I don’t have occasion to Uber or Lyft very often, but when I do, I’m always curious about the car and driver that are picking me up. Sometimes, if not oftentimes, it’s clear the driver is simply using their daily to generate a little extra cash, a side hustle if you will (a euphemism I don’t particularly like myself, but it’s what the kids say). I’ve stuffed myself and my family into base-spec Dodge Chargers, Nissan Altimas, one Chevy Bolt, an F-150, and somehow, a Kia Rondo twice. Different Rondos, mind you, not the same guy two times. Each was acceptably not-filthy but hardly clean, and personalized to one degree or another with touches ranging from sentimental (family photo on the dash) to silly (stick-on Pep Boys portals).
Other times, I feel safe assuming the driver has chosen their vehicle expressly for Ubering. I usually make the call based on how clean the exterior of the car is, the degree to which the interior is free of any traces that a family of any sort is using the car on the reg, and whether the driver appears fresh and ready for a few hours of driving or looks as if they’ve already seen a full day’s work. Of course, the biggest tell is the vehicle being something that makes sense for the task at hand, such as a large sedan or full-sized SUV. Bonus points if it’s black.
As I ride along to the airport, I can’t help but wonder what I would choose if I had to rely on a ride-share service for my main income. The “ultimate Uber” answers are easy – Rolls Royce Phantom, Mercedes Maybach S-Class, that sort of thing – but upon descending to the real world, where I have to insure the thing and cover maintenance and repairs while being frugal with my Uber-earnings, the choices narrow and become far, far less spendy.
I’ve researched this exactly zero, but I feel like a well-kept, later-model Lincoln Town Car would be a good choice. You can actually spend pretty big on these things if you want a minty example (as high as $46,000 by our last accounting), but we don’t need a showroom-condition car here. No, just a clean copy that’s been well maintained, nice-old-lady style, is all we need. Acquiring such a machine shouldn’t require a huge outlay of cash, and with the Town Car being about as time-tested as a car can be, and produced in copious quantities for decades (until it wasn’t), the luxurious Panther platformer should be easy to keep running while keeping customers happy in the back seat.
Your turn: You’re Going All-In As An Uber Driver. What Vehicle Are You Choosing For The Job?
Top graphic image: Bring A TrailerÂ
Wouldn’t a Lincoln Town Car be far too old for most markets? Last I checked, most big cities require cars 8-10 years old or newer
Per an earlier suggestion of Toyota Solara convertible: I like both gens of Solaras, though I probably wouldn’t opt for the convertible (a 2nd gen Solara softop feels pretty damn close to a Lexus for way less $) but I don’t think a two-door car would be great for rideshare work unless you always wanted to sit next to your customer. Getting into/out of the backseat of a Solara would be difficult for those over 40ish, and the convertible top mechanism just makes it tight back there. Great car though!
Peter, the fact that you did ‘zero research’ just proves you’re right: a last-gen Town Car seems about perfect for that kind of work. Is that one the same as the one that Marshall Givens drives in the Fox series Justified? Even more bonus points if so. 😉
Honestly, as long it’s clean, safe, and relatively well kept (no annoying rattles, smells, etc), any car will do.
As a frequent passenger, I get that it isn’t an easy side gig, and likely not anyone’s first choice for employment. So buy whatever you can afford, that fits whatever niche you want to drive for.
Toyota Avalon hybrid.
GMC Yukon XL Denali, black on black, diesel. This lets you get Uber Black certification which pays significantly more per ride.
Most full time Uber/Lyft drivers go electric for the operating costs. Typically they use a Chevy Bolt, which is what I’d choose. It gets about 4 miles per kwh and you rarely have to drive far enough to fast charge.
I Uber during my off-season from my regular job. I used my Mustang Mach E this past year which was perfect. The customers loved the car and it barely cost me anything on fuel. When you count IRS mileage write offs I came out pretty far ahead
Just thinking about leaving my well-paying profession of 33 years to drive an Uber gives me the willies. Everyone I know would ask me what the hell I’m doing driving an Uber.
But if I had to do it, it would be in a Solara convertible, so the passengers could be comfortable, it wouldn’t break down, and there would be a trunk for their luggage. And if they didn’t like getting a ride with the top down, they could wait for the next driver in his Chevy Trax or Hyundai Whatever.
And if a Miata would work for Uber, hang on, passenger, we’re getting there with a smile on our faces.
A Toyota hybrid. Don’t really care which (well, maybe not one of the truck-based ones, give me that eCVT), but they’ve been prized by taxi drivers pretty much since they came out for a reason.
Mind you, I’m never going all-in as an Uber driver because I can do the math on depreciation and know that it’s a bad way to make a living.
Prius V.
^^^ at least 80% of the taxis in my city I see are new Prius’s. It’s just a no-brainer.
There is a good reason that livery services used Town Cars so heavily for limos and black car services, and why taxi fleets rocked the Crown Vic. The engine was dead reliable and would go forever, only needing coil packs replaced on occasion. On the Lincoln, the air bags on the rear suspension eventually fail, but they are quick repair.
So yes, they are great cars for that purpose, but as others have mentioned, they are aging out for ride sharing use, and fuel efficiency is much more important when the app is squeezing your revenues.
There is a reason the RAV4 hybrid is the most popular taxi/uber ride in my city. They just work so well for that duty. If I needed a bigger car, I’d probably do the Sienna hybrid.
Always look to what the taxis are using
The main taxi service where I live uses Kia Souls. So maybe not
As someone who’s in an Uber almost every day, there’s only two things that I care about. Headroom/legroom, and door opening devices.
Headroom/legroom is obvious. You have to make sure that a normal sized person can fit in your back seat without hitting their head on the ceiling with every bump.
Door handles, on the other hand, seem to be a weird thing to care about. Every car has them, after all. But interior handles are not always in the same place, and when it’s dark out, they can be difficult to find. And don’t get me started on electric exterior handles. I know Jason had written about the stupidity of electric handles and I fully agree. There should be a law that all interior and exterior handles need to be in the same location on every car.
Oh that’s easy… the Prius for a regular city driver. If I wanted to accommodate larger people and larger groups, then the Sienna hybrid.
The key to being a successful Uber driver is keeping costs down. And the Toyota hybrids like the Prius and Sienna have the lowest Total Cost of Ownership… or close to it.
Eventually BEVs will the the answer here… but not yet as they are still much more expensive to buy and more expensive to insure.
It’s been a long time since I checked, but I remember that at one time, Uber required your vehicle be no older than ten years old….which would, sadly, eliminate Town Cars (which I 100% agree would be the perfect Uber car).
Toyota Sienna Hybrid. Maximize potential fares and minimize potential expenses.
A Mazda5 for comfort, or a Prius V for maximum economy. The small Prius C is a popular ride share car because they are cheap and economical, but Sligh cramped. The big Prius addresses space while still being cheap to run
Prius. You don’t get reimbursed for fuel, so a V8 is phenomenally poor business decision.