# At long last, here she is.......



## bidderman1969 (Oct 20, 2006)

well, after all the irritating questions i've put to you guys, i can now unveil my (to me anyway) beautiful new car thats to become my next taxi....





































as you can see, i did 214 miles.....









at 59.3 mpg ( i know its not likely to be dead accurate, will be using the app on the phone for more accurate readings later), 









and I'm over the moon with it, especially compare to the chevvy, this is like a limo!

only downside is this obscure scratch in the bottled, I'm hoping Mick will be able to give us a hand at trying to make it look a little better, although i know we'll never get rid of the mark, but hey ho!




























:thumb::thumb::thumb::thumb::thumb:

so thanks to everyone for their input into helping me decide what car to get, and special thanks go to J306TD, who took time out to go and take a few pics for us of the car, and if it wasn't for him, i would have turned up a little disappointed as the wheels needed refurbishing, which they done before i picked up the car :thumb::wave::thumb::wave::thumb::wave:


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## Will-S (Jun 5, 2007)

Looks to be in very good condition. Enjoy.


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## millns84 (Jul 5, 2009)

They're lovely looking cars, enjoy


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## Soul boy 68 (Sep 8, 2013)

All your researching seems to have paid off, very nice motor that will serve you well. :thumb:


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## bidderman1969 (Oct 20, 2006)

being chain driven is a help too, saves on cam belt changes, lol


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## bidderman1969 (Oct 20, 2006)

will take some interior pics tomorrow, have a radio fascia on order, got my "full remote boot opening" option ready to fit, need to order a square number plate next


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## PugIain (Jun 28, 2006)

Looks good mate.
Hope she behaves.


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## N16k_W (May 12, 2013)

I like these. First time I've saw it in that colour. All the ones round here are white. Hope she serves you well


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## Cookies (Dec 10, 2008)

Bidderman that is absolutely stunning. Health to drive my friend. 

Cooks


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## BrummyPete (Jun 10, 2010)

Good looking car mate, this is one of my possibles when it's time to chop my ceed sw in


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## bidderman1969 (Oct 20, 2006)

BrummyPete said:


> Good looking car mate, this is one of my possibles when it's time to chop my ceed sw in


its fantastic fella, especially if you like something different, never saw another one at all on my journey home!


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## BrummyPete (Jun 10, 2010)

Yeah I must admit I did look at one but at the time couldn't justify spending the extra wonga on it, but now I'm in a position to spend a little more, I'm actually looking at them now on the Allen kia website lol


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## bidderman1969 (Oct 20, 2006)

good man


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## bidderman1969 (Oct 20, 2006)

BrummyPete said:


> Yeah I must admit I did look at one but at the time couldn't justify spending the extra wonga on it, but now I'm in a position to spend a little more, I'm actually looking at them now on the Allen kia website lol


any caught your eye?


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## BrummyPete (Jun 10, 2010)

Well the only one that was on there has just disappeared so maybe sold or they have updated the site, which model did you go for?


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## bidderman1969 (Oct 20, 2006)

BrummyPete said:


> Well the only one that was on there has just disappeared so maybe sold or they have updated the site, which model did you go for?


I went for the Luxe 2 model, as I'm changing the stereo anyway at some point, and I can't have heated rear seats with kids as passengers (we know what kids are like with buttons), but mainly it was because I wanted a sunroof again, bloody glad I did too, it was great cruising with roof open! lol


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## BrummyPete (Jun 10, 2010)

I was looking at the '2' model, wanted an automatic this time as it means my other half's family can drive it too, I can change my car at any point it's just whether I see the right car or not


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## bidderman1969 (Oct 20, 2006)

Well don't rush into it, I kinda had to due to the Chevvy playing up, but I have a good feeling about it, and you'd benefit a great deal with the 7 year warranty too

I really liked the auto, just had to put my sensible head on for once what with the VED on the auto and slightly less mpg, still like on at some point though


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## BrummyPete (Jun 10, 2010)

I'm still enjoying the ceed sw at the moment, does everything I need very comfortably, was originally looking at the sportage for an upgrade but the optima seems a far better choice


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## Bigoggy (Sep 1, 2014)

Nice. I like that


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## muzzer (Feb 13, 2011)

What puts me off these is the VED, 180 a year for a 1.7?? I pay less than that for my 1.9 diseasel skoda.
I do like the look of these though.


