# Is it worth upgrading to XL, Select or Black?



## almostretired (Dec 8, 2018)

I'm a year old ride share driver and need to make more money and really considering XL or Select or even Black. And would like advice if it's worth it?
Please help?


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## steveK2016 (Jul 31, 2016)

Mo money no problems. Higher cost of ownership, higher fuel cost. Less demand, competition for Uber Black and Uber SUV downgrading to stay busy. 

If you go black you might as well start a legit car service, only way it would be worth it.


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## Danny3xd (Nov 7, 2016)

I been wondering the same thing.


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## MadTownUberD (Mar 11, 2017)

almostretired said:


> I'm a year old ride share driver and *need to make more money* and really considering XL or Select or even Black. And would like advice if it's worth it?
> Please help?


Seek gainful employment making $15/hr, preferably day shift. Drive UberX evenings and weekends. If you really want to go nuts, get a used minivan and do XL, but then you have to drive the bar crowd to make the additional costs worth it.


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## wallae (Jun 11, 2018)

I think you need to talk to xl drivers in your specific area.
I did.


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## Snowblind (Apr 14, 2017)

You can always turn off the Select option and drive X if you don't get enough Rides.
Would be a pity to drive X-pax in a Select or Black Vehicle making $7.00/hr.


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## wallae (Jun 11, 2018)

Snowblind said:


> You can always turn off the Select option and drive X if you don't get enough Rides.
> Would be a pity to drive X-pax in a Select or Black Vehicle making $7.00/hr.


Does it have to be one or the other? Not both at the same time...


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## Snowblind (Apr 14, 2017)

wallae said:


> Does it have to be one or the other? Not both at the same time...


Yes, you either drive Select or X. Not both at the same time.
With the X option on, you may get more pings, obviously.
With Select on, you may have to wait several hours to get a ping unless you know where to find Select requests.


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## #professoruber (Feb 19, 2018)

My opinion on drivers upgrading their vehicles to run higher platforms is a losing proposition unless you have mastered the skill of knowing when and where to drive. You will not be able to achieve this if you have the ANT mentality of just taking rides and chasing bonuses/quests. I think drivers with this mentality will end up in a losing situation.

I have had multiple people allude to the fact that my numbers are so high because I run XL and Select, however what they do not know is that I also have a X vehicle where I compared these numbers.

I truly think there is a cap on what you can earn on each platform based on the low rates on every platform. The rates are inline with the demand on each platform and simply put there are only so many hours and demand in a day and every driver will hit that ceiling. I think Uber has the data to back this up and knows that each driver has specific daily goals which is how they have been able to lower these rates and keep drivers on the road.

I specifically drive Friday-Sunday with a $750-$1000 goal and have no issues hitting that goal running XL and Select which always comes down to how many hours it takes to reach my goal. I benefit from the fact that if demand is slow, I know that I will need to grind a few more hours to hit my goal. I will also grind out more hours if demand justifies them extra hours which is usually when I am running above $30 per hour and above $1.50 per mile including dead miles.

In regards to X, I am confident that I can hit those same numbers however, I would have to change when and where I drive. I would likely run an extra 10 hours a week and would have to run 10pm to 2am. I would also have to run promotions as well. Between running puke zombies and chasing bonuses, this was the main reason why I invested in a vehicle that qualifies for higher platforms. I simply dislike intoxicated young people that have no respect for my vehicle and me. 

However, I did my research to determine the cheapest and most reliable vehicle that would qualify where I would pay sub $20K. I also wanted about 25 mpg. Realistically, I could run X, XL, and Select and still operate at a profit. Sub $1 per mile is unprofitable based on my business model.

I did look at investing into Uber Black and SUV, however since I run only part-time, the numbers didn't jive. $5000 per year for commercial insurance, $30-$40K for the vehicle, and higher run/maintenance costs. If I happened to lose my full-time job, would I invest in Uber Black/SUV. My opinion is the market is saturated and the only way to be successful on this platform would be to build a private clientele which would take 1-2 years to achieve.

