Next taxi????

[Auturbo6]

Msman: The Ef was a horrible taxi, if i was to list all the issues we had with ef's id be here all week.
Mr hardware: Ive also been told by many old drivers that the XF was the best taxi, but in my opinion, the Ba Wagon is by far the most reliable and therefore economical. And the panel work is easier to bodge back into position (bumpers etc) than the Au. The biggest problem with the Au's was the auto electrical issues (fans, switches etc), and gearbox longevity. The adaptive learning in the Ba's has increased the gearbox life dramatically. Remember i am talking fleet cars, owner driver cars are a completely different animal.

[Jastel]

I dont care what car it is NO rubber will do 500000kms and be AS NEW
They are usually deteriorating badly at half that
Just because it hasn't fallen out yet doesn't mean it is in good condition
Replace some rubbers and watch your tyre wear, handling and braking improve

These badly maintained cars are the ones that people whinge about and give Ford a bad name.

You cant compare an old live axle car to a modern IRS B or F series

Yes they are more complicated and need new diff bushes every 100000km
A small price to pay for some handling.

While it's true you dont need all these new fangled ABS, IRS, DSC, antitheft, fuel economy, EUROV compliant stuff etc for a taxi the goverment and greenies continue to make it law that carmakers must do this. So make sure you vote them out before we all must drive Priuses.

For the record I have run Ford taxis for 20 years, each model is better than the previous one, each new model also has issues at first which eventually get sorted out, mainly because taxi operators find them before Joe Public.

If we didn't change and improve we would all still be riding horses.

[Iggypoppin']

Great post jastel have some reps.

[msman]

Originally Posted by Auturbo6

Msman: The Ef was a horrible taxi, if i was to list all the issues we had with ef's id be here all week.
Mr hardware: Ive also been told by many old drivers that the XF was the best taxi, but in my opinion, the Ba Wagon is by far the most reliable and therefore economical. And the panel work is easier to bodge back into position (bumpers etc) than the Au. The biggest problem with the Au's was the auto electrical issues (fans, switches etc), and gearbox longevity. The adaptive learning in the Ba's has increased the gearbox life dramatically. Remember i am talking fleet cars, owner driver cars are a completely different animal.

that was the first taxi we owned, before that dad just drove and took care of one.
and believe me when i say we had no issues with the ef we loved it!

i know some people had dramas and we made sure to know what problem they were having, we kept an eye out but we never had any.

with our taxis we try to make sure we do a shift in each car at least once a week.

why change rubbers/joints if they still pass roadworthy???
yes it will improve handling but i'm not making any $$$, a taxi simply gets people from A to B.

for a pure operator who doesn't drive yeah do it as a precaution, as you will only find out at the next service otherwise. most drivers don't know how to check the engine oil so you get no feedback from them unless it won't start.

[seduced_xr]

a BA at 700 000km with no faults... haha, what plannet are you dreaming on?

[Mr Hardware]

Originally Posted by Auturbo6

Mr hardware: Ive also been told by many old drivers that the XF was the best taxi, but in my opinion, the Ba Wagon is by far the most reliable and therefore economical. And the panel work is easier to bodge back into position (bumpers etc) than the Au. The biggest problem with the Au's was the auto electrical issues (fans, switches etc), and gearbox longevity. The adaptive learning in the Ba's has increased the gearbox life dramatically. Remember i am talking fleet cars, owner driver cars are a completely different animal.

Yeah that's all fair points there mate. I suppose I just see taxis as sedans, and you can't run b-series sedans or you'll be spending $1000 every 6 weeks rebuilding the IRS. But yes, some aspects of the b-series cars are better than the AU's, gearbox being the prime example.

[msman]

Originally Posted by seduced_xr

a BA at 700 000km with no faults... haha, what plannet are you dreaming on?

read it again mate.
i was talking about cv's and diff.

use redline 80/140 oil change at 150-200K and nice drivers equals reliability.

[Yaw]

Originally Posted by SM1DY

There are only Ssangyong, Camry's and Prius's up here on the GC. I don't remember the last Falcon taxi I saw in QLD.

Recently I had to deal with a Taxi (Ssangyong people mover) My client had hit the back of this Taxi, so my client was at fault. I had to pay the repair bill for the Taxi. My question is what kind of moron taxi owner puts one of these things on as a taxi. the damage to this thing was basically the rear door and bumper. Because it was a Ssangyoung the repair bill was $7000.00 (which our assessor deemed as fair and reasonable for what was done) Now if this had of been a normal toyota hiace or soemthing, the repair bill would have been around $2000.00. Ssangyoung parts are so bloody expensive its not funny. Not to mention not being many parts kept in the country which means longer time off the road costing more also.