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## bidderman1969 (Oct 20, 2006)

That's for the auto, manual like mine is £110


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## muzzer (Feb 13, 2011)

bidderman1969 said:


> That's for the auto, manual like mine is £110


Ahhh right, mrs 42 has a 1.1 rio and when she went in to change over her name, i had a mooch about the forecourt and had a look at an optima. When i saw that i was like forget that but that would make sense. Are they a tdi? Or naturaly aspirated?


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## bidderman1969 (Oct 20, 2006)

CRDi, so probably TDi equivilant

But the autos are very good, very smooth, and have an Eco mode too


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## davies20 (Feb 22, 2009)

I can see why you recommended one of these to me - that looks really nice!


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## SteveTDCi (Feb 8, 2006)

That's a posh taxi, I wish we had nice ones like that instead of the crappy passats, zafiras etc we have here. Although the taxis at Aberdeen airport yesterday - silver e class's looked great.


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## bidderman1969 (Oct 20, 2006)

SteveTDCi said:


> That's a posh taxi, I wish we had nice ones like that instead of the crappy passats, zafiras etc we have here. Although the taxis at Aberdeen airport yesterday - silver e class's looked great.


:lol: unfortunately my budget doesn't stretch to Merc's, :lol:


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## bidderman1969 (Oct 20, 2006)

would this wheel suit the car?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-ALLOY...Car+Make:Kia|Model:Optima&hash=item1ea16b6884


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## J306TD (May 19, 2008)

Double post


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## J306TD (May 19, 2008)

Glad to see all is well with it Barry. Did they polish out any of the other marks? How did the wheels look?

Also it was great to be able to help you out and check the car over for you.


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## chefy (May 9, 2011)

Beautiful looking car :thumb: a very nice taxi I must say, isn't it amazing how the likes of Kia & Hyundai have come on over the past few years, producing some very nice looking cars, that come with some great warranties and so on.


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## muzzer (Feb 13, 2011)

chefy said:


> Beautiful looking car :thumb: a very nice taxi I must say, isn't it amazing how the likes of Kia & Hyundai have come on over the past few years, producing some very nice looking cars, that come with some great warranties and so on.


I have to say, the i40 estate is a very tempting proposition right now


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## Kriminal (Jan 11, 2007)

Ooooh.....that looks nice. Can't say I've seen many, if any, of them around.

That mark looks like some little brat trying to spell their initials!?!? 

Still, not enough to bring me to tears with a car in THAT good condition.

I hope you tell your passengers to take their shoes off, and to sit still  :thumb:


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## uruk hai (Apr 5, 2009)

I really like that, proper executive barge without looking like a clone of current makes and models.

Really nice bit of kit, good luck with it. :thumb:


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## bidderman1969 (Oct 20, 2006)

J306TD said:


> Glad to see all is well with it Barry. Did they polish out any of the other marks? How did the wheels look?
> 
> Also it was great to be able to help you out and check the car over for you.


didn't ask them to polish out any bodywork marks to be honest fella, don't trust any garage to do that, lol

wheels look tremendous tbh, would certainly recommend them as a company though :thumb:


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## bidderman1969 (Oct 20, 2006)

have a small wee problem now, it seems the magnetic top light i have isn't strong enough to hold it to the roof through the glass, now i'm not sure what I'm going to do as i can't seem to find any glass fittings for top lights!


oooooo eck


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## Cookies (Dec 10, 2008)

Hmmm. That's a bit of a pickle alright. What about a suction mount?


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## bidderman1969 (Oct 20, 2006)

thats what I'm trying to find, no luck so far


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## Kerr (Mar 27, 2012)

Looks good. Hopefully it's an enjoyable ownership.


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## Cookies (Dec 10, 2008)

Ok - might be a bit of hassle but what about mounting it on a roof bar?

That'd be easily removed after a shift.

Cooks


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## bidderman1969 (Oct 20, 2006)

Cookies said:


> Ok - might be a bit of hassle but what about mounting it on a roof bar?
> 
> That'd be easily removed after a shift.
> 
> Cooks


not sure you can get roof bars for these


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## Cookies (Dec 10, 2008)

bidderman1969 said:


> not sure you can get roof bars for these


Did a quick search there and it looks like some are available here. http://www.roofbox.co.uk/scripts/rbvehsel2a.php?emulate=whycar&query=7912&vptype=.

