Hummer Goes Bye-bye

[Larks2242 251]

Originally posted by: Duke87

Cop cars are traditionally Crown Vics without hubcaps. Even the "unmarked" ones (there's your trick for spotting them...).

quote>

I thought they phased that out now. All the new cop cars i see are Dodge.

[chicah 20]

N_O_body: Yes, SHE has been watching CSI Miami. But it seems to be like that in general, shows from New York aswell? Either way, I still associate hummers with the police.

[Zelgadis 638]

There's always an explosion of Chrysler product police cars whenever the company gets into trouble.  The last time was in the 1980's, the last time the company nearly went bankrupt and the countryside was overrun with Dodge Dynasty cop cars. Why?  Whenever Chrysler gets into trouble, they start selling their products to municipalities and states cheap, suddenly making them very attractive as police cars.

Ford has traditionally made the police car of choice.  Ford Galaxie, Ford LTD, Ford Crown Victoria...  They've had competition here and there over the years, but they've had a lock on the market since the demise of Chevrolet Caprice.  I'm guessing the recent rise of the Dodge Charger as a police car will be short-lived too.  Larks, you probably just live in an area where a lot of districts managed to get a lot of cheap Chargers.

Incidentally, I used to live in Georgetown, Kentucky, where all the police cars are Toyota Camry.  It's funny to see.    But it's understandable since the city gets all their police cars from Toyota dirt cheap since that's where the Camry factory is located.  

ISF

 

[Meg 368]

Originally posted by: Duke87

On the other hand, in the past few years, in an effort to be "green", some jurisdictions have started fitting out Priuses as cop cars... which is hilarious.

I mean, it looks ridiculous. I see cops in a Crown Vic and I know they mean business. I see cops in a Prius and have trouble talking them seriously.  quote>

I can see your point.  But don't forget that the Prius can go at least 85 mph without breaking a sweat.

In my previous car, I could easily tell when I was exceeding the speed limit because the steering wheel would start shaking.   This does not happen with the Prius.  The first time I drove it home, I was shocked to see that I was going 80 mph.  I literally had no clue. 

and, yes, I have been pulled over for speeding.  Got off with a written warning.  Nothing like having an 89 year old with a walker in the car.

(and, yes, I'm talking about a Prius that is in control.  Mine is a 2004, back when they knew how to make them.)

Same goes for Cops on Segways (laughed my ass off when I saw this in Norfolk). Just doesn't fit the "tough guy" image you want cops to have.

Way to emasculate your boys in blue...   quote>

The local mega-mall is oval-shaped, about 3/4 mile around.  The cops in there ride Segways.  How would you like them to get around?  Yes, it looks kinda weird but it is practical.

[Easy Bakes 253]

Most of the Citys in the DFW are have gone to the Charger squad car. As someone said earlier, they are getting them cheap. Probably as some "compensation" for not persuing

class action suits involving the previously mention Crown Victorias which like the Pinto, tended to expolde when hit from behind.

[Larks2242 251]

Originally posted by: Zelgadis

  Whenever Chrysler gets into trouble, they start selling their products to municipalities and states cheap, suddenly making them very attractive as police cars.

Ford has traditionally made the police car of choice.  Ford Galaxie, Ford LTD, Ford Crown Victoria...  They've had competition here and there over the years, but they've had a lock on the market since the demise of Chevrolet Caprice.  I'm guessing the recent rise of the Dodge Charger as a police car will be short-lived too.  Larks, you probably just live in an area where a lot of districts managed to get a lot of cheap Chargers.

Incidentally, I used to live in Georgetown, Kentucky, where all the police cars are Toyota Camry.  It's funny to see.    But it's understandable since the city gets all their police cars from Toyota dirt cheap since that's where the Camry factory is located.  

ISF

 quote>

I never thought of it like that, i always thought all police used the same cars, like standard code or something thats interesting.

[ky72x 13]

It's going to be interesting to see how many agencies will use the new Caprice when Chevrolet releases it next year. I don't expect to see many of them around my neck of the woods since I never see any Impalas. Basically it's all Crown Vics and Chargers here.

Anyway, I never really cared for the H2. The H3's were nicer and much more affordable, but I won't be losing any sleep over Hummer's demise.

