# The van life: Anyone rideshare in a minivan?



## OldBay (Apr 1, 2019)

I am looking for a new car, and because gas prices are low in my area, I think the math works in favor of getting a minivan so I can do occasional XL. While I'd rather have a crossover, minivans are quietly reliable and cost alot less than a good crossover or suv.

Are there any specific issues doing rideshare with minivans?

Do the sliding rear doors present any issues? What about hood pax hiding in the back row and doing illicit things? 

Do the clientele "like" minivans, or do they look down on them?


----------



## OldBay (Apr 1, 2019)

OldBay said:


> I am looking for a new car, and because gas prices are low in my area, I think the math works in favor of getting a minivan so I can do occasional XL. While I'd rather have a crossover, minivans are quietly reliable and cost alot less than a good crossover or suv.
> 
> Are there any specific issues doing rideshare with minivans?
> 
> ...


When I said "new" car, I meant "new to me". Something in the 5-6K price range.

Not going to buy a new minivan for rideshare. Minivans are pretty cheap.


----------



## Ms. Collette (Feb 26, 2016)

I'm interested in this as well. I heard minivans get decent mpg. Who knew!?


----------



## MHR (Jul 23, 2017)

I drive a van, have for over 12 years now. I need one for my minion’s wheelchair. My current van is almost 3 years old but I didn’t buy it with the intention of doing U/L with it. 

Anyways...pax like it but I get a lot of tourist groups. They appreciate an XL ride that actually gives them leg room even if there’s 6 of them. I’ve never had anyone hunker down in the back and do anything nefarious. Then again, I don’t drive nights but I do drive a lot of day-drunks. 

No one’s ever said anything bad about it being a minivan or seemed to look down on it, most people appreciate the comfort of it. 

I would suggest a Toyota Sienna if you can find one. My oldest is driving my 2009 Sienna with over 160k miles on it and it’s still going strong. Nothing but oil changes and a new tire every once in a while.


----------



## OldBay (Apr 1, 2019)

MHR said:


> I drive a van, have for over 12 years now. I need one for my minion's wheelchair. My current van is almost 3 years old but I didn't buy it with the intention of doing U/L with it.
> 
> Anyways...pax like it but I get a lot of tourist groups. They appreciate an XL ride that actually gives them leg room even if there's 6 of them. I've never had anyone hunker down in the back and do anything nefarious. Then again, I don't drive nights but I do drive a lot of day-drunks.
> 
> ...


Thanks. I probably will be able to get a Dodge Grand Caravan at auction for a good deal. A Toyota or Honda is going to cost twice as much. Maybe 3x as much.

Do you feel that you "break even" with XL trips vs a fuel efficient tinycar? Gas in my area is around 2.30, and I would just need to make 10% more a week to offset the additional gas cost compared to a Prius.


----------



## homelesswarlock (Dec 20, 2018)

OldBay said:


> I am looking for a new car, and because gas prices are low in my area, I think the math works in favor of getting a minivan so I can do occasional XL. While I'd rather have a crossover, minivans are quietly reliable and cost alot less than a good crossover or suv.
> 
> Are there any specific issues doing rideshare with minivans?
> 
> ...


I drive an XL/Lux and I've had times where the weight of pax and their luggage definitely went over the payload capacity.
The only vehicle fit for a true XL in regards to payload is Dodge Grand Caravans.


----------



## MHR (Jul 23, 2017)

OldBay said:


> Do you feel that you "break even" with XL trips vs a fuel efficient tinycar? Gas in my area is around 2.30, and I would just need to make 10% more a week to offset the additional gas cost compared to a Prius.


In my market I feel I do BUT I'm very deliberate about when I drive. I look out for the events that will be needing XL rides, the festivals, sporting events and so on.

I'm not a full-time driver so I can't tell you how the numbers would look for someone that was a full-timer.


----------



## Lissetti (Dec 20, 2016)

In Seattle the XL drivers are usually SUVs, ( Escalades, Suburbans.) Most the XL drivers have to drop down to X often in order to get requests when the demand is not on the higher tiers. One driver I know actually has a second fuel efficient car that he drives on the X platform so he's not losing money on gas when the XL demand is low.


