Taxis - High mileage, but still running well

[song77]

Sent car for regular servicing. Took a cab to collect my vehicle. Smooth and comfortable ride. I peeked at the odometer and saw it is 400,000 + KM.

 

Taxi uncle shared with me that the vehicle will run fine if:

 1. Stick to the servicing schedule, for cabs, they have to send car for servicing at least once a month.

 2. Immediately repair or replace faulty or dying parts. "Mai tu liao". The longer you drag, the more related parts it will damage.

 

I thanked him for his advice.

 

Any truth to what he said?

[Phluvcat]

Its true. Mine also 400k++ km. Stable, smooth engine and stable ride.

 

Will be so sad the day I have to let it go.

 

 

[Jamesc]

Sent car for regular servicing. Took a cab to collect my vehicle. Smooth and comfortable ride. I peeked at the odometer and saw it is 400,000 + KM.

 

Taxi uncle shared with me that the vehicle will run fine if:

 1. Stick to the servicing schedule, for cabs, they have to send car for servicing at least once a month.

 2. Immediately repair or replace faulty or dying parts. "Mai tu liao". The longer you drag, the more related parts it will damage.

 

I thanked him for his advice.

 

Any truth to what he said?

 

Yup true.

 

[Bicolor]

For those who can't be bothered to read the long post: Reliability of model in question plays a big part, some cars are hardier than others. But yes, regular servicing and prompt replacement of failing parts and those parts related will ensure long life. In fact, many vehicles in Singapore can hardly be called old or high mileage. 

 

 

I drove taxis in Hong Kong for slightly over a year in 2011-2012, and remember driving one which had clocked 700k km. It didn't feel any worse than many of the others that had clocked 300-400k; in fact, it was well-maintained and the acceleration was pleasantly nippy. Until today, I still see that taxi near my place and the regular driver washes it at a certain time every evening as long as it isn't raining.

 

Asked the head mechanic from the company I rented the vehicle from if the engine had been overhauled, but it hadn't! Basically, he told me the same thing - frequent servicing and immediate replacement of any parts if necessary. In fact, they used cheap mineral oil, but that was changed every 2 - 3 weeks with the kind of mileage most drivers clocked. Automatic transmission fluid was apparently changed every 2 - 3 months - the head mechanic did not want to risk gearbox failure as many of the drivers have the bad habit of coasting in neutral, something carried over from the past manual days. Tyres were changed the moment they started to lose thread, something like once every 3-4 months.

In that period of time, I drove more than 20 of those taxis, 3 to 4 times a week. But despite the fact that none were newer than 8 years old and many older than 10, and also that I beat the hell out of them whenever my cab was empty, I never encountered any mechanical issues (apart from aging suspension parts at times, which were promptly replaced once I highlighted to the company). It's been at least 6 years since then, but I still see most of the taxis I drove plying in my neighbourhood today. Many of them are 14 - 17 years old today, and I never fail to be amazed by how sprightly they feel.

[Ct3833]

Sent car for regular servicing. Took a cab to collect my vehicle. Smooth and comfortable ride. I peeked at the odometer and saw it is 400,000 + KM.

 

Taxi uncle shared with me that the vehicle will run fine if:

1. Stick to the servicing schedule, for cabs, they have to send car for servicing at least once a month.

2. Immediately repair or replace faulty or dying parts. "Mai tu liao". The longer you drag, the more related parts it will damage.

 

I thanked him for his advice.

 

Any truth to what he said?

If pay more attention, one could easily find some faults here and there that i wont tolerate it on my own car . For example, knocking sound from undecarriage, shock absober noise, worn wheel bearing noise, occilating tyre noise is one of the more common one because of the lowest quality tyre they use. Mercedes cabs are better maintained. But it is not uncommon that taxi replace auto transmission because of the high mileage they have clocked .

[Ake109]

Biggest factor.

 

Company pay.

[ER-3682]

In some cases,Cars running for long Hours like PHV,the Cars seem like can last better than low mileage,like just go to Work & go Home.

[Mustank]

Hope to reach 999k

But won’t be able to hit at all

[Sdf4786k]

Biggest factor.

 

Company pay.

