Advise on Whether Lancer is an ex Taxi

[Hanren]

Hello. My brother-in-law wants to buy a 1997 Mitsubishi Lancer GL (Pizza type). In fact, they are about to finalize the deal today. It costs 155K (from 168K). The ff are the specs:

mileage: 187k +
1.5L
Power Streering
Spoiler
Lexus Tail lights
aircon is not really that cool
not so fresh interior
with side skirts

My concern is, with the mileage, it migh have been previously used as a taxi. What are the things to watch out in order determine whether it is an ex taxi or not? Because if it is an ex taxi, then I might as well tell my brother in law to haggle for a much lower price..or he might just as well look at other vehicles. TIA.

[1D4LV]

Hello. My brother-in-law wants to buy a 1997 Mitsubishi Lancer GL (Pizza type). In fact, they are about to finalize the deal today. It costs 155K (from 168K). The ff are the specs:

mileage: 187k +
1.5L
Power Streering
Spoiler
Lexus Tail lights
aircon is not really that cool
not so fresh interior
with side skirts

My concern is, with the mileage, it migh have been previously used as a taxi. What are the things to watch out in order determine whether it is an ex taxi or not? Because if it is an ex taxi, then I might as well tell my brother in law to haggle for a much lower price..or he might just as well look at other vehicles. TIA.

the price for that model is a little bit low, imho. probably because of the mileage? normally, that model can still cost between 170-180k.

but for the vehicle that was used as a cab, no sure signs are present engine-wise and suspension wise. nasa body ang signs. look for the doors/interiors kung may nakasulat before na name ng taxi, etc. or markings commonly found in taxis. pero hindi rin reliable ito, if napapinturahan na ng may-ari.

check mo yung papers. ano yung plate number?

[badkuk]

di ba pag public utility vehicle, dilaw ung plaka? pwede bang ichange ung plaka ng isang former taxi into a private one(green)?

[trup]

pag previous taxi, may maliiit na letter "H" somewhere sa plate number...like those duplicate plates, may maliit na letter "D" sa middle or sa leftmost side

[trup]

di ba pag public utility vehicle, dilaw ung plaka? pwede bang ichange ung plaka ng isang former taxi into a private one(green)?

yes pwede, kung previous private unit, surrender yung green plates in exchange for yellow plates, then pag decided ka na to use it as a private car, the green plates will now have a small "H" in the middle or leftmost side ng plate

[jazcker]

taragis! yun akin yata ex-taxi din e. 97 lancer EL. I bought it for 120k with mileage of 96k+. di kaya ako lugi?

[XTO]

the good side is honest ang may ari in terms of mileage but tungkol
sa ex-taxi issue medyo mahirap ma-verify. thorough check-up na
lang ang final basis mo. aside sa nabanggit nila isa ring tingnan maigi ang
seats (masyadong lubog), dashboard kung may mga butas na maaring
pinanggalingan ng metro.

[Emong3]

Mahahalata mo naman sa plaka yan kung ex-taxi siya.

and isa pa, kung orig pa carpet usually pag ex-taxi mapapansin mo halos butas na yung carpet dun sa may ilalim ng gas pedal.

Another sign is sa may door jamb, naka turnilyo dun yung taxi sign. Look for signs na binutas yun.

187k kms is quite low for a taxi. Taxi's usually get 200 kms/day x 365 days = 73,000 kms/year. Normal is 20,000 kms/year and since 10 years old na yan normally nasa 200,000 na yan so techinically ow milage pa yan for a 10 eyar old car... ;)

[pup2]

What are the PARTICULAR reasons to avoid ex-taxis ba? The prices quoted here by the buyers seem low enough to (more than) account for the high mileages anyhow?

Is maintenance an issue? I'd suppose body work might be but that should show, shouldn't it?

