# What cars "look" like a van but isn't a van?



## Urbanappalachian (Dec 11, 2016)

Someone I know got me thinking so I came up with Chevy Sonic and Chevy Spark. Any others? I think Toyota has one too?

Are these 4 doors and allowed to use to Uber or Lyft?

So these are called "hatchbacks", which ones are 4 doors and would be great to do uber or lyft with? It's for a woman I'm helping out.

I believe the Chevy Spark is the most affordable but I'm curious if it's a 4 door car? It doesn't show it has 4 doors.


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## waldowainthrop (Oct 25, 2019)

Honda Fit, Chevy Bolt, Kia Soul.

All fairly popular Uber cars, especially the Kia Soul.


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## Urbanappalachian (Dec 11, 2016)

Is Edmunds.com a good place to find inventory of used cars nearby?


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## Kodyhead (May 26, 2015)

Im not sure those cars are accepted as rideshare cars anymore

Perhaps you are talking about the Ford transit which can be converted to a minivan and I believe Mercedes has a version too


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

I would not say that hatchbacks look like vans. I don't see any similarity.

Hatchbacks look like hatchbacks and vans look like vans.


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## Urbanappalachian (Dec 11, 2016)

The Gift of Fish said:


> I would not say that hatchbacks look like vans. I don't see any similarity.
> 
> Hatchbacks look like hatchbacks and vans look like vans.


Well the face of hatchbacks look similar to a van's face.

Now, the person is saying the car she's talking about is similar to a Ram promaster city. Lol. These are like transit vans. I'm sure one can earn more if their vehicle is wheelchair accessible?

Is this month actually a good time to buy a used vehicle?


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## waldowainthrop (Oct 25, 2019)

The Gift of Fish said:


> I would not say that hatchbacks look like vans. I don't see any similarity.
> 
> Hatchbacks look like hatchbacks and vans look like vans.


I would argue that the increasing lack of interest in MPV/van styles in the US has made most small hatchbacks with higher roofs, flatter floors, more square hatches, higher seating, and vertical orientation more "van-like" or more crossover-like to US market tastes. There's a pretty big difference in feel between a Toyota Yaris and a Kia Soul even though they are both subcompact-style cars.


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

Urbanappalachian said:


> Well the face of hatchbacks look similar to a van's face.
> 
> Now, the person is saying the car she's talking about is similar to a Ram promaster city. Lol. These are like transit vans. I'm sure one can earn more if their vehicle is wheelchair accessible?
> 
> Is this month actually a good time to buy a used vehicle?


No, you lose seats if a vehicle is made accessible.

At _best_ your losing the back row for rear loading or the middle row for side loading.

So your XL vehicle is downgraded to X, and the funny thing about wheelchair accessible fares is that by ADA law you can't charge more for them.

The only reason these vehicles are ever done this way is due to bureaucratic reasons. IE X% of your companies fleet has to be these accessible vehicles, or in the current case of NYC it's easier to get permits and cheaper.

The reason these taxis are in demand for the drivers is the fringe benefits, IE the giving of fares for taking care of wheelchair fares, Also the ability to jump the line at the theme parks queue for the 30 seconds of effort to put someone's scooter in the back (if they can transfer out of the wheelchair it takes next to zero (and often zero) extra effort versus loading a stroller.

The effort to puts someone's power wheelchair in theme is minimal if they can transfer out into a standard car seat, if they can't it becomes a huge effort of strapping the wheelchair down.



















Here's a Mears taxi at Disney loading


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## Urbanappalachian (Dec 11, 2016)

Kodyhead said:


> Im not sure those cars are accepted as rideshare cars anymore
> 
> Perhaps you are talking about the Ford transit which can be converted to a minivan and I believe Mercedes has a version too


Are subcompact cars just too small?


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## UberBastid (Oct 1, 2016)

Urbanappalachian said:


> Is this month actually a good time to buy a used vehicle?


I plan on waiting about six months.
I think there's going to be a LOT of repo's by then.
And foreclosures will start by end of 2021.


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## Kodyhead (May 26, 2015)

Urbanappalachian said:


> Are subcompact cars just too small?


Best to check the list of eligible cars in your market but I think either lyft or both got rid of all the really small cars for rideshare


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## Monkeyman4394 (Jun 27, 2020)

waldowainthrop said:


> Honda Fit, Chevy Bolt, Kia Soul.
> 
> All fairly popular Uber cars, especially the Kia Soul.


Kia Souls are everywhere. Lots doing rideshare. I almost bought one a few months ago.


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## Ubering4Beer (Mar 15, 2018)

Are you thinking of the Chevy HHR? They were available with the rear windows deleted


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## SurginGeneral (Aug 9, 2017)

Mazda 5 is another one. Basically a mini-minivan


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## Urbanappalachian (Dec 11, 2016)

UberBastid said:


> I plan on waiting about six months.
> I think there's going to be a LOT of repo's by then.
> And foreclosures will start by end of 2021.


Isn't there a whole bunch of new laws that protect one from being repo'd or foreclosed on that makes it a bit harder to take advantage of someone else's misfortunes?


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## UberBastid (Oct 1, 2016)

Urbanappalachian said:


> Isn't there a whole bunch of new laws that protect one from being repo'd or foreclosed on that makes it a bit harder to take advantage of someone else's misfortunes?


There is one law that can not be changed, suspended or amended.
It is Economic Law and just as immutable as gravity.

Gov't interference will delay the execution of economic law; and by delaying it, make the results worse. But, economic law can not be altered. Not here, not in the EU, or Greece, or Venezuela.

Some bank loaned someone $Money. If the bank doesn't get it back, they can't loan again so fewer cars get financed and minimum credit requirements to do so go up. The gov't pays the $Money to the bank for you (excusing student debt), but the gov't just prints money and sends it to the bank. The more of it they print the less it's worth (inflation). So now you need to spend more $$Money to buy the same car. The boss has to pay you more money, so he has to charge more money to his/your customers. (inflation)

This cycle ends when money is worth nothing, and production has stopped.
Look at Venezuela ... perfect study.
THE richest South American country.
World class hospitals, freeways, fully stocked food shelves, universities, power grid that worked.
But ... that was ten years ago.
Things have changed.

That _could_ be our future.


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## Urbanappalachian (Dec 11, 2016)

UberBastid said:


> That _could_ be our future.


If government interferes, right?

Isn't the pandemic stimulus funds a form of government interference?


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