What does off-line vehicle mean?
3 Answers
Here is the introduction about off-line vehicles: 1. Off-line vehicles refer to old vehicles rather than new ones, specifically those converted from commercial operation to non-commercial use, or from taxi service to non-commercial use. These are small or micro taxis converted to non-commercial off-line vehicles. 2. According to the 'Mandatory Motor Vehicle Scrapping Standards', such vehicles can still be driven for 8 more years. Depending on the vehicle type, medium-sized taxis have a service life of 10 years, while large-sized taxis have a service life of 12 years. 3. For example, if a small vehicle is used as a taxi for 2 years and then converted to an off-line vehicle, it can still be used for 6 more years, and so on, but the total must not exceed 8 years.
I used to drive a taxi for several years, so I know retired taxis all too well. These cars are essentially the old workhorses that have been in taxi service. According to regulations, they must retire from the commercial market after eight years or reaching 600,000–700,000 kilometers. Running on the streets for over ten hours daily, their brake discs wear as thin as paper, and carbon buildup in the engines is thicker than the soot on a pot's bottom. Although cars freshly converted to regular plates are cheap, there's a high chance they'll need a complete overhaul after purchase. My old Jetta burned oil so badly before retirement that its exhaust spewed blue smoke like a moving chimney. If you're considering buying one of these cars for their low price, remember to thoroughly check the insurance records and pay extra attention to the chassis and suspension.
Having worked in the used car business for fifteen years, I've seen plenty of special inventory like retired fleet vehicles. These are taxis or ride-hailing cars that have completed their operational lifespan and are now circulating in the market with regular blue license plates. Their biggest advantage is the price—only half or even one-third of the same model's private car value—but the condition varies greatly. The worst scenario is encountering a vehicle that's actually run 400,000 kilometers but has been rolled back to 100,000 km on the odometer, with suspension rubber components long gone. AC refrigerant leaks are also common, and repairs can cost more than the car itself. I recommend hiring professional inspection services to check the vehicle's frame, paying special attention to seat rail wear marks and odometer solder joints.
