in Missouri are alot more cutting edge then people give us credit for.
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Might be because we have two Ford plants in the area.
Ours are black, tinted windows, full push bumpers and gray graphics...some slick tops, some with clear LED light bars...they look bad *
did the leo agencies get a discount...taxpayers have already made many payments towards these
we buy them at a pre-negotiated price through State bid...so yes they are significantly cheaper than public price...base price for the PPV Hemi Charger is $22,287
Theyre really good running and handling vehicles, but they tend to stay in the shop more than out on the road. Their maintenance dollars have turned out to be much higher than others.
For example, it's not unusual at all for an agency's Chargers to each have multiple front end rebuilds. The design doesn't handle rough roads well at all.
I was looking at one of ours the other day, they might be okay for traffic, but I don't see how you'd ever get someone in the back...at least on the one I looked at.
There was only about 2" between the back of the front seat and the front edge of the back seat. And they're so low I'd have to fold up like a pretzel to even get in front!
They do look cool though.
It is a very tight fit...
I just asked my wife and she says the new city cars are the Ford Taurus Interceptors.
Our sherriffs office is phasing them out in favor of pickups and Chevy Tahoes. We get enough severe weather in the winter that it practically immobilized the deputies trying to drive those Chargers on slick roads. They only have one left. The city just got two new Ford AWD's of some type.
SUVs are more practical, but cost more up front.
A cop in a black cruiser stopped me recently for tailight out. He said,"Didn't you see me behind you back there?" I told him that I don't care about people who are behind me for that reason.
Then he made a comment about my radar detector mounted above the mirror, asking if it was just so I could break the law. What a jerk! Just out trying to flex on me. So, I responded with,"Sir, I don't use it to speed unlawfully. I only use it to find Donnut Stores!"
He gave me a warning for the tailight which actually came back on due to a short or loose wire. But he said that now I've had a contact, they'll be keeping an eye out for me![V]
Police cruiser-comfort would be the last thing
on my mind.
ron
I have never liked front wheel drive cars. I know that about 98% of cars made now are FWD, but I never cared for the handling or the cost of maintenance (including the way they go through front tires). They are cheaper to assembly on the manufacturing line and that's the only reason they have become the standard configuration.
I would think that cops would need not only a relatively fast car to respond and pursue, but also a larger car to accommodate passengers. The Charger is fast but very small. I am not sure if a perfect police vehicle is currently made. Maybe one of the smaller SUVs would work.
Too old to live...too young to die...
Looks like leetle police cars... [:D]
If I had a reason to be in the back of a
Police cruiser-comfort would be the last thing
on my mind.
ron
It's more than just a matter of comfort.
Not everyone who rides back there is agreeable to the trip. Chargers are the toughest cop car to force someone into the back seat of that I've seen.
Larger folks actually have to ride sitting sideways back there.
It is a 6.0 Liter V-8 with rear wheel drive and 6 speed trans.
It's assembled in Australia like the Pontiac G-8 and the new Chevrolet SS will be.
I think top speed is 160 mph.
Here is a photo while it was in cleanup and a photo of the window sticker.
Low bidder.
I read that Dodge made an offer impossible to pass. They are showing up all around out here in N. Idaho as well. They do look neat.
One of our salesmen is a volunteer fireman and has a 4X4 Silverado. A couple of years ago, he was on the way to work and had to pull out a Police Charger about 5 times in a half mile stretch of snowy road.
And we don't even get as much snow as a lot of the more northern counties. His tires were probably good for pursuits on normal roads but were just worthless in snow.
I have heard the Chargers are very poor in snowy conditions.
Our guys feel like they do a lot better in the snow/rain than CVs. We put our folks in a couple old Explorers we have when it snows hard enough to cover the road.
NEVER seen them use the push bumper but they are added to all the cars = wasted taxpayer $$$
Kind of wondered how those push bumpers work out with airbag switches in the bumpers? Do they completely disarm the aribag system?
Local PD NEVER turn them off once they leave the station. Apparently with all the electronics they add (computer, etc) ...... if they turn them off the battery goes dead and have to get a jump start.....so the local cop said.
That is a chronic problem...no matter what brand car...batteries go bad, and it messes up some of the computers and cameras when you turn the car on/off constantly. Our garage has tried several products (battery savers and such) and the issue never seems to get resolved. Back when I had marked car with a camera/computer, on my days off if it were more than two days I'd go out and run the car for awhile to make sure it would start the next day for work!
quote:Originally posted by us55840
NEVER seen them use the push bumper but they are added to all the cars = wasted taxpayer $$$
Kind of wondered how those push bumpers work out with airbag switches in the bumpers? Do they completely disarm the aribag system?
no...the push bumpers are mounted to the frame not the bumper. Supposedly they do not impede the function of the airbag sensors.
NEVER seen them use the push bumper but they are added to all the cars = wasted taxpayer $$$
That's not actually a push bumper. Most commonly, if the need arises a tow truck is called rather than assuming the liability of possible damage to the other vehicle.
What you're seeing is more of a combination grill guard and mounting point for siren speaker boxes. OSHA no longer allows those loud bazzards to be mounted on the roof and spare under-hood space is almost nonexistent with a Charger.
In addition it's often used as a mounting point for emergency lights, GPS antennas, RFID devices, etc. without having to cut into the car's body.
Our dept. has Crown Vics, Grand Cherokee, Liberty, Trailblazers, Impalas, New and old body style Explores, Chargers and now we just got 5 new Taurus Interceptors. I went from an Impala to the new Interceptor. Day and night difference, the new Interceptor is awesome.
I've had an Impala for several years....nice in the snow but I miss the Crown Vic I had before the Impala. It's going to need a transmission soon.
Some of the old boat type cruisers, new Chargers with bars, some Mustangs with bars, and an Expedition here and there.[:)]
We replaced half of our patrol fleet this year with Dodge Chargers. One of the reasons being that we didn't feel comfortable buying a new model car (Police Interceptor) until the kinks are worked out. Our cars have to last 8-10 years. We have a couple older chargers and they've worked well for us. Other PDs have had problems with them, but ours have been good.
Ours are black, tinted windows, full push bumpers and gray graphics...some slick tops, some with clear LED light bars...they look bad *
Same here, but we swapped to the Chevy Tahoe police package.