# DO NOT buy a new car for Uber



## UberDriverGIG

Never buy a new car for uber you will only lose money even if it shows you have a positive income. You should be buying a cheap used car that gets good gas and is in good working condition so that you are making money and not losing money with a new car. By the time you pay off that new car, you will have spent more on repairs than it is worth with all the miles put on your car or you will work yourself to death for negative income. If you buy a cheap used car for a few thousand, once you earn that few thousand then it is profit even if it shows negative income on your tax return and you will not have to pay for taxes and will even get some money back.


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## oldfart

UberDriverGIG said:


> Never buy a new car for uber you will only lose money even if it shows you have a positive income. You should be buying a cheap used car that gets good gas and is in good working condition so that you are making money and not losing money with a new car. By the time you pay off that new car, you will have spent more on repairs than it is worth with all the miles put on your car or you will work yourself to death for negative income. If you buy a cheap used car for a few thousand, once you earn that few thousand then it is profit even if it shows negative income on your tax return and you will not have to pay for taxes and will even get some money back.


The cheapest car to uber with is probably the car you already own but given that that car will need to be replaced sooner or later, you will have to buy something else. while your advice my work for some, I dont think its the only way

while I dont plan to buy a new car, I dont plan on buying a a cheap used car either. and I dont expect to finance it. I plan to buy my next car with money I saved while driving my current car.. So it will be all profit from day one. Right now my plan is to spend about $30000 in 2 years for a decent used car that qualifies for XL and Select. I plan and then drive it until it dies (or I do).

My point here is that no one "formula" is right for everyone and your advice isnt right for me


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## UberDriverGIG

oldfart said:


> The cheapest car to uber with is probably the car you already own but given that that car will need to be replaced sooner or later, you will have to buy something else. while your advice my work for some, I dont think its the only way
> 
> while I dont plan to buy a new car, I dont plan on buying a a cheap used car either. and I dont expect to finance it. I plan to buy my next car with money I saved while driving my current car.. So it will be all profit from day one. Right now my plan is to spend about $30000 in 2 years for a decent used car that qualifies for XL and Select. I plan and then drive it until it dies (or I do).
> 
> My point here is that no one "formula" is right for everyone and your advice isnt right for me


That is a very bad idea, but it is your choice. All markets get flooded eventually and that Uber XL and select will turn into Uber X rides.


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## oldfart

UberDriverGIG said:


> That is a very bad idea, but it is your choice. All markets get flooded eventually and that Uber XL and select will turn into Uber X rides.


Clearly you missed my point....let me state it clearly
buying a cheap car and hoping it lasts is not the only way to do this thing. 
as my grandma use to say....theres more than one way to skin a cat
My idea is not a bad idea any more than your's is. They are different is all

You might take some time to read the "Licensed" section. I found the discussion comparing Navigators and the Escalades to be most informative


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## NOXDriver

oldfart said:


> Clearly you missed my point....let me state it clearly
> buying a cheap car and hoping it lasts is not the only way to do this thing.
> as my grandma use to say....theres more than one way to skin a cat
> My idea is not a bad idea any more than your's is. They are different is all
> 
> You might take some time to read the "Licensed" section. I found the discussion comparing Navigators and the Escalades to be most informative


My cynical side is highly doubting that you will have $15k profits for two years to buy this mythical Uber XL.

Unless you have another day job that feeds your Uber side??? If so then its not really profit, is it?

Buying a car to Uber makes sense in so few markets. Buying a NEW car even less.


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## emdeplam

Yes it is never best financial decision to buy new:
Cars
Clothes
Phone
House
Shoes
Bike
Etc...

If you have the discipline make goodwill your only store.


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## oldfart

NOXDriver said:


> My cynical side is highly doubting that you will have $15k profits for two years to buy this mythical Uber XL.
> 
> Unless you have another day job that feeds your Uber side??? If so then its not really profit, is it?
> 
> Buying a car to Uber makes sense in so few markets. Buying a NEW car even less.


 No one that knew what I was doing thought I would be successful in my last business either, but little by little I made it work.

Uber feeds me, I dont feed uber. I have a retirement income but Im spending more than that. Doing Uber I dont have to pull from savings, Im actually adding to it.

