New taxi musings

[TW]Fox;21066182 said:
You can get a 1.9 TDI Superb but I'd imagine its slower than coastal erosion.
Click to expand...



yup, i'd imagine that will be the 105 bhp one

quick check on parkers says 103 bhp and 13 seconds to 60. would be fine for taxiing but i cant shake off the need for some performance in the mix.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...postcode/g326en/page/1/keywords/nav?logcode=p

very tempting, pity the isuzu engine is about as good as a chocolate teapot and has the potential to generate bills bigger than the gdp of some small countries.



that said this seems to fit the bill rather well but i get a feeling of dejavu well under budget but i honestly cant say i can find anything that will give better vfm ease of changeover(in terms of familiarity with driving and maintenance etc

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...postcode/g326en/page/1/keywords/nav?logcode=p


its certainly an option i will be bearing in mind but i shall make the effort to go look at a few superbs this week as fox has already said a superb would be a clear step up in terms of refinement from the current veccy elite. and as much as i love it, it really is a rotten place to spend a shift
 
Last edited:
[TW]Fox;21066431 said:
I hate them so much but wow.. is that all a 2009 Vectra is worth?! Really?
Click to expand...

and that would have listed at around £27k new


bear in mind thats an sri (so just one notch down from a top spec elite with factory nav which adds a bit to the price. a similar aged insignia can be had from around 8k upwards :)


the 3lv6 at £6500 is even scarier, when you consider its a top of the range car and still running a manufacturers warranty.
 
Last edited:
the 2l common rail diesel in all newer VAG stuff is a different class to the old PD lumps

I dont think anyone who has sat in a superb with an open mind has not been impressed by it

it must be the best choice for a taxi, huge load space, and loads of legroom in back so you dont get peoples knees in your back..it is amazing how much rear leg room you get
 
OP: Why do you want to remap your taxi when you could just buy one that isn't slow in the first place :p. I understand remaps, but with your line of work I wouldn't want to do anything that could harm (even slightly) your reliability.
 
mglover070588 said:
OP: Why do you want to remap your taxi when you could just buy one that isn't slow in the first place :p. I understand remaps, but with your line of work I wouldn't want to do anything that could harm (even slightly) your reliability.
Click to expand...


Well my 200k mile vectra is mapped and I have to say It's not given me anything other than wear and tear bills or known vectra issues a good remap done by a reputable cOmpany will have no effect on reliability


[FnG]magnolia;21067327 said:
How do you stop the neds from punching you, puking on you or stabbing you from the back seats? Do you set up a similar physical barrier to the black cabs?
Click to expand...

Nope nothing at all and it's a hazard of the job touch wood never had any trouble in 6 years of taxiing but I put that down to my own approach to people as I know drivers who are in scuffles with punters every other week
Like any other line of work if you can have a bit of common sense 99% of conflicts can be avoided or managed in a satisfactory way and for that one in a million head case that's why I have good life insurance it's just a case of being on your toes and not saying the wrong thing to the wrong person

Ie non regular hire asks if you've been out long no you've just started your shift - who wants to rob a taxi driver if they think he has no cash on him
I work in Glasgow so If asked I'm not religious and I support raith rovers as I was brought up in fife not either of the old firm teams I'm not at all religious if asked and I'm from a mixed background

You get the idea you give people no reason to think about wishing you harm
 
Last edited:
For the price of that Vectra, you probably are not going to find anything better for the age!

Superb looks like a great shout, but can totally understand why you don't want one.

Insignia would be a good one too, you are familiar with the brand, and it will be slightly better than going from one Vectra to another Vectra.

Good luck with your choice.
 
Lots of researching and test driving to do first. Going to try and steal my old mans insignia elite for a few days and see what it's like to live with but they are. It without their problems lots of jiggly little issues as Vaux try to move more upmarket
Mechanically almost identical to my current vectra(insignia is based on a facelift vectra) but I'm keeping my eyes ears and options open ;)
 
[TW]Fox;21066431 said:
I hate them so much but wow.. is that all a 2009 Vectra is worth?! Really?
Click to expand...

That must be about the worst depreciation I have ever seen :eek:

Only thing is, you'd have to sit in a Vectra all day, every day.
 