I'm sure you would be able to get some of the eBay -









Cooks


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## bidderman1969 (Oct 20, 2006)

it may be the last resort yet, bought the car for its sleek good looks, they make it look hideous :lol:

can't believe what a twunk i was assuming it would be all ok :wall::wall::wall::wall:


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## Cookies (Dec 10, 2008)

You could stick a surf board to it as well to get with the hipsters lol.


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## bidderman1969 (Oct 20, 2006)

remind me not to ring you in a crisis situation :lol::lol::lol::lol:


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## Cookies (Dec 10, 2008)

You're welcome lol.


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## bidderman1969 (Oct 20, 2006)

would this suit the optima? and is ET50 too much when the onset for 16'' wheels is 6.5Jx16 ET46?


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## Cookies (Dec 10, 2008)

With an offset of 50mm, that would mean that the rim will sit 4mm further into the arch than the et46 rim. 

Are you taking the standard rims off bidderman?

Cooks


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## bidderman1969 (Oct 20, 2006)

Yes, these would be winter wheels


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## Cookies (Dec 10, 2008)

Aah if course. I'd say if they're only 4mm off the original offset and the same width, they'll be grand.

Cooks


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## bidderman1969 (Oct 20, 2006)

So larger the offset the further under the arch then


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## Cookies (Dec 10, 2008)

Yes. Some of the wide arch cars will have wheels with an offset of zero or even a minus figure - meaning the wheels will sit way outside the normal arch position.

The offset is the distance of the mounting face from the central axis of the wheel.


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## bidderman1969 (Oct 20, 2006)

Settling into taxi life


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## Cookies (Dec 10, 2008)

How did you get the sign to stick?

Cooks


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## Kerr (Mar 27, 2012)

A taxi driver outside a bookies. There's a stereotype for you.:lol:


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## bidderman1969 (Oct 20, 2006)

For you Cooks


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## Cookies (Dec 10, 2008)

Fantastic bidderman. Perfect solution! 

Health to wear lol!!


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## bidderman1969 (Oct 20, 2006)

It stays on ok at 100mph, lol


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## Cookies (Dec 10, 2008)

bidderman1969 said:


> It stays on ok at 100mph, lol


On a race track or autobahn, obviously lol.


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## bidderman1969 (Oct 20, 2006)

Naturally


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## bidderman1969 (Oct 20, 2006)

well, I'm finally getting through the manual...










and yes, its all English!


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## bidderman1969 (Oct 20, 2006)

oh, and heres my DPF schedule for how to clean it....


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## Starbuck88 (Nov 12, 2013)

You are reading a manual? What's wrong with you man?


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## bidderman1969 (Oct 20, 2006)

Starbuck88 said:


> You are reading a manual? What's wrong with you man?


:lol::lol::lol::lol:

i don't usually, but i want to take advantage of every bit of the car, I've already found a subsection i wouldn't have found otherwise


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## J306TD (May 19, 2008)

Wow. I thought the manual would be bigger than that. Due to all the buttons on the dash


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## Blazefan13 (Apr 19, 2015)

I must be sad, I enjoy reading the manual.


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## bidderman1969 (Oct 20, 2006)

Just had an idiot taxi driver just back into the car on the rank......FFS


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## J306TD (May 19, 2008)

Oh ffs. Can it be fixed Barry?


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## bidderman1969 (Oct 20, 2006)

well, as you know, bumpers are designed nowadays to absorb a bit of a bump, but they managed to damage it slightly, which shows how hard he hit it, more concerned with what's behind the bumper and if it's knocked the headlight out of alignment


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## J306TD (May 19, 2008)

Get it all checked out at there expense Barry. The front of the car was pretty much mint.


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## bidderman1969 (Oct 20, 2006)

In daylight it seems the bumper has absorbed quite a bit of the impact, only visible damage is around the tow eye part




























Think I'll probably won't claim as I expect a re sprayed bumper won't look as good overall as if I leave it as it is, will still bug me everyday and has now soured my ownership experience


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## rf860 (Jul 24, 2011)

I wouldn't be letting him away with that.

Get him to cough up for the repairs, no reason why a good quality respray wouldn't look as good as new.


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