For any Taxi owner here on the forums. Stick to the "normal" types vehicles for Taxi's.

[Jastel]

Originally Posted by Mr Hardware

Yeah that's all fair points there mate. I suppose I just see taxis as sedans, and you can't run b-series sedans or you'll be spending $1000 every 6 weeks rebuilding the IRS. But yes, some aspects of the b-series cars are better than the AU's, gearbox being the prime example.

WOW!! You do 100,000km in 6 weeks
Takes me about 6 months to do those kms

And about $250 for diff/control arm rubbers and 4 hours to change by myself, including brakes/handbrake etc
The diffs should last 300000kms with oil changes

If you do those kms in 6 weeks you would rolling in $$$ anyway and could afford to be ripped off.

I too liked the old simple days of live axle and no computers but they have passed and you have to move on or get left behind.

Msman if you own and drive it yourself, and are therfore paying for repairs, you will be gentle on the car and things will last longer, but not to 700000km.
You must have smooth roads where you live is all I can say

And Yaw, I agree, use what you can repair and get parts for.
I guess the 75% of taxi owners that use Falcons (sedans or wagon) must be idiots and the others are the smart ones....

[Auturbo6]

Jastel: Ive found that using nolathane diff bushes has eliminated the need to remove the rear sub-frame, unless a diff blows up. I try not to change the diff oil, as we've had many a cab destroy the diff soon after. We've been using 140 viscosity, better but still have the occasional issue. The diff oil in my Auturbo6 is filthy, but with 557000km's on it i know for a fact if i replace the oil, I'll be fitting a diff the next week.
As far as the next series of taxi's to grace our fine roads; Many owners for whom i repair taxi's for are of different minds. From priuses, to Kia's with nissan diesel motors. I think we should import either english cabs or the tanks from america (ford crown i think, not sure though). Big strong, simple workhorses. And that's all they need to be.

[Bobman]

In my experience, the ELs and AUs lasted longer than the current BA/BF models as taxis. AUs did have weaker transmissions, but the interiors held up much better.

Many drivers loved the EF/EL cabs as they were easier to drive and didn't have that awful roofline that the A/B series had.

[TheInterceptor]

Have a mate who was given an au ex cab with 800xxx on the clock. Still drives like new, interior is in great condition, only the front two doors have the handles worn down to the spongy stuff. Ive been in AU cabs before, they were the same as my mate's au.

Ive been in a B series cab (dont know the km's) and had mismatched interior bits, had bits of door trim missing and was making a heap of odd sounds aswell. (squeaking, creaking, grinding, whining..)
Later that day ive been in another B cab, it wouldent start in P, had the clicker speaker on its way out. Interior was worn out. Seatbelts werent retracting...

I wonder how the FG's are holding up.

[Jastel]

EL's did last longer, less to go wrong, but better to drive....
Not in my book

You are the only person I have heard, apart from Ford, who says don't change the diff oil. Great if it works for you, but I'll change mine. I have also used 140 oil at times. Not a Nolathane fan either. I keep thinking if the stuff is so good why dont Ford/Holden use it? Too harsh I think.

They have been trying to import english cabs for years, a few trickle in, then parts become a problem/exchange rates change and they stop.

You need to keep to high volume locally made cars for parts availability and ease of service, especially in regional areas.

I too am not sure which way to go, so I am sticking with what I know.
I dont want a Prius, $35k vs $15k for a secondhand Falcon, I have $20k of free fuel before I start, a secondhand Prius has no resale value as people wont risk having batteries blow up a week later, an ex taxi is still worth 3-$4000. Anything not sold in large volumes will be too hard to get spares/mechanics for eg VW, Mercedes, Kia etc
So you basically have Falcon, Commodore or Camry. Or Vans, which I dont want either. A diesel or dual fuel falcon would be nice.

[Fiesta God]

Liquid-injection gas Falcon.

This thing will become the next taxi of choice.

Engine will have better (or at least equal) performance than the petrol I6 from development reports, and reliability of these systems seems to be strong ...

And gas is so so cheap and will stay that way in Australia for a long time.

[msman]

most taxi 'insurers' won't cover anything other than falcon/commodore parts too expensive and can't get second hand panels.

i use insurers very lightly as most are just small time thieves, problem is no major company covers cabs no matter how good your record, we have never had a at fault accident touch wood.

fg are having some issues, irs bushes reports are their worse than ba/bf.

I like the us crowns/uk town car but alas with our small market thats a pipe dream.