Foxtrot26 said:
Nope nothing at all and it's a hazard of the job touch wood never had any trouble in 6 years of taxiing but I put that down to my own approach to people as I know drivers who are in scuffles with punters every other week
Like any other line of work if you can have a bit of common sense 99% of conflicts can be avoided or managed in a satisfactory way and for that one in a million head case that's why I have good life insurance it's just a case of being on your toes and not saying the wrong thing to the wrong person

Ie non regular hire asks if you've been out long no you've just started your shift - who wants to rob a taxi driver if they think he has no cash on him
I work in Glasgow so If asked I'm not religious and I support raith rovers as I was brought up in fife not either of the old firm teams I'm not at all religious if asked and I'm from a mixed background

You get the idea you give people no reason to think about wishing you harm
Click to expand...

Sorry for the derail but this is really interesting to me. I lived in Glasgow for 4 years and I'm actually astonished that you've made it six years without any incident. I take it you select who and when you pick up? i.e. those two neds look like they're going to play silly buggers/chib me, think I'll wait for better customers? Or are you just lucky?

I have no car offerings to make other than the 'Superb' idea which was floated very early in your thread so again, sorry for the derail.
 
[FnG]magnolia;21068362 said:
Sorry for the derail but this is really interesting to me. I lived in Glasgow for 4 years and I'm actually astonished that you've made it six years without any incident. I take it you select who and when you pick up? i.e. those two neds look like they're going to play silly buggers/chib me, think I'll wait for better customers? Or are you just lucky?

I have no car offerings to make other than the 'Superb' idea which was floated very early in your thread so again, sorry for the derail.
Click to expand...


nope i'm not picky who i pick up tbh and i tend to work all shifts at some points ie a good mix of days and nights due to the wifes work commitments this invariably entails that i end up with my fair share of "drug" runs half cut jakes and various unsavoury ned type characters and ocuk members.

that said you speak to some drivers who are involved in disputes and fisticuffs with passengers every other week. I also tend to work in some of the less savoury areas of Glasgow too, ie easterhouse haghill barlanark etc etc. but i honestly put my lack of chibbing or stabbing down to my approach with people. a bit of respect goes a long way (along with making the right comments at the right time and not making yourself a target(as i previously mentioned dont give someone a reason to dislike you and you become background noise).
but the job does have some fun points, like the 2 french guys i picked up from the black bear last night who i managed to convince that buckfast was a fine scottish tipple from the monklands area of scotland similar to their champagne region being renowned for its fine cultured beverages. so if you see a news story about 2 poor frenchmen poisoned in Glasgow you know who to blame ;) add to that the lolz at watching domestics unfold and getting touched up by pensioners threatening to take you up the road for a lumber and it does have a humourous side too it.

but back to the car hunt, fox you'll be please to know i'm going for a nosy round hendrys skoda this afternoon to get a feel for the new superb. i shall report back with my findings later
 
Last edited:
Dogbreath said:
That must be about the worst depreciation I have ever seen :eek:

Only thing is, you'd have to sit in a Vectra all day, every day.
Click to expand...




they've been like that for a few years,

i bought my 06 plate elite with 1 owner and fvsh in 2009 for £4750 :)
 
I recall an article fairly recently saying that Vauxhall have the worst new car depreciation of any manufacturer in this country. Means some great used buys if you can put up with driving one.
 
Out of all the taxis I've been, the Superb was the nicest place to be.

Miles better than an insignia, vectra, merc c-classes.

Your customers would prefer it imo :p
 
If you pay for fuel yourself, surely you want fuel economy over pretty much everything in your engine choice?

I have absolutely no idea how it is inside, and performance might make you cry, but there is a Greenline Superb you can buy....

Then put the savings towards something more fun.
 
Greenline gets most of it's saving through stop start and gearing optimised for high speed cruising. You can key off manually if you need to and the gearing won't help a taxi.

If it was me I'd be looking at either Superb 2.0 CR TDI or Honda Accord i-DTEC 2.2, either of which can shift and get pretty decent fuel economy.
 
Foxtrot26 said:
it is an option but they are just a reshelled facelift vectra with some added toys and slightly better trim and an extra 100cc of engine capacity/10bhp
Click to expand...

I thought they were an all-new car (i.e. Epsilon II)? Certainly miles better than the old Vectra anyway.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom