Hear from Our Customers
You’re not just getting a used vehicle. You’re getting a Ford Police Interceptor Utility that was built to handle high-speed pursuits, equipped with heavy-duty components most civilian vehicles don’t offer, and maintained on strict schedules that regular car owners rarely follow.
The numbers tell the story. While comparable civilian SUVs run $20,000 and up, our police interceptors start around $5,495. That’s not a misprint—it’s what happens when you buy directly from a dealer who specializes in government surplus vehicles instead of paying retail markups.
Performance matters too. The available 3.0L EcoBoost engine produces 400 horsepower and 415 lb-ft of torque. You get Intelligent AWD for better handling in Pennsylvania winters. You get reinforced frames, upgraded brakes, and cooling systems designed for constant use. These aren’t stripped-down fleet vehicles—they’re purpose-built machines that happen to be available at a fraction of what you’d pay new.
State Surplus Auto Sales doesn’t dabble in used police cars. It’s all we do. We’re an independently-owned dealership that connects people with quality government-owned vehicles at prices that actually make sense.
Our location in the Newark metro area puts us within easy reach of Carlisle and surrounding Pennsylvania communities. We’ve built our business on straightforward transactions—no pushy tactics, no hidden fees, just transparent pricing on vehicles we know inside and out.
Every vehicle comes with 0% interest financing regardless of your credit score. That’s not a promotional rate or a limited-time offer. It’s how we do business, because we believe access to reliable transportation shouldn’t depend on your credit history.
You can shop our entire inventory online or visit us in person. Each listing includes detailed photos and specifications so you know exactly what you’re looking at. No surprises, no bait-and-switch.
Once you find a vehicle that fits your needs, we walk you through financing. Everyone gets approved at 0% interest—it doesn’t matter if you have bad credit, no credit, or a bankruptcy in your past. We verify your information, finalize the paperwork, and get you behind the wheel.
If you’re coming from Carlisle, the drive takes about three hours. Many customers make the trip in a day. Others prefer to handle everything remotely and arrange delivery. Either way works. We’re set up to accommodate however you want to buy.
The vehicles are ready to go when you are. We’re not waiting on reconditioning or detailing—what you see is what’s available. You pick your interceptor, complete the transaction, and drive home in a high-performance vehicle that cost you thousands less than anything comparable on a traditional lot.
Ready to get started?
We currently have 60 police interceptor models available. The majority are Ford Police Interceptor Utilities—the SUV platform built on the Explorer chassis but engineered specifically for law enforcement use. You’ll also find Ford Crown Interceptors and other patrol vehicles depending on current inventory.
These aren’t civilian Explorers with a spotlight bolted on. The Police Interceptor Utility comes with a high-output electrical system (up to 250 amps versus the standard 130), heavy-duty suspension components, reinforced body structure, and enhanced cooling systems. The brakes are larger. The tires are heavier-duty. The seats are designed for all-day use with duty belts and equipment.
Engine options vary by model year, but you’ll commonly see the 3.0L EcoBoost V6 (400 hp), the 3.3L hybrid powertrain (318 hp with better fuel economy), or the naturally aspirated 3.7L V6. All come with Intelligent AWD standard. Fuel economy ranges from 16 MPG city to 21 MPG highway depending on the engine—not amazing, but reasonable given the performance and capability.
Pricing starts at $5,495 and typically runs to around $14,000 depending on model year, mileage, and equipment. That’s significantly below the $20,000+ you’d pay for a used civilian Explorer with similar mileage, and a fraction of the $50,000+ a new Police Interceptor Utility costs when ordered by departments.
Police departments buy these vehicles new at fleet pricing, use them for a set period, then sell them at auction when they’re replaced. There’s no retail markup because there’s no traditional dealer margin involved. The vehicles also depreciate faster initially because of the “ex-police” designation, even though the actual condition is often better than civilian vehicles with similar mileage.
We buy directly at government auctions, which means we’re not paying middleman prices. That savings gets passed to you. A civilian Ford Explorer with 80,000 miles might list for $22,000 at a franchise dealer. The same-year Police Interceptor Utility with similar mileage costs $10,000 through us. The difference isn’t condition—it’s the buying channel.
The other factor is perception. Some buyers avoid ex-police vehicles thinking they’ve been abused. In reality, these vehicles receive better maintenance than most privately-owned cars. Departments follow strict service schedules because downtime costs them operational capacity. Oil changes happen on time, every time. Brakes get inspected regularly. Problems get fixed immediately, not deferred until next month.
Not here. We approve everyone at 0% interest regardless of credit score. That’s not an exaggeration or a marketing claim—it’s our actual financing structure.
