# Car Maintenance



## sanchez15 (May 16, 2016)

Headlight is out amd brakes are squeaking but cant afford to fix. What does an Uber driver do?

Uber takes to high of a cut is putting too much money into other projects amd charges too little.


----------



## keb (Jul 8, 2017)

Yes, uber doesn't pay enough. 

Brakes
Engines
Transmissions
Lights
Oil changes
Alignments
Tires/rotations
etc

I'm not sure how the average uber driver can afford to keep their car properly maintained.


----------



## SEAL Team 5 (Dec 19, 2015)

sanchez15 said:


> Headlight is out amd brakes are squeaking but cant afford to fix. What does an Uber driver do?


The brakes are suppose to squeak when they are worn. It's called a brake indicator. It's a little tab on the brake pad that scratches the rotor when the pad wears down. DO NOT put this off. DO NOT turn a $100 routine maintenance item into a $1000 major brake overhaul. Screw the headlight. That's just a fix it ticket if you get stopped. Do not overlook the most important safety item in your vehicle, your brakes.


----------



## 4.9 forever (May 31, 2017)

Simply go to the bank account you opened just to put a percentage of your earnings in each week. You know you are putting wear on your car with each mile, so you planned ahead and have set aside the money you need now to invest in your business.


----------



## BornToBeGuilty (Jul 28, 2017)

Work smarter not harder. Brake pads are pretty easy to do yourself and a pretty inexpensive item. Some auto parts places offer lifetime warranty on these items so it's really a one time expense. All you lose out on is time to do them and once you know how it takes all of 20 minutes to do.

Get them replaced as soon as possible. Last thing you want is pax reporting you for feeling unsafe and you getting deactivated. Otherwise brakes and a headlight won't be the only thing you can't afford anymore.


----------



## Cableguynoe (Feb 14, 2017)

sanchez15 said:


> Headlight is out amd brakes are squeaking but cant afford to fix. What does an Uber driver do?
> 
> Uber takes to high of a cut is putting too much money into other projects amd charges too little.


This is simple stuff. If you cant afford to fix a headlight and brakes, when you have a real engine problem you are going to be screwed.
Find a mechanic on Craigslist that will work for $40 an hour. 2 hours tops for both fixes. Another $75 for the brakes and headlights.


----------



## Titanium Uber (Mar 5, 2017)

If you can't afford a headlight maybe bicycle messenger would be a better job.


----------



## wb6vpm (Mar 27, 2016)

regarding the headlights, it could be more involved, some cars you damn near have to disassemble the front end to get to the bulb, and if they are HID, that is an expensive fix (bulbs themselves can be >$100)


----------



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

You hit the end of the line,









This isn't even big fixes, this is routine maintenance. This is stuff that happens.

If you don't even have a few hundred saved up for this i'm guessing $1000 for an accident deductible is impossible for you to round up?

$500 for engine work?

$1500 for lyft's deductible?

This is a case of... your making less money than you thought you were, and now when the repairs start hitting you your suddenly realizing how little you have actually make. And it's a LOT less than you think you did.

Over the course of 230,000 miles i sunk almost $75,000 into buying, fueling, and keeping a $30,000 minivan on the road and from falling apart. (not counting insurance.)

But i brought in over $200,000 in revenue over 3 1/2 years in THAT TAXI

What uber is giving you per mile is entirely unacceptable for someone without access to their own shop and experienced mechanic on the payroll.

Driving a taxi (cough) brakes wear out a LOT faster than anything resembling normal driving.

You have fallen for the uber scam hook line and sinker, and now reality has set in.

Wish there was something I could say to help.

https://www.gofundme.com/

Time to beg for money.


----------



## Kationds (Apr 21, 2017)

sure thing what you've gotta do now is not to start going anywhere with that car if you can't afford fixing it. 


sanchez15 said:


> Headlight is out amd brakes are squeakin


headlight and brakes... to me these are ones of the most important details in a car....


----------



## ispeakthetruth (May 18, 2017)

Go start a go fund me account. I'm sure your fellow drivers will pitch in. As soon as you set it up I will give $20.00. Let us know when it's set up.


----------



## Adieu (Feb 21, 2016)

SEAL Team 5 said:


> The brakes are suppose to squeak when they are worn. It's called a brake indicator. It's a little tab on the brake pad that scratches the rotor when the pad wears down. DO NOT put this off. DO NOT turn a $100 routine maintenance item into a $1000 major brake overhaul. Screw the headlight. That's just a fix it ticket if you get stopped. Do not overlook the most important safety item in your vehicle, your brakes.


Then why do they squeak sometimes but not always?



wb6vpm said:


> regarding the headlights, it could be more involved, some cars you damn near have to disassemble the front end to get to the bulb, and if they are HID, that is an expensive fix (bulbs themselves can be >$100)


HID bulbs from China are $8.99 / pair

Last at least a few months of always-on driving, and thats with HEAVY flashing to change red lights....which the instructions say beats on them mercilessly.

STILL btighter better much cheaper and longer lasting than Sylvania.



Mears Troll Number 4 said:


> You hit the end of the line,
> View attachment 145403
> 
> 
> ...


Wow.

Your costs are out of control.

Try driving heavier-duty govt surplus SUVs for 3-row taxi vehicles instead....MUCH better than 30 cents per mile of vehicle costs.

N/m, thats WITH fueling? Ok then not so bad


----------



## SEAL Team 5 (Dec 19, 2015)

Adieu said:


> Then why do they squeak sometimes but not always?


Dirt or break dust between the pad and rotor. Try going in reverse about 15 mph and hit the brakes hard. This will help clean the rotors, but don't depend on it. Have your brakes checked at your next oil change. All you have to do is pull off the tire to see the pads, caliper and rotor.


----------



## Adieu (Feb 21, 2016)

Kationds said:


> sure thing what you've gotta do now is not to start going anywhere with that car if you can't afford fixing it.
> 
> headlight and brakes... to me these are ones of the most important details in a car....


Thats not repair thats maintenance. These things are not SUPPOSED to last indefinitely


----------



## Queenofthepak (Apr 29, 2016)

Change the headlight or bulb yourself. Either way, very easy.


----------



## pacifico (May 13, 2017)

sanchez15 said:


> Headlight is out amd brakes are squeaking but cant afford to fix. What does an Uber driver do?
> 
> Uber takes to high of a cut is putting too much money into other projects amd charges too little.


1.- An uber driver will stop working for uber and look for another job while he fix his car.
2.- Uber offers and you accept the payments, is up to you to determine if it is enough for you or not


----------



## wb6vpm (Mar 27, 2016)

Adieu said:


> HID bulbs from China are $8.99 / pair
> 
> Last at least a few months of always-on driving, and thats with HEAVY flashing to change red lights....which the instructions say beats on them mercilessly.
> 
> STILL btighter better much cheaper and longer lasting than Sylvania.


Yikes, I'm not sure how comfortable I would feel using those, knowing how much a replacement ballast costs if it fries it, but to each their own .

Flashing high beams (in most HID setups (YMMV for HID conversions, since the original system was halogen, which is much less susceptible to short duration on/off)) will not do anything to them, since when using just "flash to pass" mode, it does not turn off the low beams, it just turns on the high beam bulbs while leaving the low beams on. Some HID setups even use the same bulb for both, with a motor that adjusts the cutoff to mimic high beams.

I don't have any experience to compare the two, but I typically use Phillips bulbs, not Sylvania anyways unless I have to, overall, I've had good luck with their products.


----------



## UberDez (Mar 28, 2017)

If you can't afford $50 you have a big money management issue


----------



## Adieu (Feb 21, 2016)

wb6vpm said:


> Yikes, I'm not sure how comfortable I would feel using those, knowing how much a replacement ballast costs if it fries it, but to each their own .
> 
> Flashing high beams (in most HID setups (YMMV for HID conversions, since the original system was halogen, which is much less susceptible to short duration on/off)) will not do anything to them, since when using just "flash to pass" mode, it does not turn off the low beams, it just turns on the high beam bulbs while leaving the low beams on. Some HID setups even use the same bulb for both, with a motor that adjusts the cutoff to mimic high beams.
> 
> I don't have any experience to compare the two, but I typically use Phillips bulbs, not Sylvania anyways unless I have to, overall, I've had good luck with their products.


The ballast and bulbs kit costs $29.99 on amazon lol

Also my retrofit doesnt technically HAVE high beams, and is wired to flash low beams on/off when high beam stalk is pulled


----------



## wb6vpm (Mar 27, 2016)

Adieu said:


> The ballast and bulbs kit costs $29.99 on amazon lol
> 
> Also my retrofit doesnt technically HAVE high beams, and is wired to flash low beams on/off when high beam stalk is pulled


For clarity, I was referring to factory HID, and that was what I was basing my comments on .


----------



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

Adieu said:


> Wow.
> 
> Your costs are out of control.
> 
> ...


WITH Fueling... yeah with fuel that's the right number, if that didn't include fuel bajebus...

That's including 2 sets of upholstery replacements (the middle bench three times, the back bench once, drive seat twice, front passenger once) , a carpet replacement, 2 engine rebuilds, a transmission replacement, A professional custom wrap decal, a repaint/rewrap,, a meter ($1000), and that's the Major work...


----------



## UberDez (Mar 28, 2017)

Mears Troll Number 4 said:


> WITH Fueling... yeah with fuel that's the right number, if that didn't include fuel bajebus...
> 
> That's including 2 sets of upholstery replacements (the middle bench three times, the back bench once, drive seat twice, front passenger once) , a carpet replacement, 2 engine rebuilds, a transmission replacement, A professional custom wrap decal, a repaint/rewrap,, a meter ($1000), and that's the Major work...


Wow I would have junked that mini van 2 rebuilds in under 250k miles that's pathetic . What kind of mini van ?


----------



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

UberDezNutz said:


> Wow I would have junked that mini van 2 rebuilds in under 250k miles that's pathetic . What kind of mini van ?


230,000 miles (probably half-2/3rd City) with probably 3,000 idle hours.

Most sources put 1 hour of idling at 33 miles, so thats probably another 100,000 miles worth. (In Florida heat, you idle or your in a sweat-box. Most of the time i just cruised the tourist hotels and restaurants in the day/evening) 10-12 hours with 200 miles and i very much doubt i'd even turn the engine off for more than 20 minutes total.

http://www.hendonpub.com/resources/article_archive/results/details?id=3788


----------



## UberDez (Mar 28, 2017)

Mears Troll Number 4 said:


> 230,000 miles (probably half-2/3rd City) with probably 3,000 idle hours.
> 
> Most sources put 1 hour of idling at 33 miles, so thats probably another 100,000 miles worth. (In Florida heat, you idle or your in a sweat-box. Most of the time i just cruised the tourist hotels and restaurants in the day/evening) 10-12 hours with 200 miles and i very much doubt i'd even turn the engine off for more than 20 minutes total.
> 
> http://www.hendonpub.com/resources/article_archive/results/details?id=3788


Idling thing makes a little more sense and florida the thing was probably starting to rust . Luckily in Denver it never really gets cold enough to need to idle with the heater on and it rarely gets hot enough to need to idle with the AC on


----------