Ill be buying a used car, not a new car, out of savings...If I dont save enough over the next two years Ill dip deeper into my savings. or borrow some money. Either way it will be an investment in my business made with profits (or future profits) from my business

Why two years?...because i think my current car will last two years and because I think i need two years to build my off app, clientele.
and thats what this is all about.... building a business


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## Classified

I wouldn’t recommend paying off a car, jsut the interest alone makes it not worth it, 

I wouldn’t buy a cheap car either, it will need a lot more maintenance to keep it running compared to a new car, and won’t last as long,

But if your paying cash, it can work out cheaper to buy new IF you plan to do rideshare for a few years, 

Look at a new car price, divide the price by 10years weekly, or even 5years, now this is the amount of money you need to put aside to be able to rebuy a new car in 10years, or 5years, 
And if you decide to not keep doing it in 10years, you now have that money saved aside, 

Many drivers will get in the cycle of borrowing money to keep working, And my suggestion to them would be yes buy a cheap car, not on finance, and build up your wealth, slowly upgrading to a newer car,


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## MadTownUberD

emdeplam said:


> Yes it is never best financial decision to buy new:
> Cars
> Clothes
> Phone
> House
> Shoes
> Bike
> Etc...
> 
> If you have the discipline make goodwill your only store.


How about buying new toothbrushes? Asking for a friend.


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## whiskeyboat

Buying _brand new _is the worst option.
Now whether to buy newer or older depends on your ability to do the maintenance.
Whatever you buy, baby it. I drive like there is an egg between my foot and the pedal and try to make the ride as smooth as possible; mainly for my car but if the pax enjoy a smooth ride good for them too.
No matter what or how you drive, you better understand the full cost to operate, (not to mention income and social security taxes)
or your earnings will be a lot lower than you think.


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## polrol

Used car = you becomes friends with the mechanic
New car = you don't care if there is no mechanics available


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## occupant

16 months ago I purchased a NEW Corolla specifically for doing rideshare. Brand new off the lot, 5 miles on it, plastic still on the floors and radio, floor mats still wrapped up in the trunk. This was purchased through the new defunct XChange Lease program.

I can use this car for anything.

Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, Amazon Flex, Amazon Restaurants, Postmates, Instacart, and many more.

I had a choice between a new Corolla LE, new Yaris LE, a used Corolla S (2015, 22K miles), or a used Camry Hybrid XLE (2012, 70K miles, but even though XLE trim, had cloth seats, how cheap is that?). Those were the only cars that were available at the only dealer still doing the program in my market (Columbus Ohio). Every car had the same down payment and the weekly payments were within a $5 range of each other. The new Corolla had the HIGHEST VALUE to me out of the four vehicles offered and had the second LOWEST payment. The used cars cost MORE than the new cars overall. The Yaris was only fifty cents a week cheaper.

This car is amazeballs.

City rating 28, highway rating 36, combined rating 31, I have averaged 34.5 (computer) 34.13 (hand calc) over the life of the vehicle thus far.

I have done seventeen oil changes (paid for by Uber), four cabin air filters (three paid for by Uber one I replaced myself after a passenger mess cleanup), three engine air filters (I bought these, have another sitting on the desk ready to go in at 100K), and several sets of refills for the wiper blades. That's it. No repairs. I have like, one license plate light to replace. There is a bent steel wheel I need to replace and the TPMS on that wheel doesn't work. Wheel will cost $80, sensor another $50. I'll wait for the next set of tires to deal with that. Check pressure a couple times a week as it is so I'm not relying on the idiot light on the dash.

I've also bought one set of tires. The OEM (and now discontinued) Michelins only lasted 67,000 miles but it was a 60,000 mile tire so not too bad. I cheaped out with Westlakes, but we will see because they are wearing nice and even so far. 45,000 mile tire, 19,000 on them so far, still look new. I am tempted to try the new Goodyear Assurance Outlast at Walmart which is an 80,000 mile tire. The Westlakes cost $51 each, the Goodyears $74. So if the Westlakes don't break 50K before the wear bars are smooth, I'll go for the Goodyears. I could have purchased the Michelins at the time (they literally JUST discontinued that tire this month) but they were $141 each. I can't justify spending $90 more per tire for only a little more potential mileage.