Traditional dealers run your credit and offer rates based on what banks approve. If your score is low, you either get denied or face interest rates of 15-20% that make the vehicle unaffordable. We don’t operate that way. Your credit history doesn’t determine your interest rate because everyone gets the same rate: zero percent.
This makes our vehicles accessible to first-time buyers, people rebuilding credit after bankruptcy, and anyone who’s been turned down by conventional dealers. You still need to verify income and identity, but the approval isn’t based on your FICO score. If you can make the payments, you can buy the vehicle.
Condition varies by vehicle, but you’re generally looking at well-maintained units with higher mileage. Most of our inventory has between 60,000 and 120,000 miles. That sounds like a lot, but highway patrol vehicles accumulate miles differently than civilian cars—lots of highway driving, consistent maintenance, and regular inspections.
The photos in our online listings show the actual vehicle you’re buying, not stock images. If there’s body damage, you’ll see it. If the interior shows wear, it’s visible in the pictures. We’re not hiding anything because there’s no benefit to surprising you when you arrive.
Mechanically, these vehicles are solid. Police departments can’t afford unreliable cars, so maintenance happens on schedule. The engines are designed for high-output use. The transmissions are heavy-duty spec. The cooling systems are oversized. These components are built to last well beyond what civilian vehicles typically see.
Cosmetically, expect some wear. The interiors might have scuffs or stains. The exteriors might have small dents or paint chips. Most of the police equipment is removed, though you might see mounting holes or minor modifications. If you need showroom-perfect, this isn’t it. If you want mechanically sound transportation at a massive discount, that’s exactly what we offer.
Yes. We work with customers from Carlisle and throughout Pennsylvania regularly. You have two options: make the drive to our location in the Newark area, or arrange delivery.
If you’re coming in person, the trip from Carlisle takes roughly three hours depending on traffic. Many buyers prefer this because they can inspect the vehicle firsthand, ask questions face-to-face, and drive home the same day. We’re located at 833 Broadway, and we’re happy to have you visit during business hours.
If you’d rather handle everything remotely, we can work through the process online and by phone. You browse inventory on our website, select your vehicle, complete the financing paperwork electronically, and arrange transport. Delivery costs vary based on distance and the transport company you choose, but it’s often worth it if your schedule doesn’t allow for a six-hour round trip.
Either approach works. We’ve sold vehicles both ways hundreds of times. The key is that you have options—we’re not forcing you into one process or the other.
The Police Interceptor Utility starts as an Explorer platform, but Ford makes substantial modifications for law enforcement use. The electrical system is upgraded to handle emergency lights, radios, computers, and other equipment—you get up to 250 amps versus 130 in civilian models. That extra capacity is useful even after the police equipment is removed, especially if you’re adding aftermarket accessories.
The cooling system is enhanced with a larger radiator and auxiliary transmission cooler. This matters if you’re idling frequently, towing, or driving in stop-and-go traffic. The suspension uses heavy-duty components with different tuning for handling stability during aggressive driving. The brakes are larger with upgraded calipers and rotors for repeated high-speed stops.
The body structure includes reinforcements not found on civilian Explorers. The seats are designed for all-day comfort with equipment belts. The calibration for the AWD system, transmission, and stability control is different—optimized for pursuit driving rather than everyday commuting.
You also get features like a 160-mph certified speedometer, engine idle hour tracking, and pursuit-rated performance testing. The 3.0L EcoBoost engine option produces 400 horsepower—significantly more than the civilian Explorer’s engine lineup. These aren’t cosmetic differences. The Police Interceptor Utility is a genuinely different vehicle engineered for demanding use.
Compare our pricing to similar civilian vehicles and you’ll see the difference immediately. A used Ford Explorer with 70,000 miles typically lists between $20,000 and $25,000 at franchise dealers. Our Police Interceptor Utilities with comparable mileage run $8,000 to $14,000 depending on year and condition.
You can verify this yourself. Check Cars.com, TrueCar, or AutoTrader for used Explorers in your area. Look at the asking prices for vehicles with similar age and mileage. Then compare that to our inventory. The savings are substantial—often $10,000 or more for a vehicle with better components and more thorough maintenance history.
The nationwide average price for a used Police Interceptor is around $10,212 according to current market data. Our pricing aligns with that average, and in many cases comes in below it. We’re not inflating prices because we’re not a traditional dealer with high overhead and sales commissions. We buy at auction, we sell directly, and we keep our margins reasonable because volume matters more than per-unit profit.
If you find a comparable vehicle for less somewhere else, you should buy it there. We’re confident in our pricing because we track the market constantly and we know what these vehicles actually cost.
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