NCJ Number
28200
Date Published
Unknown
Length
38 pages
Annotation
FIELD TEST RESULTS ON THE PERFORMANCE, SAFETY, UTILITY, AND OPERATING COSTS OF SEVEN INTERMEDIATE AND STAND CARS EVALUATED FOR USE AS LAW ENFORCEMENT VEHICLES.
Abstract
TESTED WERE THE PLYMOUTH SATELLITE, DODGE CORONET, MERCURY MONTEGO (WITH TWO DIFFERENT SIZE CARBURETORS), MERCURY MARAUDER, AND THE AMERICAN MOTORS MATADOR (WITH TWO DIFFERENT ENGINES AND CARBURETORS). CARS WERE FIRST EVALUATED IN A PRELIMINARY HANDLING AND PERFORMANCE TEST. THOSE THAT PASSED UNDERWENT FIVE OTHER EVALUATIONS: THE HUMAN FACTORS EVALUATION; A SCORED MECHANICAL EVALUATION; A CONTROLLED FUEL MILEAGE TEST; AN INSTRUMENTED ROADABILITY PERFORMANCE TEST; AND A HEAT TEST. COMPARATIVE TABULAR TEST DATA IS PRESENTED ON EACH CAR. THE PLYMOUTH SATELLITE AND THE DODGE CORONET RECEIVED ALMOST IDENTICAL RATINGS, ALTHOUGH THE PLYMOUTH WAS JUDGED THE CLEAR SUPERIOR DUE TO ITS MECHANICAL REPAIRABILITY AND MAINTENANCE. IN AGGREGATE SCORING, THE ORDER OF PREFERENCE FOR BLACK AND WHITE PATROL DUTY (NOT INCLUDING FUEL ECONOMY) WAS: PLYMOUTH, DODGE, AND MATADOR. ENCLOSURES INCLUDE THE 1973-74 SPECIFICATIONS DRAWN UP BY HE LOS ANGELES COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND COPIES OF SEVERAL TEST EVALUATION FORMS. (FOR A MORE EXTENSIVE EVALUATION OF 1973/74 MODEL CARS, INCLUDING COMPACTS, SEE NCJ-15453.)