Well dang! It happened.

[BKennedy]

Smaller departments will sometimes sell a car with everything on it, just because they ordered a new car through a company that provides them ready to go (with all the equipment pre-installed). They only purchase cars every few years and in small numbers. Small departments do not have the logistics, buying power, facilities to turn them into cop cars, so its cheaper for them to get an entire new car. CHP would purchase 500-1000 new cars a year, so it made sense to reuse everything. They also invite small departments to piggy back their purchases because they get a heck of a deal. They would change out the vehicle equipment for the entire state every ten years or so, usually after a technology upgrade grant from the Feds. By then, that equipment had been in 4-5 cars as they are run out within a few years, and they lose a lot to collisions.

 

[Marauderleader]

At my previous agency we removed the lightbars and other lights and reused, saved for parts if current model, or sold at auction. Radios and antennas were removed, ordered new harnesses, and installed in new units. If out of date then sold back to radio dealer to upgrade. Consoles were usually wore out and we left them. Lighting and siren controls were reused if in good shape. If not then saved for spare parts. Siren speaker was usually reused. Camera system and radar systems reused. Cages went to scrap metal. Wiring cut as items were removed. Order new harnesses each time. Harnesses are cheap. Paying for labor to remove wires is expensive. Decals were removed. Antenna and lightbar holes plugged. We didn't have ballistic panels. Spotlights stayed unless we needed for parts for another unit. At my current agency it is a lease.

There was no dealer work done. We did not pay to reprogram the unit or remove factory parts. You do what is cheapest for the government. It doesn't make sense to pay big hourly labor at a dealer on a vehicle you are getting rid of. Goes to auction as is. Their is no de-program, detune, or downgrade the ECM. The dealer may check for recalls or bulletins and re-program the ECM based upon that, but that is to correct an issue; not to "detune" a vehicle for sale to the general public.

Did you ask if they re-programed the ECM? If they did re-program did you ask why? Was there any other outstanding service bulletin or recall? They would have no reason to flash the ECM for the toe link recall and the tech/dealership would not be making money by messing around with the ECM. Dealers are in the business of making money and generally don't perform any more work than what they are getting paid for. If you are not sure you can read the ignition count to see how many key cycles you have. If you have a very low number of key cycles then your ECM has recently been flashed.

Have they reviewed camera footage of the dealership? Every dealership I know has cameras. Did PD review them for activity? Also are you certain you had ballistic panels? How do you know they removed them? And the glass is the same between Explorers and PIU. There is no ballistic glass.

It could have had laminated glass, but not ballistic glass.

 

[BKennedy]

I cannot imagine a law enforcement agency spending thousands at a dealership to uninstall all of their emergency equipment on a vehicle they already sold. This is the part of this saga that to me makes no sense whatsoever. If it doesn't make sense, then its usually not true.

What does the paperwork say that you received when you got the car back? Maybe you could post pictures of it with your information blacked out? I would really like to see who authorized the work, and who paid the bill.

 

[FordGuy2014]

The first article is ridiculous. “Removal of everything including every single wire” is nonsense. No one EVER strips a vehicle that thoroughly. It’d be way too cost prohibitive, and there’s no inherent issue leaving a harness.

When I bought my 2014 PIU from a police force located in Ontario, Canada, everything and I mean everything was removed. Just like the day they received it from Ford and send them out to be "dressed up". All except for the wheels (in fact they had to add a spare tire), the pursuit collision impact mods at the rear and the tuning (Ford tuning). Those are the 3 things they are not allowed to touch when selling the car (so I was told at the pre sale viewing). All lights, wires yes the wires from front to back, console, ballistic panels, rear window bars, plastic seat mold (replaced with leather rear non tilting seats) anything related to police equipment even the LED driver post search light. just like when I bought an ambulance a few years back, same thing, all was removed. It was like the day when ambulance went to get all its emergency equipment installed.

 

[VCFP153]

I cannot imagine a law enforcement agency spending thousands at a dealership to uninstall all of their emergency equipment on a vehicle they already sold. This is the part of this saga that to me makes no sense whatsoever. If it doesn't make sense, then its usually not true.

What does the paperwork say that you received when you got the car back? Maybe you could post pictures of it with your information blacked out? I would really like to see who authorized the work, and who paid the bill.

I don't think any of his story makes sense.

 

[VCFP153]

Yes Aronedu1 if you bring it to a dealership they will detune the vehicle and give you a basic tune, that standard procedure from what I have read.

Out of curiosity, which dealership?

 

[JustWarminUp]

I'm back with an Update, I had gotten a lawyer, put everything together he did the paper work ect.

Dealership has offered to settle with partial funds and physical replacment of most of it, my window guards, cage, rear utility box ect and to restore my original tune, in efforts to restore the vehicle back to previous condition, within a few restrictions like the Safety recalls and the lights siren camera w/ controllers, however they will compensate cost.

They never removed the harnesses completely just cut them off and tucked the wires which in part they are going to go back and make sure every wire is capped and sealed correctly. Surprised they didnt blow fuses or short something.

I had done speakers for the doors and when doing so I saw the panels, instantly knew upon swinging to door open it was about 10lbs lighter.

Tune, my stay running with key removed function is gone, trust me when you have the Gear hold function on WOT and then you dont, you will notice especially when it doesn't idle anywhere near as strong or Jack brake off the motor ever again. A v6 camaro is probably equivalent at this point.

There was so many things and I'm betting I'm missing some things. There was multiple recalls they did all at once, an emissions, a steering one, ect idk what else off the top of my head.

North County ford, Coon Rapids, Minnesota.

 

[Mbrooks420]

Money wouldn’t fix this. I wouldn’t rest until someone faced criminal charges. Since it’s not known what they did I’d be fighting for a full replacement cost, and they can keep the pilfered vehicle.

