Chevrolet Caprice Police Patrol Vehicle Orders Delayed

[jpd80]

Chevrolet Caprice Police Patrol Vehicle Orders Delayed

By Benjamin Hunting | February 13, 2012 - LINK

Emergency vehicle fans - specifically, those who enjoy scoring great deals on retired police and rescue cars and trucks once they have been retired from active duty - have no doubt been disappointed with the small number of Chevrolet Caprice police package automobiles currently plying American roads. The Chevrolet Caprice full-size sedan, which is based on a Holden design and is only available to law enforcement fleets, has encountered a number of issues that have delayed its wide scale adoption by police departments across the country.

One of the chief problems faced by the Chevrolet Caprice has to due with logistics. The Caprice's originator, Holden, is based in Australia and up to this point General Motors has been unable to accurately plan for the shipping times associated with transporting orders from Down Under to Detroit. According to the duPont Registry, this stumbling block has been compounded by further waits as Chevrolet dealerships struggle to outfit each vehicle with the special gear that helps each vehicle adapt to the specific needs of individual agencies. The problem is tied to a series of 'last-minute' design changes made to the Caprice that kept aftermarket equipment manufacturers guessing when it came time to build their law enforcement support products.

Just how long are some police departments waiting for the Chevrolet Caprice? The duPont Registry article reports that several Florida-based law enforcement agencies have been cooling their heels for more than 10 months for vehicles that they ordered as test candidates in order to evaluate the legitimacy of the Caprice as a replacement for their now-discontinued Ford Crown Victorias. The dual shipment and dealership delays have pushed Chevrolet police car procurement well past the 60 to 90 day window that competitor Chrysler has been able to offer departments interested in vehicles like the Dodge Charger.

GM has responded to the frustration expressed by law enforcement fleet managers by acknowledging the problem and claiming that streamlined import processes have helped Chevrolet build a small "pool of inventory" at the port. Fortunately for Chevrolet the Chevrolet Caprice Police Patrol Vehicle is coveted by police department test drivers across the country eager to find an affordable and robust replacement for the Crown Victorias that have formed America's highway patrol and all-around duty backbone for decades. The rear-wheel drive Caprice is seen as less complex and more durable than the Ford Taurus police interceptor and roomier inside than the admittedly high performance Charger police sedan.

Poor old Holden, looks like this is a real headache for them.

[Chopped]

They seem to have rotten luck when it comes to exports.

[pottery beige]

that sucks.. regardless of its holdens or not.. its still aussies in jobs..

[jpd80]

So the problem is this:

1) Holden is building to order, not sending hundreds and hundreds of cars on boats.

2) problems arranging shipping from Adelaide to USA in a timely fashion

3) Chev dealers then have to outfit cars with specific police equipment for the customer from US suppliers.

4) due to late changes in design, the US suppliers are struggling to supply those parts in time.

Man, this must be like watching a great export opportunity turn into a slow train wreck right before your eyes...
I feel so much for Holden but this plan was always fraught with danger and why Ford never really entertained it.

[Bossxr8]

Seriously, how could they not have known shipping times, they sent G8's there for years, and now suddenly they don't know how long it takes.

Then they do a last minute re-design and don't inform the suppliers, who have to work around the new parts.

Sounds like amateur hour.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Seriously, how could they not have known shipping times, they sent G8's there for years, and now suddenly they don't know how long it takes.

Then they do a last minute re-design and don't inform the suppliers, who have to work around the new parts.

Sounds like amateur hour.

There's a big difference.
G8 was guaranteed supply of predetermined build numbers, shipping could be arranged well in advanced.
With Build To Order, the shipping isn't confirmed until sufficient numbers are ready to go..

[Yellow_Festiva]

http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthread.php?t=11358285

Problem solved.....

[stang65]

Yep thats what i was thinking.

[jpd80]

Ford and Dodge won't muck about, if PDs in the south want a RWD, Charger will be in like Flynn even though quality is questionable..

Ford will bang away at the bigger PDs in the north pushing AWD cars for all their worth, this will be a game changing year...

Looks like Holden will be sitting on the sidelines trying to get the knots out of their fishing tackle....

[burnz]

nothing to do with holden, this is typicly GMNA read the facebook and hows my makeup before reading emails from holden..

GM corporate really suck when they deal with holden, vauxhaull, opal, ect, ect, ect...

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by burnz

nothing to do with holden, this is typicly GMNA read the facebook and hows my makeup before reading emails from holden..

GM corporate really suck when they deal with holden, vauxhaull, opal, ect, ect, ect...

Exactly.
Holden had a good plan but GMNA interfered and loused the whole thing up.

[burnz]

i'm starting to wonder if GMNA are doing this deliberatly to tool up the line beside the camaro .

or am i too accurate to be funny?
american car by american's..

[Jason[98.EL]]

Originally Posted by burnz

i'm starting to wonder if GMNA are doing this deliberatly to tool up the line beside the camaro .

or am i too accurate to be funny?
american car by american's..

I tend to agree

It does look that way doesn't it

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by burnz

i'm starting to wonder if GMNA are doing this deliberatly to tool up the line beside the camaro .

or am i too accurate to be funny?
american car by american's..

It depends whether GMNA comes out and says sourcing from Australia is too hard
and due to demand we will be putting in a line at Oshawa alongside Camaro..

[Jim Goose]

Was reading article last week which said that when the contract was signed it was fixed on the exchange rate of 93c AU.... the dollar has now reach over $1.05.