Anyway, the only thing you need to know about tires is get the bleeping road hazard. Doesn't matter if you buy Baldyear Maypops or really nice Yokohamas or Vogues or whatever. Just get the road hazard. Some places call them "replacement certificates" and if the tire can't be fixed you get a new one free. With the driving we do it's the cheapest insurance you can buy.

I'll say I had a unique situation and I really SHOULD have bought a $500 down note lot beater. With my 488 credit score at the time, it was amazing the option was even available. Thanks to that and a couple other changes I've made my credit is up to 595. But this Corolla is something my wife is comfortable driving, I'm comfortable driving, it gets terrific mileage for a non-hybrid, the trunk and back seat are deceptively roomy, and it looks good still because it was a facelifted year. New Corolla shows up in the spring as a 2020 model. Anyway, my family and I are WAY better off with this car than had I chosen literally anything else. If I bought a note lot beater it might have been a doorstop within weeks and I'd have another repo on my credit. If I bought one of the used cars, same story. If I bought the Yaris I'd have lower ratings and it would've used more fuel.

So, UberDriverGIG, your opinion may be valid for you but not for everyone who is NOT you.

Income is not the same as cash flow.

Hourly wages mean nothing in gig economy jobs, only aggregate.

Hustle or die.


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## MalikBrother

New car means less maintenance whereas the used cars, highly mileage driven, means nonstop expense. Bought new car for myself plus Uber pays the bill and so far, minimal expense within 50k.

It’s all about getting right deal with zero interest as possible. With used cars, you pay more due to higher interest and more maintenance cost.


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## oldfart

MalikBrother said:


> New car means less maintenance whereas the used cars, highly mileage driven, means nonstop expense. Bought new car for myself plus Uber pays the bill and so far, minimal expense within 50k.
> 
> It's all about getting right deal with zero interest as possible. With used cars, you pay more due to higher interest and more maintenance cost.


Its not just a choice between old and new. There's also "lightly used"

Theres a sweet spot where the car is old enough so that much of the depreciation has been suffered by the previous owner and the car can be purchased at a reasonable price; But its new enough that maintenance and repairs arent an issue

I put my 2011 Ford explorer into rideshare a year ago with 70000 miles on it....I put 70000 more miles on it in the past year with no expenses other than gas and oil and brakes. To be fair I plan on tires, transmission service and flushing the cooling system and a new belt next year, But these are maintenance items not repairs


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## occupant

A well cared for lightly used vehicle is always your best bet. Every vehicle has a sweet spot in the depreciation curve. You can create a graph and find it with book values. Here's an example for something generic, a gray Toyota Camry Hybrid LE sedan, no options, looking at different average annual mileages of 12,000 (low), 15,000 (medium), and 20,000 (high). Values are Edmunds TMV private party, "outstanding" condition assumed throughout. Not looking at older models, no sense because it'll get dropped off before you pay it off if you get a loan.

Look for the part of the curve where the value is about to turn nearly horizontal. In this case the sweet spot would be a low mileage 2014 model, because that is the year after the steepest drop. It correlates to the 2015 redesign. If you don't hate the 07-11 model, the 2011 would also be a good choice.










Data for the above chart (because all the numbers didn't show up in the image)

Year 12K 15K 20K low-med-high miles

2017 19258 18986 18534 12000-15000-20000
2016 17125 16606 16192 24000-30000-40000
2015 15267 14534 13940 36000-45000-60000
2014 12624 11834 10951 48000-60000-80000
2013 11453 10794 9490 60000-75000-100000
2012 9695 9202 7516 72000-90000-120000
2011 7618 7130 5530 84000-105000-140000
2010 6049 5519 4215 96000-120000-160000
2009 5386 4765 3797 108000-135000-180000

For my money I would pick the highest mileage but clean and well cared for vehicle, but I'd skip the older generation. So a 2012-2014 model with 20K or more per year would work for me. I personally don't feel the 2015-2017 model was much of an improvement over the 2012-2014. No sense spending so much more on one. I would rather put the extra 3 grand into quality tires, a good detail, window tint, floor liners, fund for maintenance, etc...


