Taxi Driver Online

Diesel engines USED to be more reliable and cheaper to fix if they did go wrong than petrol engines. You could have a diesel for ten years and never have to touch the engine at all, other than change the oil and cambelt.

Now with all the gubbins they have on them they're no more reliable than petrol, it's not the engines that break it's all the stuff attached to them - pumps, belts, sensors, control units. And when they do break the parts cost a fortune and its half a day stripping the engine just to get to the bit you need to replace.

The first diesel I owned had no electronics and everything was mechanically driven, about the only thing that could go wrong was the injectors and you could get them individually new for a tenner each and a fiver for a full set from a scrappys - and fit them all yourself in ten minutes !

I agree, a Pug 504/505 2.5 would chug along for a million miles, my Sierra 1.8td flew, but as soon as we went "Hdi" or Common rail the 5hit started, the Ford 2.5di "Banana" engine was the best they ever put in a transit

You've forgot the best engine..The fairway/tx1 taxi engine,nissan 2.7 diesel.These really do run for ever !

We're on about proper Taxis

You are right they did run forever, the body parts might have fell off but the engine kept running and running.

Im still trying work out where and how we benefit

My Montego 2.0td did 50mpg, my Maestro 2.0td (same engine) could hit 55mpg, they smoked a bit but apart from a better 0-60 time most of todays hitech offerings dont do much better

No..but they save the planet from overheating and make the environmentalists feel all soft and gooey inside thanks to their Low C02 emissions...even though those C02 savings are offset by their crappy techo unreliability that means that each unit only lasts half as long as the old run for ever engines they replace...thus generating even more C02 in the production of all these replacement units along with all the emissions orientated gadgets that they stick on them..

Fools..

Im still trying work out where and how we benefit

My Montego 2.0td did 50mpg, my Maestro 2.0td (same engine) could hit 55mpg, they smoked a bit but apart from a better 0-60 time most of todays hitech offerings dont do much better

I always used to get 50+ MPG in my Montgego Diesel and like you said it smoked like a mofo but I got good MPG.