[sneakeypete 16]

I know that you can't have a car for every situation, but driving a prius around on a highway is about as useful as buying a $3000 gaming rig to play sim city 4. It doesn't act like a hybrid at those speeds.

[jigsaw 227]

the next caprice is from australia. its the holden statesman caprice. we have been exporting them to the middle east for years.

[Deathcat001 8]

U.S army is going to have to look somewhere else because we aint got no more......

Try here....... Oh wait we have no more car dealers.

Well over here in Oz we still have our V8 Ford police cars.... 

 

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Motto for cops in Hummers: "There's a Ford in your future."

[Duke87 1,070]

Originally posted by: Deathcat001

U.S army is going to have to look somewhere else because we aint got no more......quote>

Actually, the Army "Humvees" are not Hummers. The civilian Hummer was modeled after the army vehicle. The army can keep making more of their HMMWVs and coming up with newer models all they want. It's a totally separate production line, anyway.

[hym 358]

According to a friend who worked in law enforcement, the main reason police departments tend to gravitate to Crown Victorias is better handling and increased comfort.  Otherwise, they would all be taking GM up on its offer to drop a Corvette engine and drivetrain into any police cruiser ordered.  (Priuses, Chargers, Crown Victorias and other vehicles all get left in the dust of a police cruiser with a Corvette engine.)

As for police driving Hummers, I have never seen that happen anywhere.  The $100,000 price tag is a bit tough to swallow, for one.  Additionally, the US military doesn't have to look anywhere else to find replacement Humvees.  The Hummer brand is dying, not AM General's defense division.

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Since when has it been necessary for police cruisers to have anything like the Corvette V8 and associated gear.  Tempting, but high speed police chases are mostly out these days.  Radio and choppers have removed the need.

[sneakeypete 16]

There's usually a distinction (in the cities here) made between highway patrol and regular police duties. For officers who would never be expected to do anything traffic related, they've had mazda 6's for the last few years.

Out in the country its a different story of course, as some stations only have 3 cars, and they all really have to be capable as everyone is expected to do anything.

[Z77 3]

I know where i live, all i see is Chevy Impalas. Thats almost all of what Illinois uses. Impalas and the occasional charger. Except for the State police. but they even use a mix of Impalas and Crown Victorias.

But as for me, I am a GM fan. I love Chevrolets and i always will. I just see a darn good car when i look at them. Not to mention that the Chevy Traverse and Silverado were on the 2010 top 6 list of cars. which is why its kinda sad for me to see Hummer go. But i was disappointed when i heard about Pontiac too. (not too much Saturn, since it was only established in 1991. Not too many sport cars or amazing cars were made in that time) Hummers just had that aura about them. sure they were big, bulky, and were gas guzzling, but there was something about them that just said American Ingenuity.

[Herdervriend 46]

Hummers looked like a real American icon. They are for people with totally no respect for other people. Good that this gas sucking stuff is gone. Still liked the car somehow xD

[Slashback 136]

Buying a Hummer is like saying: I don't care about the enviroment, i just want a car that is big, ugly and wil ruin me!

- Personally, I don't like hummers

[Duke87 1,070]

Originally posted by: ImVhOzzi

Buying a Hummer is like saying: I don't care about the enviroment, i just want a car that is big, ugly and wil ruin me!quote>

Well, it is like saying something, although I dare not repeat it here.

[3dpuzzlemaster 20]

Darn, I wanted a humvee(I probably never would have got one any way).

chicah: http://www.ocsd.org/img/v1/og_disc/CPRU_Humvee.jpg

[Deionn 137]

A Humvee and a Hummer are too different things, Humvees are more military style, they aren't supposed to be comfortable. They are supposed to get troops from Point A to Point B in a safe and quick manner over mangled streets/terrain. A person having a Hummer just doesn't make any sense. I've rode in a Hummer a few times, and those things are huge and such an inconvenience. Especially, when I was in elementary school I had to literally crawl into one, though they do make you feel safe. And I would see the need for a Hummer in Norway, all that deserted land. (note: I'm in high school now, the hummer I rode in was at least 4 years ago.)

[3dpuzzlemaster 20]

deion30296: Oh, I thought they were different, but I also love regular hummers not the H2 or H3, forget those ones .

