Before I retired I spent 3 1/2 years working in Sandwell and bought a 10yr old Astra 1.6 8 valve auto in CD trim and had it converted to run on LPG.

Fabulous car and cost peanuts to run.Ran it from 62K to 165K and still not using any oil and on original gearbox.

I used to fill it up regularly at Lister Gases at lunch time, but found I had to wait longer as time went on because the Asian taxi drivers were queuing up!

Many had big Jap saloons.

An alternative to diesel.

Octavias have a deservedly brilliant reputation for low running costs, high mileage and reliability. Taxis have to have a six monthly MoT in Spain, which tends to weed out the less-than-robust models. (I don't see huge numbers of French marques at taxi ranks, now I think about it!) You'll see lots of Skoda Superb taxis around Spain, too. There wasn't really a SEAT equivalent to the Octavia (The Mark 2 Toledo was a saloon, and the Mark 3 was a pig-ugly notchback); taxi drivers are big fans of big hatchbacks, unlike José Público, who still believes a three box shape always signifies a superior car. I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for Mark 4 Toledo/Skoda Rapids when I fly to Barajas in a couple of weeks' time. I suspect cash-strapped taxistas will be keeping their Octavias going until the new, larger and more upmarket model comes out in a year or two.

Edited by Bilboman on 06/12/2012 at 19:35

I got into a hire cab in the UK recently the driver said he had just renewed his insurance it was over 4k and he had never made a claim in 20 years of driving.

Taxi insurance is bonkers here, likewise with vans.

In some respects taxis are not like others cars that do mainly urban runs. They do a very high mileage and therefore are used constantly and the engine and exhaust system remains hot for most of the day - unlike lots of cold starts that housewives/full time mums would do. Perhaps the reason for fewer problems with taxis than others with diesels?

There are taxi ranks at our bus and rail stations each of which, on the average day, have up to 20 taxis sitting in the queue, engine off. I'd be surprised if their average trip exceeds 5 or 6 miles during the day, or 10 to 15 miles at night when the nightclubs chuck out. Most seem to be Avensis/Skoda/Mondeo, in about that order of popularity.

around here, a good 75% of guys run skoda's - cheapest by far in terms of £/m for fuel, repairs, and planned services.

Rental cars round here are £160 a week. that covers everything apart from Fuel. tyres, tax, insurance, mot, repairs....all for £160 a week.

Unfortunatly, that means that the rental company can simply maximise profit by reducing work done on cars. My octavia did 42000 miles without seeing a service.....

You spotted it? Now Bobbin have you been engaging in cabspotting?

Nerd.

Bet theres a little book hidden in your car for taxispotting.

You northern folk need to fill the time somehow.