 

it will be easily cost contained if we can find a way to dispose of the oil responsibly and without much equipment for every 45K service

 

15 30 and 45 K can DIY if u have the oil filter on top . A tad difficult if below and hence the savings is 30 dollars for the mechanic time if u bring your oil.

 

If giant has the offer, the Shell Helix is at 29.90 plus the cost of a filter bought at the stockist is 6.50 to 12 depends on your type of ride. (non farrari or lambo or posh )

 

The question than is , is your time worth 30 dollars? or its not the servicing cost but the enjoyment of having a group of people come together at some place to DIY the oil change and drink coffee?

Edited June 5, 2018 by Sdf4786k

[DACH]

Hope to reach 999k

But wonât be able to hit at all

Can be done.

Drive to and fro KL everyday.

Extend your pickup COE to 20 years.

Do the same thing everyday for 20 years.

But maintenance will be a killer.

[Mustank]

Can be done.

Drive to and fro KL everyday.

Extend your pickup COE to 20 years.

Do the same thing everyday for 20 years.

But maintenance will be a killer.

Loneliness of the long distance runner

[Thaiyotakamli]

Can be done.

Drive to and fro KL everyday.

Extend your pickup COE to 20 years.

Do the same thing everyday for 20 years.

But maintenance will be a killer.

I think by end of 10 yrs its better to scrap the car and get new one

[Little_prince]

i doubt any of us can hit the kind of mileage to justify oil change and servicing every month lah.

 

for most of us, sticking to 6 monthly servicing schedule is more than enough.

[RogerNg_185295]

i doubt any of us can hit the kind of mileage to justify oil change and servicing every month lah.

 

for most of us, sticking to 6 monthly servicing schedule is more than enough.

Exceptions will be if you using own car for PHV services

[Kklee]

Eh.... if my mileage of about 30k per year to follow the Hong Kong taxi's fluid change, 

I roughly need to change EO every  month and ATF every 3 months ! 

 

[Toeknee_33]

Eh.... if my mileage of about 30k per year to follow the Hong Kong taxi's fluid change, 

I roughly need to change EO every  month and ATF every 3 months ! 

How did you arrive on those intervals?

[Kklee]

How did you arrive on those intervals?

 

300-400k - i take the max of  400k

none were newer than 8 years old and many older than 10 - I take it as 11 years

 

400k / 11 years = approx 36,363 km per year

36363 km per year (52 weeks) = approx 699km per week  

 

(EO) changed every 2 - 3 weeks - I take it as 3 weeks

3 weeks = 3 * 699km  =  2097 km

30,000km / 2097 km = approx 14 times per year - I take it as roughly about once a month

 

Automatic transmission fluid was apparently changed every 2 - 3 months - I take it as 3 months

3 months is about 12 weeks = 12*699 = 8388 km

30,000km / 8388 km = approx 3.6 times per year - I take it as roughly about every 3 months

 

I hope I understand and calculate correctly.   

[Toeknee_33]

300-400k - i take the max of  400k

none were newer than 8 years old and many older than 10 - I take it as 11 years

 

400k / 11 years = approx 36,363 km per year

36363 km per year (52 weeks) = approx 699km per week  

 

(EO) changed every 2 - 3 weeks - I take it as 3 weeks

3 weeks = 3 * 699km  =  2097 km

30,000km / 2097 km = approx 14 times per year - I take it as roughly about once a month

 

Automatic transmission fluid was apparently changed every 2 - 3 months - I take it as 3 months

3 months is about 12 weeks = 12*699 = 8388 km

30,000km / 8388 km = approx 3.6 times per year - I take it as roughly about every 3 months

 

I hope I understand and calculate correctly.   

 

It does seem that your calculations are right! 

 

Then either the mileages or age of the taxis are wrong. I don't think an average taxi only clock 699km a week, or 100km a day. Can't make money like that...hehe! Local SG taxis run between 250-450km per shift, or 500-900km a day.

 

At an average of 700km a day, SG taxis need to be serviced once every 2 weeks. 

 

I speculate that the odometers on these old Crown Comforts have only 6-digits, and the 400k km may well be 1.4m km or 2.4m km....