Børkin' A or: What happens when I get sick of being mistaken for a cop

2015 XC70 T6 AWD. 300hp. Devoid of color. 

I can't complain, though. 

The P71 was fun at times, but constantly being mistaken for a cop along with the lack of cruise and a leaking heater core (who knew?) Sealed the deal. 

Wowwww somebody upgraded to a teacher-mobile! 

In reply to Tom Suddard :

I decided to really just lean in. Now I need a tweed sport coat with elbow patches and I'll be set. 

Oh absolutely! Is this one of those cars that has a credit card slot on the dash that donates directly to NPR?

In reply to Tom Suddard :

Not only does it have the NPR slot, but the fresh air button is just a picture of Terry Gross. 

In reply to Jordan Rimpela (Forum Unterstützer) :

Impressive Volvo. 

All things considered...do you like it? 

Wait, wait, don't tell me. 

Made in China but it's a Swedish car, talk about world service.

In reply to Cactus :

*Slaps roof* This bad boy was made in Sweden. 

John, that's basically the takeaway. Well, for this American life, anyway. 

Very nice. Them rimz!

Here's a question: At what point will people stop associating P71s with police? At some point, they'll all be retired, right?

And cool Volvo, Jordan. Congratulations. 

In reply to David S. Wallens :

Ask the people that owned Dodge Diplomats.

David S. Wallens said:

Here's a question: At what point will people stop associating P71s with police? At some point, they'll all be retired, right?

And cool Volvo, Jordan. Congratulations. 

Good question. Ask me another.

But let's keep it to car talk.

All the jokes, as I sit and listen to Weekend Edition. 

Aaron_King said:

All the jokes, as I sit and listen to Weekend Edition. 

Yeah, all things considered, we're having fun with this.

I saw a P71 still in service as a cop car yesterday so the association is still a fair ball. 

David S. Wallens said:

Here's a question: At what point will people stop associating P71s with police? 

There are sometimes scars that do not heal. ;) 

In reply to dxman92 :

Maybe it will be like the eternal question as to whether or not Elvis is still alive. At some point someone will be like, Dude, Elvis was born 148 years ago. 

David S. Wallens said:

Here's a question: At what point will people stop associating P71s with police? At some point, they'll all be retired, right?

And cool Volvo, Jordan. Congratulations. 

All the police around here have been driving Explorers (err, "Interceptor Utilitys") and Chargers for a long time.

Makes it fun when there is someone in a Challenger or some generic SUV (so, like, 95% of the traveling public) coming up fast behind you and you think, okay, do I get out of their way or just pre-emptively pull off the road?

(Local PDs almost universally use black Ford SUVs.  Ohio State Patrol uses gray Chargers.)

David S. Wallens said:

Here's a question: At what point will people stop associating P71s with police? At some point, they'll all be retired, right?

And cool Volvo, Jordan. Congratulations. 

I think the stigma will last for quite a bit, long after the last P71 is out of official service. You figure that Ford essentially (laymen won't spot the differences of an early aero Vic) built the same car for 19 years. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if old 91-96 B Body 9C1s are still mistaken for police. I think owners of boxy cop cars of yore can rest easy, though. 

And thanks, David. It's not as swank as the two we had during my tenure, but it's still a nice place to spend time. 

What do Click and Clack have to say aboot it?

I've thought that the best way to take the cop look away from a P71, after getting rid of any add-on lighting like the A-pillar spotlights, is to paint the car red and get a completely different set of wheels.  That way people think you're part of the fire department instead of the police department...

I see a lot of P71's around Baltimore and there seems to be no effort to make them less cop-like.

JAGwinn said:

What do Click and Clack have to say aboot it?

 

Probably something that makes people who understand how cars work to be very irate.

David S. Wallens said:

Here's a question: At what point will people stop associating P71s with police? At some point, they'll all be retired, right?

And cool Volvo, Jordan. Congratulations. 

What's weird is I never see that reaction to chargers. 

In reply to Mndsm :

I can spot a Charger a mile away, especially with those full-width taillights. 

Tom Suddard said:

Oh absolutely! Is this one of those cars that has a credit card slot on the dash that donates directly to NPR?

I nearly spit out my coffee when I read that.