----------



## DriverMark (Jan 22, 2018)

Last year we purchased a 2017 Grand Caravan. My thoughts on XL driving.......

XL Driving

Brings in a bit more business, but you probably will still run some X
Good for airport runs
I'm less prone to re-position myself when I'm running the XL Drop off, find somewhere to park and cut the engine. Guzzles gas to much to be moving without paying PAX.
There are days/nights I only get 1 XL ride. At which point I'm burning extra gas on X rides and I should have just drove my X car (this of course is market specific, maybe better where you are)
Other days XL is hopping and the extra $$ is good
As a result of top 2 items, I only drive the XL when I "think" it will bring in the XL business. Weekends nights, early morning weekend when airport booming, events (sports, concerts, etc).

Dodge Grand Caravan

We have the GT, which has leather seats, nice ambient lighting in the cabin, 2nd row seats are heated. Decent price I feel at $18K
Auto sliding doors - my wife loves them for ride share. I hate them for ride share. People seem to lack patience and are constantly jacking them up instead of waiting for them to do their thing by themselves. Also, with the Grand Caravan, you must come to a full stop, put the car in park, then you can auto open the doors. Now, you could turn the auto doors off and folks can just open and close them their selves
Warped Head Gasket (or something) - Engine light came on in November. 1st shop we took to said it was most likely the head gasket and we need to take it to a dealer. We did. It's now Jan 7th, and it's still with the dealer. The part is on back order, and although they said it looks like end of Jan, I'm not hopeful we will ever get the van back anytime soon. Bright spot, they gave us a 2020 Subaru Accent as a rental. It's is actually nicer than our van, but we can't ride share in it. So we are loosing money when we both want to be out driving. Thank goodness I had an extended warranty or we would be looking at a $3k bill
I'm not a Chrysler fan, and this isn't helping. It is a nice van, and it's also our family road trip car. Comfortable, lots of room, lots of storage, 2nd and 3rd row fold very easy/quickly fully into the floor. Leather has spoiled us and we will probably always buy leather now. People comment daily with a shocking tone of how nice it is (like a mini-van can't be nice). Leg room and such it has more in the 2nd/3rd rows than a Suburban/Yukon/Expedition. It's as nice as those SUVs, but, it's still a mini-van at the end of the day.
Given our engine issues, not sure I would purchase another Grand Caravan. But, was a good price for how much car we obtained. Something similar in an SUV would have easily been $15-20k more. If we get this car back and have no further issues my thoughts will change. I might also look to sell it before we hit 100k miles (shrug).


----------



## OldBay (Apr 1, 2019)

DriverMark said:


> Last year we purchased a 2017 Grand Caravan. My thoughts on XL driving.......
> 
> XL Driving
> 
> ...


Thanks for the detailed write up. I've been eyeing Grand Caravans in the 2012-13 range that are selling at auction. These are cloth SE versions in rough-avg condition which I suspect would sell for 3-5K. At a minimum they will probably need a set of new seat covers and carpet.

When the light came on, did you pull the OBD2 code? I didn't know there was a code for "leaking head gasket" as that is a physical issue which manifests as low coolant. Was there low coolant? The dealer may be taking you for an expensive ride.


----------



## homelesswarlock (Dec 20, 2018)

DriverMark said:


> Last year we purchased a 2017 Grand Caravan. My thoughts on XL driving.......
> 
> XL Driving
> 
> ...


It looks like complaints about the 2017 Grand Caravan are surfacing around the 50k mile mark.


----------



## Invisible (Jun 15, 2018)

I've known people with the Grand Caravan and they were pleased with them. I don't know if you get snow where you are, but my friend said her's was good in snow.

I've had several SVU's, not large ones. I feel safer than in a car with snow and deers crossing the hwy.

