At some point in your life, you've probably asked yourself how nice it would be to travel in a police car to scoot around traffic or get somewhere fast. We're talking about being up front, not as a "guest" in the back. Well, now's your chance to roll like Five-0 thanks to this edition of Auction Dilemma. Let's check-out a 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe Police Pursuit Vehicle up for bid at Doug DeMuro's carsandbids.com and a 2014 Ford Explorer Police Interceptor auction at govdeals.com.
2015 Chevrolet Tahoe Police Pursuit Vehicle
The steel wheels are a dead giveaway that this Tahoe PPV was protecting and serving instead of making little league runs. There are other telltale signs of the Tahoe's former life--this includes holes on the driver-side A-pillar used to house the spotlight. Inside, other holes mark the former location of police equipment. The seller reports that the two-row SUV was repainted in a solid black to most likely cover up the original black and white livery. Exterior blemishes are consistent with a 95,000-mile (with most of that mileage racked up during public service in Texas).
The gem of this rear-wheel-drive Tahoe is the 5.3L V-8, which is factory rated for 355 hp and 383 lb-ft of torque, connected to a six-speed automatic transmission. Fueling up with E85 gas reportedly boosts output to 380 hp and 416 lb-ft. This SUV could be the ideal weekend toy puller, thanks to an 8,600-pound towing capacity.
The vinyl second row and cloth/vinyl front seats are all business in the cabin--not a heated seat or swatch of leather in sight. The listing states that the interior rear door handles have been disabled, so the buyer should remember to open the door for rear-seat passengers or reconnect the cables, which is an easy task, according to the seller. Features include a Driver Alert Package which contains power-adjustable pedals, forward collision alert, and lane departure warning. Power front seats, USB ports, Bluetooth, review-view monitor, and rear parking sensors round out the equipment list.
2014 Ford Explorer Police Interceptor
Unlike the almost stealthy exterior of the Tahoe PPV, this Explorer PI screams cop car. The blue and white body (minus the Raleigh, NC police emblem) makes this SUV's origins obvious. The original spotlight even stays with the car. Sweet. Exterior imperfections and equipment holes reflect a work vehicle with 92,000 miles that saw service until only four months ago.
Interestingly, the seller (the City of Raleigh) provides a 50-page service history for the Explorer, so bidders know what they are getting. Kudos for the disclosure. The Police Interceptor package includes all-wheel-drive, six-speed automatic, and a Flex Fuel 3.7L V-6 originally rated for 304 hp and 279 lb-ft of torque. It's no Tahoe V-8, but the Explorer can get out of its own way and tow up to 6,300 pounds.
Inside, the torn and mismatched seats and vinyl floor covering mean you won't care if the kids get ice cream everywhere. The lack of a center console and missing center stack components add to the somewhat sad-looking cabin. Probably the last thing cops and perps have on their minds is a vehicle interior.
Which Police Vehicle Would You Chase After?
While both of the vehicles have seen better, and perhaps more exciting days, either could be ideal for a bargain-minded SUV shopper. The Chevrolet Tahoe PPV has a $7,700 high bid with three days remaining in the auction as of this writing. With one day left in its auction, the Ford Explorer PI has a high bid of $4,500.
Sources: carsandbids.com, govdeals.com, nadaguides.com
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