skoda octavia 1.6 diesel or Ford mondeo 1.6 diesel,which one is best for taxi

bulty

Hi all,just wanted to know that which car is better and economical for taxi,skoda octavia 1.6 diesel or Ford mondeo 1.6 diesel?? also is it easy to get finance and what are their requirnments and which dealers are best for finance and prices?thanks for help.

colm_mcm

I would imagine the skoda would be better on fuel, but I couldn't drive either of them all day.

Are you already a taxi driver or just taking it up?

Bpmull

we bought a new Skoda octavia 1.6 tdi elegance last december. great car loads of extras for the money very economical although we only really do town driving. i think its fairly easy to get finance with skoda finance the current interest rate is 5.9 percent as far as i know may off changed. i would certainly recommend the octavia although i don't know much about the fords about the only car brand we have never bought. you can't really go wrong with the octavia cheap to run, reliable, and comfortable.

MuppetCheck

If I had to chose between either the mondeo is from a class above. It's more spacious, refined and the engine is well used and proven when looked after properly.

The back of the octavia looks tiny, and it's a smaller less comfortable car.

bulty

Thanks all for ur suggestions.I also think skoda is economical,i m waiting for my spsv licence,its been three months i have submitted my file but garda guy who processing my file rang me today regarding my spsv file so hopefully it will b sort out next couple of weeks.so then after i need to buy a car.

colm_mcm

Would you not buy an older car? If you're doing it for the money, then less outgoings would make sense.

bulty

No i m not a taxi driver yet just waiting on my licence.so u driving taxi urself?

colm_mcm

No, but any taxi driver I know says they're not making enough.
I know the car will be the tool of your trade, but you don't want it being a millstone either.

bulty

Hi colm_mcm according to new law i can't buy older car for taxi so i need to buy 2009 or above car for taxi which is expensive.

colm_mcm

I thought you were looking at brand new when you were asking about dealer finance packages.

Bpmull

MuppetCheck wrote: »

If I had to chose between either the mondeo is from a class above. It's more spacious, refined and the engine is well used and proven when looked after properly.

The back of the octavia looks tiny, and it's a smaller less comfortable car.

you've obviously never been in the back of a new model octavia. it is far from tiny I'm 6 foot 2 and comfortably sit in the back with the front seat almost fully back. its one of the few cars my head isn't hitting the roof. the boot is huge. the old model mondeo was reliable not the new 08 model up. my friend has a 2009 mondeo with less than 60000 miles on it they bought it new from ford. so far the clutch has gone, gearbox was changed, turbo went and the list goes on its in the garage all the time. he said he would never buy one again ever and he can't sell it on as it is worthless. so wouldn't call it refined engine. ultimately it is the ops choice an octavia is not a small car and personally i would stay away from fords. skoda's are far more reliable.

MuppetCheck

Bpmull wrote: »

you've obviously never been in the back of a new model octavia. it is far from tiny I'm 6 foot 2 and comfortably sit in the back with the front seat almost fully back. its one of the few cars my head isn't hitting the roof. the boot is huge. the old model mondeo was reliable not the new 08 model up. my friend has a 2009 mondeo with less than 60000 miles on it they bought it new from ford. so far the clutch has gone, gearbox was changed, turbo went and the list goes on its in the garage all the time. he said he would never buy one again ever and he can't sell it on as it is worthless. so wouldn't call it refined engine. ultimately it is the ops choice an octavia is not a small car and personally i would stay away from fords. skoda's are far more reliable.

Your friends sounds like a 1.8?

Buy right and the mondeo is a far superior car. And I have been in plenty of octavias and driven a few too. In no way shape or form is it a better car for the taxi business.

Bpmull

My friends was a 2.0 tdci which is what the op will be buying if he goes for a Mondeo as the 1.6 diesel was not out in 2009. Octavia are a better car just look at how many taxi drivers have Octavias over Mondeo the brand new Mondeo 1.6 probably is an alright car but I would not touch a 2009 one. Octavias are definitely quieter more reliable cars. The op will regret buying a Mondeo even the 2005 older model Mondeo is far more reliable than the 2009 model. The op should buy whichever car he prefers but definitely dont think a Mondeo 2009 model is more reliable or more economical than an Octavia.

Bpmull

Bpmull wrote: »

My friends was a 2.0 tdci which is what the op will be buying if he goes for a Mondeo as the 1.6 diesel was not out in 2009..............

He won't be getting a 2009 1.6 Octavia diesel either so he mustn't be set on an 09

Bpmull

RoverJames wrote: »

He won't be getting a 2009 1.6 Octavia diesel either so he mustn't be set on an 09

That's true but you can get a 2010 Octavia 1.6 tdi. Whereas you have to go to 2011 to get a Mondeo 1.6 and even at that there was not that many 1.6 models sold in 2011 mainly 2.0 litre.