So they stole things from your car and now they are going back to make sure everything is capped off right? Would never happen if it were my vehicle.

This sounds extremely fishy to me.

 

[Mbrooks420]

Also, you never had a Jake brake. Unless, of course, they took the diesel motor out with the rest of your gear.

 

[JustWarminUp]

I would keep pushing but it will cost money with the lawyer, we did a contingency basis, but even he says there no point spending a dollar going after a penny.
If I could run all the legality myself i would never stop.

Not a Technical Jake break no, but it used to hold tight and use the motor to slow down until you touched the breaks.

 

[Mbrooks420]

I would keep pushing but it will cost money with the lawyer, we did a contingency basis, but even he says there no point spending a dollar going after a penny.
If I could run all the legality myself i would never stop.

Not a Technical Jake break no, but it used to hold tight and use the motor to slow down until you touched the breaks.

Unless you are going for over $5,000 ( $10,000 in a lot of states) a lawyer is pretty optional. If they’ve admitted to taking your stuff, the need for a lawyer is pretty much over.

 

[VCFP153]

Money wouldn’t fix this. I wouldn’t rest until someone faced criminal charges. Since it’s not known what they did I’d be fighting for a full replacement cost, and they can keep the pilfered vehicle.

So they stole things from your car and now they are going back to make sure everything is capped off right? Would never happen if it were my vehicle.

This sounds extremely fishy to me.

I'm getting a fairly persistent hunch this whole thing is a fairy tale. North Country Ford has better things to do than strip his car out.

 

[JustWarminUp]

I'm getting a fairly persistent hunch this whole thing is a fairy tale. North Country Ford has better things to do than strip his car out.

Yep you're 100% right, I came on here to make a long drawn out fairy tale adventure over the internet to a bunch of people I have never met about my car and the stuff being removed. It had nothing to do with the fact of coming on here to ask about standard procedure if anyone knew or actual sourcing on how they should conduct a Decommission of a police vehicle.

I'm not in near a good enough mood to put up with people calling me a liar after dealing with exactly that for 2 months. I'm not here to make you, if you dont that's just fine, leave then. There are many other posts of people who want help you could be assisting instead of sitting on mine and trying to call it a Hoax.

 

[JustWarminUp]

Unless you are going for over $5,000 ( $10,000 in a lot of states) a lawyer is pretty optional. If they’ve admitted to taking your stuff, the need for a lawyer is pretty much over.

So kind of, they have admitted they did something wrong and are willing to settle outside of court. If I go to court I need the lawyer to prove they did it all, he just put together info for it. Regardless at the moment I would still have to pay him up to the point and paperwork he has done if I tried to go without him any farther in the issue. I just want my stuff back, the lights and such I understand, mainly the tune, guards and the rear box is what I want back. Compensate for the controllers and lights ect value and I'm happy.

 

[JustWarminUp]

I think it's best the wife and I take the lesson with us and never return to Stealerships. I want to push to have to work for checking wires ect to another shop, have bother country pay them for the time, give me my stuff back and never talk to me again.

 

[peterk9]

I may have missed it but did they ever explain to you why they did what they did? It seems very unusual for them to do work that isn't on a 'work order' authorized by the customer. I know that every time I bring my vehicles in they have me sign the work order before anything is done and they go over it with me item by item when it comes time to pay the bill. There has got to be an explanation for this somewhere. Good luck.

Peter

 

[VCFP153]

I may have missed it but did they ever explain to you why they did what they did? It seems very unusual for them to do work that isn't on a 'work order' authorized by the customer. I know that every time I bring my vehicles in they have me sign the work order before anything is done and they go over it with me item by item when it comes time to pay the bill. There has got to be an explanation for this somewhere. Good luck.

Peter

My other question is who did they expect to pay for all the work they did. We're talking a good number of hours here, were they planning on doing all that for free?

 

[Mbrooks420]

I don’t get the whole process. None of it makes a lot of sense. Where did the equipment go? Who decided it was to be removed?

There was a cut and dry theft. You press charges. They get prosecuted. You the then file a civil suit. It’s a slam dunk with the conviction. No need for any additional lawyer fees.

 

[VCFP153]

I don’t get the whole process. None of it makes a lot of sense. Where did the equipment go? Who decided it was to be removed?

It certainly doesn't make any sense. So, a bunch of guys were sitting around North Country Ford, our friend pulled in, and the guys thought "let's take this guy's old police stuff".

 

[JustWarminUp]

From what I'm getting out of what they have said is, it was never decommissioned and honestly it wasnt, but not their job in my eyes, it's up to the buyer to make a auction vehicle legal after the purchase has completed.

so during the recall my wife brought it in for(toe links) they did the recall and found the recall to make the emissions system up to par due to the extreme usage they see on the force it can diminish and then to make the motor run like a civilian model. Also a steering one and like 2 other ones. During which time it was suppose to take 1 day they told her, 2 weeks later they finally said it was done. The paperwork was scarce, no real information except the advisors name and they can't tell me know worked on it cause multiple techs had apparently to get it done with their schedule.

This is where they cannot tell me who said what and why, but what we have gotten out of them is that they were making it a "street legal" Vehicle. they have no comment or idea where the equipment went to, they had "Disposed" of it.
They are saying it was in the shop for over a week all torn down, they had broken multiple things doing the recalls so they had to wait on parts ect. It's a nightmare.

I wish I could get a hold of the literally main man who OWNS the company but his information is non existent.

I'm going to talk to the lawyer, I feel it was some techs trying to pull some quick shady dealings. But again with everything going on and the riots here (like 15minutes from my house...) I would rather just be done with it all get my stuff back or replacements of it and be done.