Buying a used car can be a really tedious mission. Anyone who sets his mind to it will surely spend tens of hours in the search engines of the classified ads pages. Beyond the price, the number of kilometers, the average consumption or the general state of the vehicle are issues that are decisive when opting for one vehicle or another. However, it is impossible to know exactly the past of second-hand cars, although there are some tricks that will help us find out a little more about the identity of its previous owner.
A part of the vehicles on the second-hand market have been rental cars or even taxis and VTC vehicles in their previous life. This type of vehicle has traveled a greater number of kilometers than cars for private use, which shows a higher level of wear than all levels. If you want to avoid acquiring a car that has been used as a taxi in the past, pay attention to the factors that you should review below.
VTCs and taxis are exposed to excessive wear during their useful lives due to the large number of kilometers they cover. This fact means that, in all probability and despite facing an ITV every six months and with more exhaustive tests and complying with all maintenance checks, the state of the mechanics is not optimal to be sold as a pre-owned car. In addition, this type of vehicle makes almost all of its journeys in the city, which results in a greater deterioration of essential parts of the car such as the engine, brakes or transmission, compared to vehicles that regularly drive on the road.
Beyond looking at the odometer, there are other signs that will help you detect vehicles that have been used as a taxi. First of all, the stickers that these vehicles usually have can leave traces or color differences on the body of the car. Check that there are no areas that are more shiny than others, as this may be an indication that they have been covered by vinyl for a long time.
You should also pay attention to the interior of the car. Due to the high number of flight hours that taxis have, wear and tear on the upholstery is common, especially on the driver’s seat. The same goes for the passenger seats, especially the rear outboard seats. These may have suffered from the wet clothing or dirty shoes of some uncaring customer.
According to a report by experts from the CarVertical car buying and selling portal, taxi drivers have certain models and brands as their favourites. Last year, more than half of the vehicles registered as taxis or VTCs in Spain were Toyota, with relevance to the Prius and Corolla models. The Mercedes-Benz E-Class, the Skoda Superb or the Volkswagen Passat are also the most used.
The color of the bodywork can also be decisive, since in large cities like Madrid white cars predominate, and in Barcelona most taxis are black. In any case, if you have any questions, you can always request the DGT report on the vehicle you want to buy.