MuppetCheck

Bpmull wrote: »

My friends was a 2.0 tdci which is what the op will be buying if he goes for a Mondeo as the 1.6 diesel was not out in 2009. Octavia are a better car just look at how many taxi drivers have Octavias over Mondeo the brand new Mondeo 1.6 probably is an alright car but I would not touch a 2009 one. Octavias are definitely quieter more reliable cars. The op will regret buying a Mondeo even the 2005 older model Mondeo is far more reliable than the 2009 model. The op should buy whichever car he prefers but definitely dont think a Mondeo 2009 model is more reliable or more economical than an Octavia.

An octavia quieter than a mondeo? They aren't. They are noisy and creaky. A mondeo is better screwed together too, more comfortable and better on city streets. The main problem is its size if anything.

colm_mcm

The taxis out there would be the venerable 1.9 TDI, the 1.6 CR isn't out long enough to predict how it will hold up.

Bpmull

I know someone that has a Octavia 1.6 as a company car with 100,000 km on it with no problems on it. But your are right they are not out long enough to have high mileage on them. But for the Mondeo 1.6 the exact same could be said as they are only out since 2011. There is only 20,000 km on our Octavia as we don't do that much driving but intend to drive until the mileage is high. If the op buys an Octavia 1.6 with full service history and low Kms he should have no problems.

colm_mcm

The engine in the mondeo is out a while now from various manufacturers

Bpmull

MuppetCheck wrote: »

An octavia quieter than a mondeo? They aren't. They are noisy and creaky. A mondeo is better screwed together too, more comfortable and better on city streets. The main problem is its size if anything.

Maybe newer fords have dramatically improved but any diesel ford I have heard is loud enough specially when idleing. The octavia sounds much nicer and is not loud unless you rev it over 3500 revs which any diesel will be loud at these revs.
Personally I like the sound out of our octavia i think the older model was louder.
But we are talking about the new 1.6 model. The op should drive both and make there decision but octavia are not loud.
Creaky come on is it 1999 ones you've been in or something because the new model doesn't creak as you put it.

bazz26

Isn't the road tax for a taxi still only around €80 per year? If so then why is the OP only choosing between two cars with a small diesel engine? Smaller engine doesn't automatically mean better fuel economy either.

vectra

Bpmull wrote: »

Creaky come on is it 1999 ones you've been in or something because the new model doesn't creak as you put it.

Octavia is Damn noisy.
One major failing they do have. And yes. The most of them do creak in certain areas.
I had a mondeo before and it would leave the Octavia for dead in quiteness ( << Is that a word?? )

I Was VB

OP i'm a taxi driver and the only piece of advice i will tell you is dont buy a car off the bat and then go taxi driving. Rent one for atleast 3 months for ya to get the feel of taxi driving.

The job suits some people and others arent up for it, because theres no logic in spending the guts of €15K+ on something your not gonna like.

pappyodaniel

I'm using a 1.9TDi Octavia as a taxi, mainly on rural roads. I've never had any unforeseen mechanical problems with it, bar having to change the gearbox at 230k. In fairness though the gearbox I put in came from an 02 Golf and was easy and cheap to fit. I can't recommend the Mondeo as I've never driven one as a taxi. At the moment I'm about 2k shy of 300k on the clock and she's going grand.

Boring enough car, but ideal for the job I'm doing as parts are cheap, it's very reliable and seriously good on fuel. The only negative with my Octavia, as it's the old mode,l is the legroom in the backseats is seriously substandard.

By the way OP, don't buy new. Get a car on the road that's 9 or less years old. You can get an 07 for about €6000. If you're just starting off I'd advise you not to be throwing your money away.

Best of luck.

Andrew33

MuppetCheck wrote: »

Your friends sounds like a 1.8?

Buy right and the mondeo is a far superior car. And I have been in plenty of octavias and driven a few too. In no way shape or form is it a better car for the taxi business.

You are talking out of your proverbial bum! Octavia 1 is a bit small inside but the Mk2 is a much much bigger car and far superior build quality to the Ford.
OP, Just look at the amount of Octavia's in use as taxi's in Ireland (and Europe for that matter) versus the Mondeo. I'm in the game, know a couple of drivers with Mondeos and they are nothing but trouble. Almost every driver I know who has changed his car in the past 2 years has changed to Skoda. Nuff said.

MuppetCheck

Andrew33 wrote: »

You are talking out of your proverbial bum! Octavia 1 is a bit small inside but the Mk2 is a much much bigger car and far superior build quality to the Ford.
OP, Just look at the amount of Octavia's in use as taxi's in Ireland (and Europe for that matter) versus the Mondeo. I'm in the game, know a couple of drivers with Mondeos and they are nothing but trouble. Almost every driver I know who has changed his car in the past 2 years has changed to Skoda. Nuff said.

So a mondeo isn't a better, more comfortable car? The Octavia is an old car being tarted up until a replacement. It's so long in the tooth its not even funny. If I had to sit in a car for hours on end I'd want some comfort and the octavia doesn't score too highly in that area. It's not bad but there are scores better.

Anyway, the OP should compare a Mondeo to a Superb and not an octavia. The octavia is a lengthened small hatchback. It's a small car despite all this bug boot bull.