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## MalikBrother

oldfart said:


> Its not just a choice between old and new. There's also "lightly used"
> 
> Theres a sweet spot where the car is old enough so that much of the depreciation has been suffered by the previous owner and the car can be purchased at a reasonable price; But its new enough that maintenance and repairs arent an issue
> 
> I put my 2011 Ford explorer into rideshare a year ago with 70000 miles on it....I put 70000 more miles on it in the past year with no expenses other than gas and oil and brakes. To be fair I plan on tires, transmission service and flushing the cooling system and a new belt next year, But these are maintenance items not repairs


A lightly used cars are hard to find. Most of them are former rental abused to death. Heard horror stories about owners experience with used cars. Some get lucky and some don't. With used cars, the gap between the new and the used of mrsp is narrowed due to higher interest on used cars compare to zero interest on new cars during the clearance sale. If you have cash, then used car is the best choice. Otherwise, used cars are gamble to finance since you will be paying the actual cost of the car due to added higher interest.

Maintenance depends on the kilometres driven so far.

Your case is very valuable experience so far and hope that continues. In my case, not bad either and so far I am still behind the maintenance plan in regards to transmission flush, timing belt to replace, brake cleaning and many more, etc. By the time I cross 100k, I will replace with newer cars due to loyalty discount and clearance sale as usual.


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## The Gift of Fish

emdeplam said:


> Yes it is never best financial decision to buy new:
> Cars
> Clothes
> Phone
> House
> Shoes
> Bike
> Etc...
> 
> If you have the discipline make goodwill your only store.


It makes sense to buy only a very few things new:

Toilet paper
Condoms
Food
Coffee filters
Toothbrushes

Almost everything else, used is the best decision.



occupant said:


> A well cared for lightly used vehicle is always your best bet. Every vehicle has a sweet spot in the depreciation curve. You can create a graph and find it with book values. Here's an example for something generic, a gray Toyota Camry Hybrid LE sedan, no options, looking at different average annual mileages of 12,000 (low), 15,000 (medium), and 20,000 (high). Values are Edmunds TMV private party, "outstanding" condition assumed throughout. Not looking at older models, no sense because it'll get dropped off before you pay it off if you get a loan.
> 
> Look for the part of the curve where the value is about to turn nearly horizontal. In this case the sweet spot would be a low mileage 2014 model, because that is the year after the steepest drop. It correlates to the 2015 redesign. If you don't hate the 07-11 model, the 2011 would also be a good choice.
> 
> View attachment 278580
> 
> 
> Data for the above chart (because all the numbers didn't show up in the image)
> 
> Year 12K 15K 20K low-med-high miles
> 
> 2017 19258 18986 18534 12000-15000-20000
> 2016 17125 16606 16192 24000-30000-40000
> 2015 15267 14534 13940 36000-45000-60000
> 2014 12624 11834 10951 48000-60000-80000
> 2013 11453 10794 9490 60000-75000-100000
> 2012 9695 9202 7516 72000-90000-120000
> 2011 7618 7130 5530 84000-105000-140000
> 2010 6049 5519 4215 96000-120000-160000
> 2009 5386 4765 3797 108000-135000-180000
> 
> For my money I would pick the highest mileage but clean and well cared for vehicle, but I'd skip the older generation. So a 2012-2014 model with 20K or more per year would work for me. I personally don't feel the 2015-2017 model was much of an improvement over the 2012-2014. No sense spending so much more on one. I would rather put the extra 3 grand into quality tires, a good detail, window tint, floor liners, fund for maintenance, etc...


Old Toyota is a good choice. I bought a Camry Hybrid 2 years ago for $3,900. 80,000 miles later I could sell it for $3,900. $0 depreciation, $0 spent on repairs.



oldfart said:


> My point here is that no one "formula" is right for everyone and your advice isnt right for me


There is no choice that is right for everyone. However, for each car category in UberLyft there is a lowest average cost choice which, given that pay does not vary within each class by vehicle, is also the highest average profit choice.



