Real Fiero Tech

Well with a kid on the way, I decided that I needed something bigger than the GTI. With both of our families out of town, it would be impossible for us to visit with the kid and the dog with any of our current vehicles.

I look at the Michigan state surplus inventory all of the time and they have started putting up a number of Michigan State Police Tahoes up for auction. After doing some research into the differences between the civilian version and the police version, I decided that this would be a good thing to pick up.

So, I ended up winning an '06 Tahoe MSP canine unit on thursday. It has 120k miles on it. There's a couple of small dings, and it needs front brakes, but besides that, she's a strong runner. For the price, it can't be beat.

Here's some cool things about the Police version that I have found on this vehicle so far:
160-amp alternator
Dual batteries
Huge front skid plate
Hydraulic assist brakes
Oil, tranny, and power steering coolers
Heavy duty swaybars and shocks (This is the only 'pursuit' rated SUV made)
3.73 rear end
4" aluminum driveshaft
High Capacity air filter with a clogging indicator

I don't have a lot of plans for this thing. Just a lot of small clean-up and maintainence (polish, brakes, rear end fluid, tranny fluid and filter, and misc lubing). I have a spare CD played I'm throwing in and I plan on tuning it a little bit via HPTuners. I need to make a lot of transmission tuning changes. I also am getting a set of regular front seats thanks to my dad.

Here's a few pics I shot today:

I see that dog eyeing my rear again... I guess it liked what it had last time, lol.

That thing is pretty awesome... I would totally get one as well... What sort of price range do they typically go for?

darkhorizon wrote: What sort of price range do they typically go for?

I picked up this one for $5800. The MSP blue ones range from 5k-6k. They sometime have green ones which will go for ~7k.

I'd get the front windows tinted to match, and get some factory alloys off craigslist so it doesn't totally look like a used cop car. Nice truck though, they are good vehicles, my dad had I think 13, 99-04 Suburbans. All good trucks.

I like the steels. I bet if you leave those and the guard on, people will trip over themselves to get out of the way.

my friends P71 ford meant you did the speed limit or less EVERYWHERE you went, no matter what. You get behind someone in a 25, they go 20.

Then the random cop will pull you over for impersonating a cop... But, for every situation my friend has been pulled over randomly, he got away with some really crazy shit he did in front of cops due to the fact he looked like an off duty or something.

I would most likely stay pure cop car.

So, I have put around 1000-miles on this thing since I've had it. I've had no issues except I keep throwing codes for evap issues. I am just going to delete them out via HPtuners. I am averageing 17mpg combined.

Things I've done since I picked it up:

-New pads and rotors all around
-Full brake fluid flush and replaced with amsoil fluid
-Clayed, polished and waxed all body panels (it pretty much turned my clay black. Nasty)
-Replaced rear end fluid with royal purple (today)
-Trans fluid and filter changed and replaced with valvoline maxlife. (today)

I have a set of denso iridium plugs and wires on their way. After that, I will start tuning this thing and see if I can squeeze out a couple more mpg's.

AkursedX wrote:I am averageing 17mpg combined.

That's terrible, Cincinnati is getting 50mpg out of his *roll eyes*

In all seriousness, that does seem a little low, I'd expect right around 20, maybe even 25.

darkhorizon wrote:I see that dog eyeing my rear again... I guess it liked what it had last time, lol.

That thing is pretty awesome... I would totally get one as well... What sort of price range do they typically go for?

Umm, did you just make a reference to taking it in the back door from a German Sheppard? Not something I'd advertise, but its your life.

Aaron wrote:

AkursedX wrote:I am averageing 17mpg combined.

That's terrible, Cincinnati is getting 50mpg out of his *roll eyes*

In all seriousness, that does seem a little low, I'd expect right around 20, maybe even 25.

Actually 57.5. I love how personal you took my mpg figure.

25 would be a one-time best for that, especially with the terrible combination. My '06 GMC fullsize can average 25 tank after tank, but it's lowered, 2WD, on 245-width tires, with a modified 4.3L V6, and geared for 1600 rpm at 65 mph.