# 2004 Corolla for uber



## Farhanejaz5 (Oct 15, 2016)

Hi all,
I am very interested in driving part time in Dallas area and surrounding. I would like to get started trying it out by using my 2004 Toyota Corolla. I checked with uber support today and they said 2004 Corolla should be ok but I am looking for some advice here.
Do you guys think that 2004 Corolla is too outdated to be driven for über?
Car is in good condition mechanically and cosmetically but it is 12 year old model. It's got manual Windows which you roll up / down. Do you guys think that passengers will feel (or complain) they should have deserved to ride In a better car?
My plan is to test driving uber for few weeks before I invest money in buying a more recent year car.
Thanks


----------



## elelegido (Sep 24, 2014)

Farhanejaz5 said:


> Car is in good condition mechanically and cosmetically but it is 12 year old model. It's got manual Windows which you roll up / down. Do you guys think that passengers will feel (or complain) they should have deserved to ride In a better car?


Just offer to pull the car over when they want the window adjusted up or down; you will hop out, open their door and adjust the window opening according to their wishes. Shouldn't be an issue.


----------



## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

Pax will complain about Manuel Windows.
Personally I like Manuel Windows.
You can roll them down underwater. I know. Pax will complain.


----------



## Jimmy Bernat (Apr 12, 2016)

Yes pax will complain about the windows but should you care? Nope 
Uber is half the price of a taxi 
Keep your car clean, get people where they need to go safely and all will be fine 

Its a perfect car for uberx cheap to maintain and will get good gas milage


----------



## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

Jimmy Bernat said:


> Yes pax will complain about the windows but should you care? Nope
> Uber is half the price of a taxi
> Keep your car clean, get people where they need to go safely and all will be fine
> 
> Its a perfect car for uberx cheap to maintain and will get good gas milage


They will rate him out of business


----------



## Jimmy Bernat (Apr 12, 2016)

Looks like he's in a Texas market I think he'll be fine.


----------



## Shangsta (Aug 15, 2016)

tohunt4me said:


> They will rate him out of business


Not true I drove a 2005 Corolla until our city went to 2006 and newer. I had a 4.92 while I drove it.

With an older car you have to really be more particular about how clean it is and how good it smells. Mine has black leather so when I showed up people were like, "This is an older but I can tell you take good care of it."

Keep your car. Corollas are known to last forever with good maintenance. You should also get 33 mpg or so which is amazing for a mid 2000s car


----------



## Farhanejaz5 (Oct 15, 2016)

Appreciate all the feedback. Yes I am in tx. Thing is, I don't wanna get started by buying a car for which I will have to pay out of pocket initially. I plan to drive my old car part time (20 hours a week) for a month or two to see how much I can make to help me with some of the bills. If return is decent then I will upgrade to a newer car. Only checking if it's a good idea to get started initially with my old 04 Corolla. My car is clean. Thanks


----------



## Jimmy Bernat (Apr 12, 2016)

Farhanejaz5 said:


> Appreciate all the feedback. Yes I am in tx. Thing is, I don't wanna get started by buying a car for which I will have to pay out of pocket initially. I plan to drive my old car part time (20 hours a week) for a month or two to see how much I can make to help me with some of the bills. If return is decent then I will upgrade to a newer car. Only checking if it's a good idea to get started initially with my old 04 Corolla. My car is clean. Thanks


You'd be crazy to start out ubering in a new to you car . Use the car you have like you're saying for a few months if you decide you really like this and are making decent money then consider a newer car but in all honesty I think your 2004 Corolla will be just fine for UberX


----------



## TheWanderer (Sep 6, 2016)

Farhanejaz5 said:


> Appreciate all the feedback. Yes I am in tx. Thing is, I don't wanna get started by buying a car for which I will have to pay out of pocket initially. I plan to drive my old car part time (20 hours a week) for a month or two to see how much I can make to help me with some of the bills. If return is decent then I will upgrade to a newer car. Only checking if it's a good idea to get started initially with my old 04 Corolla. My car is clean. Thanks


Not the best idea to invest in a new car for uber. Unless you were planning on getting it before this. They typically slash rates during winter for what they call the winter slump. 2004 corolla is perfect. Your cost of operation is super low. Probably around .17 cents a mile. I have a prius and my cost is about .30 cause it is new.


----------



## Slim Pete (Nov 21, 2014)

Farhanejaz5 said:


> Hi all,
> I am very interested in driving part time in Dallas area and surrounding. I would like to get started trying it out by using my 2004 Toyota Corolla. I checked with uber support today and they said 2004 Corolla should be ok but I am looking for some advice here.
> Do you guys think that 2004 Corolla is too outdated to be driven for über?
> Car is in good condition mechanically and cosmetically but it is 12 year old model. It's got manual Windows which you roll up / down. Do you guys think that passengers will feel (or complain) they should have deserved to ride In a better car?
> ...