[Emong3]

Ex-Taxi:
1. Very high milage = laspag
2. Prone to accidnets so it might have been involved in a crash
3. Useful life of engine is already overdue perhaps

155k for an ex-taxi lancer is quite high, unless the car just had an engine change, body repair and suspension overhaul that the car does not appear to be taxi. But for a high milage priovate car good deal na yan and as i said, hindi pa high milage yan for a 10 year old car... normal lang isya... ;)

[Hanren]

Thanks to all of your replies. Nagtaka lang kasi kami kasi white siya at mataas ang mileage and at the same time, napinturahan ng black yung mga letters at numbers ng plate number # nya which starts at "A". We went to the agent to verify kung ex taxi siya o hindi but the agent told us hindi daw and we can verify it at LTO. Maybe we'll take his word for it.


but at least, this unit is still considered 'good' and 'fit' by tsikot.com standards.

Anyway, we closed the deal today and we will be making the full payments by tomorrow. Thanks again.

[Pox]

Thanks to all of your replies. Nagtaka lang kasi kami kasi white siya at mataas ang mileage and at the same time, napinturahan ng black yung mga letters at numbers ng plate number # nya which starts at "A". We went to the agent to verify kung ex taxi siya o hindi but the agent told us hindi daw and we can verify it at LTO. Maybe we'll take his word for it.


but at least, this unit is still considered 'good' and 'fit' by tsikot.com standards.

Anyway, we closed the deal today and we will be making the full payments by tomorrow. Thanks again.

Pag start ata sa 'A' bandang Baguio ung vehicle nabili or registered. anyway, congrats at sana ay good buy nga yang nakuha nyo.

[Emong3]

yup region-1 registered vehicle. Unless custom plates yan ;)

Pag ex-taxi bagong plate ang issue, bagong plate number na din yan. Kung tampered ang plates baka trip lang ng dating may ari... ;)

[badkuk]

What are the PARTICULAR reasons to avoid ex-taxis ba? The prices quoted here by the buyers seem low enough to (more than) account for the high mileages anyhow?

Is maintenance an issue? I'd suppose body work might be but that should show, shouldn't it?

your typical private car doesn't spend that much time on the road/in traffic. your typical taxi is driven at least 12-20 hours a day.


tsaka iba rin ang pag aalaga ng private car owner kesa taxi driver(who may or may not acquire the taxi, depending sa usapan with the operator)

[power eagle]

mine is a 1997 model w/ 210km di siya laspag. atleast accurate ang reading di gaya ng iba na pina rereset ang reading

[pup2]

Ah. Salamat sa mga nag-reply. I figured if you at least KNOW it was a taxi, then all the downsides could be imputed into the purchase price -- parang restoration ba. Ang masama kung dating taxi tapos hindi sinasabi. Yun ang masakit for sure.

[froshie1]

pare para sa akin napakamahal ng kotse na yan.. bilhin mo top na dapat ang 50k. Sa ayos pa lang ng kwento mo di ako nagkakamali na ginawang Taxi yan.

iyong dati kong Sentra (hand me down sa akin ng Parents ko) pinagbenta namin nung 1998. Nakuha namin na brand new iyon noong 1992. Pinagbenta namin ng 120k at ang milleage nun 80k. Though alam natin na ang Sentra mahina ang resale value pero ganun na talaga ang bentahan nun at alagang alaga ito.

Minsan natatawa talaga ako sa mga bentahan ng 2nd hand na vehicles... Parang robbery!!

[froshie1]

NAKU PO!!! I read the thread nag close ka na ng deal??? Backout ka pre.. Maling buy yan!!! Unless sobrang mura mo makukuha. Taga yan pre!!! As in OA ang presyo.. OA to the Max!!

[Emong3]

187,000 kms taxi??? a typical taxi can clock 200,000 kms in 2 years.
the car is 10 years old. Unless inatras ang odometer nyan I doubt na ginawang taxi yan.

[pup2]

Baka naman umikot na at 1,200,000 na. hehehe.