Taxi Driver Online

Hi…I’m new to this (all things taxi and private hire) and have a few vehicle related questions. (I’m in the process of applying for my licence, and, yeah, I know ‘wait until you get it before you get a vehicle’ but anyway…)

I’ve gone round in circles and back again deciding on what vehicle to use. I was initially in love with 307 and 407 SWs for the “panoramic glass sunroof”, as after all, sunlight is important. We all feel better for a bit of sun, or just being able gaze up at the heavens/street lights/gently swaying autumnal trees etc, right?
But yeah, 307 too cramped (I’d be scraping 2M tall in my chauffeur cap if I had one) and 407, well, they’re a bit weird, and felt a bit cramped on the right leg side of things.

Astra estate, way too small. Likewise the Focus estate. Vectra estate, oh yes, forget stargazing, worra lorra room. And the boot space, wow, it’s practically a bedroom with space for an en suite.
Then again, do I want to navigating the private hire equivalent of an oil tanker up the road network equivalent of a canal? Maybe it’s a bit too big. Dunno.

Oh the Mondeo, feels nice. Great driving position (yes, I’ve sat in a lot of cars lately) but hang on, when I push my seat right back, there’s not that much room in the back. And estates aren’t that easy too find, and a hatchback, well, it just feels a bit enclosed. And the 2.0TDCi (only?!) manages 36mpg ‘round town, is that enough?

Avensis, they never break down. Having sat in one I’m not sure that’s a good thing. It even felt dull, and failed to chant like even the Mondeo had. And it’s bit cramped.

So, enter the Skoda family. An Octavia estate had been an early choice, but I’d visited a showroom and an especially useless assistant let me sit in one. An Elegance estate, nice, but, not knowing how to adjust the seat properly - he didn’t tell me and as he’d failed to display any knowledge at all when faced with my previous questions I didn’t ask. He’d pretty much wandered off by this point anyway. So I sort of put that on hold for a while.
Oh the Superb, hey look, I can have my seat right back and there’s still room for a twelve year old child to sit behind me. But I thought I wanted to/had to be offering to move large items (furniture etc) too to diversify my client base to the greatest extent possible. Yeah, but the seats. And how thick are these doors? Niiice. And what about the lack of sunlight, nightlight, swaying trees in the…etc? Forget it, think about the passengers. Returns. Regulars even, wallowing the limoesque experience only a Superb can offer.

Then I read they wallow, hmmm, maybe they’re too big. Perhaps an Octavia is better.
That’s when I discovered the baffling array of Octavia options. Now the Hadron collider’s on pause maybe it’s time to call the guys (and gals, oh yes) for an explanation.
Then I discovered this place.
So, an A4 Octavia is the old (pre 2005) model, even though they’re still making them (somewhere) and selling them here, right? And the A5 is the 2004 onwards model (05 onwards for the estate) and they’re obviously still on sale here. The A5 is wider with a longer wheelbase and can be 100, 105, 115 or 130bhp. Is that right?
Also the Superb, oh the Superb, although generally 100 or 130bhp, is available as a 115bhp version, right?
Am I also right in thinking the 2.0 TDi PD is a newer/better engine than the 1.9TDi PD? Or have I been misinformed here? Oh, and what’s the approx rear legroom difference between an A5 Octavia and a Superb with driver’s seat fully back? And, nah, I’ll leave it at that.

Thanks in anticipation.

Oh hang on, I was considering a Volvo V50, but didn’t bump in to any, so haven’t had the pleasure of moaning about the legroom in one yet. And when I saw an obvious taxi (‘It is illegal to smoke in this vehicle’) 05 Octavia (unbadged, either an Elegance or L&K and looking like new, parked at a Skoda dealer) and peered in and noticed 273 000 on the clock, I stopped looking past Skoda. They seem to scream 'quality' a bit louder than the rest. Quite a bit.

You dont want much do you!!!!....Im guessing there Isnt a car in production thats going to meet your every requirement. so why not opt for a nice diesel MPV...EG: a Citroen C8 or Seat Alhambra..these offer six seats and little luggage space or 4 Seats with a load of luggage space.

