[hip]

Just read about another disasterous police cruiser accident involving the infamous Ford Crown Vic and started to wonder...
Has any municipality ever ordered an Accord police cruiser or for that matter a TSX or EuroAccord?

If not why, police ususally evaluate and base their bidding on vehicles submitted by the manufacturers specidfically for Police Pursuit. Typically these have traditionally been GM and Ford, Chrysler dropped out years ago as they didn't see the value in pursuing such a small market segment.

In fact, the reason most companies don't compete in this arena is cost. They usually have to "beef" a car up coniserably in order to make it eligible to comply.

But think about it, just about every Accord could do the job with little or no modifications. Tires, alternators, brakes, suspensions, engine almost all these mechanicals are 'head and shoulders' above the domestic competitors and would easily comply direct from Honda or with the help of Comptech or Mugen.

If you think it's too far fetched, California used to use IROZ Z Camaros and Mustang GTs. Scottsdale Arizona in the late 70's had several gull wing Bricklkins!

In the case of the North American Accord, the car is certainly roomy enough, the 6 is easily a match or faster than any Crown Vic, the cooling systems can run forever in Arizona heat at idle all day, and most important of all...

When was the last time you read about an Accord exploding in a rear end collision!

The benefits to Honda would be bragging rights as this would definitely be another nail in the coffin for antique and dangerous behemoths like the Crown Vic.

 

[kiteboy]

imho, I don't think a stock Accord is up to police duty. I' not sure about the CV, but the prior Chevy Caprice interceptors were fitted with 300+ hp LS1 from the 'vette. Also, racing quality brakes, upgraded cooling systems and such. The interior has to be sealed between front and back seats for the perps, which makes a front bench seat and vinyl uphosltery mandatory.

Up front, the cabin needs to accomodate a whole whack of radios, laptops and other electronics gear, plus two 250-300lb officers in bulletproof vests. I would imagine the Accord's seats to be wee-bit uncomfortable in those conditions.

Most importantly, there's a political element which would prevent purchasing fleets of foreign branded cars for the police force. It doesn't matter that it's assembled in Ohio, the big-H is a Japanese company and that's where the profits go. It's one thing for one-off vanity cars, like new Beetles or 911's, but it's another to spec a foreign everyday cruiser.

Honda's not selling to rental fleets, so I wouldn't hold my breath for a police interceptor.

 

[larchmont]

.....Most importantly, there's a political element which would prevent purchasing fleets of foreign branded cars for the police force.....

Sounds right -- I've always assumed it.
Otherwise I'm pretty sure we would have been seeing "the big H" (or some such) in a lot of our police forces since long ago.

 

[hip]

imho, I don't think a stock Accord is up to police duty. I' not sure about the CV, but the prior Chevy Caprice interceptors were fitted with 300+ hp LS1 from the 'vette. Also, racing quality brakes, upgraded cooling systems and such. The interior has to be sealed between front and back seats for the perps, which makes a front bench seat and vinyl uphosltery mandatory.

Up front, the cabin needs to accomodate a whole whack of radios, laptops and other electronics gear, plus two 250-300lb officers in bulletproof vests. I would imagine the Accord's seats to be wee-bit uncomfortable in those conditions.

Most importantly, there's a political element which would prevent purchasing fleets of foreign branded cars for the police force. It doesn't matter that it's assembled in Ohio, the big-H is a Japanese company and that's where the profits go. It's one thing for one-off vanity cars, like new Beetles or 911's, but it's another to spec a foreign everyday cruiser.

Honda's not selling to rental fleets, so I wouldn't hold my breath for a police interceptor.

I frequent a local bagel shop where are a lot of Police officers frequently go between shifts. I spoke to a few and asked them about their cars and they showed me the engines. For city use they are running slightly modified 351 CID Ford Clevelands with heavy duty alts, cooling, brakes, electrical systems, Goodyear GA radials and bucket seats!

I'm sure Honda could come up with a durable material cover for the seats as well as the obligatory perp partition? I'd bet the Honda buckets to be infiinitely better suited than the slab flat buckets I saw in the Crown Vics.

Maybe the Highway Patrol cars are running something faster but I doubt it. These days they rely more on helicopter patrols and non-violent intercepts.

As for foreign branding, domestic content ain't so domestic anymore as globalization put an end to that. Just read the TSXClub news article on the Mercury Zephyr. so I don't think that is an issue any more.

Also many towns are running SUVs, you can't tell me these are faster than an Accord?

I don't hold out much hope either for this to happen right away due to economies fo this business segment. But I bet somewhere, someplace, this will occur soon?

Don't be surprised if Toyota isn't first as they have the resources and are looking to move up fast as they recently supplanted Chrysler for the top 3 spot.

