Car for uber?

[pedrotee]

I'm starting with Uber and have the conundrum of picking a car. I want something half decent, not the standard Ubers you see on the road. I'm saying with the BMW 5 Series or is this a bad shout? Any comments/thoughts would be appreciated.

[Hoofy]

There's a reason why a lot of them drive hybrids. I guess you need to look at how much you can realistically make vs running costs. Perhaps if you drive a 5 series, you can be in the premium list but I don't know how popular that is for customers in reality.

[Frankthered]

Where are you based OP?

Any particular reason you want to drive for Uber, rather than doing conventional Private Hire, or even the airport car type role?

You might find that your local authority (or the one in which you choose to drive) will have lists of cars that they will allow.

If I wanted to do Uber Exec (or whatever), I'd be tempted to look at a Lexus hybrid of some sort.

[shrektus]

pedrotee said:

I'm starting with Uber and have the conundrum of picking a car. I want something half decent, not the standard Ubers you see on the road. I'm saying with the BMW 5 Series or is this a bad shout? Any comments/thoughts would be appreciated.

No, no, no.

Uber are cheapest possible transport. You should spend the minimum possible because the rates are very low. The cheapest is probably a Prius.

Unless of course you are doing UberExec or UberLux in which case there is probably a list of acceptable choices.

[codenamecueball]

E class?

[cptsideways]

From a reliability point of view a Prius/Honda Insight or a Lexus Hybrid without a doubt.

[VAGLover]

Skoda Rapid or Seat Toledo
Used extensively in Barcelona as taxi’s
And cheap/frugal

[Shore]

There's a reason why foreign taxi drivers run old Mercedes as taxis. The Passats seem to be popular too.

[Ursicles]

Get a black cab off ebay for £4k

[pedrotee]

Thanks everyone, appreciate your feedback. I suppose I'm just looking for something nice to drive and feel good in (trying to grow my business primaraly and feel a nice car will put me in a good mindset rather than driving round an old banger), but your right, theres a reason why all these cars are on the road as taxis and so I think I'm just gonna have suck it up and jump on the bandwagon. Suggestions of what vehicle welcome!

[pedrotee]

im in Edinburgh. Ubers just nice and easy. no money exchanged (no float needed at start of every shift), no grief with customers not wanting to pay/running off (my brother is a copper and says it happens all the time), uber Is really popular here and in an egotistical way it just sounds a bit better than a taxi driver...

[Wacky Racer]

Shore said:

There's a reason why foreign taxi drivers run old Mercedes as taxis.

I know a Taxi driver who works out of Malta Airport. He has had his white Mercedes from new. It was on 380,000 miles last time I saw him.

Three resprays, (The sun fades the paint) but the original engine.

[pedrotee]

Ok, last chance saloon (excuse the pun ) what would you fellas think about this and the potential running costs as a uber/private hire car? - https://www.gumtree.com/p/mercedes-benz/2009-merce...

[JoBlack]

pedrotee said:

Ok, last chance saloon (excuse the pun ) what would you fellas think about this and the potential running costs as a uber/private hire car? - https://www.gumtree.com/p/mercedes-benz/2009-merce...

22-25 mpg round town. You'll be paying uber to drive it.

bear in mind you'll need to cover private hire insurance, tyres, servicing, cleaning costs and petrol before you even start to draw a wage and the uber prius guys struggle to make minimum wage and you are probably using 3x the fuel.

E200/E220 maximum - but realistically that only pays off for airport runs / executive hire, minicab rates you want a skoda, prius, or one of those french van/car taxi specials.

it will be too old for uber black - there is a age and model list you are restricted to.

[VAGLover]

320, won’t be slow. But do you need such a powerful engine for a taxi?
With tight margins on Uber runs I’d go for fuel efficiency myself, also is this gen Merc’s known for build quality and reliability??
Needless to say, if you like it get it, however if I was running a business I’d go something newer, more efficient and lower cost.



http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...
Or
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

[shrektus]

pedrotee said:

Ok, last chance saloon (excuse the pun ) what would you fellas think about this and the potential running costs as a uber/private hire car? - https://www.gumtree.com/p/mercedes-benz/2009-merce...

E-class is supposed to be on UberExec, but that one is too old.

[Sebastian Tombs]

In San Francisco I booked an Uber and got a Chrysler 300. That was nice.

[loskie]

In Edinburgh your trips won't be far but have the potential of multiple passengers. I would consider a Sharan, Alhambra, Galaxy etc.

[CYMR0]

https://www.cargiant.co.uk/car/lexus/ct-200h/LK64U...

https://www.cargiant.co.uk/car/seat/alhambra/KW15V...

[Ursicles]

Think to maximise income, a 7 seater diesel MPV type thing would work best.

More customers can get in (uber pool) and diesel so less £ going out .