Common as muck.....

[psmart]

On my last journey, I was driving slow enough to get bored and do childish things, such as counting objects

I started counting ML's, and on Sunday morning, 9am onwards, approximately every 5 minutes, an ML would pass, nearly all W163's. What was more interesting is that all were 270cdi and the only 2 petrol variants I saw was a W164 350 and a parked W163 320!

Does anyone have stats on how many ML's were actually made, and breakdown per country? I'm starting to feel a right commoner, driving an ML

 

[maldon]

err..... wall to wall here in Beckenham, especially around 1530hrs - not quite so many in Colchester

 

[psmart]

Tales of a taxi driver....

err..... wall to wall here in Beckenham, especially around 1530hrs - not quite so many in Colchester

....Friday night, a taxi driver Ive been with several times before, whom speaks very good English but normally we speak German, this time conversation went into English and Mercedes as he was an avid Mercedes fan and was driving a new E200cdi.

Conversation went.... his wife loves ML's... and so does he... but only the W163's, as the buzz in his circles is that the W164 has been mainly designed as a 2nd car for Rich Women!!! Probably why it looks more akin to a Ford Ka from the backside!! Need we say more

 

[Nencrono]

Blimey!

How much does a taxi driver earn?

 

[Blobcat]

The E class is built with the taxi buyer in mind, being able to switch the rear passenger lights on independently is one give away. Almost every country in Europe uses MB's as taxi's. I remember seeing SLC's as taxis in Geneva in the 80's.
I had a discussion with a Dutch work collegue and he couldn't understand why they used Lada's for taxis in the UK. He had a Lada himself and the reliabilty and comfort was so bad he wondered why anyone would want to spend their working hours in one.
There is also a couple of E320CDI's as taxis in my local town.

 

[Myros]

the Stuttgart city info website

says "taxis are easy to recognize, they are cream coloured Mercedes with Taxi signs on the roof"

Except that they might well be Skodas now.

 

[Blobcat]

On my last journey, I was driving slow enough to get bored and do childish things, such as counting objects

I started counting ML's, and on Sunday morning, 9am onwards, approximately every 5 minutes, an ML would pass, nearly all W163's. What was more interesting is that all were 270cdi and the only 2 petrol variants I saw was a W164 350 and a parked W163 320!

Does anyone have stats on how many ML's were actually made, and breakdown per country? I'm starting to feel a right commoner, driving an ML

You could always try looking for the Kleeman ML50K S8's I don't suppose there are many of them around. Or later this year you can look out for the ML63AMG.

 

[psmart]

Blimey!

How much does a taxi driver earn?

In Germany, most Taxi's are Mercedes. They get very large discounts, but have big restrictions on when or how they can sell them. For instance, they cannot sell to the UK, otherwise it might lower/taint the brand!

 

[Blobcat]

In Germany, most Taxi's are Mercedes. They get very large discounts, but have big restrictions on when or how they can sell them. For instance, they cannot sell to the UK, otherwise it might lower/taint the brand!

Funny you should mention that on my 1K in a day run I spotted a Cream LHD E class with UK plates on the M6 so at least one must have made it over here.

 

[psmart]

Funny you should mention that on my 1K in a day run I spotted a Cream LHD E class with UK plates on the M6 so at least one must have made it over here.

Shhhssshhh.... word might get back to Merc and the next taxi Ill be getting into will be a Skoda Estelle!

Mercs are workhorses over here as well as class cars, for example, go to Frankfurt/Düsseldorf/München and you'll see ML's as flight cars with big Follow Me on them!!!

 

[cubicincubi]

not as many in Newcastle. Lots of folks own cheaper marques I guess. but I do see at least a few a day out and about.

 

[psmart]

...started counting Taxi's on my 15 minute walk to work this morning, only about 50% are now Mercs, in my neck of the woods, but nearly all of them are E-Classes, so blobcat was right, it looks like the E was aimed at Taxis.

I always thought that the naming scheme was:
S - Senator
E - Executive
C - Compact
etc... (anyone know what the others are?)

 

[Blobcat]

Just looking at the Russian parts site and there is an additional cable harness for E-Class taxi's
http://www.detali.ru/cat/oem_mb2.asp?TP=1&F=211016&M=647%2E961&GA=722%2E640&GM=716%2E649&CT=F&cat=64U&SID=82&SGR=626&SGN=32
Looks like MB know their market

 

[psmart]

Just looking at the Russian parts site and there is an additional cable harness for E-Class taxi's
http://www.detali.ru/cat/oem_mb2.asp?TP=1&F=211016&M=647%2E961&GA=722%2E640&GM=716%2E649&CT=F&cat=64U&SID=82&SGR=626&SGN=32
Looks like MB know their market

...they dont mention the 2" thick bomb proof plating, Klashnikov fittings or optional seat for bodyguard..... has Russia become so safe that you can ride around in an E-Klasse without safeguards?

 

[Blobcat]

...they dont mention the 2" thick bomb proof plating, Klashnikov fittings or optional seat for bodyguard..... has Russia become so safe that you can ride around in an E-Klasse without safeguards?

The site has also options for Government cars listed on the site. What you need is a Hotspur Hussar Polisec.