Yes, it is on topic, because I want to know which car, 7 years old or less, but not too much less, is reliable and needs the least maintainence. This would be for airport trips mainly.
Mk3 mondy has a lot of reliability issues from talking to a couple of cab firms and a car dealer I know. There are the workhorse 406's, of course. There's a reasonable Vectra diesel estate on a 54 plate local. Are Vectras reliable?
Any sensible ideas would be welcomed.
Thanks.
W210 E220 Cdi, find one without rust. Comfy, reliable, economical. W211 if you can afford it and the risks of big repair bills as they are somewhat more complicated.
Most of the minicabs around here seem to be Octavia SDis, or, if the owner is feeling flush, Superb TDIs.
Prague airport is serviced apparantly exclusively by Passat TDis.
Around here, most private hire vehicles seem to be TDCi or TDDi Focii or Mondeos.
Most of the minicabs around here seem to be Nissan Bluebirds with Jamaican flag stickers on the back window.
"Around here"... :) Let me see, sarf lunnon? Not viable here though. They insist on shiney nice looking cars.
"The 1996 to 2002 Mercedes-Benz E-class, dubbed internally by Mercedes as the W210 model, represents one of the best values in the used midsize luxury car market. The W210 marked a radical ? and initially controversial ? shift in Mercedes-Benz design philosophy. Mercedes waved goodbye to the slab sides of the 1980s and 1990s, and with the W210, ushered in the sleek, yet still timeless, styling that continues to direct Mercedes-Benz design today"
"The W210 E-class still looks like a brand new Mercedes, but costs less than than a new Honda Civic! "
Nice.... looking to see whats around. Thanks.
Have a look at the first one here
Prague area use a combination of Passat, Octavia and Superb TDi's. The odd one or two private Seat Toledo's VW golf estates etc...
Tim..
Auto boxes go on these at about 150k, as well as the 320's as there is no scheduled fluid change with them.
Fine otherwise. Ask any of the Canaries cab drivers (who all drive E classes of varying years) though the 220 CDI does get very tractorish after about
200k.Tim..
Therein lies the problem.
All W210s at 'minicab' money are either already rusty, or will break out in ginger scabs depressingly rapidly over the next year or so.
Battersea, to be precise :-)
Shiny nice looking cars are not for around here!
"Mike Barnard" wrote
How about an Austin Cambridge?.
Bluebirds seemed to go forever mine did 170k before selling, went through MOT just used exhausts/batteries. Sadly too old now and a polluter with no CAT. I often got flagged down near railway stations! Toyota Avensis is probably the equivalent (older type anyway) annoyingly like new even with high mileage and hard treatment and ultra reliable-soft ride as well.
Hmmm, now why didn't I think of that.
One near me up for sale at =A35K For manual box. Are Merc manuals as bad as the reputation suggests at that age?
--=20 Carl Robson Audio stream:
Nice Argos seat covers.
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