Hear from Our Customers
Most used cars have been driven to the grocery store and back. The vehicles you’ll find here were built to chase down suspects, run 24-hour shifts, and handle whatever gets thrown at them. That means heavy-duty brakes, reinforced suspensions, upgraded cooling systems, and engines designed to perform under pressure.
You’re not buying someone’s hand-me-down. You’re buying a vehicle that was maintained on a strict schedule by a police department that couldn’t afford downtime. These aren’t luxury cars, but they’re reliable, powerful, and priced well below what you’d pay for a comparable civilian model from the same year.
And here’s the part that matters most: we offer 0% interest financing to everyone. No credit check drama. No games. You pick the vehicle, we work out a payment plan that fits your budget, and you drive off the lot. It’s that simple.
State Surplus Auto Sales was started by Carmen Yannuzzi, a career law enforcement officer with over 25 years on the job. He watched perfectly good police vehicles get sent to auction for no reason other than fleet rotation, and he knew they’d make great options for people who needed a dependable car without the dealership markup.
That was over 15 years ago. Since then, we’ve built a reputation in Elizabeth and the surrounding area for selling quality government vehicles at prices that actually make sense. We don’t use pushy sales tactics because we don’t need to. The vehicles speak for themselves, and our financing makes them accessible to just about anyone.
Elizabeth has a lower rate of car ownership than most places, and we get it. When household income is tight and you’re weighing whether to buy a second vehicle or keep relying on rides, the decision comes down to affordability and trust. We’ve been here long enough to earn both.
You can visit our lot at 833 Broadway or reach out online to see what’s currently available. We keep a rotating inventory of Ford Police Interceptors, Dodge Charger police vehicles, Chevrolet Tahoe units, and other retired cruisers. When you find something you like, you can inspect it, ask questions, and take it for a test drive.
Once you’ve made a decision, we talk financing. Every customer qualifies for 0% interest, regardless of credit score. We’ll work out a payment structure that fits your situation. No hidden fees, no rate hikes down the line.
After that, it’s paperwork and keys. You’ll leave with a vehicle that’s been professionally maintained, built to last, and priced lower than anything comparable on a traditional lot. If you’re buying for rideshare, delivery work, or just need a solid daily driver, this is one of the smartest moves you can make in today’s used car market.
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These aren’t stripped-down fleet vehicles. Police departments spec these cars for performance and longevity. That means you’re getting a more powerful engine than the civilian version, a transmission built for constant use, and a suspension system designed to handle rough roads and high speeds.
The electrical systems are upgraded to support equipment like radios and lights, which means the alternator and battery are more robust than standard. The brakes are heavy-duty. The cooling system is enhanced. These are the kinds of upgrades you’d pay thousands for if you tried to add them aftermarket.
In Elizabeth, where the median household income is around $66,000 and over half of residents earn under $35,000 a year, the math matters. The average used car in 2025 costs over $25,000. A used police cruiser from our lot will cost you significantly less, and with 0% financing, your monthly payment stays manageable. You’re not sacrificing quality to save money. You’re just skipping the dealership markup and buying a vehicle that was built to a higher standard in the first place.
Ford Police Interceptors are the most popular choice among law enforcement for a reason. They dominate the market because they work. When you buy one from us, you’re getting the same vehicle that departments across the country trust to perform every single day.
Police departments sell their vehicles after a set number of years or miles, not because something’s wrong with them. It’s fleet rotation. They need to keep their vehicles under a certain age for liability and budget reasons, so they offload perfectly good cars that still have plenty of life left.
At auction, these vehicles sell for less than a comparable civilian model because they’ve been used hard. But “used hard” in a police context means they’ve also been maintained hard. Departments can’t afford to have cars break down mid-shift, so they follow strict schedules. Oil changes, brake checks, fluid top-offs—it all gets done on time, every time.
