Are our cabs poorly maintained???

SBS 1000U SG

Last week, I went to Changi Airport T3 McDonalds' to have dinner. I sat by the window seat near the road, admiring the rows of cabs driving into the taxi stand.

But I noticed that a lot of cabs have some exterior faults or shortcomings. There are a few common ones that I have noticed.

- body dents

- body scratches

- black soot on body and rim covers

- missing rim covers

- peeled off body advertisements

- patches of different colored toned body parts

- sooted front headlamps

- missing logos

The best maintained are the SMRT Chrysler 300Cs. The worst goes to SMRT Toyota Crowns and Nissan Cedrics.

Many of the Transcab Toyota Crowns have patches of paintjobs which seems to cover some wordings on the cab before.

For missing rim covers, Transcab Toyota Wish, Comfort and City cab Sonatas have the most. And seems that all SMART VW Tourans have missing rim covers.

Sooted front headlamps, many older Mercedes Benz E class cabs have this problem.

May I know do cabbies take care of their cabs images or is it up to the company??? But I do see a few cabs are well maintained, some even add things like rim covers, chrome linings,etc.

What are your views???

JoeRaj SG

It's up to the companies, they are the vehicle owners. You talk about exterior wear and tear, I'm more interested in internal maintenance. Many companies even the biggest and 'best' do not always maintain their cabs in tip top or road worthy conditions.

Even after complaining, they do a lackadaisical job. What they preach in their handbook and what actually transpires, are 2 different things. Drivers have to really be persistent and demanding before things can get done. Companies, even the 'top 1' are more interested in making money from rentals than having them in workshop for repairs which means a loss of rental income. They really try to get the cabs out before 7pm, so that they don't lose out having it stuck overnight, although the repairs weren't done properly or still persist.

Another factor is of course FTs being employed who have little experience in maintaining cars and are forced to learn from trial and error (even after many months are still learning!), or who simply are more interested in pay than proper work.

Poolman SG

Under normal circumstance , i wouldn't want to touch up my vehicle if it is going to be scrap soon .

any touching up need money , vehicle not ours , who give a damn to take care of it .

it's taxi coy responsibility to maintain the vehicle .

Poolman SG

as for rim covers , mine was stolen at workshop . So how ?

Buy new need money wor ..... so leave it lor .

komade SG

most impt to me is the car engine n mechanical/electical parts

r working well, interior cleaniess of the car follows after n lastly

the exterior of the car

foolsh_2000 SG

mine's a Nissan Cedric,passengers sometimes pass over esp at RWS!what to do,rental for new cars too high!i can only maintain the exterior by simply washing with soap and water!but those black marks left by mechanics cannot be washed away!and the wheels don't come with rims!and any dents the workshop never bother to repaint or knock back to shape unless if u r willing to pay!

Poolman SG

mine's a Nissan Cedric

Wow , Cedric a dying species sia .... still have ?

Yo bro , must take picture of your Cedric , facing extinction .

Really salute SMRT . . . . can still rent out such taxis , huat lar knn for them .

Cedric rental now all 100% profit !

Their capital all done , fully paid liao .

Poolman SG

got one yellow top Cedric driven by one of LV's oldest member .....

initially some hotels n clubs banned his cedric , complaint smelly , aircon not cold , got cockroach .noisy .

now lifted . . .

bowah SG

I drive cedric once a while, got cockroach, some of the old drivers already pass away, leaving their body smell on the seat.

Got once a ang mo lady seating beside me suddenly hugged me at a traffic red light stop, she shouted..."arrrrgghhhhh!!! INSECTS!!!", then I replied, "where where!!! act blur, oh that one not insect, that one is dirt..." after that, she scolded me for having such a unhygience and lousy cab full of pests.

I lan lan give her scold, after all, her big neh neh on my arm felt so good.

Ct2220 SG

- body dents

- body scratches

- black soot on body and rim covers

- missing rim covers

- peeled off body advertisements

- patches of different colored toned body parts

- sooted front headlamps

- missing logos

SBS Bros, out of your 8 obsersation, 6 need to pay by TD.

Nowadays

Where got $$$ to Reapir, Who care !!!

First !

komade SG

got one yellow top Cedric driven by one of LV's oldest member .....

initially some hotels n clubs banned his cedric , complaint smelly , aircon not cold , got cockroach .noisy .

now lifted . . .

hehe ai ni kuan kong hor............