Plan on the vehicle you'd be most happy with, regardless if you do R/S.

http://www.reviewitonline.net/dodge/grand-caravan/pros-cons/
https://www.truedelta.com/Dodge-Grand-Caravan/pros-and-cons-O68192


----------



## Cabledawg (Jun 28, 2019)

I have a 2017 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT with 65K miles in the Hampton Roads market. I have had it for a year and have had 1 side marker bulb go out. I only drive Saturday nights and special occasions..ie: NYE. My Saturday night is full. I get nonstop rides from 6PM till 2-3AM. Half my rides are XL. Because of the price, I doubt you will find a better minivan in that price range. I did buy the extended warranty as well. DriverMark mentioned the auto door issue. I love them. I time my stop to put it in park and open the door quick enough that the passenger doesn't have time to touch it. Ie:...ill stop 2 steps short of the PAX which gives me time. 

I keep the passenger side rear seat folded in the stow position because I only need it in certain rare circumstances. With the seat folded, I can carry 5 passengers. If I have 7 or more, it is better if the seat is folded because the extra 2 can sit on the floor. So the only time I need the extra seat is with exactly 6 passengers which is rare. I can already hear you guys typing quickly about carrying too many passengers. I've carried 10 sorority girls before. I lead them down the extra tip path, so I'm ok with it.


----------



## VanGuy (Feb 15, 2019)

Cabledawg said:


> I have a 2017 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT with 65K miles in the Hampton Roads market. I have had it for a year and have had 1 side marker bulb go out. I only drive Saturday nights and special occasions..ie: NYE. My Saturday night is full. I get nonstop rides from 6PM till 2-3AM. Half my rides are XL. Because of the price, I doubt you will find a better minivan in that price range. I did buy the extended warranty as well. DriverMark mentioned the auto door issue. I love them. I time my stop to put it in park and open the door quick enough that the passenger doesn't have time to touch it. Ie:...ill stop 2 steps short of the PAX which gives me time.
> 
> I keep the passenger side rear seat folded in the stow position because I only need it in certain rare circumstances. With the seat folded, I can carry 5 passengers. If I have 7 or more, it is better if the seat is folded because the extra 2 can sit on the floor. So the only time I need the extra seat is with exactly 6 passengers which is rare. I can already hear you guys typing quickly about carrying too many passengers. I've carried 10 sorority girls before. I lead them down the extra tip path, so I'm ok with it.


Stow middle and rear rows. I'd still like to see UberCuddlePile.


----------



## Matt101980 (Mar 24, 2019)

I bought a minivan last January exclusively for ride sharing and did tons of research beforehand. Bought a 17 Sedona and it’s been great. You can get one cheap at an auction (like if did) and have a great XL vehicle. I even get van compliments almost every day I go out driving.


----------



## OldBay (Apr 1, 2019)

homelesswarlock said:


> It looks like complaints about the 2017 Grand Caravan are surfacing around the 50k mile mark.
> View attachment 398326


https://repairpal.com/reliability/dodge/grand+caravan


----------



## homelesswarlock (Dec 20, 2018)

OldBay said:


> https://repairpal.com/reliability/dodge/grand+caravan


I use carcomplaints.com

it's where people who actually drive these cars go to complain. The longer a car has been out on the road, the more complaints. For instance, a 2019 model will have very few complaints.
Some major problems don't surface until people drive their new cars past a certain number of miles.
As for blown head gaskets, the advice I've seen on the internet is to sell the vehicle to some noob asap.


----------



## DriverMark (Jan 22, 2018)

OldBay said:


> Thanks for the detailed write up. I've been eyeing Grand Caravans in the 2012-13 range that are selling at auction. These are cloth SE versions in rough-avg condition which I suspect would sell for 3-5K. At a minimum they will probably need a set of new seat covers and carpet.
> 
> When the light came on, did you pull the OBD2 code? I didn't know there was a code for "leaking head gasket" as that is a physical issue which manifests as low coolant. Was there low coolant? The dealer may be taking you for an expensive ride.


The OBD2 code was a misfire in cylinder 2. Might not have been head gasket, I'm not a mechanic. Was a "warped" cylinder head? or something? I don't really know. It's broke and Chrysler sitting on getting the part made or whatever. The van is sitting behind the dealer with half the top half of the engine torn apart lol.

