Its going in for its 435k service tmrw....

[beko1987]

My local taxis are all octavias and tourans sadly but I always sit so I can see the odometer and marvel and how frigging high it is! 

Usually that's obscured by the centre screen displaying various warnings though... 

 

[Dave_Q]

How come you are changing next year and not running it for another 3?

Maybe it's still worth something to another cabbist if it can still be plated for a couple of years, wait until it can't be any more and it's a £500 eBay job as the general public will not want to buy it.

[beko1987]

42 minutes ago, Dave_Q said:

4 hours ago, Eyersey1234 said:

How come you are changing next year and not running it for another 3?

Maybe it's still worth something to another cabbist if it can still be plated for a couple of years, wait until it can't be any more and it's a £500 eBay job as the general public will not want to buy it.

This, especially if it can go to an area where it can be plated for another few years, sold with proof of the work must make its value more than the public would pay for an old pug. 

Guess you cabbies all have private selling groups and stuff? Are 1st gen prius's sub £500 in your world yet? 

[Neil clark]

5 hours ago, Eyersey1234 said:

How come you are changing next year and not running it for another 3?

Erm its just time, hard to explain but I've got a couple of contracts and its better to change then and let them pay for new one

[Neil clark]

1 hour ago, Dave_Q said:

5 hours ago, Eyersey1234 said:

How come you are changing next year and not running it for another 3?

Maybe it's still worth something to another cabbist if it can still be plated for a couple of years, wait until it can't be any more and it's a £500 eBay job as the general public will not want to buy it.

It will sell in area to another driver yes, probably a part time driver

[LightBulbFun]

14 hours ago, brownnova said:

Oh absolutely... if it’s the choice between a Prius/Auris/other hybrid modern bore box and a Metrocab I know which one I’m choosing every time!! 
 

something I regret now, but because I am one of those who have always actively sought the older cab I have never actually rode in a Metrocab, because when I was young and we where hailing a taxi I always asked mum to look out for FX4's or "suicide taxies" as I called them back then due to the suicide doors! back then I saw metro cabs as modern not proper taxis because of their regular car shape LOL 

although the age limit for a taxi in London is 15 years and the last Metro cab was produced in 2006, I wonder are any still in service here?

[Mr Laurence]

45 minutes ago, LightBulbFun said:

something I regret now, but because I am one of those who have always actively sought the older cab I have never actually rode in a Metrocab, because when I was young and we where hailing a taxi I always asked mum to look out for FX4's or "suicide taxies" as I called them back then due to the suicide doors! back then I saw metro cabs as modern not proper taxis because of their regular car shape LOL 

although the age limit for a taxi in London is 15 years and the last Metro cab was produced in 2006, I wonder are any still in service here?

I’d never realised they made Metrocabs as late as 2006! There can’t be more than 1 or 2, if any, left in service in London. I seem to remember them being a bit of flop compared to the FX4

[Neil clark]

12 hours ago, Mr Laurence said:

I’d never realised they made Metrocabs as late as 2006! There can’t be more than 1 or 2, if any, left in service in London. I seem to remember them being a bit of flop compared to the FX4

They are truly awful to drive

[Neil clark]

Progress... 

More work found but nowt too bad, engine going back in this afternoon im told....

All new seals and gaskets. Drive shaft seals. New gearbox cables aswell...

[Neil clark]

She starts and runs......

[beko1987]

You'll have run the break in period by 3pm if you keep on at that pace! 

[LoftyvRS]

My lass thinks i'm daft because I love looking at the mileages on these older workhorses, more often than not the drivers have loved them for years and are happy to natter about them.

[Zelandeth]

On 10/25/2020 at 8:02 AM, jon.k said:

I'd go out of my way to travel in something old and I do enjoy finding out how many miles are in a taxi when I go in one. I'm from your ideal customer base it seems. On a similar note there is a bus company local to me who use this every day; If I ever need to book a coach (highly unlikely) I know where I'll be finding it.

 

Lovely to see one still out and about and looking tidy rather than very obviously held together by hope for the last couple of years of schools work.

I'd love to be able to afford to just book it and a driver for a day with a simple brief of "take us out on a nice run please..." as I'd be far more interested in the journey than any destination!

[omegod]

Every Metrocab I ever rode in had daylight visible around the doors, hateful things. I did work experience in a taxi garage called Taxifix and was quite taken with the FX5 Gold they were selling at the time 

[LightBulbFun]

29 minutes ago, Zelandeth said:

Lovely to see one still out and about and looking tidy rather than very obviously held together by hope for the last couple of years of schools work.

I'd love to be able to afford to just book it and a driver for a day with a simple brief of "take us out on a nice run please..." as I'd be far more interested in the journey than any destination!

 a then Routemaster owner once very kindly did that for me and my mum back when I was 8 (the Routemaster in my profile picture for those curious, picture taken on that trip)

was quite the memorable/amusing sight walking out of the train station and seeing a Routemaster bus parked in the Train station car park among all the regular cars  

(edit: just noticed this is my 6882th post, which is fitting given the bus in question was ER882!)

[warch]

I love to see an old stager still doing the business after several hundred thousand miles, especially as it clearly has so much life left in it. 

My firm ran an old n/a diesel crew van of this type, it was sloow, but solid and utterly dependable, even when subjected to frequent off road abuse. It went on to a more peaceful existence in private ownership a few years ago.

[Neil clark]

So update time for you lucky people

Final bill was £1530 due to finding a couple of extra bits it needed, I told him to fix anything he found because I trust him 100%. He fully wrapped the wiring loom while engine was out. Replaced dog bone engine mount aswell as the top one he quoted for and replaced gearbox cables. 

He said give him £1500 and we good

It went for its 6 month plate today and passed first time which is really good for a 14 year old bus, tester was happy and so was i!. All I had to do was paint wheel trims (yes they are tested!!!)

[Cord Fourteener]

On 10/23/2020 at 11:31 AM, SiC said:

You're a taxi driver so probably £feckall compared to a private job. 

£1500 all-in?

Friggin' right on the money. Literally!