# Is a Toyota Corolla for Uber worth it?



## rideshare2870 (Nov 23, 2017)

Hey guys. I'm new here and need an opinion on something. I've been doing Uber since August using a Toyota Sienna. I can do Uber X and XL but I'm begining to think that a compact car does better for these following reasons:
•better gas mileage
•easier to maneuver in tight or crowded areas
•no more large crazy groups to drag along in a XL ride

If I was to get a older Corolla paid in cash, is it worth it? We can have a 2002 and up in NY. I don't think XL is worth it. 80-85% of my rides are Uber X. I only get around 2 XL rides on a average of 10 to 12 rides. Any advice?


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## Mars Troll Number 4 (Oct 30, 2015)

rideshare2870 said:


> Hey guys. I'm new here and need an opinion on something. I've been doing Uber since August using a Toyota Sienna. I can do Uber X and XL but I'm begining to think that a compact car does better for these following reasons:
> •better gas mileage
> •easier to maneuver in tight or crowded areas
> •no more large crazy groups to drag along in a XL ride
> ...


If it's possible to do well with uber, that's how it's done.

I don't know enough about upstate(?) Ny market to know if it's worth it at all there, but if it's worth it at all, that's how to do it.


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## Over/Uber (Jan 2, 2017)

You are still giving up more daily earnings by giving up XL. Is it worth it with the gas costs saved? Hard to call. 

I would not go to X if I had an XL vehicle. I do X only (unless it snows, then I use my wife’s AWD 3rd row suv) because the purchase cost of the vehicle was in my budget and a 7 passenger rig was priced higher than I wanted to spend.

Advice: I’d stay with XL.


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## rideshare2870 (Nov 23, 2017)

Well I can expect to put in $40 a day if I work 10 hours a day. It adds up fast. I figure you can "look" for rides with a Corolla compared to finding a good spot to park and wait for a ride request to save on fuel in a XL.


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## unPat (Jul 20, 2016)

rideshare2870 said:


> Hey guys. I'm new here and need an opinion on something. I've been doing Uber since August using a Toyota Sienna. I can do Uber X and XL but I'm begining to think that a compact car does better for these following reasons:
> •better gas mileage
> •easier to maneuver in tight or crowded areas
> •no more large crazy groups to drag along in a XL ride
> ...


Any corolla after 2008 would do .


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## Sal29 (Jul 27, 2014)

Corollas ok, but the cheapest Prius is much better for lowering your operating cost per mile.


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## Hhggh (Jun 24, 2017)

I would say yes. I have an XL, which are typically more expensive cars for depreciation and to maintain. It's not just gas. And I totally agree that most of my problem rides are XL groups.


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## Ahmed Nafis (Nov 9, 2017)

gts


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## Jsaxophone (Nov 9, 2017)

It's going to be hard to justify the cost of another car, plus more insurance, plus maintenance and unknown problems when you take on a used car.

The Sienna probably averages 24MPG (combined) if you're a light driver, so you'll probably go up to about 34MPG (combined) in a 2008 corolla. That's 10MPG of savings.

Lemme see, when I drove full time, I did about 250mi on a long shift. So, at 24mpg, you will burn through 10.4gal of fuel. At 34mpg, you will now burn only 7.4gal. So 3 gallons saved, that's about $8 saved for a day of driving. The question is, how much more will it COST you to buy, insure, and maintain an additional car? and how much will you lose out on by not being able to accept XL rides?

In any case, My 4-door Nissan Frontier (Pickup Truck) is my weapon of choice, and most people would question that. But let's look at the facts. I own my truck, I use my truck daily, and if I had never joined Lyft/Uber, I would still own and insure the truck, as I do now. I get about 22MPG, mostly because I feather it when I'm on the clock. 

I could double my fuel economy if I used my wife's Elantra, but, you see, her Elantra rides like a skateboard, my Frontier rides like a Cadillac. Her speakers sound like a 1980's clock radio, mine sound like something that was built this century. Her Elantra fits 4 people like a prison rape scene, my Frontier fits 5 with comfort, plus people in the bed (which is against policy, but still legal). A Corolla might get a tight turning radius, but I can hop over curbs, medians, and "roads" (when I need to use the term "Road" loosely). I surprise a lot of people by rolling up in a truck, but I think it makes me stand out and contributes to me getting tons of tips and good ratings.

Anyway, my opinion is that you drive something that you will be comfortable in for extended hours.


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## rideshare2870 (Nov 23, 2017)

Jsaxophone said:


> It's going to be hard to justify the cost of another car, plus more insurance, plus maintenance and unknown problems when you take on a used car.
> 
> The Sienna probably averages 24MPG (combined) if you're a light driver, so you'll probably go up to about 34MPG (combined) in a 2008 corolla. That's 10MPG of savings.
> 
> ...