Thanks. I did sit in a C8, but no. Sorry, if it wasn't clear I'm pretty much set on a Skoda, just trying to understand all the different variations of models and engines, and how much less spacious the back of an A5 Octavia is compared to the back of a Superb. Apologies for the ranty post, I was trying to provide some background so no one said 'have you tried a Vectra estate?' or the like. Yeah, I know there's a C-Max with a glass roof, and a Laguna estate and even a rather obscure variety of Fiat Stilo.
But it's gotta be Skoda, (I think!) so my enquiry isn't as complex as it may've appeared. I mentioned so many incase anyone had personal experience of the 'yeah, that fulllength glass roof has changed my taxiiing life' type. I can only sit in cars, or test drive briefly, I can't 'get' what they're like year in year out, hence my enquiry. Anyway, hope I didn't get off on the wrong foot here, choosing a vehicle is an enormous decision for me and I'm trying to gather as much information as I possibly can before I make such a large and potentially long term commitment, that's all.

It doesn't matter which motor you look at, it's not going to tick all the boxes you have.
Concentrate on the stuff that matters most in this game.
£££££££ Cost to buy, Cost to run, Cost to insure MPG etc.
And check what your LA will plate before you sign on the dotted line.

Oh and don't buy a TX4

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http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

well..if your just starting out a nice wee Skoda Octavia 1.9TD ambiente offering 105 bhp (but feels a lot more)is great vehicle...nearly 50 mpg...does over a 100 mph happily....ample legroom...huge boot space.....goes forever as its a volkswagen engine...cheap servicing....never complains at what you ask it to do....you can buy second hand cheaply or new on low finance costs from a taxi/Ph retailer

That's the standard London Minicab, saloons and all.

OMG

CC

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

ford mondeo
skoda superb

loads of leg room

galaxy? tipping forward rear seat access? surely not!

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

Thanks for your help everyone.

Well I wouldn't be particularly swayed by this - I'm sure there's high mileage examples of all models around, but that doesn't say what work it might have had done to get to that mileage, or what the average Skoda might be like.

My 95 Mondeo did 280,000 before it expired, and really only needed routine maintenance on the box, clutch and engine until that mileage, but ask other people and mechanics and they'll gladly tell you that that model Mondeo was a bag of crap.

On the other hand, I knew someone with a Superb taxi with the 2.0 140 bhp engine who has had constant problems with the Diesel Particulate Filter and also suffered "catastrophic engine failure" due to an oil pump problem before 90,000.

Indeed, I think Skoda have been told that they shouldn't sell the 2.0 140 DPF engine to the taxi trade, because the round town kind of driving they do clogs up the DPF.

I have the same 140 engine in my Passat, but don't think I've got a DPF, and certainly haven't had any problems with it at nearly 70,000 miles.

Not that I'm trying to put you off buying a Skoda, but what I'm trying to say is that there are lots of factors to be considered, and there's also the question of warranties, customer service and the like - if you buy a new(?) car and it has lots of problems, a good dealer rather than a bad one can be a Godsend.

Again, my Passat conked down because of a failed pump in the fuel tank, and this has been a common problem with the model, and a supply shortage has meant that some have been sitting in VW garages for months, although I was lucky and got back on the road the next day. (Obviously the Skodas use much the same mechanicals as the VW, but I haven't heard of a similar problem with them).

As for specific engines and models, best to check on websites and magazines, since they're always changing things - for example, the mid-range diesel engine on the VW/Skoda models went from the 115 bhp about ten years ago to the 130 bhp, but it's been replaced by the 140. And with some models the next one down is the 105, but it depends on which model you're going for.

Have you considdered a TX4? I am told that they go like a bomb and you should be able to get your hands on an 06 plateed one for peanuts. One of the drivers in my patch actually said this morning that he would love one.

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Grandad,

Thanks, I'm glad someone mentioned that. I tried to join the Skoda forum (linked from here) earlier with a view to enquiring about the 115bhp new plated (old model) Superbs I'd seen for sale as taxis from specialist outlets. So it's the old engine, and I assume, to be avoided? Whereas the 130bhp seems universally plauded. I'm pretty much set on a Superb, test driving one this weekend, though not quite ready to buy one just yet.

I think the very first Passats were available with either 90 or 110 bhp (or was it 115?) diesels.

That was replaced by the Pump Duse engines, which were available either with 115 or 130 bhp.

Don't know about the Superb, but the current Passat is now available with either the 105 or 140 (there's also a 170 available) - the 130 was also phased out on the Superb in favour of the 140, but I'm not so sure about the 115.

However, I think the point is that the 115 Superb just has the same lump as the 130, it's obviously just a little less powerful. Reliability and technology wise they should just be the same. I suspect that a lot more 130s were shifted than 115s, however.

You could have my wifes superb it used to be mine its only done 290k its a 130 tdi PD BTW