Crawling along the M4 this afternoon, thought I caught a whiff of pork products in the air ...sure enough a police car comes storming up the hard shoulder.

But this wasn't any old police car, this was an unmarked light blue metallic BMW M5 (latest model) with blue lights behind the grill and a 'temporary' single blue light on the roof. To top it all off, it had a private plate - M5 YEP!!

Assuming this wasn't a private M5 owner desperate to get home for his dinner! , how the f*** can the police justify having a 50 grand M5 on private plates???

they have gatso to thank.

Might to on loan/trial from BMW ?

A lot a car manufacturers do this to try and get their products approved by the police.

Steve.

Maybe, but none of the BMW loan cars we have had at work have nice 'M5' plates on 'em! perhaps the 5-0 get special treatment?!

...could this be another example of entrapment? 'come and race my nice shiney M5 and i'll f***ing 'ave yah!'

They're only leased out.

My Mum's boyfriends is ACC in a certain Police force and his company car is a brand new 540i. He could have had an M5 if he'd have wanted one but didn't like its looks or want the extra attention a car like that would bring.

what did he choose instead?

540i

Oh isnt it wonderful how our hard earned ( and then swiftly taken off us ) money goes. We pay our taxes, and taxes, and taxes and our money is used to supply Police forces with M5 BMW's
WTF is going on. Give them cheap and nasty diesel cars, and at least attempt to be sensible with their budgets. They all cry poverty and not enough funding. ANY BLOODY WONDER!!!!!!!!

And a cheap and nasty diesel is going to catch the toe-rags that have just car-jacked you?? Hmmmmmmmm!!

Pete

No Pete, it won't, but then, what's the point of catching 'em when New Labour can't get off their ***** and bring in a REALLY stiff law to put the toe rags away, IF they're caught.
They've taken one and a half parliaments to do a little something about mobile phone muggings, and that's been going on for 10 years at least!

a 'cheap and nasty diesel' and an M5 are two extremes! they don't need an M5 FFS! a cheap ol' scooby would do!

...anyway, surely you don't condone highspeed police chases pete?

Alcazar says:- 'and that's been going on for 10 years at least!'

SO????? Your bunch of useless tory to55ers had it as a problem too??? AND DID NOTHING!!

I love Tony Blair!!!!

Pete

MY bunch of Tory t*ssers? MINE?????
I hated the barstewards worse than I hate lying labour!
OOOOOH Pete, you've cut me to the quick. I'd laugh if I wasn't crying!!!
Alcazar:
BTW: wifey met "Tone" yesterday, and thinks he's a nice bloke. I'm going to have to either kill her, or divorce her!:

[Edited by alcazar - 10/25/2002 10:00:24 PM]

T5' wont catch a Scoob over country lanes, an M5 will !



I dont think we pay anything like 50k, nearer 30k

This week must be a record for police-bashing threads

You mean you actually know of a police force that activley seeks car thieves??? Well theres a first.
If the police were to actually tackle crime, and have a judicial system to back it up, then give every police force and M5 or 2. Id have no complaints. But when they are all crap, and crime is forever increasing, and the police seemingly targeting the normal people in society ( Gatsos etc ) who are generally alway within the law, give or take a little.
Im sure that there are police forces out there that could make real use of the £50k+ that was spent on the M5 ( add running costs onto that, after they crash it a few times )

Before we slag off the police for having M5s or whatever as company cars surely its possible they are lease cars, and therefore the policeman is actually paying something towards them, as with most company car schemes these days?

No, they're free to the lucky copper. The tax thing is dodged because the car is primarily a police car and not a company car.

My Mum's fella pays £0.00 towards his 540i, and he can do personal miles on free juice.

I WOULD NEVER GIVE THE POLICE AN M5! Give them an Evo or an STI. Do you seriously want them to break down while in persuit of a robber or something?

how about a 'marked' brand new Merc ML430...i am sure they DO need a luxury 4X4!

Cheshire Traffic Plod have a few ML series Merc's marked up for use on the M6.

No worries then Chris. The chances of them catching up with you would be slim then.

could it not be "chief super" on his way home for tea and he got a call, so slapped the blue on the roof

This has got to be a BMW test car on loan for evaluation.

Trouble is Katana, they lurk on bridges with lasers...

Ahh, thats what a diffuser's for chris.

I followed a marked Cheshire Police car down the M6 on Thursday. Without any blues & twos it was going at 70mph-plus (where possible in the traffic), thus causing total confusion for the rest of the motorway (as in nobody dared to overtake!). On the section with the "keep your distance" chevrons, it was tailgating a van (as far as i could tell, from a dozen cars back).

If anyone from Cheshire Police is reading this, my experience of your marked cars (and vans) indicates that your drivers need quite a bit of both education and discipline. The image that you are portraying is shoddy to say the least

mb