I certainly think any additional platforms you can drive on to stay busy is helpful. For me, that's what it's about. Staying busy with butts in the seat. You don't make money if no one in the car. On average, I think XL brings me in about an extra $5/hr. I've had some good multiplier surges on the XL and Comfort. I don't think this van will qualify for comfort starting in 2020 though. Which is stupid. But is what it is.


----------



## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

OldBay said:


> I am looking for a new car, and because gas prices are low in my area, I think the math works in favor of getting a minivan so I can do occasional XL. While I'd rather have a crossover, minivans are quietly reliable and cost alot less than a good crossover or suv.
> 
> Are there any specific issues doing rideshare with minivans?
> 
> ...


79% of taxis in New Orleans are mini vans.

Hertz has good deals on used Toyota minivans.

They also have good deals on Mercedes vans.


----------



## LyftUberFuwabolewa (Feb 7, 2019)

Con: People pull on your doors.

Pro: People like the sliding doors.

Pro: People like the captains chairs.

Pro: People like the room.


----------



## OldBay (Apr 1, 2019)

DriverMark said:


> *I certainly think any additional platforms you can drive on to stay busy is helpful. * For me, that's what it's about. Staying busy with butts in the seat. You don't make money if no one in the car. On average, I think XL brings me in about an extra $5/hr. I've had some good multiplier surges on the XL and Comfort. I don't think this van will qualify for comfort starting in 2020 though. Which is stupid. But is what it is.


In a saturated market, getting acccess to more trips is important. I'm 90% decided on a minivan.


----------



## DriverMark (Jan 22, 2018)

OldBay said:


> In a saturated market, getting acccess to more trips is important. I'm 90% decided on a minivan.


Another advantage to being on other platforms, at least on Uber, if you are nursing a sticky surge and a Lyft ping comes over, you can flip off Uber X. So only XL pings come over. Chances are you can finish your Lyft ride, then flip Uber X back on, and you still have your Sticky Uber Surge. Same thing if you are working an Uber Streak. Since XL pings are fewer and farther between, you can flip X on and off to nurse that surge/streak or whatever without going off line and loosing them :wink: .

It sucks that Lyft will no let you select which platform you are on. Can't flip Lyft and only get Lyft XL Pings.

There are times I only want XL rides, like events and such. Also, Lyft in my market min is $4.12, which is about = to a minimal Uber XL. So downtown core I'll turn Uber to only XL with Lyft also on. Making at least $4 per ride that way.


----------



## OldBay (Apr 1, 2019)

DriverMark said:


> Another advantage to being on other platforms, at least on Uber, if you are nursing a sticky surge and a Lyft ping comes over, you can flip off Uber X. So only XL pings come over. Chances are you can finish your Lyft ride, then flip Uber X back on, and you still have your Sticky Uber Surge. Same thing if you are working an Uber Streak. Since XL pings are fewer and farther between, you can flip X on and off to nurse that surge/streak or whatever without going off line and loosing them :wink: .
> 
> It sucks that Lyft will no let you select which platform you are on. Can't flip Lyft and only get Lyft XL Pings.
> 
> There are times I only want XL rides, like events and such. Also, Lyft in my market min is $4.12, which is about = to a minimal Uber XL. So downtown core I'll turn Uber to only XL with Lyft also on. Making at least $4 per ride that way.


I'm looking at crossover hybrids atm.

When you look at fuel costs over 100k miles, 20mpg vs 40, you are wasting around 15k. And that's with cheap gas.That's alot to make up with tips and occasional xl.

Driving a hybrid over 3 years is like giving yourself a 5k raise. Even if not ridesharing.

The issue with hybrids is cvt and repair complexity. Undecided.

Tiny gas cars like Corolla are too small.

I know if the xmission blows up on a Malibu, I can get a cheap used one. Same happens on a hybrid...fear.


----------



## Trafficat (Dec 19, 2016)

Lissetti said:


> In Seattle the XL drivers are usually SUVs, ( Escalades, Suburbans.) Most the XL drivers have to drop down to X often in order to get requests when the demand is not on the higher tiers. One driver I know actually has a second fuel efficient car that he drives on the X platform so he's not losing money on gas when the XL demand is low.