My opinion is market specific to Dallas and may be different for each market. I truly think that regardless of the platform we are on, it all comes down mastering your market. I spend a lot of time studying my market to plan where and when I will drive. Let me put it this way, if anyone asks me what is going on in Dallas this week, I can provide a list of all the events that I think will produce rides. If anyone asks me about flights, I have that information as well. Conventions and conferences are tricky, but I pretty much know about the larger conferences. This is how you make money. This is a very hard concept to grasp for a lot of drivers.


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## Danny3xd (Nov 7, 2016)

Snowblind said:


> Yes, you either drive Select or X. Not both at the same time.
> With the X option on, you may get more pings, obviously.
> With Select on, you may have to wait several hours to get a ping unless you know where to find Select requests.


Well that sux. Was just gonna ask if it was like eats. Running both simaltainiously.

(HEY! I spelled that with out spealcheek! _simaltainiuosly)_


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## wallae (Jun 11, 2018)

I think it’s cimultaineiouslly


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## Daisey77 (Jan 13, 2016)

wallae said:


> Does it have to be one or the other? Not both at the same time...


In my market you can run them together. I can run X, XL, and Select all at the same time.


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## #professoruber (Feb 19, 2018)

Daisey77 said:


> In my market you can run them together. I can run X, XL, and Select all at the same time.


That is my experience and it is my understanding all markets run this way.


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## Danny3xd (Nov 7, 2016)

wallae said:


> I think it's cimultaineiouslly


hehe. I tried to look that up Wallae.

Kinda clears up why I was excited at a correct spelling, eh? The short bus is now a Prius and I get to drive.


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## Daisey77 (Jan 13, 2016)

Danny3xd said:


> hehe. I tried to look that up Wallae.
> 
> Kinda clears up why I was excited at a correct spelling, eh? The short bus is now a Prius and I get to drive.


Does your Prius have a seat for me because I tried looking it up tooBwahahaha


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## Danny3xd (Nov 7, 2016)

Daisey77 said:


> Does your Prius have a seat for me because I tried looking it up tooBwahahaha


Really did LoL


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## Daisey77 (Jan 13, 2016)

Danny3xd said:


> Really did LoL


I don't doubt you whatsoever because I really did too! The way he spelled it, it definitely did not trigger my natural intelligence LOL


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## New2This (Dec 27, 2015)

I wouldn't invest any money into any platform, given the latest paycuts


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## Daisey77 (Jan 13, 2016)

New2This said:


> I wouldn't invest any money into any platform, given the latest paycuts


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## peteyvavs (Nov 18, 2015)

You’ll make more money in the long run doing x, higher volume, better gas mileage, cheaper maintenance cost and girls love a Prius.


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## Speedwagon98 (Sep 24, 2018)

I bought an XL vehicle... but it's because I wanted to not kill my brand new car.

I started driving by using the new vehicle I already bought, a 2017 Fiesta ST. After testing out the market a bit, I decided I needed a beater to use instead if I was going to do this anymore than a few rides a week. So I bought a $2000 2005 Ford Freestar minivan. And it's turned out to be a great investment. As many miles as I want on the thing, and I can turn around and sell it for around $2000 when I'm done. Maybe $1500. But I also do all my own maintenance to vehicles, so ownership cost is quite low for me. I get XL, but not select. My rating went up right away as well. Turns out people don't like to ride in a tiny, stiff suspension Fiesta. Plus, being a minivan, I only have to vacuum maybe once a week. The dirt spreads out, and nobody complains it's dirty. I actually get compliments on cleanliness, when I'm thinking "man, I haven't cleaned this thing all week."

I haven't tried doing just XL yet. I keep it open to X and XL. But there are nights that the XL is worth a lot more. Plus, it's quite comfortable to drive a minivan all day long.


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## Danny3xd (Nov 7, 2016)

peteyvavs said:


> You'll make more money in the long run doing x, higher volume, better gas mileage, cheaper maintenance cost and girls love a Prius.


Got any names or numbers?

LoL, snicker, snork....