[Nerd_Guy 4]

I knew it wouldn't last. It was just another military vehicle gone civilian, like the jeep.

As for police cars in America, the vast majority are Ford Crown Victorias and Dodge Chargers, a few Cheverolet Impalas, and the rest is mainly regional. For expample, in my town they are all dodge chargers with two Dodge Durangos and a Cheverolet Suburban as the K-9 unit

[hamsterTK 93]

They always struck me as primarily appealing to Jersey soccer moms. Where I live large pickups outnumber them quite a bit in the giant truck category.

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

I live in farming country.  The ratio of vans to pickups is about one to one.  Retired farmers tend to have a pickup and a Buick sedan.  Honda does a lot of business around here as does Ford.  (Here is Southwestern Ontario).

[ky72x 13]

Speaking of Ontario, all three of the main police vehicles (Crown Victoria, Charger, and Impala) are all built there. I've been viewing the huge facilities and the rows of new cars in Google Earth for almost an hour.

[LarksTonguesInAspic 28]

I'm not surprised at the hatred for Hummers, but the reasoning is always so judgemental and vindictive. Ugly, impractical, too big... for whom? The person who drops the cash thinks it's worth it.  It just shows how far America has fallen; not for building the Hummer, but for everyone without a hummer ganging up on others for all the fake reasons I've heard so far.

Reminds me of the hype over Tiger Woods. While I was listening to the nonstop coverage of a nonstory, I wondered how many of the talking heads were going to meet their illicit lover after the news. Those raising a lather about Hummers had plenty of environmentally insensitive habits, or tacky overbearing Christmas displays.

And BTW, I'd buy another Saab in a heartbeat, and I'm thoroughly straight. I thought gay people liked VWs and Suburb-arus?

[Z77 3]

I think its just a stereotype on what cars gay people drive. I know several gay and bisexual people and they drive everything. One drives a Toyota Camry, one girl i know drives a Oldsmobile..(don't know what kind exactly, but its a mid 80's model), and one guy i know drives a 2000 camaro. So its simply stereotypical.

@Manticorefan-i think that its simply the overreactive enviromentalists saying that anything that produces a gram of carbon emissions should be tossed, so since the hummer gets somewhat bad gas mileage compared to most cars nowadays, it has to be the most polluting auto out there. But they simply just speak without speaking and dont research their findings. (not saying enviromentalists are crazy, just their are some crazy enviromentalists) Plus there are some people out there that just want someone to pay attention to them so they raise a big deal about nothing so people can go "who was that?"

Speaking of Toyota however, seems that my personally most hated car company is in trouble again...apparently all the fixes from the recall have not helped at all and cars are still accelerating erratically. Personally im hoping that Toyota will be forced to leave the US, but 1) that wont happen, and 2) i am hoping that they can fix their problems solely because the owners need assurance that they can finish using their cars safely. Then they can go out and buy a well designed and safe automobile like GM or Ford produces.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100304/ap_on_bi_ge/us_toyota_no_fix

PS- For all of the environmentalists, i am a believer in now. Yes i litter, i like big vehicles(my dream car is a 1969 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray), and i am completely for using paper median rather than electronic. BUT, i do also recycle plastics and i bought my current car because it had great gas mileage (2008 Chevy Cobalt). I do litter, but only paper because it does decompose after one or two rainfalls, and personally i feel that paper median is more secure to use than electronic

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Re Toyota:  Their acceleration problems have all the symtoms of a computer problem.  It is probably deep in their programming.

The question is whether this is a legitimate programming mistake or is it a malicious time-bomb set up by one of their disgruntled (former) programmers.  If the car was on a network, I would suspect a virus attack.

[Muck308 55]

Originally posted by: manticorefan

And BTW, I'd buy another Saab in a heartbeat, and I'm thoroughly straight. I thought gay people liked VWs and Suburb-arus?

quote>

I'd buy one too, I think they are nice. At least the newer models are. Old Saabs are ugly. I only made that comment because the top 10 list of preferred vehicles by homosexuals was littered with Saabs. This was at least eight years ago though. And yes, VWs and Subarus(Foresters anyhow) were on that list as well.