Identifying used cars that have previously been used as taxis.

A decommissioned taxi can make buyers feel uneasy about its quality, because the owners often refurbish them to look good and hide quality issues such as collisions or accidents.

They then resell it under the guise of a "family car" at a price tens, even hundreds of millions of dong higher. This raises considerable concerns for customers with limited budgets.

Typically, taxis have holes drilled in the dashboard to install the fare meter and sensors on the doors. Therefore, unless the entire dashboard is replaced, taxi vehicles will still have some visible plastic welding marks on the dashboard or door panels.

Taxis will be fitted with a roof sign for identification. This has been mandated by the Ministry of Transport for taxis. Therefore, the paint under the roof sign will usually fade less than the rest of the vehicle. In addition, the weld marks on the roof, caused by the need to drill holes for attaching the sign, are also a point of concern.

The vehicle registration certificate will clearly show whether the vehicle was first registered or not. If the first registration date and the date on the registration certificate do not match, it means the vehicle has been registered a second time or more. Buyers who discover this should verify the original owner of the vehicle being sold.

Typically, a converted taxi will be repainted to be marketed as a "family car." Buyers can easily spot this by examining the paint color on the undercarriage and engine compartment. If there's a difference from the exterior paint, it indicates the car has been repainted.

The interior is often the primary indicator that buyers use to determine whether a car is a "reconditioned taxi" or not. Look at the wear and tear on the gear shift, steering wheel, buttons, power window controls, etc.

Additionally, check the sturdiness of the window hinges, the looseness of the joints, the wear of the fabric or leather seats, and any creases in the doors or hood. Buyers should also pay attention to the markings on the bolts; faded marks indicate that parts have been replaced after the car was involved in a serious collision or accident.

Additionally, there are other tips such as the fact that mainstream car models will have a higher rate of "rehabilitated taxis" than luxury cars. Manual transmission versions will also have a higher rate than automatic transmission versions.