Besides if Germany can run 911s as police cars what's wrong with using an NSX?

 

[Whatchamacallit]

Ford Crown Victorias are big, fat, heavy cars with lots of mass (remember the other thread on ABS brakes?) and tend to do better in major crashes.

As good as Hondas/Toyotas perform in crash tests in controlled testing grounds, I don't think they are the right car for the everyday police job.

Ford and Chevy police cruisers are built to take a beating or two. (Another reason why domestic trucks are dominating import truck sales). They probably don't last too long but reliability probably isn't on the top of their priority list.

 

[TSX 'R' US]

Well...there are no Hondas nor Toyotas out there currently, but Colorado has an STi for catching street racers:

 

[larchmont]

You puttin' me on?

Looks like a nice little way to recruit for the department. I'm serious.

 

[TSX 'R' US]

Here's one from Arizona...

 

[ChinchillaX]

The RWD V8 Crown Vic police car is better than the FWD V6 Chevy Wimpala police car. Where I used to live the cops used the Wimpalas galore. They were the biggest pieces of sh*t ever! They have a lot of electrical problems and suspension issues. Many of them would be out of service because of these problems. I guess they weren't build to handle the rough roads in a big city. I think the Crown Vic is nice IMO! I am thinking about getting a second hand Vic at a police auction.

St. Louis has Honda Civic and CR-V as parking enforcement vehicles, but they aren't really police cars. All they have are the decals and a lightbar.

Those Subarus police cars are nice! Where you getting the pictures TSX 'R' US? Link them!

 

[TSX 'R' US]

Those Subarus police cars are nice! Where you getting the pictures TSX 'R' US? Link them!

My cousin actually sent me those pics... I've got a few more of each. I'll host and post them. If I see him online again, I'll ask where he got those from.

 

[TSX 'R' US]

Here's the Colorado STi pics

 

[TSX 'R' US]

And the AZ WRX pics

 

[ChinchillaX]

Here is a picture I took of Honda CR-V St. Louis Police cars that stormed our Honda/Acura meet last December. Notice they both have lightbars on top.

 

[ChinchillaX]

Oak Park Patrol BMW X5.

 

[bob shiftright]

No pix, but when I drove my TSX home from the dealer in north Jersey, I saw a unmarked Nissan Altima traffic enforcement car with strobes that had somebody pulled over.

BTW, there isn't that much space in the front seat of a Crown Vic, I even find the TSX more spacious. Officers seem to prefer SUVs with all the equipment they need to haul around today. I'm wondering how they manage to fit into a Subaru!

 

[larchmont]

.....there isn't that much space in the front seat of a Crown Vic, I even find the TSX more spacious.....

Gotta be kidding! Not that I'd like "more spacious," but, where do all those extra inches and feet GO, if not to give more space?

 

[hip]

Here's one from Arizona...

Thanks for the great pix! Nice to know my ideas are not so far fetched after all?

As for anyone considering owning a Crown Vic, all I can say is "vaya con el dios."

From all the articles I've read concerning these "rear exploding fire bombs," I can't imagine anyone without a death wish wanting to own one? :thumbsdow

 

[hip]

Gotta be kidding! Not that I'd like "more spacious," but, where do all those extra inches and feet GO, if not to give more space?

Sorry Larch I started to edit your post instead of quoting it.

In my younger less informed and gullible youth, I lusted for a Camaro (hard to believe) but that was many years ago.

Looking back, the size of the that car was huge by todays standards and unimaginably wasteful in terms of space utilization. The wheelbase was 107" and it weighed over 3700lbs with a V8 capable of only 145hp. Front seating space was adequate, but rear was a joke (a bad joke).

I could see how older designs were less effecient in many areas, especially RWD models as old as the Crown Vic. I don't know if anyone realizes the Crown Vic is based on a platform from the 60's. No joke, it still uses the same basic chassis design from the Ford Galaxy 500!

Part of the problem why they are so dangerous is that the design still dictates the gas tank be located behind the rear bumper instead of further forward as in newer cars. When the car is rear ended, the suspension components pierce the tank and fuel starts leaking out immediately. As the collision continues, metal suspension components rub against each other creating sparks.

They tweak the drivetrain to stay "modern" but there is only so much you can do with it. Even the current Mustang comes from a platform known internally at Ford as the "Fox" which was the basis of their later model RWD cars during the late 70's (think old T-Bird and Cougar).

There are a number of aftermarket companies making gas tank shields and selling them to Police agencies to retrofit the cruisers. I understand the need to save money, but many cities continue to still buy new versions of this old design knowing the potential hazards?!

 

[kiteboy]

Besides if Germany can run 911s as police cars what's wrong with using an NSX?

olice:

 

[hip]

olice:

Thanks Kiteboy!

Vindicated at last! :laugh: