# If Vehicle Price Wasn't Important, What Segment Of Uber/Lyft Is The Sweet Spot?



## Giff (Feb 3, 2020)

Howdy all!

New to the forum, but not very new to ride share driving.

A little background. I have been supplementing my regular job with driving. Of late I have been enjoying driving more and making pretty decent money, because I don't mind the hours and I'm in a great location for short and long business trips all day long. My "real" job is contract IT work, but I have a sketchy shoulder (I hate surgery and will continue to put it off) and sometimes ladders, lifting and wriggling into tight places do a number on the shoulder. 

I am currently driving my 2017 Chevy Cruze for the economy classes. My oldest kid is 17 and I'm considering letting him use the Cruze because of its low-ish power and decent array of safety features. So I'm trying to figure out which class(es) are the sweet spots for both services for one vehicle. I've been looking at the requirements for Black cars for both services. Those requirements are slightly different and require very expensive cars both to buy, but more importantly to maintain.

I am partial to Honda/Acura vehicles. It's really easy to get a 2-4 year old Accord or TLX for a reasonable sum and my historic up keep on both brands has been great, but I'm will to consider other vehicles too. It would seem a TLX would fit into: Uber-X, Select (is that still an ongoing thing), Comfort, and Lyft-Economy, but doesn't qualify for Lux (ugh!). 

My math tells me to be more concerned about ongoing upkeep and MPG instead of just the purchase price. Unless it's just better to stay in the economy classes?? I have never driven in the higher priced segments and I guess that is really my question. Is it worth it to move up??? If so which segments are the most important to be in?

Thanks for any insights and I look forward to getting to know everyone here!

Giff


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## SHalester (Aug 25, 2019)

Acura RDX....rocks. But only if more your family ride vs RS only, tho. Plus is qualifies for comfort and select in most markets.


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## Giff (Feb 3, 2020)

SHalester said:


> Acura RDX....rocks. But only if more your family ride vs RS only, tho. Plus is qualifies for comfort and select in most markets.


Good points! I have kicked this around, but with any SUV your gas cost goes up a lot. I don't have enough info to even guesstimate if you make back what you spend in gas by going into the XL market. I do have pretty direct access to Cincinnati airport, but it's usually been for 1 person on business or couples. Cincinnati isn't really a "destination" city, LOL. Maybe I would get more group airport runs with an XL vehicle?


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## SHalester (Aug 25, 2019)

Giff said:


> SUV your gas cost goes up a lot.


RDX 2WD gets great gas mileage. With RS I get around 25mpg if short trips and then it jumps to 30+ on hwy miles. Plus, it is a pocket rocket when needed. For a mid sized suv it rocks. But, be prepared to pay for it......


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## Coastal_Cruiser (Oct 1, 2018)

*"If Vehicle Price Wasn't Important..."*

Tesla Model X. Probably qualifies for all service levels on both platforms, far cheaper to "fuel" than any gasoline car, ultra low cost of ownership, huge-o cool factor.


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## Giff (Feb 3, 2020)

Coastal_Cruiser said:


> *"If Vehicle Price Wasn't Important..."*
> 
> Tesla Model X. Probably qualifies for all service levels on both platforms, far cheaper to "fuel" than any gasoline car, ultra low cost of ownership, huge-o cool factor.


I suppose I should have qualified that statement more. LOL, something easily obtainable on the used market for $15-30,000. I like what Tesla is doing, but I'm not sold on owning an EV yet and not an $80,000 one at that.


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## OldBay (Apr 1, 2019)

Depreciation is the key. Vehicles with expensive purchase price depreciate more. Typically.

If you are also using the car to commute, you will want a used hybrid for the X platform. Driving a low mpg car to work will wipe out your rideshare profits.

An XL minivan (very used) may be the best for cherrypickers, those who only drive select hours when there are xl trips and who don't commute in the vehicle.

Higher tier platforms do not offset depreciation. Getting a newer car that qualifies for select or black does not offset depreciation. And having the animals in your nice car will make you resent them when they destroy it.

Only serious RS cars are used hybrids or used minivans (for cherrypickers).

A Prius will use 10k+ less gas over 100k miles than a typical crossover. That will cover alot of repairs.


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## SHalester (Aug 25, 2019)

boo. A nice ride, or death.


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## Giff (Feb 3, 2020)

OldBay said:


> Depreciation is the key. Vehicles with expensive purchase price depreciate more. Typically.
> 
> If you are also using the car to commute, you will want a used hybrid for the X platform. Driving a low mpg car to work will wipe out your rideshare profits.
> 
> ...


At the moment I'm giving RS a full-time go. I understand what you're saying about depreciation. I have often felt 3 years old, 30-50k miles on the clock and pay no more than 50% of original MSRP is possible where good rules of thumb for avoiding huge depreciation hits, but be able to get a substantial number of trouble free miles.

What I have been wondering about is if I am "missing out" on Comfort, Lux and Black. I don't plan to stop X unless I would upgrade the car and the "premium" classes kept my schedule pretty full. Then I would look towards X for event surges. I'm trying to understand the most efficient group of classes to drive to earn the most money in the shortest periods of time. Once I get a handle on that, then I'll back into the correct car.

Thanks so much for feedback.