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## peteyvavs (Nov 18, 2015)

Uber will not approve a 14 year old vehicle. Second there is not enough business that justifies buying a vehicle for xl and select. Just use your new car for x, it’s just a machine, 2 years from now you won’t care about the car being a new toy. Let the car pay for itself.


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## Daisey77 (Jan 13, 2016)

peteyvavs said:


> Uber will not approve a 14 year old vehicle. Second there is not enough business that justifies buying a vehicle for xl and select. Just use your new car for x, it's just a machine, 2 years from now you won't care about the car being a new toy. Let the car pay for itself.


Yes they do. X and XL the approved Vehicles up to 15 years old. Some next year, the vehicle must be 2004 or newer


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## Danny3xd (Nov 7, 2016)

Cool Daisy. I have to look up what it is in CT. I thought it had the same rules as X.


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## peteyvavs (Nov 18, 2015)

When I started with Uber cars had be 10 years old or newer, now you’re saying Uber will accept 15 year old cars, now you’all understand why I will never use Uber personally, I’m not paying to ride in a Flintstone car no matter how nice it looks, it’s still equivalent to the city bus.


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## Danny3xd (Nov 7, 2016)

I don't get why a 10 year old car is OK in one place but not another, Pete. They seem to randomly throw a dart and decide these things.

Maybe some nano stat and demanded by our non insurance, insurance. Suicide river or what ever it is.


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## peteyvavs (Nov 18, 2015)

Hey Danny, I live. In Florida where cars aren’t affected by rust like North, and yet Uber will allow a 15 year old rust bucket in Connecticut but not in Florida where it doesn’t rust out in a few years, go figure.


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## Danny3xd (Nov 7, 2016)

I loved my last Prius. Aged out and uber nixed it. 

New Prii is smaller (just a lil but still) doesn't get as good MPG and is not as nice. Yup, go fig'er.


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## peteyvavs (Nov 18, 2015)

Danny3xd said:


> I loved my last Prius. Aged out and uber nixed it.
> 
> New Prii is smaller (just a lil but still) doesn't get as good MPG and is not as nice. Yup, go fig'er.


I just bought a new Prius 2 and love it, 56 miles to the gallon, lots of safety features and 10 year bumper to bumper warranty including tires and rims.


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## Danny3xd (Nov 7, 2016)

peteyvavs said:


> I just bought a new Prius 2 and love it, 56 miles to the gallon, lots of safety features and 10 year bumper to bumper warranty including tires and rims.


Awesome!

I love 'em and will never buy another kind of car unless something amazing comes along.


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## oldfart (Dec 22, 2017)

peteyvavs said:


> Hey Danny, I live. In Florida where cars aren't affected by rust like North, and yet Uber will allow a 15 year old rust bucket in Connecticut but not in Florida where it doesn't rust out in a few years, go figure.


Ft Myers/Naples allows a 15 yo car

So my 2011 Explorer is good for another 7 years. At 70000 miles a year that's 490000 more miles which will bring it to 630000. With any luck one new engine ought to get it there

Also in 8 years I'll be 80. Any bets on which craps out first. me or the car?

Seriously,and to answer the ops question I plan to buy commercial insurance and get permitted to do private rides in addition to Uber/Lyft If successful I'm upgrading to a big black suv


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## Danny3xd (Nov 7, 2016)

Crazy. Here in the land of the ice and snow (salt) it's 12 years.

CT.


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## VictorD (Apr 30, 2017)

Danny3xd said:


> I don't get why a 10 year old car is OK in one place but not another...


Local regulations. In Philly, there was a 10-year mandate, but Uber successfully lobbied (i.e. paid-off) the regulators to change it back to 15 years.



almostretired said:


> I'm a year old ride share driver and need to make more money and really considering XL or Select or even Black. And would like advice if it's worth it?
> Please help?


Well, by just looking at the Sacramento page it appears that Uber isn't even onboarding Black accounts in Sacramento, rendering at least part of what you're considering moot.

https://www.uber.com/drive/sacramento/vehicle-requirements/


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## Daisey77 (Jan 13, 2016)

Daisey77 said:


> Yes they do. X and XL the approved Vehicles up to 15 years old. Some next year, the vehicle must be 2004 or newer


 Holy cow, I just read my post. I must have been voice texting in between runs LOL

That was basically supposed to say~ Yes Uber approves X and XL Vehicles up to 15 years old. So as of January 1st, the vehicle will have to be 2004 or newer.



