Have you ever wondered whether a vehicle you own or want to purchase was previously a taxi or private hire vehicle?
With used car purchases outnumbering new car purchases by as much as three to one, it’s essential to find out as much as you can about a vehicle’s history.
Investing in a car, whether straight out of the showroom or secondhand is a big commitment and a decision not to be made lightly. With car purchases being one of the largest investments we make in our lives after purchasing a home, knowing what you are buying is vital.
Relying on the honesty of sellers, or even the seller they purchased from, leaves you open to risk. Getting a vehicle history check can tell you what’s really going on under the hood and help you decide whether to move forward with a purchase, or put on the brakes.
At the end of the day, the onus is on you, the buyer, to obtain the relevant details. But getting a clear picture of a car’s history can be a tricky thing to do. It’s possible that your car, or the one you intend to buy, could have previously been a commercial vehicle. So, let’s look at what that means for you and why you run an ex-taxi check.
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How do I know if my vehicle is an ex-taxi?
Historically speaking, this is a question that’s been difficult to answer. In the UK, there’s no single source of truth when it comes to the taxi-related history of a vehicle. Without a definitive database of taxis, it can be tricky to find the information you need.
At Car Guide, we have worked with every council within the country to ensure we have as much information to hand as possible. In fact, we’ve created a database that would-be buyers and vehicle owners can reference their car against. By sourcing this information, we have captured the majority of taxis registered across the country. Our free taxi check gives you access to the data as to whether a vehicle was used for commercial purposes in its previous life.
Should you pay the same price for a car that was used as a taxi?
If a car was previously used as a taxi or commercial vehicle, it’s likely to have decreased in value. That means there are a few factors to consider with the pricing of an ex-taxi vehicle.
Vehicles that were previously taxis should sell for a lower price than privately owned and operated cars. So, without this crucial information, you may be paying too much. On top of this If you’ve overpaid for a used vehicle that is ex-taxi, there may be implications when you sell it on.
The reason ex-taxi cars are usually priced lower comes down to the increased wear and tear they’ve suffered compared to privately owned cars. Notably, parts such as the suspension, steering, brakes and clutch will have all experienced much greater usage for commercial purposes. All that can increase your maintenance costs, which is another factor to consider.
Ex-taxi vehicles may be listed at a cheaper price than what appear to be similar options on the market. So, if you find out a car is ex-taxi, you can make an informed decision about whether the price reflects the quality and prior usage. However, while an ex-taxi vehicle may seem, at first, like a great bargain, the ongoing maintenance costs may result in you spending more over the longer term.
What if I’ve purchased an ex-taxi?
If you already own an ex-taxi vehicle, there may be rights associated. However, all that depends on where you purchased it from along with how the car was described. How long ago you made the purchase and the condition it was in can also affect any rights you may have.
The Consumer Rights Act 2015 will give you a level of protection if you bought from a dealer as a consumer. However, if you made the purchase privately, it can make any claims difficult as the responsibility lies with you, the purchaser, to identify whether the purchase is of satisfactory quality. If you’ve discovered your secondhand car is an ex-taxi, your best course of action is to seek legal advice to determine what rights you might have.
Get a free ex-taxi check with CarGuide
By working with all counties across England, we have been able to create a database of information about the vast majority of taxis. That makes it quick and easy to search against the vehicle you own or intend on purchasing to gather key information and create a clear picture of the car’s history.
In addition to obtaining a car check before buying a used car, we can also offer a free ex-taxi check and are the only provider in the UK to do so. Find out more about our free ex-taxi check to get the full picture before you buy.
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