That's what I do. Earlier in the year when it was busy I drove XL on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday mornings. Now it seems like the only time XL is worthwhile is Saturday nights. All other times I drive my X car. Based on my math, I need to make an extra $35 in fares for every 300 miles I drive to break even on the vehicle costs, so basically that just means Saturday nights right now. The last Friday I took my XL car, I spent half the night doing McDonald's deliveries. I couldn't get enough X rides to fill my time, let alone XL. :roflmao:


----------



## mbd (Aug 27, 2018)

OldBay said:


> I am looking for a new car, and because gas prices are low in my area, I think the math works in favor of getting a minivan so I can do occasional XL. While I'd rather have a crossover, minivans are quietly reliable and cost alot less than a good crossover or suv.
> 
> Are there any specific issues doing rideshare with minivans?
> 
> ...


Clientele don't care.


----------



## Lissetti (Dec 20, 2016)

Trafficat said:


> That's what I do. Earlier in the year when it was busy I drove XL on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday mornings. Now it seems like the only time XL is worthwhile is Saturday nights. All other times I drive my X car. Based on my math, I need to make an extra $35 in fares for every 300 miles I drive to break even on the vehicle costs, so basically that just means Saturday nights right now. The last Friday I took my XL car, I spent half the night doing McDonald's deliveries. I couldn't get enough X rides to fill my time, let alone XL. :roflmao:


The driver who got another car to run on the X platform is local Seattle driver @DexNex . A local YouTuber was filming for her channel one weekend night in Seattle and happened to catch Dex as her driver. Check this out after the 10:11 mark (already set) . You will see why he chose to run a more fuel efficient car for X.


----------



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

OldBay said:


> The issue with hybrids is cvt


What makes you think that? The Toyota CVT at least is not known for failure. My Camry hybrid has 346,000 on the original CVT and has no issues. It's not actually a transmission in the traditional sense; it is a planetary gear power split unit. Much simpler and far less to go wrong than a torque converter transmission.

Hybrid battery packs do indeed need to have dead cells replaced at anywhere from 100,000 to 300,000 miles. The battery in my car was replaced at 110,000 miles and has 236,000 on the replacement with no issues. I have done a rudimentary test on the battery - Toyota says that it should propel the car up to 2 miles on battery alone. My car can go 1.7 miles on battery power, so it still has good capacity left.

Anecdotally it seems that the later batteries installed by Toyota last better than the original ones installed at the factory.


----------



## OldBay (Apr 1, 2019)

The Gift of Fish said:


> What makes you think that? The Toyota CVT at least is not known for failure. My Camry hybrid has 346,000 on the original CVT and has no issues. It's not actually a transmission in the traditional sense; it is a planetary gear power split unit. Much simpler and far less to go wrong than a torque converter transmission.
> 
> Hybrid battery packs do indeed need to have dead cells replaced at anywhere from 100,000 to 300,000 miles. The battery in my car was replaced at 110,000 miles and has 236,000 on the replacement with no issues. I have done a rudimentary test on the battery - Toyota says that it should propel the car up to 2 miles on battery alone. My car can go 1.7 miles on battery power, so it still has good capacity left.
> 
> Anecdotally it seems that the later batteries installed by Toyota last better than the original ones installed at the factory.


Let me clarify, there are some cvt transmissions that are not as good as Toyota. But really, the issue is parts availability and difficult/cost of replacing transmission myself.

I have got my mind around repacing a standard transmission (dropping old and replacing with one from wrecker), but CVT transmission that merge gas/electric power, the additional electronics/complexity, may not be a simple DIY job.


----------



## rideshare2870 (Nov 23, 2017)

The Toyota Sienna is the best minivan out right now. I have an 2006 and it’s solid. If you get one, make sure you try to get an 2007 or up because they started making them with timing chains rather than a timing belt so you can minimize spending money on preventative maintenance or even worse; an engine rebuild from a broken timing belt.


----------