Make sure your car is SUPER clean and smells SUPER nice.
This will OFFSET the fact that it is an older car and doesn't have power windows.
Use Little Trees air fresheners with Black Ice fragrance. Pax LOVE it.
But don't upgrade your car until you can make sure you're making money doing this.


----------



## Shangsta (Aug 15, 2016)

Slim Pete said:


> Make sure your car is SUPER clean and smells SUPER nice.
> This will OFFSET the fact that it is an older car and doesn't have power windows.
> Use Little Trees air fresheners with Black Ice fragrance. Pax LOVE it.
> But don't upgrade your car until you can make sure you're making money doing this.


Thanks for repeating what everyone else already said.


----------



## Slim Pete (Nov 21, 2014)

Shangsta said:


> Thanks for repeating what everyone else already said.


Whatever, loser.


----------



## yojimboguy (Mar 2, 2016)

Im Madison you couldn't use a 2004 anything for Uber. Max car age is 10 years. I presume the OP has checked the local age restriction.


----------



## Shangsta (Aug 15, 2016)

yojimboguy said:


> Im Madison you couldn't use a 2004 anything for Uber. Max car age is 10 years. I presume the OP has checked the local age restriction.


Cali its 15


----------



## Lets_Eat (Oct 11, 2016)

Farhanejaz5 said:


> Hi all,
> I am very interested in driving part time in Dallas area and surrounding. I would like to get started trying it out by using my 2004 Toyota Corolla. I checked with uber support today and they said 2004 Corolla should be ok but I am looking for some advice here.
> Do you guys think that 2004 Corolla is too outdated to be driven for über?
> Car is in good condition mechanically and cosmetically but it is 12 year old model. It's got manual Windows which you roll up / down. Do you guys think that passengers will feel (or complain) they should have deserved to ride In a better car?
> ...


There are kits you can purchase to convert your manual windows to power windows! look at youtube for more information. I think you're at an advantage using your 2004 corolla as long as uber allows it. I assume the vehicle is paid for? The economics of ubering with a new vehicles isn't very attractive. In fact, my son and I are hunting the junk yards for a transmission / torque converter for a 2004 honda civic sedan. As soon as we fix that car, I'll be ubering in it. It was my sons first car.


----------



## Maksim (Nov 19, 2016)

As long as it is clean and does not weak of smoke or anything else, I would not care. 

I have gotten into new cars that smell badly of smoke and had to tell the drive about it.


----------



## Dammit Mazzacane (Dec 31, 2015)

Jimmy Bernat said:


> You'd be crazy to start out ubering in a new to you car . Use the car you have like you're saying for a few months if you decide you really like this and are making decent money then consider a newer car but in all honesty I think your 2004 Corolla will be just fine for UberX


Agree - use up the car you have, as you have already invested in it for your own needs.

Just don't assume it will last as long as you anticipate after being part of this role, as regular use adds extra wear on it.


----------



## elelegido (Sep 24, 2014)

tohunt4me said:


> Pax will complain about Manuel Windows.
> Personally I like Manuel Windows.


I think I met Manuel Windows once. I said to him, "Oye Manuel está bien raro tu apellido, cabrón".


----------



## thesatanicmechanic (Nov 5, 2016)

I'd pax happily in a clean well cared for 04 corolla. by this age, the front and rear strust are probably pretty bead though. ensure it's tip-top and uber on!

Power window kits can be had pretty cheap on amazon and ebay. buy spare aftermarket interior and exterior door handles too. they were super flimsy on this Era corolla.


----------



## Melissa Pagan (Nov 19, 2016)

Nice info.


----------



## Adieu (Feb 21, 2016)

Finally somebody got it right


----------



## Adieu (Feb 21, 2016)

Wax the darn thing though

Pax can't tell the difference between shiny and good


----------



## crazytown (Nov 13, 2016)

Jimmy Bernat said:


> You'd be crazy to start out ubering in a new to you car . Use the car you have like you're saying for a few months if you decide you really like this and are making decent money then consider a newer car but in all honesty I think your 2004 Corolla will be just fine for UberX


Why give these cheap ****s any luxuries on your dollar , at these rates drive the oldest car you can as long as it's mechanically sound , don't run out and buy a new car for any uber category , it's like crapping money down the toilet, and if they don't like Los Manuel's windows tell them to order a select next time


----------



## Jimmy Bernat (Apr 12, 2016)

crazytown said:


> Why give these cheap &%[email protected]!*s any luxuries on your dollar , at these rates drive the oldest car you can as long as it's mechanically sound , don't run out and buy a new car for any uber category , it's like crapping money down the toilet, and if they don't like Los Manuel's windows tell them to order a select next time


Exactly . Even if you're doing Select or XL you should be trying to get the most economical car that meets your markets requirements


----------