Not a good thing when you trying to export...

[Moby Vic]

Originally Posted by burnz

i'm starting to wonder if GMNA are doing this deliberatly to tool up the line beside the camaro .

or am i too accurate to be funny?
american car by american's..

You give GMNA far too much credit.

[Dr Smith]

The rear-wheel drive Caprice is seen as less complex and more durable than the Ford Taurus police interceptor and roomier inside than the admittedly high performance Charger police sedan.

Has the real world experience of both vehicles been long enough to make durability claims.

[Dr Smith]

Originally Posted by burnz

i'm starting to wonder if GMNA are doing this deliberatly to tool up the line beside the camaro .

or am i too accurate to be funny?
american car by american's..

Maybe, maybe not but one thing is certain, an Amercian's job is worth more than an Australian's job especially when you add a US parent company and US Government shareholding. Probably applies to Ford US as well.

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by burnz

i'm starting to wonder if GMNA are doing this deliberatly to tool up the line beside the camaro .

or am i too accurate to be funny?
american car by american's..

Your probably right, these North American companies will always fluff their own pillows. I'm suprised they even allowed the Caprice to go there.

Also Ford should add a disclaimer to their One Ford mantra. It should be One Ford (but only if it suits North America).

[jpd80]

One Ford = FoE based products....check it out, it's true.

[Bossxr8]

They started to build Fiesta in the US, because they had a need for a small car when gas prices soared. Taking new Focus saved them a lot of cash not having to do a new one based on a their crappy looking old Focus.

One Ford is only used if it benefits America. Falcon will never go there because they have Taurus and Mustang, and Taurus PI for police duties. It would not suit America for Falcon to go there. Ranger neither as they have F series.

Catch my drift?

It works for products the yanks need and want, and saves them a lot of cash by not duplicating products. Its smart. But the yanks are also very protective of their own vehicles and would deny anything that may cost US jobs.

[robertjp]

Then where is the opportunity to increase the Falcon/Territory base so as to get better economy of scales for these products? For all the Button plan was praised it has been detrimental to the Australian manufacturing industry. What is really scary is the markup BMW/Porsche/Mercedes can charge the Australian public, imagine how many more cars they would sell without gouging the market.

[falconnut]

Shame because it actually looks half decent.

http://www.chevroletcapriceppv.com/p...chure-2012.pdf

A bit slow though, 160mph and 6s 100km is well below the HPV and FPV's here

[aussie muscle]

Originally Posted by jpd80

Ford and Dodge won't muck about, if PDs in the south want a RWD, Charger will be in like Flynn even though quality is questionable.

The charger is making good inroads just by being cheaper than the competition.

[pottery beige]

Originally Posted by falconnut

Shame because it actually looks half decent.

http://www.chevroletcapriceppv.com/p...chure-2012.pdf

A bit slow though, 160mph and 6s 100km is well below the HPV and FPV's here

police car.. full of gun racks and donut holders......

[falconnut]

Originally Posted by pottery beige

police car.. full of gun racks and donut holders......

I love how the optional v8 is heavier and barely has 30 more hp

[Moby Vic]

Originally Posted by jpd80

One Ford = FoE based products....check it out, it's true.

Yeah, the European tail has been wagging the North American Ford dog for nearly 20 years.

When the Mondeo debuted, we got the Contour and Mystique, which were too small for American tastes. We got the first-generation Focus and somehow never got the second.

Lincoln languished in large part due to Nasser only caring about his European PAG. The last new RWD Lincoln chassis came from Jaguar.

Now we've got the TransitConnect, and soon the Transit will replace the Econoline.

The Taurus chassis has roots with Volvo. The new Fusion chassis will become the Mondeo chassis, and of course Fiesta and Focus both have European origins.

[Dr Smith]

Originally Posted by Moby Vic

Yeah, the European tail has been wagging the North American Ford dog for nearly 20 years.

When the Mondeo debuted, we got the Contour and Mystique, which were too small for American tastes. We got the first-generation Focus and somehow never got the second.

Lincoln languished in large part due to Nasser only caring about his European PAG. The last new RWD Lincoln chassis came from Jaguar.

Now we've got the TransitConnect, and soon the Transit will replace the Econoline.

The Taurus chassis has roots with Volvo. The new Fusion chassis will become the Mondeo chassis, and of course Fiesta and Focus both have European origins.

Will the Transit come with an auto tranny? Just saw some shots of the potential new Transit and it's very good looking.

[falconnut]

So when will the yanks get these commodores?

[FPV GTHO]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

They started to build Fiesta in the US, because they had a need for a small car when gas prices soared. Taking new Focus saved them a lot of cash not having to do a new one based on a their crappy looking old Focus.

One Ford is only used if it benefits America. Falcon will never go there because they have Taurus and Mustang, and Taurus PI for police duties. It would not suit America for Falcon to go there. Ranger neither as they have F series.

Catch my drift?

It works for products the yanks need and want, and saves them a lot of cash by not duplicating products. Its smart. But the yanks are also very protective of their own vehicles and would deny anything that may cost US jobs.

Taurus is changing, we all know that.

Ranger is in a tough spot as it needs to be built there to stand a chance. To set it up in the US they wouldnt be able to sell it significantly cheaper than what they could sell a V6 F150, and theres no gurantee of how many sales wouldnt have otherwise been a V6 F150.