Danny3xd said:


> Cool Daisy. I have to look up what it is in CT. I thought it had the same rules as X.


Are you talking about XL having the same age criteria as X? Here in Denver, they are the same and they're both 15 years.


peteyvavs said:


> When I started with Uber cars had be 10 years old or newer, now you're saying Uber will accept 15 year old cars, now you'all understand why I will never use Uber personally, I'm not paying to ride in a Flintstone car no matter how nice it looks, it's still equivalent to the city bus.


Yes here its 15 yrs. If that surprises you, some SELECTs go back to 2008. So there are select vehicles that are listed as qualifying at 10 years old. I know because I have 4Runners and their requirement is 2008 or newer. I'm not saying I agree with it but that's what it is


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## Danny3xd (Nov 7, 2016)

Perhaps their criteria is simply economic and not weather related? CT is a fairly higher economic base than a lot of other states. Thinking their thinking is what the rider will deem acceptable? 

That an economically depressed area would have lower, low standards in cars they would not like to be seen in.

I dunno. Perhaps they don't give it much thought at all. Just go with some underling's report.


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## peteyvavs (Nov 18, 2015)

After I’m done with this car I’m going ride a Vespa and my bike, I love the Prius but love my scooter and bike more.


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## Kodyhead (May 26, 2015)

#professoruber said:


> That is my experience and it is my understanding all markets run this way.


Absolutely not in my market.

If you are gonna spend money for a select car make sure it's an SUV that can do xl too



peteyvavs said:


> Uber will not approve a 14 year old vehicle. Second there is not enough business that justifies buying a vehicle for xl and select. Just use your new car for x, it's just a machine, 2 years from now you won't care about the car being a new toy. Let the car pay for itself.


Uber in most markets lowered the years to 15 years now for x and xl, and lowered for lux too cause obviously we dont have enough drivers


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## Howie428Uber (Mar 4, 2016)

The introduction of flat surge has destroyed any reason for being an XL. I used to tell people that I spent most of the week driving an over-sized and over-cost car, but that I'd make it up at peak times. Now that XL has zero dollar surge instead of multiplied XL rates my income has collapsed.


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## rideshare2870 (Nov 23, 2017)

I don’t have Select or Black in my market and even if I did, I still wouldn’t upgrade. I’m all about minimizing my expenses. From what I seen on this forum, many people don’t get these pings anyways.


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## oldfart (Dec 22, 2017)

rideshare2870 said:


> I don't have Select or Black in my market and even if I did, I still wouldn't upgrade. I'm all about minimizing my expenses. From what I seen on this forum, many people don't get these pings anyways.


Minimizing expenses is important but only half of the equation. The other half is increasing revenue

I'm not saying moving up to Select or Black is the best way to do that, but it deserves consideration. Even in a market like yours that dosent have Select or black. A better car may mean more tips


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## Mm cm (Dec 18, 2018)

almostretired said:


> I'm a year old ride share driver and need to make more money and really considering XL or Select or even Black. And would like advice if it's worth it?
> Please help?


No way it is just Uber misleading of xl black ...etc. I got Cadillac xts from 3 years ....are no black car riders in NYC you make about 60$ day with black car.. so when come that good ride of black car Uber transfer your fare half then Uber x ....explanation how they do ...just follow the map ...... I got trip from exit 18 .On 95 north to 1100 Park Ave Manhatan the rideer pay 70$ and Uber give to me 26$ for 75minute ride with pickup ...I record all the waything time and the pickup times and mileages .....forums are manipulated by Uber..when you see black car drivers just ask how it is ....you spend more money then you make.....


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## AlteredBeast (Sep 29, 2018)

I make significantly more money on weekends driving my wife's van than I do driving my own sedan. The amount of XL requests I get offsets the lower fuel economy easily. If I take my wife's van out on weekdays, though, I very rarely get any XL pings and it is usually a waste of money/time.


