# Opinion on used taxi cabs



## Coyotex (Feb 10, 2019)

Would love to know people's thoughts on this....

Would you buy a used Prius that was used as a taxi cab in a big city? Over 200k miles, but selling cheaper that most Prius.

Personally, I'd stay away from it.


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## R3drang3r (Feb 16, 2019)

Coyotex said:


> Would love to know people's thoughts on this....
> 
> Would you buy a used Prius that was used as a taxi cab in a big city? Over 200k miles, but selling cheaper that most Prius.
> 
> Personally, I'd stay away from it.


Nope


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## ObsidianSedan (Jul 13, 2019)

If the taxi company/driver thought that the car still had life in it, why would they sell it?


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## Illini (Mar 14, 2019)

That's a big NO.


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## The Gift of Fish (Mar 17, 2017)

Coyotex said:


> Would love to know people's thoughts on this....
> 
> Would you buy a used Prius that was used as a taxi cab in a big city? Over 200k miles, but selling cheaper that most Prius.
> 
> Personally, I'd stay away from it.


If the price was right (around $4k tops for a generation 3 then I'd buy it. Well maintained Prius can get to 400,000 miles easy. My Camry's still going strong at 340,000.



ObsidianSedan said:


> If the taxi company/driver thought that the car still had life in it, why would they sell it?


By that logic, nobody would ever sell any car that wasn't fit only for the scrapyard.


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## ObsidianSedan (Jul 13, 2019)

The Gift of Fish said:


> By that logic, nobody would ever sell any car that wasn't fit only for the scrapyard.


Private consumers sell or trade cars for all kinds of reasons. Maybe they just want a new car. Maybe they find a car that they believe will express something about themselves. But to an active taxi company, I suspect that a car is just a tool that they need to run their business, much like a radio or a computer. I'd expect them to sell a car only when they no longer view it as an asset and fear that it will become a liability. Maybe I'm wrong.


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## The Gift of Fish (Mar 17, 2017)

ObsidianSedan said:


> Private consumers sell or trade cars for all kinds of reasons. Maybe they just want a new car. Maybe they find a car that they believe will express something about themselves. But to an active taxi company, I suspect that a car is just a tool that they need to run their business, much like a radio or a computer. I'd expect them to sell a car only when they no longer view it as an asset and fear that it will become a liability. Maybe I'm wrong.


Just like private cars, there are lots of reasons why business-owned vehicles are sold. When I worked in an office one of the companies sold its company cars when they got to 60,000 miles or 3 years. No real reason for this policy that I could see - my 3 year old car ran perfectly and didn't have a scratch on it when they replaced it; it was still in near-new condition.

If you look at the GSA government auction site you'll see that the government disposes of vehicles that reach 7 - 10 years old. Some have as few as 10,000 miles on them.

Taxi companies may have an arbitrary mileage trigger for selling their vehicles even though there's plenty of miles left in them. Just because it's a business making a decision to sell off its assets, it doesn't mean that it's the most cost-effective choice for them, or that the vehicle wouldn't be cost-effective for someone else who buys it.

Also, businesses often engage in inefficient, wasteful practices. For more info, see "Uber"


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## OG ant (Oct 11, 2019)

Coyotex said:


> Would love to know people's thoughts on this....
> 
> Would you buy a used Prius that was used as a taxi cab in a big city? Over 200k miles, but selling cheaper that most Prius.
> 
> Personally, I'd stay away from it.


Never! Taxi cars are the most abused vehicles.


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## TomTheAnt (Jan 1, 2019)

Rental cars, taxis and cop cars. Those are some of the ones I will always steer away from. Unless they sell for something like 90% cheaper than a comparable non-rental/taxi/cop car. 

For some they work and good for them, but personally I will not bother.


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## Stevie The magic Unicorn (Apr 3, 2018)

There's 2 reasons a cab company ditches a car out of its fleet.

