Car for taxi driving

lexluther

Need to choose a car for taxi driving. Looking at either 2005 mazda6 1.8 petrol, 2004 avensis 1.8 petrol. Really like the accord but it's a bit pricey for a 2004 model.

Let me know what you think between these two.

Thanks.

I'd get the 6, at least as reliable as the Avensis and much nicer to spend all that time in.

unkel

Petrol for taxi driving? If your mileage is low enough it might be the right choice, but for obvious reasons the overwhelming majority of taxis are diesels. Tell us more about your situation!

Pottler

lexluther wrote: »

Need to choose a car for taxi driving. Looking at either 2005 mazda6 1.8 petrol, 2004 avensis 1.8 petrol. Really like the accord but it's a bit pricey for a 2004 model.

Let me know what you think between these two.

Thanks.

As in, "I'm a Taxi driver and I'm thinking of changing my car" or "I've been made redundant and am thinking of getting into taxi-ing"?? Tough gig to be getting into at the mo unless you have special circumstances. Diesel and claim back the VAT?

L-M

unkel wrote: »

Petrol for taxi driving? If your mileage is low enough it might be the right choice, but for obvious reasons the overwhelming majority of taxis are diesels. Tell us more about your situation!

Alot of taxi's i use are petrol.

Pottler

Pottler wrote: »

........ Diesel and claim back the VAT?

Taxi - business is exempt from VAT

Limerick man wrote: »

Alot of taxi's i use are petrol.

Loads of them are, my ole lad drove a petrol Avensis for a few years, the mpg wasn't at all bad compared to the diesel equiv at the time, iirc they averaged close to 40mpg in the petrol.

KylieWyley

Jaguar S-Type Diesel.

Great fuel economy and not a bad place to be.

L-M

i was in a Petrol Primera the other night (i quiz every Taxi driver) and in his own words "Diesels are trouble and if something goes wrong it can never be fixed in the day".

KylieWyley

KylieWyley wrote: »

Jaguar S-Type Diesel.........

For a €4000/€5000 ish budget ?

unkel

Limerick man wrote: »

Alot of taxi's i use are petrol.

Back in the day that I used taxis several times a week, nearly all of them originally were petrol but had been converted to diesel

But seriously, I suppose there are a lot more taxi drivers around these days who really only work part time / low mileage (to support the family income)

In that situation petrol might actually work out better (much cheaper to buy a petrol car - a bit more expensive to run it per mile)

L-M

i'll take note of it, i probably use about 6-8 a week. All of the people carries are diesel.

unkel

Limerick man wrote: »

i probably use about 6-8 a week

Jaysus! You going out clubbing nearly every night of the week?

L-M

unkel wrote: »

Jaysus! You going out clubbing nearly every night of the week?

i do my bit for society!

bazz26

OP, talk to IwasVB on here, he is running a 03 Avensis 1.8 petrol as a taxi with over 300k miles on it, that and a Carina E or two. He will be able to give you the low downs of running a petrol taxi.

Just a word though, the bearings on the gearboxes in the Avensis can go, happened to my old man's 03 which practically wrote the car off economically.

CianRyan

I've always thought using a diesel in a taxi is mental, in Dublin at least, seeing as the vast majority of the trips would be short hops and you'd hardly ever get a good long motor way blast to keep the engine happy.

bazz26

The older stuff would be fine but any of the newer stuff from the last 10 years or so may run into problems with DPFs, etc.

unkel

It all depends. Not that long ago a taxi plate (in Dublin) was worth £80k (over €100k) and a taxi was manned by 3 or 4 drivers 24/7 not rarely doing over 100k miles per year in total. Today's game is totally different though.

rebel.ranter

RoverJames wrote: »

Taxi - business is exempt from VAT

I don't think Taxis can claim the VAT back like other businesses

mercenary2

none off the cars are under 3 years old so do not meet requirments to enter the taxi bussiness

Rowley Birkin QC

mercenary2 wrote: »

none off the cars are under 3 years old so do not meet requirments to enter the taxi bussiness

Has that been implemented?

If so, brilliant. The amount of late 90's stuff that's driving around is phenomonal. I have no problem driving a 98 car myself but if I'm paying handsomely for the privilege of being driven around I want to be in something modern and safe.

lexluther

Might go for the Mazda 6. As the car will be under the 9 year rule I can put a existing plate on it. Been in and out of the game over the past ten years. Currently unemployed so I'm gonna either buy a car and rent a plate or rent a complete taxi depends if I can get the cash up to buy a 7 or 8 year old car.
Been courier driving before that but there's nothing out there presently so I have my psv so I'm gonna use it.
I prefer petrol cars last taxi I had was a maxima auto 2ltr drank the juice but very reliable the Mazda 6 or avensis will be more frugal I'm sure.
Thanks for all the replys guys.

rebel.ranter

rebel.ranter wrote: »

I don't think Taxis can claim the VAT back like other businesses

That was my point
The provider of a service that is exempt from VAT does not charge VAT on the service and is not entitled to deduct, or claim a refund of, any VAT incurred on goods and services used for the purposes of the exempt supplies. Thus, a person who provides a taxi service does not register for VAT and cannot recover VAT incurred on any goods and services.

I Was VB

You'd want to be bat **** mad to drive a petrol taxi, i know lads who are driving a 1.8 mondys and they're putting in €30 for a midweek night, theyre reliable enough cars tend to give trouble with fuel pumps and are inclined to burn oil.

The 1.8 Avensis is a good engine, i've one here in a 03 with 381K miles on it. Things to look out for in one are burning oil, check if the sump gauze has ever been done, coilpack can go every so often (only €50 for one) they blow bulbs and the internals of the headlamps can melt.

I know from driving my one how much they use on petrol, for a 12 hour shift on a saturday nite it burns through €50 in petrol.

If ya want my advice on a car to taxi, buy a MK1 Octy, hardest car to kill as taxi. There's a fella i know who bought one brand new with his brother in 2000 and still driving it today he has 560K on the orginal engine. Only thing i find from driving one if your a big lad they can be a bit cramped.

Or http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/3153713

lexluther

I suppose I could look at a 2004 2005 octy diesel td i once it's under the 9 year rule. Just hate the look of them much rather spend me time in a Mazda 6 .

Thanks lads.

randy hickey

I thought the nine year rule was binned last year?

L-M

randy hickey wrote: »

I thought the nine year rule was binned last year?

Was kept on for new drivers AFAiK

mgbgt1978

lexluther wrote: »

I suppose I could look at a 2004 2005 octy diesel td i once it's under the 9 year rule. Just hate the look of them much rather spend me time in a Mazda 6 .

Thanks lads.

The 9 year rule only applies to existing licence holders when changing their car. If they don't change their car they are allowed to keep driving whatever car they have (as long as it passes the NCT).
If you are transferring, i.e. selling, a licence to somebody else the car must be no more than 3 years old. This usually means that a person entering the business must buy a car no more than 3 years old and transfer the licence onto that car, I can't see a person getting out of the business buying a 3 year old car just to sell their licence (which will be worth considerably less than a fairly new car !!! ).

edit; By the way I don't think the above applies to Wheelchair Accessible Taxi's so you could buy a '96 Hi-ace and once it passes the NCT you're good to go.......

lexluther

Mgbgt does that apply to renting a plate I.e does that rented plate have to go on to a 3year old car?

Spook_ie

lexluther wrote: »

Mgbgt does that apply to renting a plate I.e does that rented plate have to go on to a 3year old car?

Proposed new regulations will prohibit the rental of a plate only

lexluther

I can still rent a plate until oct and put it on a 9 year old car.