The legendary IOW Audi 100 taxi

[Lacquer Peel]

cd 0.30 - gr8 for electric conversion *defeats object*

TDI conversion, surely.

[Wingz123]

I cannot imagine driving nearly 500k in a 1.8 Audi 100. They're mega underpowered IMHO. I really wish I could buy it!

And pretty much all of that is NON-MOTORWAY

[warren t claim]

Although I have no scientific facts to back this up I must say taxis that provided many years reliable service rarely lead long lives when they've retired. I've had cars worked until their eighth birthday retirement that didn't make it to nine years before going wrong in multiple ways leading to a trip to the weighbridge.

[AnthonyG]

I once saw an R reg Mondeo in Bridges breakers nr Crawley in 2004.

 

‘That’s a bit young’ thinks I (this was in the ‘old crap’ section for those that know Bridges). A quick climb up to glimpse at the speedo - over 600k on the clock!

 

I assume it was an ex-taxi but could have been the trusty steed of the world’s busiest photocopier servicing man I guess.

 

Anyway, good luck with the bidding Mr BI.

[Tadhg Tiogar]

I cannot imagine driving nearly 500k in a 1.8 Audi 100. They're mega underpowered IMHO.....

The bASe 1.8s were the entry-level 100s in the UK - something to entice the wallet-conscious into a bigger model. Audi weren't the only ones to have underpowered variants; BMW's 518 was never anything to write home about in the performance stakes.

[D Spares & Tyres]

That's only around 15,000 a year. Average mileage really!

[warren t claim]

I once saw an R reg Mondeo in Bridges breakers nr Crawley in 2004.

 

‘That’s a bit young’ thinks I (this was in the ‘old crap’ section for those that know Bridges). A quick climb up to glimpse at the speedo - over 600k on the clock!

 

I assume it was an ex-taxi but could have been the trusty steed of the world’s busiest photocopier servicing man I guess.

 

Anyway, good luck with the bidding Mr BI.

280,000 was my highest mileage Mk1/2 Mondeo. It'd had a new pump fitted and went like hell for what it was. 

[warren t claim]

That's only around 15,000 a year. Average mileage really!

It's impossible to earn a living covering so few miles. Sorry.

 

What this does mean is that even after all these years he's utterly shit at his job or it's like my Mondeo and had an annual haircut but only he's been clever and done it right. 

 

I know the IOW is hardly a large geographical area but even so, we could be looking at a car that's covered substantially over a million miles!

[Wingz123]

It's impossible to earn a living covering so few miles. Sorry.

 

What this does mean is that even after all these years he's utterly shit at his job or it's like my Mondeo and had an annual haircut but only he's been clever and done it right.

 

I know the IOW is hardly a large geographical area but even so, we could be looking at a car that's covered substantially over a million miles!

Very valid point - I have done 24k in my avensis since 17th Jan this year....to put it in perspective...(3ish months as we are now nearing end of April)

[Wingz123]

Unless warren t claim he was behaving like a black cab driver and taking his passengers to the other side of the island via Southampton at 20mph in a 40....

[warren t claim]

Out of interest I consulted my thread here...  http://autoshite.com/topic/15615-claims-cabbies-corner-nearly-there/page-4

 

 

 

The IOW fares are a whopping 10p more than here and I've yet to meet a driver who covers as little as 15,000 miles a year, even working days. My money's on it being clocked annually which strangely makes it more appealing to me!

[Wingz123]

^^^^ toooo funny hahha

[somewhatfoolish]

Why not chat up the retired cabbist and find out exactly how many times it's been to the moon and back?

[warren t claim]

 

From the Claim's Cabbies Corner thread. 

[Noel Tidybeard]

.split hairs though on the location of my phone mounted cradle...i like to have it in the middle (don’t know why but to me and I’m left handed maybe that has something to do with it)

 

cos thats where all the brackets are designed to fit perhaps?

[Doctormop]

When I was cabbing in the late 90's early 00's there was a guy up here who drove a  Citroen XM  that only seemed to cover about 12k a year, he was approaching retirement, presumably mortgage free and seemed to work the Railway station only, never saw him ranked up in town, never saw him out after 4pm but he kept his car plated and himself licensed, at the time I was newly mortgaged, saving up to get married and clocking up 70 hours a week and 40.000 miles a year in a very tired Montego! I often wondered how this guy made a living but I suppose everyone's situation is different, maybe he was an eccentric millionaire who liked driving his Citroen, IOW Audi guy presumably didn't owe money on his car, was getting on in years and kept doing the job because he liked it rather than having to earn x amount to pay his bills.

I never adjusted the mileage on any of my cabs but perhaps lost the odd diesel receipt and claimed more personal mileage than most but that was then and things seemed simpler.

[warren t claim]

15,000 miles a year equals a turnover of £15,000 a year before expenses.

[Tadhg Tiogar]

When I was cabbing in the late 90's early 00's there was a guy up here who drove a  Citroen XM  that only seemed to cover about 12k a year, he was approaching retirement, presumably mortgage free and seemed to work the Railway station only, never saw him ranked up in town, never saw him out after 4pm but he kept his car plated and himself licensed, ...

