# What should I buy?



## Uberate (Dec 29, 2018)

Trying to decide to buy either Chevy Suburban or GMC Yukon ($32,000) for Uber Select/XL/ possibly black, Lyft Lux, and limo service. Or should I buy a minivan ($15000) and do uber XL


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## MoonlightingPHD (Feb 11, 2019)

Buy a 4-year degree at an instate college/university in a field that has high earning potential. UberX with a beater on the side if you can't get away.


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## Cdub2k (Nov 22, 2017)

Uber will be bankrupt within 5 years. Don't go making mega purchases centered around them.


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## FLKeys (Dec 27, 2018)

Learn your market and what riders are willing to pay for. In my market XL rides are hard to come by. I see most of the XL vehicles running on the X platform.


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## BikingBob (May 29, 2018)

Invest in a degree like mentioned above. Buy a cheap minivan otherwise to make money with Uber in the meantime.


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## 1.5xorbust (Nov 22, 2017)

Anyone spending more than $5k just to do this gig is making a mistake.


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## Seamus (Jun 21, 2018)

I have no idea of the XL demand in your market. However if you are set on doing XL find an older van. A GMC Yukon or Chevy Suburban is a guaranteed money loser. Especially considering you will end up most likely doing mainly X rides. If you figure out you don't get many XL rides ditch the van and get a 5-8 year old sedan that gets good gas mileage.


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## oldfart (Dec 22, 2017)

Ill be making that same decision in a year or two
I wouldnt buy the Suburban or Yukon unless you are building a private ride business.

If I can build my business big enough, I might buy the big SUV, but I may just replace my Ford Explorer (or drop a new engine in the old one) and continue doing X and XL and private rides


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## amazinghl (Oct 31, 2018)

This guy learned the hard way, don't buy a car for Uber.

https://uberpeople.net/threads/hurt-uber-where-it-hurts.313763/


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## VictorD (Apr 30, 2017)

amazinghl said:


> *This guy learned the hard way*, don't buy a car for Uber.
> 
> https://uberpeople.net/threads/hurt-uber-where-it-hurts.313763/


No, he didn't. Read his rant. He creates a long post. In the first half he's admitting that he doesn't even know the questions and never has (if he did, he never would have been in this predicament in the first place, would he?) and in the second half is giving us the answers to the questions that he just admitted that he doesn't know.

*They never learn.*


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## 1974toyota (Jan 5, 2018)

oldfart said:


> Ill be making that same decision in a year or two
> I wouldnt buy the Suburban or Yukon unless you are building a private ride business.
> 
> If I can build my business big enough, I might buy the big SUV, but I may just replace my Ford Explorer (or drop a new engine in the old one) and continue doing X and XL and private rides


how's that explorer holding up


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## oldfart (Dec 22, 2017)

161000 miles and still doing well

I do have one headlight out that’s a bigger pain in the ass than it should be. It’s not the bulb it’s the ballast and I can’t figure out how to get the old one out and new one in

I just replaced the belt and tires (and alignment) Plugs and transmission service is next

I still think 300000 miles is not an unreasonable expection. In fact the car may last longer than I do. I may retire before I retire the car

What follows is a message to the op 

What has changed is that I’ve learnrd that my Explorer works well for my developing private ride business. I had imagined thet folks would insist on a big black suburban , Yukon or navigator but no, even folks that have a ton of money find my Explorer acceptable. Remember I meet new clients as an Uber driver. My car is much better than an Uber x and most xl’s and when I offer my card they are eager to take it. I even got my first referral the other day. We don’t have Uber black or Lux here (Select is our top ride class) and I just don’t think it’s worth it to spend a bunch of money fo upgrade one step.at least that’s my thinking today. I’m talking to other drivers that bought big black suv’s But they don’t have enough experience yet to say whether buying it was worthwhile.


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## 1974toyota (Jan 5, 2018)

oldfart said:


> 161000 miles and still doing well
> 
> I do have one headlight out that's a bigger pain in the ass than it should be. It's not the bulb it's the ballast and I can't figure out how to get the old one out and new one in
> 
> ...


good info


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## PlanoGuber (Feb 14, 2019)

Uberate said:


> Trying to decide to buy either Chevy Suburban or GMC Yukon ($32,000) for Uber Select/XL/ possibly black, Lyft Lux, and limo service. Or should I buy a minivan ($15000) and do uber XL


Run from the idea of a Suburban unless you're planning on driving commercial with Uber Lux as a side gig to fill your time.

Most people on here would tell you to not buy a minivan. You can get a Dodge Caravan with leather (necessary to wipe off the Uber pax a$$ grime) for $10-12k with low miles. You'll be hurting on gas mileage if you try to drive it on X though. You can pay around your original $15k number and get a Ford Transit Connect and drive it on XL or X for around 28-30mpg. Smaller inside, but you'll quickly learn furnishing a large vehicle doesn't earn you any more sheckles from the cheap ass passengers you'll cart around.


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## Uberate (Dec 29, 2018)

So I bought a 2017 Sienna with lots of warranty left and very low miles. I think it is a safer investment to do XL because I will put less miles on it than doing x/pool. And I hope to sell it after 2 years, so hopefully I won’t lose much from depreciation


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## Bubsie (Oct 19, 2017)

Really low miles/recent years means you pay a premium in terms of still having depreciation to contend with. How much did you pay for the 2017 Sienna? That can't have been 15k? Put it on UberXL as soon as possible and gauge demand for XL, you'll often have up to 7 days to change your mind and return the vehicle if viable demand just isnt there.


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