Taxi Driver Online

I know that we have got topics that talk about the best vehicle for the job, but what I would like to see is basically a name and shame section.

For example I had a 4 year old TX 1, but mine and others had serious rust problems, now in this day and age that should not happen. These vehicles have been out on production for over 50 years - that kind of thing should be well sorted.

Now I have got an E7 Peugot, a great engine but it has been into the garage about 14 days in the last 12 months due to the sliding door and door handle problems.

If this is brought to the manufactures attention enough times! who knows! it might just get sorted.

I would like to see e.g a TX 1 section, Tx2, 3 etc this would help to see if the manufactures were taking any notice. Again, e.g are the same problems in a Tx 4 as was in a Tx1, Ummm if so, someone is not listening!

The same for Euro's, Tournedos, V.Ws and so on. Cars obviously being more than wellcome.

Constructive criticism only being wellcome, and please dont write to say your engine is crap - and you only get it serviced once a year - if that.

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if you cannot be yourself, then who can you be.

My TX1 is now 8 years young, no rust problems to speak of.

252K and still going strong.

Ok Had a TX1 Xreg year 2000 for about 2 1/2 years, about 2 1/2 year old when purchased.

Plus side

1) Nice to look at.
2) Good turning circle
3) Fuel consumption reasonable around town.

Downside

1) Prone to rust (Bonnet & Rear Wheel arches)
2) Heavy on tyres
3) Prone to cutting out (car security disablement was the problem)
4) Stub axle snapped
5) Heavy on fuel (Motorways) Not banging it - but 70ish.
6) Expensive for what you get.
7) Engine still too noisy.
8) Intercom system ok for passengers but not the driver.
9) No boot space

E7 Euro

Plus side

1) About 10K cheaper than a London Cab
2) 7 seater.
3) Fuel consumption better than London cab - but not as good as they claim.
4) A very good engine in terms of quietness and acceleration.
5) Better on tyre wear.
6) A more comfortable drive

Downside

1) The intercom system needs to be better (driver & passenger).
2) The sliding door is an absolute nightmare, door replaced, and still not right. ( If they get it sorted, they will be on a total winner)
3) Door handle integeral mechanism keeps on failing, very poor construction and quality.
4) Very poor visability on reversing.
5) Front passenger seat very cramped, the dash board should have been contoured for more leg room.

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if you cannot be yourself, then who can you be.

Octavia. 1.9D

Plus points.
Nice to look at.
Fab for mpg, maybe the best ever IMO.
Boot takes everything and a little bit more.
Initial costs.
Spend a tenner washing and cleaning it up makes it look as good as new.

Downside.
Gear boxes were and still are sh**.
Not enough room inside, although the latest model is better.
Skoda UK.

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IDFIMH

Skoda Superb 1.9 tdi 130 bhp

Plus points,
Loads of room for passengers
loads of power
excellent fuel economy (had 72 mpg on long run)
and road holding
20,000 mile service

Bad points
Headlight bulb muncher
crap boot
Expensive timing belt change, ( make sure water pump is changed at the same time as the different tension on it causes the pump shaft to snap)
Lose of power down to mass air flow sensor.

Bought a TX11 new in 04.

Cons.

Mann Overton are the biggest Cons.
2 1/2 years of struggle.
Where does one start. Oh!!! it doesn't start, that's one.
When it does start it doesn't stop.
Failed first compliance, one day old. Brakes, Steering, Suspension.
Fails every year. Brakes Steering Suspension.
List too long and tedious to write.

Pros.

Disabled missus loves to drive it.
People preach the DDA for disabled passengers, but they forget the disabled drivers.
London tourists jump in. (Nobody else does).
Refreshingly expensive. Good education doesn't come cheap.
Tax man feels sorry for you.

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Just because I am paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get me.

There lies your problem.

VW Shuttle 130 just over 2yrs old

For:
Great looking
Power
Space
Seat flexibility (conversion dependant)
Very comfortable to drive
Good allround vision

Against:
Rear sliding window catches easy to break if not opened correctly
Thats about it

GBC.

No, it's not the TX11 that's the trouble. It's LTI.

They provide no warranty or backup of any sort.

I can't even get any spares without finding them privately, and having them posted down from upcountry.

The local service agent packed in dealing with LTI because they are 'not genuine people'.

The only time they have got back to me was when I cancelled the order for the other two.
Not to fix the one I've got, but to swear the next two will be better. They did ask for an estimate from a body shop to straighten the body panels and adjust the doors to stop the leaks and wind noise.

The body shop told me that would be impossible because the pressings are of such poor quality it would make them worse to mess about with them. He invited me to go into any breakers yard, examine any vehicle from the cheapest lada to the biggest lorry, and find door pressings so badly creased. I couldn't find any.
Just try it yourself.

Listen to this expert advise from LTI.
Q. Sometimes the engine conks out when I've started driving off, leaving me with no steering or brakes, it's automatic and our rail station is on a hill.
A. Give it bit of a rev.

Q. The oil light keeps flashing.
A. You'll have to drive to Plymouth to get it looked at. (70 miles away).


Just out of interest, the noisy serpentine belt becomes much quieter if you spread some candle wax on the back of it. I do mine every day.

Apparently, the Chinese are about to learn their triads are kindergarten compared to proper mafia crooks, as LTI are on their way over. Those Chinese just love their noodles.

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Just because I am paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get me.

I agree LTI are far from perfect, but I just bought a new car before christmas (private use) and TBH, the local dealership has so far fallen far short of my expectations, and thats Toyota who enjoy a slightly better reputation than a Taxi manufacturer.
I believe anything you buy will have bad stories attached to it, there are various 'review' sites online, where others share their views on a particular purchase or item.

I would have thought, given your location, you would at least have a choice of WAV to buy, unlike in London where it's the LTI product or nothing. Having said that, the TX4 seems to be a much better bet than its predecesor. I'm giving them at least a year to see what happens.

The main problem is the drivers themselves, no doubt they see the London Cab as synonymous with London. It is a nice looking vehicle and looks the part, But! that is as far as it goes - 50 years on and it is still a pile of internal rubbish.

Basically from what I can gather, it is Ken who has said it is that and that only, it sounds more like a communist country every day. With 20,000 drivers in LondonI would have thought that they between them have a lot of clout, and if they wanted to they could bring about the opportunity of a choice of vehicle.

I cannot believe that the Office of Fair Trading allow this situation to exist.

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if you cannot be yourself, then who can you be.

Well if the OFT received enough complaints, they would have to take action.
It is only the London cabby's who haven't got the balls to do anything about it.
why not get a London only petition going for change and hand it into red kens office and the PCO's, and get London's cabs into the modern world.
Strike action could be a good thing, they could even threaten to pull all cabs when the olympics start, unless they are allowed choice
A go slow would not work no one would notice the difference.
Come on London cabby's stand up and be counted

Because a large proportion of the 25'000 drivers want to keep the distictive Taxi, because a few thousand others rent, so it does'nt really concern them about the maintenance and associated costs of the vehicle, and because.............. is there really a suitable alternative out there?

Lots of easy answers on a taxi forum, but the reality is somewhat different.

I understand very much where you are coming from, and TBH it is as I thought re the drivers. But! I would have expected the drivers to take M & O to task over the outrageous price that they charge for the vehicle, and now with Kens backing they can charge what they like.

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if you cannot be yourself, then who can you be.

It's as if LTI have sent out their scavengers to rummage through all the reject skips of other manufacturers, and then tasked the teams of bodgers to whack things together with the Birmingham screwdriver.

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Just because I am paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get me.