Taxi

[jamesmckelvie]

Does anyone think this has been a taxi?

eBay.co.uk: 2005 55 SKODA OCTAVIA AMBIENTE 1.9 TDi DIESEL NEW SHAPE (item 110082324902 end time 24-Jan-07 21:15:27 GMT)

[mluton]

I think so

[Kandy]

Looks like you can see a mark where insurance docs. might have been taped to top left of windscreen - is there other evidence (apart from mileage)?

[daiking]

Originally Posted by Kandy

Looks like you can see a mark where insurance docs. might have been taped to top left of windscreen - is there other evidence (apart from mileage)?

The backseats look like they've been puked all over! For a motorway rep mobile I would expect the backseats to be spotless. Both the front passenger seat and the back seat have scuffs on the plastic trim as well as marks on the upholstery. Either its had a crap valet or those marks really won't shift.

[mr Gareth Jones]

With such tatty interior - bound to have been !

[jamesmckelvie]

try ask the seller about being a taxi and the condition of the interior, see if you get a reply, I never !

[jamesmckelvie]

[quote=daiking;813863]The backseats look like they've been puked all over! For a motorway rep mobile I would expect the backseats to be spotless. Both the front passenger seat and the back seat have scuffs on the plastic trim as well as marks on the upholstery. Either its had a crap valet or those marks really won't shift.[/quo

normally there would be holes in the dash where the meter has been mounted, fire extinguisger possibly?

[johnjohnhealy]

It would be unusual for a cab driver to sell up with such low mileage, however it's not unheard off, usually another cab driver will buy though.

Contrary to popular belief ex taxi's actually make very good buys as they will have been serviced on time every time, they udergo a much stricter MOT from day 1 rather than 3 years old and anything that needs attention will get done almost straight away, It's a workhorse to earn a living, you cant afford for it to be unreliable so everything gets done.

The only things that make this appear to have been a taxi are the levels of wear around the footwell areas, providing no holes have been drilled these are the only areas that will give the game away as people drag there feet over the sills and scuff the plastics around the seat bases, also the carpet wears on the rear transmission tunnel, skoda plastics and carpet (being of such poor quality) wear very fast and show any marks, as does the seat fabric, a stain on the seats does not necessarily mean it's been puked on, it could just have been raining when someone opened the door!!

[johnjohnhealy]

Originally Posted by jamesmckelvie

normally there would be holes in the dash where the meter has been mounted, fire extinguisger possibly?

Generaly not, very very rarely do taxi's have holes drilled for anything, the meter will usually fit in a space under the stereo thanks to all these double din holes with single din stereos! the fire extiguisher just needs to be in the car somewhere so will normaly just be in the boot with the first aid kit, for example -

My Mondeo has a mirror meter so if its turned off you wouldn't know there was a meter, the CB is mounted under the seat so is effectively invisible, and the data head (computer screen) is on a bracket on the drivers air vent and simply unplugs when not needed.

If I de-cabbed my Mondeo tommorow and sold it, no one would ever know unless they checked the gala pulse wire to the stereo and noticed that it had been tapped into. they wouldn't even recognise the number plate either as I'd take off my private plate, most cabs now also use MOGO licence plate holders to hold the council plate (that states number of passengers) instead of riveting them to the back of the vehicle!

[VRStu]

I wouldn't have thought it were a taxi based on what I can see there, just a well used car.

As John says it seems a bit young for a taxi driver to be selling.

[jamesmckelvie]

how much do you think its worth?

[NeilS]

Provided it hasn't been used for private hire then it still has 8 months of warranty left on it which is worth something. Of course it may have been used for private hire, developed an expensive fault which SUK won't fix under warranty and the owner is cutting losses ....

[jamesmckelvie]

Originally Posted by NeilS

Provided it hasn't been used for private hire then it still has 8 months of warranty left on it which is worth something. Of course it may have been used for private hire, developed an expensive fault which SUK won't fix under warranty and the owner is cutting losses ....

I thought the warranty only ran for 3 years, or to 60K whichever is sooner?

[golfturbo]

Originally Posted by jamesmckelvie

I thought the warranty only ran for 3 years, or to 60K whichever is sooner?

That is correct, it will be out of warranty due to exceeding 60k

[NeilS]

Pretty sure it is 2 years unlimited OR 3 years 60,000 whichever sooner. Check out the sticky on this site.

[Dr Zoidberg]

Originally Posted by johnjohnhealy

Contrary to popular belief ex taxi's actually make very good buys as they will have been serviced on time every time, they udergo a much stricter MOT from day 1 rather than 3 years old and anything that needs attention will get done almost straight away, It's a workhorse to earn a living, you cant afford for it to be unreliable so everything gets done.

You've obviously not been in some of the ratty heaps of tat that pass for taxis by me then.

The only time they get sold on is when they have dropped dead in the road

[cheezemonkhai]

Doubt it taxi drivers don't usually go for alloys etc, just the more basic models.

I would thik it's just had a bit of a run out over a year, I know of people who put 60k on a car in a year and then sell it as they need their car to be 100% relieable as otherwise they loose £1000's a day.

[VRStu]

I think you'll find it's 2 years unlimited and the third year is subject to the 60k limit.

[johnjohnhealy]

Being a taxi (or private hire) makes no difference to the warranty, the 2 years unlimited milage/ 3 years or 60k still aplies.

You guys must have some well dodgy cab firms where you are, no doubt run by some of our Asian friends (nothing racist in that comment BTW), all our cars (130 of them) are decent specs with alloys A/C etc, hell, my own is a Mondeo ST!! we have C/E class mercs, jags, toyotas, BMW's Skodas etc etc and we have among the cheapest fares in the UK!

[postmanpat]

Originally Posted by johnjohnhealy

Being a taxi (or private hire) makes no difference to the warranty, the 2 years unlimited milage/ 3 years or 60k still aplies.

You guys must have some well dodgy cab firms where you are, no doubt run by some of our Asian friends (nothing racist in that comment BTW), all our cars (130 of them) are decent specs with alloys A/C etc, hell, my own is a Mondeo ST!! we have C/E class mercs, jags, toyotas, BMW's Skodas etc etc and we have among the cheapest fares in the UK!

Yes. my son refuses to get in a taxi any more, the last one drove like a lunatic and one of the rear seatbelts was broken. Reported