Giff


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## OldBay (Apr 1, 2019)

Comfort pays driver barely more than X. You will get occasional trips that pay about 10% more. Not worth it, imo. This is to entice part timers to use their nice new car.

Lux and Black? I think the car needs to be 4 years or newer, and a luxury model. You're talking about a 30K+ car. Add two years and 100K miles to see how much it will be worth in two years or rideshare. Thats iff it doesn't get dinged and scratched. Which it will. Probably losing 15K+ in depreciation. Might be worth it, if you know your market. You don't know your market. Not worth it.

No one can really answer your question because markets vary, and anyone in your market running black successfully will not tell you their strategy. Unless you know HOW to make it work, it wont work.


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## 1.5xorbust (Nov 22, 2017)

Unfortunately I doubt if there’s any sweet spot in Cincinnati. To buy a $15-$30k car strictly for rideshare would be ill advised in any market.


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## JaxUberLyft (Jan 9, 2019)

Giff said:


> At the moment I'm giving RS a full-time go.
> 
> Giff


Keep your day job available for restart at a moment's notice. We are ALL subject to instant and permanent deactivation based on false and unverified pax allegations. We have ZERO due process protections and are our sole human interaction with U/L is via overseas call centers staffed by poorly trained workers for whom English is not their first language.


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## Giff (Feb 3, 2020)

I do contract IT installation and service work, so my day job isn't going anyplace. More demand than ever, LOL. However, I have a shoulder that needs a break, and maybe surgery, and like anyone else I'm kind of interested in seeing how something I've dabbled in may turn out with more effort. 

Just to be clear I don't expect anyone here to be able to give me exact numbers. Just wondering about those who enlisted a slightly nicer vehicle. Did is help you make more money? Did it pay for itself? Was driving something nicer a big upside for yourself? 

I need to buy a car regardless in the next few months and I'm just trying to decide how nice I should consider going. That's all I'm really getting after.

Thanks,
Giff


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## OldBay (Apr 1, 2019)

Its like you aren't reading the responses we are giving you.

A nice car will make marginally more, but it will get trashed in the process and depreciation will put you negative.

You are approaching this like a hobby.


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

Giff said:


> I do contract IT installation and service work


What kind of installations? Servers? Networks?


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

It depends on the market.

if you work a college town type stuff on the weekends you probably want XL.

If your market is big on business travelers and conventions ect your best off with an X.

If your just in it for late night bar crowd type business you want a converted police car with plastic seats.

If your in a tourist town you want to go with XL


And lastly, if your in florida you want a new job....


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## Cold Fusion (Aug 28, 2019)

Giff said:


> *I do contract IT installation and service work*


you'd be better served to focus on, and expand
your involvement in IT work. Whether that means
more hours and/or additional credentials......
https://www.coursera.org/?utm_sourc...MIo6WhsuDC5wIVy56zCh0iUQMiEAAYAyAAEgJsnPD_BwE
......Rather than commit to, and invest in a Low Wage
Entry Level Ground Transportation gig
purview of the working poor, immigrants
and unemployable


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## Giff (Feb 3, 2020)

OldBay said:


> Its like you aren't reading the responses we are giving you.
> 
> A nice car will make marginally more, but it will get trashed in the process and depreciation will put you negative.
> 
> You are approaching this like a hobby.


It's like you keep jumping in here to be the depreciation police, LOL. Where you an accountant in a former life?

I have owned several businesses in the past, some great and some not. I understand depreciation, better than most. I also understand in most self employment situations the entire risk is on the owner. All of it! No one supplies me with customers in my other enterprise. The amount of negative energy here is beyond any forum I have ever encountered. If all of you hate it so much, why are you doing it??

I feel like there is money to be in RS. How much? I am not sure. I was hoping some of the experienced folks would be willing to chime in and share their real world experience.

If you are just coming in here repeating the same thing, go say it in another thread.

Thanks,
Giff


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## SHalester (Aug 25, 2019)

Is this a bad time to again mention depreciation is a non-cash expense? 🏝


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## Giff (Feb 3, 2020)

SHalester said:


> Is this a bad time to again mention depreciation is a non-cash expense? &#127965;


LOL!


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## TheDevilisaParttimer (Jan 2, 2019)

OldBay said:


> Comfort pays driver barely more than X. You will get occasional trips that pay about 10% more. Not worth it, imo. This is to entice part timers to use their nice new car.
> 
> Lux and Black? I think the car needs to be 4 years or newer, and a luxury model. You're talking about a 30K+ car. Add two years and 100K miles to see how much it will be worth in two years or rideshare. Thats iff it doesn't get dinged and scratched. Which it will. Probably losing 15K+ in depreciation. Might be worth it, if you know your market. You don't know your market. Not worth it.
> 
> No one can really answer your question because markets vary, and anyone in your market running black successfully will not tell you their strategy. Unless you know HOW to make it work, it wont work.


Comfort will never pay 10% more under any circumstances outside of higher cancel fees.

I've posted varies Comfort trips with similar X trips comparisons on this board. The trips were nearly identical with Comfort maybe being 2% higher.


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## UberAdrian (May 26, 2018)

Porsche 911 GT2 RS.


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## Clothahump (Mar 31, 2018)

I'm on my fourth Nissan Rogue. The first two were leases. Number three got taken out by a DWI. I love the Rogue. Plenty of room and great gas mileage.


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