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## Mm cm (Dec 18, 2018)

peteyvavs said:


> Uber will not approve a 14 year old vehicle. Second there is not enough business that justifies buying a vehicle for xl and select. Just use your new car for x, it's just a machine, 2 years from now you won't care about the car being a new toy. Let the car pay for itself.


best car to do Uber are over 5 years old as Toyota Camry Honda Civic or Prius. New car are not worth because you never get the money back in NYC I made big mistake 3 years go to spend 55k for good quality car ...if you intend to do only Uber back you end up the day with 0 or 50$ but good luck I have other income and I experimented exactly how much Uber black can make in day ....if you gat Uber x with black car they feed you with trips one after another and you make 200$ on 300 miles ..Uber enjoy to give long trips to luxury vehicle then when you take off the gas the milage commercial insurance and the TLC package find out how much you made in one day.... Think again if you intend to upgrade your vehicle



oldfart said:


> Minimizing expenses is important but only half of the equation. The other half is increasing revenue
> 
> I'm not saying moving up to Select or Black is the best way to do that, but it deserves consideration. Even in a market like yours that dosent have Select or black. A better car may mean more tips


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## mbd (Aug 27, 2018)

If you can make $$$ running x, then upgrading is a good idea. With so many x's on the road , you are outperforming majority of them ..If you are struggling with x, then most likely you will struggle .
Higher platform drivers use more strategies, majority of the x just keep driving around while passing gas


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## Mm cm (Dec 18, 2018)

oldfart said:


> Minimizing expenses is important but only half of the equation. The other half is increasing revenue
> 
> I'm not saying moving up to Select or Black is the best way to do that, but it deserves consideration. Even in a market like yours that dosent have Select or black. A better car may mean more tips


You are 100%wrong to consider to buy black car.

Black car has expensive maintenance from tiers to oil change and you make less then Toyota Prius with cadillac at the end of the day. I experimented that ..UBER have been pushing hard to make all drivers to work under minimum wages together with the TLC and the city they create empire of slave. They become billionaire by robery this drivers who made serious investment .. and riders appreciate how beautiful transportation are Uber ...taking limo with half money then yellow cab... And riders give up of Mr. Yellow cab


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## VictorD (Apr 30, 2017)

Mm cm said:


> You are 100%wrong to consider to buy black car.
> 
> Black car has expensive maintenance from tiers to oil change and you make less then Toyota Prius with cadillac at the end of the day. I experimented that ..UBER have been pushing hard to make all drivers to work under minimum wages together with the TLC and the city they create empire of slave. They become billionaire by robery this drivers who made serious investment .. and riders appreciate how beautiful transportation are Uber ...taking limo with half money then yellow cab... And riders give up of Mr. Yellow cab


Is English your first... or fourth language?


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## oldfart (Dec 22, 2017)

Mm cm said:


> You are 100%wrong to consider to buy black car.
> 
> Black car has expensive maintenance from tiers to oil change and you make less then Toyota Prius with cadillac at the end of the day. I experimented that ..UBER have been pushing hard to make all drivers to work under minimum wages together with the TLC and the city they create empire of slave. They become billionaire by robery this drivers who made serious investment .. and riders appreciate how beautiful transportation are Uber ...taking limo with half money then yellow cab... And riders give up of Mr. Yellow cab


My purpose in buying a better car is to build a business doing private rides. I have done my research and have concluded that their is a market in my area for black car service in my area and I intend to build my client list using the care I own now. I won't buy the big SUV until I have the business to support it. And I may never, I am learning that what's important to most people is a clean comfortable car and a pleasant driver and a safe ride. The car does not have to be a big black SUV I understand that there is a market segment that demands an Escalade or Navigator but I don't have the patience for these folks anyway

Bottom line: I agree buying an expensive car for ubering dosent make sense, but to by a nice car for your own business might


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## Codyboy1 (May 21, 2018)

Just night an 18 suburban. I have a bunch of regulars from my taxi days, but yes I think it is worth it. It allows me to drive all levels


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