I spent 3 weeks away on business in Glasgow in August and noticed quite a few late registered Skoda Octavia 1's being used as taxi's. I seem to remember these being phased out on a 04 plate with the introduction of the new model. Now these cars were mainly 57, 08, 58, 09 plated and even a couple of 59 plates, some 5 years after the model 'officially' ended. I know they are good cars (we have one on the family) so can understand that they want them but how do they source them as I couldnt imagine them being stood around for years and then registered. I did notice that these seem to be bog base spec with no electric comforts or air con so must be sourced pretty cheap espically if used as taxis.
Also on the way home i saw a 10 plate Citroen Xsara Picasso which was also suprised me as I thought they had stopped a couple of years ago.
Anybody else noticed this trend?
Last edited by: nice but dim on Wed 6 Oct 10 at 20:21
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The Xsara Picasso was still available new until earlier this year, although only as a very limited range. It was still selling quite well considering it's age.
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Conversely, some new models sell far less well than their predecessors. Don't know how many it actually sold, but the 5-seat C4 Picasso appeared in 2007 yet is a rare sight compared with the Xsara model. In that case I suspect buyers view Citroen as a value-for-money brand and preferred the proven old-tech Picasso to the too-clever-by-half C4P.
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You can still order an Octavia I today from your local Skoda dealer, although the facility is designed to be used for Taxis.
My local dealer has the Octy 1 on his targets board, he's still being tasked to sell a number each quarter.
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Lot to be said for the 'if it ain't broke don't fix it' view.
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I've pointed out on previous occasions that the vast bulk of the many dozens of taxis where I live comprise Skoda Octavias and the odd Superb model.
The taxi drivers love 'em and most are/have been obtained from a taxi specialist in the Glasgow area (some 200 miles from here), although I understand that a source much closer is now available.
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I saw an old-shape Astra on a 60 plate yesterday. I wonder how big a discount they got??
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I wonder if they are significantly cheaper to buy than the more modern versions. I remember years ago when I worked for a German company they bought taxi spec Merc E class estates for their local reps. Very basic trim level for that brand, only difference from the taxis was solid black paint rather than beige. I think they had vinyl seats, steel wheels and rubber floor coverings from memory. Still good cars of course and cavernous loadspaces which was what was needed by the guys who used them. I feel they might have been 2.5 diesel automatics but that may be wrong. Perhaps they were 3.0 litre engines. Quick enough anyway on the odd occasion I was given a lift in one.
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Re the Picasso, they were silly value towards the end. A colleague picked up a 1.6 petrol with a decent spec for £9200 from a Citroën dealer. A lot of car for the dough.
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I was idly browsing on Autotrader earlier, like you do...I admit to setting myself little hypothetical challenges. Doesn't everyone do that ? Anyway one evening's a while back was to source a second hand Mondeo estate. I didn't actually need or want one you understand but that was the plan of attack.
Now, the thing was, I was fairly pleased with my find. A last of the line Ghia X diesel, nice colour with all manner of extras, good history, lowish mileage one owner car. Three years old, leather, sunroof etc. Full service history with a year's T&T. All for somewhere south of £8k. Tickety Boo.
Now compare that with a similarly specced Mk4 ( the new 'un ) Same age more or less, maybe a couple of months younger. More miles too. probably a slightly better car but not worth half as much again in the cold light of day is it ? Not if you are buying a car to perform tasks as opposed to buying one to show off in.
I'd have bought the old one ( if I'd needed it )...
Last edited by: Humph D'bout on Wed 6 Oct 10 at 22:23
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>> Conversely, some new models sell far less well than their predecessors. Don't know how many
>> it actually sold, but the 5-seat C4 Picasso appeared in 2007 yet is a rare
>> sight compared with the Xsara model. In that case I suspect buyers view Citroen as
>> a value-for-money brand and preferred the proven old-tech Picasso to the too-clever-by-half C4P.
>>
You're comparing Apples & Pears WdB. As DP points out Citroen were giving away Mondeo size cars for Fiesta money. As a school run second or third car who wouldn't ? Don't think the C4P falls into the same bracket. Compare the residuals too.
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I did that at lunchtime yesterday, Gmac; the pear was the clear winner.
But I disagree: it's apples with simpler and cheaper but just as big apples from the same orchard. Citroen undermined their own new model by implicitly admitting that the old one still did what most buyers required. It would be interesting to see if C4P sales have picked up now that the old Picasso is out of the catalogue at last. I can't imagine BMW continuing to offer the old 5 at a knock-down price alongside the new one, can you?
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>> I can't imagine BMW continuing to offer the old 5 at a knock-down price
>> alongside the new one, can you?
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I dunno, they offer 5 Series Touring's for 6-12 months after the new saloon and 3 Series Tourings, Coupes / Convertables for 12+ months after the new saloons début - not exactly comparable perhaps but two generations of a platform offered simultaneously ?
At the other end of the scale Renault habitually do this with the Clio and even the R5 before it, Ford did it with both the Fiesta and the Escort - there are probably other examples too.
Not sure the Xara Picasso took sales from the C4 Picasso given the price difference ?
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I would disagree with the C4P was a direct replacement for the Xsara Picasso.
French car companies do this with successful cars, they keep them running for as long as a reasonable number of people are buying.
The R5 was replaced by the Clio but the R5 Campus soldiered on for many years offering people the chance to buy a reasonably sized hatchback for supermini money. That didn't make the Clio a bad car or at least Renault did not see a conflict between the buyers.
Comparing French and German manufacturers I don't see as relevant here as they are targeting different markets. I did notice in the September edition of What Car ? The old and new 5 series listed so there must exist an element of overlap though not to the extent of several years.
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I presume that the Octavia 1 doesn't have a DPF - in which case there will be a regular demand from taxi-drivers.
Most taxi-drivers drive as economically as possible, as it's their livelihood, and therefore the car spends most of its life at low revs around toen - just the conditions to clog up the DPF. It'll be interesting to see if any of them go for the petrol Octavia 1.4 TSI or even the 1.2 when they next change.
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Skoda Octavia I - Cars some people never want to stop buying? - Skip