1. it's not worth putting back together.
2. They hit an arbitrary limit on maximum mileage allowed (ie all taxis must be under 500,000 miles in Orlando)

My concerns...

1. holes in the roof/dash
2. Stupid high number of city miles.
3. Usually a history of (at least) minor accidents.
4. There might be a reason the cab company wants rid of it. Bent frame; god only knows. Some cars get into an accident and they for the rest of their existence.

police cruisers have different issues IN ADDITION to all of the above.

1. Police cruisers have a crap load of idle times to keep the computers from draining the battery.
2. The back seats are usually after market and police back seats and usually not comfortable.

Having spent enough hours in "over the hill taxis" I'm going to say it's a bad idea to get cab company rejects.


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## LADryver (Jun 6, 2017)

ObsidianSedan said:


> If the taxi company/driver thought that the car still had life in it, why would they sell it?


If the car was a leased car they would sell it to avoid wear and tear and miles overage fees instead of returning it. Then all they have to do is, with the sales money, pay it off.


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## Stevie The magic Unicorn (Apr 3, 2018)

LADryver said:


> If the car was a leased car they would sell it to avoid wear and tear and miles overage fees instead of returning it. Then all they have to do is, with the sales money, pay it off.


Far more likely the vehicle aged out by age or mileage.

IE there might be a city/local law/ordanance restricting taxis to X00,000 miles or Z years old.

Either case would have them regularly auctioning off taxis that still have life to them.

No one in their right mind would lease a company a car to use as a taxi, too many holes in the dash/roof and the very use as a taxi knocks value off the car. There's basically no one in their right mind who would lease a car to a cab company to use as a taxi.


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## TheDevilisaParttimer (Jan 2, 2019)

Coyotex said:


> Would love to know people's thoughts on this....
> 
> Would you buy a used Prius that was used as a taxi cab in a big city? Over 200k miles, but selling cheaper that most Prius.
> 
> Personally, I'd stay away from it.


Depends on price, at $1k I would buy a 220k mile Prius if it is still overall functional.

If it don't last long it was only $1k, if it makes it another 80k miles then I look like a genius.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

Coyotex said:


> Would love to know people's thoughts on this....
> 
> Would you buy a used Prius that was used as a taxi cab in a big city? Over 200k miles, but selling cheaper that most Prius.
> 
> Personally, I'd stay away from it.


What YEAR MODEL is it ?


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## Stevie The magic Unicorn (Apr 3, 2018)

Oh something i left out...

Without smellovision it's hard to accurately describe the smell...

Dirty laundry, plus 6 kinds of air freshners, a dash of curry, and a hint of dried vomit.


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## Coyotex (Feb 10, 2019)

tohunt4me said:


> What YEAR MODEL is it ?


2010, 200k+ miles, $3500, Prius III


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## TheDevilisaParttimer (Jan 2, 2019)

Coyotex said:


> 2010, 200k+ miles, $3500, Prius III


Leave it where it is.


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## Stevie The magic Unicorn (Apr 3, 2018)

Coyotex said:


> 2010, 200k+ miles, $3500, Prius III


It's about $2,500 over priced


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## LADryver (Jun 6, 2017)

Stevie The magic Unicorn said:


> It's about $2,500 over priced


No, not after you get in it.


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## Chi city Taxi (Aug 27, 2019)

In Chicago, vehicles are not allowed to continue to operate after a certain amount of years. I’m assuming the city is making him replace the vehicle. Unlike rideshare, taxis have strict rules.


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## Stevie The magic Unicorn (Apr 3, 2018)

Chi city Taxi said:


> In Chicago, vehicles are not allowed to continue to operate after a certain amount of years. I'm assuming the city is making him replace the vehicle. Unlike rideshare, taxis have strict rules.


If it's right around 200,000 miles (like 200,439 it could have just hit a mileage limit as well.


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## MiamiUberGuy5 (Feb 20, 2019)

Prius need a new "special" battery every 10 years which costs an arm and a leg. I


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