MalikBrother said:


> Heard horror stories about owners experience with used cars. Some get lucky and some don't.


It depends if you know what brands and models of car to buy and which to avoid. I've been driving for 30 years and have covered over half a million miles in that time. I've always owned used cars and in those 500,000+ miles the sum total of mechanical repairs I have had to do to my cars are a water pump, a fuel pump, and a distributor. That's it. And they were all easy bolt-on parts that took at most 45 minutes each to change.


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## occupant

The Gift of Fish said:


> There is no choice that is right for everyone. However, for each car category in UberLyft there is a lowest average cost choice which, given that pay does not vary within each class by vehicle, is also the highest average profit choice.


The lowest average cost choice for a particular category might not be the cheapest vehicle you can buy.

Example if you want to do Select, XL, and X, you'll need something that gets good mileage, seats seven, is on the Select vehicle list, and is new enough to be paid off before it gets dropped from Select. You could get (in some markets) a Ford Explorer or GMC Acadia with leather and few other options. But those vehicles may not be RELIABLE enough to work. You may be better off spending MORE money at purchase time to get something more durable like an Acura MDX or Infiniti QX60. The QX60 is available as a Hybrid also in some years which will only help fuel costs. Acura MDX is often available as an off-lease special with reasonable miles and manufacturer certification.

Say you feel you need four years to pay the car off and Select in your market goes back to 2010 now, you would want a 2015-2016 model so you get to drive at least some amount of time with no payments due. If you're really smart you'll make extra payments each month (a few hundred at least) and do so as soon as possible to reduce your interest paid over the life of the note. Then the car can be paid off sooner. A 60 month 10% $24,000 note at $510/month will be paid off in 36 months if you pay an extra $275 every month. Then you can enjoy 3 years of payment free driving, if the car lasts that long. And if you picked something good to start with and take proper care of it, it'll do fine.

Do not worry about resale value if you're driving a car full time for rideshare. Your vehicle will only be worth as much as the care you put into it once it is over 200,000 miles. You can have a 200,000 mile car that looks and runs like new, or you can have one barely hanging on that looks like someone pieced it together from junkyard parts. Once you're past the warranty period it's all about proper maintenance and taking care of small issues before they become big ones. Found a small power steering leak in the return line? Get it fixed now for $200 before you have to spend $1400 to replace the rack or $700 for the pump. Have an oil pan leak? Get it fixed now for $300 before your engine locks up on a long highway trip and you're spending $4500 plus towing costs from wherever you were. Hear a little clunk over a certain speed bump in an apartment complex? Get it looked at now and maybe it'll cost you $300 for some control arm bushings. Otherwise that control arm fails and the ball joint pops off and your wheel gets shoved up in your fender and door and sets off an airbag or two and your vehicle is totaled, all because you didn't take care of a minor repair when you first noticed the sound.

Again, some vehicles are more reliable than others. Some vehicles are more durable than others. Some vehicles are a known quantity while others you don't know what could go wrong. I can tell you if you want to drive a Tahoe/Suburban/Yukon that you'll likely be buying a transmission every 80,000 to 100,000 miles, and it'll cost you $3000-$4000 to fix. You have to take that into account with maintenance because it's been that way for decades. It's a cheap vehicle. It'll run X, XL, Select, Lux, SUV, Premier, Plus, whatever. It'll do anything but you WILL be replacing a transmission every so often. If you are smart and able to get a good warranty you might get away with a freebie occasionally, but if they know you're doing rideshare they will do anything they can to not honor the warranty. 3 years 100,000 miles is a common warranty. It'll either fail at 102,000 miles or it'll wait until 3 years and a few months. But if it fails within the warranty you might be out a deductible and towing and maybe some related parts (trans cooler lines, u-joints, differential oil). It'll be cheap to operate otherwise, and it might be cheaper than an MDX or QX60 overall. Only way to tell is run the numbers. It might make you better money and offset the additional transmission costs.

There's lots of things to think about. Insurance is another. Your insurance company might give you a high rate on an MDX, but a lower one for a Buick Enclave. Even if the purchase price is the same. It might be perceived wherever you live that the MDX is more likely to be stolen, or more expensive to fix after an accident. So the insurance cost for several years might offset the repairs and additional fuel spent in the Buick.