I bet you do lots of winter driving with that Frontier. It's always surging when it snows.


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## Jsaxophone (Nov 9, 2017)

No snow in Florida, but did do pretty well during the hurricane.


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## streetkings01 (Sep 28, 2017)

I'd stay with the XL. I own a Nissan Quest and live in NYC Suburbs/Westchester. I only work Friday/Saturday nights and Sunday evenings.......I def get a nice amount of XL rides especially people going from Lower Hudson Valley to White Plains on Saturday nights($50-$60 for 45-1hr drive).


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## Syn (Jun 30, 2017)

Jsaxophone said:


> It's going to be hard to justify the cost of another car, plus more insurance, plus maintenance and unknown problems when you take on a used car.
> 
> The Sienna probably averages 24MPG (combined) if you're a light driver, so you'll probably go up to about 34MPG (combined) in a 2008 corolla. That's 10MPG of savings.
> 
> ...


Frontier rides like a Cadillac? Its a truck that hasn't been updated in 14 years.


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## 1974toyota (Jan 5, 2018)

rideshare2870 said:


> Hey guys. I'm new here and need an opinion on something. I've been doing Uber since August using a Toyota Sienna. I can do Uber X and XL but I'm begining to think that a compact car does better for these following reasons:
> •better gas mileage
> •easier to maneuver in tight or crowded areas
> •no more large crazy groups to drag along in a XL ride
> ...


TOYOTA=#1, Yesssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss



Jsaxophone said:


> It's going to be hard to justify the cost of another car, plus more insurance, plus maintenance and unknown problems when you take on a used car.
> 
> The Sienna probably averages 24MPG (combined) if you're a light driver, so you'll probably go up to about 34MPG (combined) in a 2008 corolla. That's 10MPG of savings.
> 
> ...


Yesssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss


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## Jsaxophone (Nov 9, 2017)

Syn said:


> Frontier rides like a Cadillac? Its a truck that hasn't been updated in 14 years.


Still rides comfortably, VERY comfortably. Used to do long trips up I75 and I10. This is coming from a guy who's driven almost everything on 2, 4, and 6 wheels, under $150k.

It's a truck, so like most trucks, it takes potholes, brick roads, speed bumps, curbs, medians, parking barriers, etc. like they don't exist. In fact, that gets me in trouble when I drive my other cars, I tend to forget I can't jump railroad tracks in a small sedan. The weight of the frame over 4 wheels, plus 75 series tires absorbs almost everything on the road. Adding to the fact that because it's not a full-size truck, it's actually gets out of its own way.


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## Windstorm20 (Apr 18, 2018)

Toyota is a good choice for an Uber. Parts are easily available and they are affordable too.


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## 1974toyota (Jan 5, 2018)

Windstorm20 said:


> Toyota is a good choice for an Uber. Parts are easily available and they are affordable too.


Yessssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss. TOYOTA #1.......................JMO


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## Windstorm20 (Apr 18, 2018)

What Toyota did you end up getting after your Sienna?


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## 1974toyota (Jan 5, 2018)

Windstorm20 said:


> What Toyota did you end up getting after your Sienna?


Previa


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## Windstorm20 (Apr 18, 2018)

1974toyota said:


> Previa


Oh I see. Thanks for answering.


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## MadTownUberD (Mar 11, 2017)

Corolla should be OK, especially if you can get a deal. 

I love my Sonata, it's very roomy and gets decent fuel economy. Almost no depreciation because I bought it for a steal. No major repairs yet except replacing the brakes...been driving it since August-September. Little things keep breaking but I can do a lot of them myself or choose not to repair them if they won't impact my ratings and I can live with the car until I sell it in about a year.

For example, my trunk release latch/solenoid stopped working last week; I just have to get out and use the key. My parking brake doesn't work; I just park it in 1st gear (it's a manual). One of the paint matched side mirrors cracked; I just bought relatively inexpensive black plastic replacements online and swapped them out myself.

I used to drive a Mazda5 for XL. It was kind of a pain because I had to turn down groups of 6 (it only seats 6 including the driver), but there are plenty of people who order XL for the extra room. The thing that made it worthwhile was it got 30 mpg highway easily and the car was paid off / pretty well deprectiated, so X trips didn't hurt me.

It seems like a lot of people post in this sub forum looking for a silver bullet brand (not saying you are necessarily, OP)...well there ain't no such thing because if a certain make/model was awesome, it would be priced accordingly.

The key is to consider a specific vehicle and try to minimize maintenance/repairs, deprectiation, and fuel consumption...but out of those I would focus the LEAST on minimizing fuel consumption. For the cars I've driven only about a third of the cost per mile has been fuel.


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