There was a Mercedes S-class taxi which operated in Dublin in the early 2000s. It only ever had one customer: Ryanair's Michael O'Leary. That might have something to do with the fact that the taxi firm which operated the Merc was set up by, er, Mr O'Leary, so that he could get to work quicker by using the bus lanes....

[Doctormop]

15,000 miles a year equals a turnover of £15,000 a year before expenses.

But think of all those tips, You never see a poor Taxi Driver do you, HE MUST HAVE BEEN RAKING IT IN

Sorry for the cap locks but I can't count the amount of passengers who told me how rich I must be because I was taking them home at 3.45am and wanted a fiver for doing so, granted I waited 15 minutes whilst they finished their roll up, said goodbye to everyone present, didn't have their choice of music playing seemed to think I was not  working and enjoyed  running them home because I wanted to and yeah they had a car and knew how much petrol cost........... OMG you are ripping me off I'm reporting you to the POLICE!!

Sorry for the rant but I look back almost 20 years and would love to be able to pick and choose the fares I took because I wanted to drive them not because I had to, The best customers I remember are "We are on holiday types tell us about the area"  as opposed to I'm local I pay 50 Pence for 17 miles I always have  I'm not a Tourist so don't trrrrrrrrrrry ripping me off young feller me lad.

[Doctormop]

There was a Mercedes S-class taxi which operated in Dublin in the early 2000s. It only ever had one customer: Ryanair's Michael O'Leary. That might have something to do with the fact that the taxi firm which operated the Merc was set up by, er, Mr O'Leary, so that he could get to work quicker by using the bus lanes....

I'm sure that wouldn't be allowed these days

(He said tongue firmly in cheek)

[Guest Nigelb]

The bASe 1.8s were the entry-level 100s in the UK - something to entice the wallet-conscious into a bigger model.

[Guest Nigelb]

The bASe 1.8s were the entry-level 100s in the UK - something to entice the wallet-conscious into a bigger model.

I did over 100k miles in a new A-reg 100CC Avant in 1984/5. They weren't too bad at all in the day once up to speed, with a very tall 5th or as VW/Audi used to call it on their eco models "E" gear. Even when loaded up with kit, it easily kept up with all the other rep-mobiles. It had just 1.8 & 90 hp, but averaged around 45-50 even when thrashed. Looking back, mine was completely poverty spec. Couldn't stretch to a single option, not even metallic paint. It was dark blue with blue velour interior. Remembered how impressed I was that it had power steering & vacuum central locking which didn't clunk!

[BorniteIdentity]

Unfortunately, Wingman Wingz™ isn't available for the live auction - which has slightly dampened spirits on this.

 

Nonetheless, we're going to stick a bid in and see if we can find the reserve.  Wingman reckons it could be LOW AF with the company simply making their money on the buyers fee.  

 

If anyone wants to come in halves on this, that will give us an extra bit of dollar to play with. 

 

The MOT history is very favourable, and it's done 15,000 miles a year pretty since records were uploaded online.  I would imagine the cabby had it from new, took it with him onto the IOW when they 'retired' there and he just kept his hand in.  Whilst £15k a year isn't an awful lot of money to earn, it probably kept him out of the house and gave him a few quid to live off and enjoy.

 

I'm not that hopeful of this coming off, it's down to Copart really.

[Wingz123]

I shall have it on but am on the road with Waze running in the background just didn’t want the eventuality of us waiting until the live auction then my phone freezing or me losing signal wherever I maybe...that was all...I shall have the live auctions up on the blower but was just suggesting we cover our bases by slapping in a bid before the live auctions going in with the if you win it you win it if you dont you dont view etc lol

[dollywobbler]

Seems sensible. If you can save it, great. If you get outbid, no-one can say we didn't try.

[GrumpiusMaximus]

Chodspeed, fine sirs.  Macaroons and lashings of ginger beer all round if it comes off.

[Bobthebeard]

Although I have no scientific facts to back this up I must say taxis that provided many years reliable service rarely lead long lives when they've retired. I've had cars worked until their eighth birthday retirement that didn't make it to nine years before going wrong in multiple ways leading to a trip to the weighbridge.

Based on (limited) experience I tend to agree. Had two ex taxi cars over the years and both went spectacularly wrong within months.

A friend once told me a pearl of wisdom.

 

"If you are thinking of buying a vehicle from a farmer because he is buying something else instead it WILL be totally fecked.... Do not buy it. Same goes for taxi drivers. "

 

He was a farmer, had a taxi business also...

[Wingz123]

Lets keep it this way...

[angle]

280,000 was my highest mileage Mk1/2 Mondeo. It'd had a new pump fitted and went like hell for what it was.

During university, my friend's car was an ex-Leeds taxi Mk2 1.6 Aspen (his dad owned a cab firm). 335k on the clock and no second gear, it lasted three years before it lost third as well and he got rid..

[egg]

If you need an extra £20 to get over the line, count me in, as long as I can come on the collectiun trip!