Overall cost to own is tough to determine but there are books and data out there. I used to pore over the Intellichoice books at the library when I was a kid. "The Complete Car Cost Guide" is what they were called but now in the age of the internet that information isn't published in books anymore. Intelllichoice puts their data on KBB now. https://www.kbb.com/new-cars/total-cost-of-ownership/ If you compare an MDX to an Enclave to a Suburban, the MDX is the lower cost of the three. If you compare minivans, the Odyssey seems to be the winner. If you compare cheap luxury cars the Acura ILX seems to win. I guess KBB is partial to Acura/Honda. Or they might actually be the best. I'm partial to Ford and Toyota myself. But if they don't win, it is what it is.


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## losiglow

Good info on here. I agree with everything you said occupant. 

Total cost of ownership is something people often don't think about. It's really all about how much it's going to cost you to "own" that vehicle for a year. "Own" includes payments, interest, repairs, insurance, fuel economy and maintenance. Repairs and economy are why Honda's and Toyota's are typically rated with a lower cost of ownership. You can go out and buy a very nice BMW for $8000 but the cost of ownership when considering maintenance and repairs is going to be much higher than an $8000 Toyota Camry. 

I drive a 2012 Acura TL. I purchased it Oct 2016 at 58K. Two years later it has 178K. The alternator went out at about 135K and a upper control arm at on the drivers side at about 160K. Otherwise - nothing. It runs like the day I bought it. Granted, I'm a gearhead, do all my own work and somewhat over the top about maintenance. I've also pre-emtively replaced parts here and there that I can tell are wearing out (like suspension parts). 

The TL requires premium due to the higher compression ratio of the motor but I still get about 25MPG combined hwy/city. And if I had to drive a Corolla or Versa or something like that, I wouldn't be driving at all


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## 1974toyota

occupant said:


> 16 months ago I purchased a NEW Corolla specifically for doing rideshare. Brand new off the lot, 5 miles on it, plastic still on the floors and radio, floor mats still wrapped up in the trunk. This was purchased through the new defunct XChange Lease program.
> 
> I can use this car for anything.
> 
> Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, Amazon Flex, Amazon Restaurants, Postmates, Instacart, and many more.
> 
> I had a choice between a new Corolla LE, new Yaris LE, a used Corolla S (2015, 22K miles), or a used Camry Hybrid XLE (2012, 70K miles, but even though XLE trim, had cloth seats, how cheap is that?). Those were the only cars that were available at the only dealer still doing the program in my market (Columbus Ohio). Every car had the same down payment and the weekly payments were within a $5 range of each other. The new Corolla had the HIGHEST VALUE to me out of the four vehicles offered and had the second LOWEST payment. The used cars cost MORE than the new cars overall. The Yaris was only fifty cents a week cheaper.
> 
> This car is amazeballs.
> 
> City rating 28, highway rating 36, combined rating 31, I have averaged 34.5 (computer) 34.13 (hand calc) over the life of the vehicle thus far.
> 
> I have done seventeen oil changes (paid for by Uber), four cabin air filters (three paid for by Uber one I replaced myself after a passenger mess cleanup), three engine air filters (I bought these, have another sitting on the desk ready to go in at 100K), and several sets of refills for the wiper blades. That's it. No repairs. I have like, one license plate light to replace. There is a bent steel wheel I need to replace and the TPMS on that wheel doesn't work. Wheel will cost $80, sensor another $50. I'll wait for the next set of tires to deal with that. Check pressure a couple times a week as it is so I'm not relying on the idiot light on the dash.
> 
> I've also bought one set of tires. The OEM (and now discontinued) Michelins only lasted 67,000 miles but it was a 60,000 mile tire so not too bad. I cheaped out with Westlakes, but we will see because they are wearing nice and even so far. 45,000 mile tire, 19,000 on them so far, still look new. I am tempted to try the new Goodyear Assurance Outlast at Walmart which is an 80,000 mile tire. The Westlakes cost $51 each, the Goodyears $74. So if the Westlakes don't break 50K before the wear bars are smooth, I'll go for the Goodyears. I could have purchased the Michelins at the time (they literally JUST discontinued that tire this month) but they were $141 each. I can't justify spending $90 more per tire for only a little more potential mileage.
> 
> Anyway, the only thing you need to know about tires is get the bleeping road hazard. Doesn't matter if you buy Baldyear Maypops or really nice Yokohamas or Vogues or whatever. Just get the road hazard. Some places call them "replacement certificates" and if the tire can't be fixed you get a new one free. With the driving we do it's the cheapest insurance you can buy.
> 
> I'll say I had a unique situation and I really SHOULD have bought a $500 down note lot beater. With my 488 credit score at the time, it was amazing the option was even available. Thanks to that and a couple other changes I've made my credit is up to 595. But this Corolla is something my wife is comfortable driving, I'm comfortable driving, it gets terrific mileage for a non-hybrid, the trunk and back seat are deceptively roomy, and it looks good still because it was a facelifted year. New Corolla shows up in the spring as a 2020 model. Anyway, my family and I are WAY better off with this car than had I chosen literally anything else. If I bought a note lot beater it might have been a doorstop within weeks and I'd have another repo on my credit. If I bought one of the used cars, same story. If I bought the Yaris I'd have lower ratings and it would've used more fuel.
> 
> So, UberDriverGIG, your opinion may be valid for you but not for everyone who is NOT you.
> 
> Income is not the same as cash flow.
> 
> Hourly wages mean nothing in gig economy jobs, only aggregate.
> 
> Hustle or die.


