Taxi Driver Online

HI everyone, new to the forum and thanks to you guys cancelled my order for a new TX4. All of a sudden my rickety old TX2 don't seem so bad.

Just a thought; but if you remember early TX4s had a problem with the turbo hoses failing causing loss of power. After about 4 months they were all replaced in the old ones and one assumes that new TX4s were manufactured with newer stronger turbo hoses. One also assumes that if those turbo hoses were made from inferior material then perhaps the exhaust recirculation pipe was made of the same material. (can you see where I’m going with this). So following this logic TX4s manufactured after about 4-5 months (07 onwards) have upgraded turbo hoses and exhaust recirculation pipes but the early TX4s (56s and early 07s) have new hoses but the original inferior exhaust recirculation pipe. This pipe is now failing and causing the fires. This would also explain why the PCO have only recalled those vehicles who have the original recirculation pipe easily identified because the factory knows when they did the mod.

interesting theory gbadge and welcome to the forums.

My TX4 is an 07 and has indeed had the turbo hoses fail on a couple of occasions, it currently sits just outside the recalled VIN numbered cabs but was no doubt on the same production line as many that were.



Have you had a drive of the new vito taxi ? I've been to see it though not had a chance to take it for a spin, i've also spoken to a few drivers who have bought one and so far seem very happy with it, one driver reported 28-30mpg and one other 30-32mpg so it initally seems more economical than the TX4. For a similar cost to a new TX4 you get a heck of a lot more vehicle, certainly something to think about.

I'm now thinking of just keeping the TX4 until the warranty expires then making the move over to the vito, i understand the argument of it not looking "iconic" but i'm sure the same argument was put forward when the FX3 hit the streets in the 1950's. By the time my warranty expires the vito would have done 18 months service in London and any small problems hopefully found and resolved.

I've had a Fairway, TX1, TX2, and a TX4, and the TX4 is the best I've had. Early days, admittedly.

What does 'iconic' mean.
The 'London' taxi is being sold to Bahrain,China and of course outside London. It is no longer to be found only in London.

It is interesting one of the biggest supporters of the 'iconic London taxi' is Alf Townsend.
He owns and drives a red Metro.

The best salesman for the Merc is LTI.

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Charlton's lost past http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsFKWGlrze0
London's future? http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/ ... rants.html

I agree that the TX4 is a good cab to a point but i can't fathom out the actual testing of these vehicles.

When it was announced as the next cab to hit London LTI went to great lengths to tell us all how it had been tested for 500,000km, what the heck was actually being tested for those 1/2 million kilometres ? The radiator system obviously wasn't, neither were the turbo hoses or indeed the exhaust gas recirculation pipe.

They produced a vehicle that finally had ABS braking but decided to still keep drum brakes on the rear wheels! The seat isn't a great deal better than the one that was put in the TX1; after about 2 years i had to replace the TX1 seat with a recaro as my back problems were getting quite serious and the level of trim inside the TX4 is far inferior to the TX1 in my honest opinion. To change a headlamp bulb involves a dexterity of the wrist that Houdini himself would have been proud to display.

The ride is fantastic, going from a TX1 into a TX4 the first thing you notice as you pull off is the responsiveness of the engine, you actually feel like you are driving a car, so too with the suspension, the taxi doesn't bounce around whenever you hit a small pot-hole but other than that there isn't a great deal more to set it apart.

So many of these misgivings could possibly be forgiven if the general attitude of the manufacturers wasn't one of arrogance........i've had dealings with LTi in the past, as too did my brother in law and both times the comtempt that we were treated with would not be evident in any other industry, it was only after much letter writing, arguing and eventually threat of media exposure and legal action that they capitulated.

At the time i bought my TX4 i had no choice of vehicle to go and buy, the TX1 was/is getting old and so i will eventually need a replacement, i rent one out to pay for the other but now that we have a choice of vehicle i shall re-consider my position in 18 months and hopefully move away from LTI.

Thanks acabbie,
I had a look at the Merc but that means dealing with KPM, hmmmmm....Made an appointment to see the sales guy, went down there only to be told they were limiting their initial sales to people who didn't want to trade in.

M&O ain't great either, they told me after I bought one that they wouldn't service my TX2 because they were too busy. (Just before they moved).

I have used a smaller dealer in Essex for all my servicing and they recently got the franchise to sell new TX4s. I knew that it would be looked after really well from start to finish however I cannot risk my livelihood by buying a new TX4, I don’t have 35k to gamble with.

I am on a radio circuit so the Merc might be an option as I will be able to supplement the lack of street work, however I have noticed on some jobs that the message says on no account to send an MPV. I wonder how the Merc would go down with those customers?