When you buy from us, you’re getting a vehicle that was built with better components than the standard version and maintained by professionals who had no choice but to keep it running. The price is lower because of mileage and perception, not because of quality. That’s the advantage.
The Ford Police Interceptor Utility is based on the Ford Explorer, but it’s not the same vehicle. It has a more powerful engine, a reinforced suspension, upgraded brakes, and a heavy-duty cooling system. The electrical system is built to handle the load of lights, radios, computers, and other equipment that officers use on the job.
The interior is more spacious in the front to accommodate gear, and the rear seats are designed for durability, not comfort. The far back has extra cargo space for equipment. It’s built for performance, not luxury, but that’s exactly why it makes such a great used vehicle for someone who needs something reliable and tough.
If you’re driving for Uber, doing delivery work, or just need a car that can handle daily use without falling apart, the Interceptor gives you more vehicle for less money. It’s not flashy, but it’s solid. And with 0% interest financing, it’s one of the smartest buys you can make in Elizabeth right now.
No. We offer 0% interest financing to everyone, regardless of credit score. That’s not a promotion or a limited-time offer. It’s how we do business.
We know that a lot of people in Elizabeth are working hard but don’t have perfect credit. Maybe you’ve had some late payments, maybe you’ve never built credit in the first place, or maybe you’ve been through a rough patch. It doesn’t matter here. If you need a car and you can make the payments, we’ll work with you.
You won’t pay a single dollar in interest. That means more of your money goes toward the vehicle itself, not toward lining a bank’s pockets. We’ll sit down with you, figure out a payment plan that works for your budget, and get you on the road. No runaround, no fine print.
Yes. These vehicles were built for 24-hour shifts, high-speed chases, and constant idling. If they can handle that, they can handle your commute, your weekend trips, and whatever else you throw at them.
The key is that police departments maintain these cars on a schedule that most civilian owners would never follow. They can’t afford breakdowns, so they stay on top of everything. By the time the vehicle gets to us, it’s been through regular oil changes, brake inspections, fluid checks, and anything else that needed attention.
That said, these are used vehicles with higher mileage than your average car. But mileage on a police vehicle isn’t the same as mileage on a car that’s been driven by someone who skipped oil changes and ignored warning lights. The components are stronger, the maintenance history is documented, and the build quality is higher. You’re getting a vehicle that was made to last, and if you keep up with basic upkeep, it’ll keep running for years.
Our inventory changes regularly, but we consistently stock Ford Police Interceptors—both the sedan and the utility version. The utility model is based on the Ford Explorer and is one of the most popular police vehicles in the country. It’s roomy, powerful, and built to take a beating.
We also carry Dodge Charger police vehicles, which are known for their performance and speed. If you want something with a little more muscle, the Charger is a solid choice. We occasionally have Chevrolet Tahoe units as well, which are great if you need more cargo space or want a larger vehicle for family use or work.
Every vehicle we sell comes from a government fleet, which means it’s been professionally maintained and built to a higher standard than most civilian cars. If you’re looking for something specific, reach out and we’ll let you know what’s on the lot or when we expect to get more inventory in. We’re located at 833 Broadway and we’re happy to show you what’s available anytime.
Absolutely. In fact, a lot of rideshare and delivery drivers specifically look for retired police vehicles because they’re durable, spacious, and affordable. Taxi companies have been buying used cop cars for years because they hold up under constant use and they’re cheaper to acquire than new vehicles.
The Ford Police Interceptor Utility is especially popular for this kind of work. It has plenty of room for passengers or cargo, it’s comfortable enough for long shifts, and it’s built to run all day without overheating or breaking down. The fuel economy isn’t amazing, but the trade-off is reliability and performance.
If you’re driving in Elizabeth or the surrounding areas and you need a vehicle that can handle the wear and tear of daily rideshare or delivery routes, this is one of the best options you’ll find. And with 0% financing, you can get into a dependable work vehicle without the financial stress of a high monthly payment or interest piling up over time.
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