Taxi Driver Online

As my Fiat Scudo has been written off I now need a new taxi.
I had this vehicle for 5 years with one or two niggles. Biggest one having been a new ECU unit! 3 weeks off work and £750 out of pocket for the unit.
However the overall taxi (from JAG) was Ok. Performed well etc. My gripe was that there was little room for the driver.
Needless to say the Scudo, Dispatch and Expert now come with more driver's space.
I now basically need a new taxi ASAP. Bottom of the list ia a Fiat Doblo (I'm renting one at the moment) Prices for these are up to £14000 + VAT - complete joke as this car is laughable to say the least. I would say the actual drive of the car is fine but looks of the car - well utter crap. There is no way I would part with my cash on a car which looks hideous. Every other punter has a view on the taxi, and it is always negative!

Top of the range is a Caravelle / Shuttle. I have been told by Benfield that these taxis will not be availble till 3-4 months time. They are getting Shuttles in next month and changing them to be accepted by Newcastle Council.

Also I have spoke to a guy in Scotland and he is selling them for around £27000 for the cheapest model. (Don't know if thats an import or not.)

So, whats left? Fiat Scudo. Had very bad after care service from them in the past and vowed never to get another Fiat car in my life.

Citroen Dispatch or Peugeot Expert (Le cab noir). I'm stuck between the two. Cab Direct are selling the Peugeot Expert for £22500 but you can get the Le cab noir for under £20000 - same spec!!
That goes for the Citoen too - Under £20000.

Can anyone tell me if thats a good deal for a 7 seater? Why is Cab Direct £2500 more than exactly the same taxi (Le cab noir) ??? Just a different name isnt it?

Any info on the Peugeot or Citroen models is welcomed.

Sorry about the long post.


Cheers
Chris


PS. Its for Newcastle City Council to pass!

I would be inclined to play one against the other.

At Sandown the Cab-direct chap said that he wouldn't be beat on price by the JAG people, even though they weren't there.

On another thread, Buddie has got a new Caravelle with loads of modification for £25,000, and the delivery isn't that many months.

Or you could do what another buddie of mine has done, and that's got an S reg TX11 for £10,000, in good nic.

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IDFIMH

Fourteen grand for a dublo

it isnt 1st of April yet!

can I just say, when choosing a vehicle I check out the main agents and speed of servicing and availability of spares.

I was about to buy 2 new toyota Hiaces from voyager, my local toyota dealer has led me a merry dance all year, they took a car in for gear box problem I phoned every day to hear tales of woe, after 2 week they phoned with a quote ouch.

their parts delivery has been awfull all year, so no toyotas will be ordered cos my main dealers not up to it so I have learned a lesson.

I have checked out main dealers of VW, pergeot, citroen, merc,

my new vehicles because of servicing factors will be pergeot or VW.

Yorkie

Cheers for the posts.

My mates just put a spanner in the works by saying the VW Shuttles are now available from Benfield. VW were faxing prices through while he was there and he now has the price list from head office.
It seems very cheap for the short wheel base but thats with no conversion. I'll post as soon as I know the exact price for the vehicle as a taxi and not just as a mini bus.

Chris

Le Cab Noir is £2500 cheaper because Voyager is a small company without the massive marketing overheads of Cab Direct. We also try to give good customer service and backup. We're not perfect (not yet anyway!) but we do try our best. Le Cab Noir is now VCA approved so don't believe all the sales talk from Cab Direct salespeople! Any more info just ask!

Judy,
how wonderfull to hear from you.
can you make those vw caravelles into 8 seat taxis?

got to get some 8 seats on b4 those 150 private hire cars turn up!

i liked the bit about having your vehicle for five years there are a few about to apear in dundee if i could run one for five years i would jump on it as for after sales the dealers know they have us by the bxxlls fairweathers in dundee got fined two weeks after i complained about potters not doing proper services and im now getting a discount on anything not completed on a service ,my message is check as much as you could before leaving the forecourt you may even qualify for a free service as i have just done, a list of complaint addresses wouldn,t go amiss on the mainpage of this site we have to stick together as there are a lot of people out there taking advantage of us but they can be stopped
if you just take ten minutes and complain too the right people,the oft are also looking into warintys
on new vehicles ,being high mileage users we are easy targets if you let them....

I have always had the opinion that if you don't complain, then nothing changes.

Moan, moan and moan. It may change little, but at least you can say you tried.

Alex

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ʎɐqǝ uo pɹɐoqʎǝʞ ɐ ʎnq ı ǝɯıʇ ʇsɐן ǝɥʇ sı sıɥʇ

Simply the best taxi forum in the whole wide world. www.taxi-driver.co.uk

oh yeh? all the racket comes from an empty can.

Look for us at donnington show, hopefully we will have vehicle on stand that might be right for you! It may even be ready before but I'm not making promises!

Donnington Judy you are teasing me.
Look those Hiances were my dream, the local toyota dealer, is my bloody nightmare

Donny is too late.

Is he one of your drivers?

Alex

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ʎɐqǝ uo pɹɐoqʎǝʞ ɐ ʎnq ı ǝɯıʇ ʇsɐן ǝɥʇ sı sıɥʇ

Simply the best taxi forum in the whole wide world. www.taxi-driver.co.uk

No he is the one that sang "Puppy Love" with his brothers.
Last seen living in Brighton, thats if living and Brighton should ever appear in the same sentence.
Ged

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taxi driver @manchester airport

Huh..cheek... better then dieing Manchester!

they dont die in Manchester they dye