Some sellers try to hide the fact that the offered car was a taxi. How to detect such cases? And are used taxis really worse than privately operated ones?
Classifieds sites are full of cars that used to be taxis. Buyers generally avoid them for fear of the excessive wear and tear caused by running short distances. Unfortunately, not all offers are marked properly. In some cases, sellers try to hide the real history of the car. So how do you recognize a former taxi driver?
Not only cream Mercedes
Leads the list of the most popular taxis in the carVertical Mercedes E-class rating (17.9%). It is followed by Skoda Superb (7.7%), VW Passat (6.1%), BMW 5 Series (5%) and Volvo V70 (4.7%). It should be noted, however, that the characteristic cream Mercedes with factory taxi equipment occupies an ever smaller market share every year. Many users even buy other color versions, customizable, and then completely wrap the case with a film of the desired color (cream, white, black). The foil and lacquer are removed before the sale - in a lot of cases it looks absolutely sensational, which can confuse the uninformed buyer.
Uber drivers are carriers too
Another problem is the dynamic development of alternative transport networks that work on the same principles as taxis, but in fact are not taxes. Almost all car models are used in this group. They don’t even have taximeters because drivers only use apps for smartphones or tablets. These cars also have high mileage, but when sold, it is almost impossible to recognize that they were operated as a taxi.
Pay attention to these points…
The fact that not all taxis can be identified does not release the buyer from the obligation to carefully inspect the vehicle before buying it. It also happens that heightened vigilance can reveal the “taxi past”. It is worth, for example, to look at the body of the car in search of traces of stickers or compare the color on the pillars with the color on the doors or hood (traces of full wrapping of the car). It will not be superfluous to check the quality of the doors (they may be broken on the passenger side), traces of the taximeter assembly in the cabin, or unnatural wear on the rear seat.
Checking vehicle history
A very effective way to check a vehicle’s history is to check it against a database. Of all the vehicles included in carVertical’s reports, as many as 29% have taxi status there. Mercedes, 14.4 percent. Volkswagens, 12.3 percent. Skoda, 10.9 percent. Volvo and 5.8 percent. bmw.
Advantages and disadvantages of a used taxi
Fairly sold former taxis are usually cheap. It happens that these are properly serviced cars in generally good technical condition. If someone comes across such a copy, it will certainly be a bargain.
However, we must not forget that a car after a taxi is, as a rule, a heavily used vehicle with high mileage, and its low price is fully justified. Even if the car is in good condition, high mileage is still a major problem.
Taxis make most of their trips around the city, for short distances, so they wear out faster. Especially the engine, brakes and gearbox. A car with the same mileage, driven mostly on the highway, is usually in much better condition. When buying a used taxi, you should also take into account the above-average operated interior, which will not be helped even by a comprehensive dry cleaning of the upholstery.
Should buyers avoid buying taxi cars? Without a doubt, you should beware of taxis whose history is hidden by the seller. Such cars can become real piggy banks, which will be very difficult to resell. In the case of honestly sold ex-taxi, the attractiveness of the offer depends on the price, which must be adequate to the technical condition, mileage and appearance of the proposed car, - comments Matas Buzelis, carVertical’s automotive expert.
Source: Wprost
I am Jason Root. I work in the news website industry and mostly cover the automobile industry. I have also written for Daily News Hack. My work revolves around new car models, prices, and features. In addition, I often write about used cars and tips for buying them. My articles are meant to be helpful for those who are in the market for a new or used car.