good story,PS i have westlake tires,largest chinese tire maker in china,not to shabby,jmo


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## Gip

I think every option has been brought up. With used cars, do you know who owned the car before you and how they treated it? I knew someone that leased a car for two years and did not do an oil change in the two years he had the car, I wouldn't want that car. I know every situation is different, for me since I have a regular 9 to 5 and uber/lyft part time, a new car like a Hyundai Sonata, Camry or equal makes sense but that would be my every day car so it would be great all around for me. Currently I drive a 2010 Altima, gives me exceptional gas milage and its roomy. I guess this is what works for me.


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## MadTownUberD

Gip said:


> I think every option has been brought up. With used cars, do you know who owned the car before you and how they treated it? I knew someone that leased a car for two years and did not do an oil change in the two years he had the car, I wouldn't want that car. I know every situation is different, for me since I have a regular 9 to 5 and uber/lyft part time, a new car like a Hyundai Sonata, Camry or equal makes sense but that would be my every day car so it would be great all around for me. Currently I drive a 2010 Altima, gives me exceptional gas milage and its roomy. I guess this is what works for me.


2010 Altima sounds like a great UberX car! Fuel economy could be better but that's only a small portion of your total costs, and if you're happy with it that's what counts.


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## 1974toyota

UberDriverGIG said:


> Never buy a new car for uber you will only lose money even if it shows you have a positive income. You should be buying a cheap used car that gets good gas and is in good working condition so that you are making money and not losing money with a new car. By the time you pay off that new car, you will have spent more on repairs than it is worth with all the miles put on your car or you will work yourself to death for negative income. If you buy a cheap used car for a few thousand, once you earn that few thousand then it is profit even if it shows negative income on your tax return and you will not have to pay for taxes and will even get some money back.


thanks for you input



whiskeyboat said:


> Buying _brand new _is the worst option.
> Now whether to buy newer or older depends on your ability to do the maintenance.
> Whatever you buy, baby it. I drive like there is an egg between my foot and the pedal and try to make the ride as smooth as possible; mainly for my car but if the pax enjoy a smooth ride good for them too.
> No matter what or how you drive, you better understand the full cost to operate, (not to mention income and social security taxes)
> or your earnings will be a lot lower than you think.


i say give the customers what they want, if they like new, go buy new, who cares if yu don't make any $$, uber will love you as well as the Pax,jmo


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## USMCX

Gip said:


> I think every option has been brought up. With used cars, do you know who owned the car before you and how they treated it? I knew someone that leased a car for two years and did not do an oil change in the two years he had the car, I wouldn't want that car. I know every situation is different, for me since I have a regular 9 to 5 and uber/lyft part time, a new car like a Hyundai Sonata, Camry or equal makes sense but that would be my every day car so it would be great all around for me. Currently I drive a 2010 Altima, gives me exceptional gas milage and its roomy. I guess this is what works for me.