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In 1986 drivers where totally disillusioned with M&O,as they were then known.
They replaced the Austin 2.5 carthorse of an engine with the 2.2 Land Rover which was a disaster.The 2.5 Sherpa engine wasn't much better.
M&O's defence then? It wasn't the engine,it's the driver's driving habits and the garages aren't servicing properly.
I can remember a driver buying a new cab driving straight to a garage to have the new Rover engine replaced with a Nissen engine.
Many drivers welcomed the Metrocab with open arms and bought to spite M&O (now LTI) and as history as shown they regretted that decision.

I urge drivers to be weary about buying the Merc.Yes,it's a Merc,the Vito is a proven vehicle but taxi work is unique,especially in London.Vehicles and components that preform well on motorways and in every day use can fail miserably in taxi work.

My advice?
The TX4 is doomed and we await the TX6 (the T&G will deny there will be a TX5..).
Hold on to what you've got and watch the market.
See what vehicle becomes the preferred choice of drivers and garages.

Let the market make up your mind!

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Charlton's lost past http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsFKWGlrze0
London's future? http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/ ... rants.html

That's great advice Capt', It would be crazy to change at the moment, as I say my TX2 doesn't seem so bad after all.

I think it should be said that the Vito is not just a proven vehicle, it's also a proven taxi. Only the rear wheel steering system is different from the vito taxis used all over the rest of the country and other parts of the world.

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http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

This just highlights the folly of having a taxi service based on one type of vehicle. If this current problem had manifested itself in every TX4 model then one of the busiest capitols in the world would have been without a public hire taxi service.

I hope Allied put this argument forward when they go to court over the Liverpool situation. Placing all your eggs in one basket is never a good idea unless you are certain those eggs aren't going to break.

Regards

JD

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Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.

Red is Green.

Hi gbadge,
just out of interest which circuit are you on? Cheers

I agree with you there, having to deal with the salesmen at either place is enough to turn any tee-totaller to drink, they seem to be nothing but failed car salesman who are just about capable of working at those places because it's a captive market and we as drivers have no where else to go.

Someone else pointed out about future vehicles, well that's a good point. In the next few years we are going to see hybrid vehicles enter the market, perhaps another main manufacturer dip their toes and hopefully LTI learn from past mistakes, face the competition head on and develop a vehicle to surpass anything that we currently have.

As a side-note on the vito, once bought from KPM, as i understand it, you are not obliged to have any servicing carried out there but can instead take it to any commercial mercedes centre who will service it correctly and stamp the book as required. regards any warranty work i'm not so sure but a quick phone call will answer that.

The Merc Vitto is a proven vehicle in the Private hire business. My neighbour leases one now and again when he requires a bigger vehicle than his Merc saloon. He says it is one of the best vehicles he has driven and has been limousine driver for many years.

Trouble is, the manufactures and the regulating body, the Public Carriage Office/TFL think we are all millionaires
They have taken a twenty grand vehicle, put a special taxi pack on it and virtually double the price.
If this Merc Vitto had been marketed in London for around twenty four grand it would be selling like hot cakes, TFL and LTI know this.
I'm not trying to start a conspiracy but we need to be told why the turning circle is so important, U turns are being banned in London every week on major roads and the Public are always complaining about the way Black taxis turn in front of them (except when they are passengers in a hurry).
This vehicle could have been sold in London a lot cheaper than it is currently priced at and very soon the London Taxi Trade is going to wake up.

Although I have said before that I think Bob Oddie is the wrong man to represent the trade, I must admit he was the best of the three candidates that were put up for the job. The other two were chairman of the two biggest radio taxi firms in London and, in my opinion, leading the radio trade down the wrong road.
Bob must be made to wake up if he is to lead the trade.
We have to unite no matter which association or union you belong to, that is the most important issue.
We must be in charge of our own destiny.
We must be separated from the Private hire Trade.
The PCO must brake away from TFL and deal solely with the Hackney Cab Trade and a new body formed to regulate the PH trade.
We have to be governed by People who understand our trade, not ex bus drivers and graduates from the north of England. The Carriage Office could well be staffed from within our own ranks. There are many drivers who could be retrained who through no fault of their own have lost their license through Diabetes or heart problems. I am not saying Staff the PCO with sick cabbies but we can supply many good candidates who understand the trade.
If we do not take charge of our own destiny soon we will disappear up our own exhaust pipes.
The problem with the TX4 is a wake up call, we must not turn the snooze button on

Dialacab. Used to be a good circuit but now they have so many drivers you can't book into the zones....