Better keep an eye on that CVT, if it isn't jerking yet...it will


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## Gip

Funny you mention, it has always had a very slight jerk that only I can notice and hasn't changed yet, the car has given me a great ten years but stay tuned...


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## USMCX

I think there's a torque rod converter kit you need to install to get rid of the jerking sensation


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## 1974toyota

USMCX said:


> I think there's a torque rod converter kit you need to install to get rid of the jerking sensation


ROFLMAO, i heard some people LOVE that jerking sensation? LMAO, jmo



Gip said:


> Funny you mention, it has always had a very slight jerk that only I can notice and hasn't changed yet, the car has given me a great ten years but stay tuned...


my brother has a 2007-2008 altima, his CVT went balouey,luckily it was under warranty,Nissan replaced it for free, this was a few yrs ago,JMO


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## USMCX

1974toyota said:


> ROFLMAO, i heard some people LOVE that jerking sensation? LMAO, jmo
> 
> my brother has a 2007-2008 altima, his CVT went balouey,luckily it was under warranty,Nissan replaced it for free, this was a few yrs ago,JMO


My mechanic hates modifying my Altima, which is why I've never fixed the jerk, and it's the worst part of driving the vehicle. I've replaced the ****** 3x and it ALWAYS jerks. The torque converter activates when you let go of the accelerator and if you don't control it, the jerk can either feel like a kick or a nudge. A nasty flaw


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## 1974toyota

USMCX said:


> My mechanic hates modifying my Altima, which is why I've never fixed the jerk, and it's the worst part of driving the vehicle. I've replaced the ****** 3x and it ALWAYS jerks. The torque converter activates when you let go of the accelerator and if you don't control it, the jerk can either feel like a kick or a nudge. A nasty flaw


3x's? whoa


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## occupant

I would think the problem exists elsewhere if it's only on throttle lift. I would check the full range of the throttle position sensor with a multimeter and make sure it's giving the signal needed in time for the transmission to engage the converter smoothly. A dirty throttle body can also cause that if the sensor checks out OK. A thin ridge of carbon keeping the butterfly from fully closing can cause all sorts of issues and it'll get worse the more you drive it.


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## Gip

I was told by someone in the dealership of a temporary fix by disonnecting the battery and resetting the system... does that make sense?


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## USMCX

Gip said:


> I was told by someone in the dealership of a temporary fix by disonnecting the battery and resetting the system... does that make sense?


Tried something like that. Paid $100+ for a TCM reprog. Did nothing


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## 1974toyota

USMCX said:


> Tried something like that. Paid $100+ for a TCM reprog. Did nothing


sad thing is we really don't need this tire crappola,it came out after the firestone recall, a very small issue that can turn into big $$$ to fix, kinda like ABS,jmo


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## Gip

With all that said, both my wife and I have Altimas and we love them. Hers 50k mine 110k and still going strong.


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## Gip

occupant said:


> I would think the problem exists elsewhere if it's only on throttle lift. I would check the full range of the throttle position sensor with a multimeter and make sure it's giving the signal needed in time for the transmission to engage the converter smoothly. A dirty throttle body can also cause that if the sensor checks out OK. A thin ridge of carbon keeping the butterfly from fully closing can cause all sorts of issues and it'll get worse the more you drive it.


So the so called jerking is not a transmission issue but the throttle not timed with the transmission and it's shifting?


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## USMCX

Gip said:


> So the so called jerking is not a transmission issue but the throttle not timed with the transmission and it's shifting?


Read the tsb on cvt jerking. It's a nagging issue for CVT owners tsb ntb 10121


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## rideshare2870

1974toyota said:


> ROFLMAO, i heard some people LOVE that jerking sensation? LMAO, jmo
> 
> my brother has a 2007-2008 altima, his CVT went balouey,luckily it was under warranty,Nissan replaced it for free, this was a few yrs ago,JMO


I always see Altimas of those years on CL with a blown transmission all the time.


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