Uber Drivers Forum banner

New Car for Uber

Tags
audi newcar
2K views 28 replies 12 participants last post by  Olapse 
#1 ·
Hello Guys,
I am planning to get a new car for uber. I had been driving a civic Turbo for last 2 years. I normally drive like 3-4 days and help my wife in her cleaning business. I like cars and was thinking to buy Audi A3 at 30ish driveaway 47kms. I also saw A5 2015 around 35k driveaway (43k). I don't have issues with Finance, I'll be paying straight away. Is it ok to drive Audi A3 in uberx. Petrol is good as it is turbo but I know the kms we guys drive to get money is sick as, resulting the dep. The good part is you enjoy driving and that happiness makes you keep going. Is there any part I am missing on and should re-think buying. The other option was buying that A5 and can drive it as UberPremium for a year. I know it depends where and when you drive to get those trip to get Uber Premium. I am happy to spent more 4-5k if there is potential.
Any better ride suggestion welcome.

Thank you very much guys.

Regards,
The Uber Man
 
This post has been deleted
#3 ·
7 seat Sorrento or 8 seat Carnival - 2017/18 model diesel - You'll make way more with XL than premier - don't be dumb and buy an out of factory warranty Audi - complete madness - and don't fall for a non Audi dealership warranty -they're rubbish (heaps of exclusions and massive excess plus they stipulate you must get them to service the car) - school boy error mate - don't touch Audis

My mates wife's sister (dear sexy single Kath) bought a 2019 A5 2.0 turbo - it's on its 3rd engine and its second transmission - she knows all about A3s because she's been driving a dealership loaner for almost 12 months during the A5 repairs - she reckons the A3 is a heap of shit and she's a barrister so I guess she'd know
 
#7 ·
Lexus is much more reliable vs an Audi and cheaper parts too that last a lot longer.

Hello Guys,
I am planning to get a new car for uber. I had been driving a civic Turbo for last 2 years. I normally drive like 3-4 days and help my wife in her cleaning business. I like cars and was thinking to buy Audi A3 at 30ish driveaway 47kms. I also saw A5 2015 around 35k driveaway (43k). I don't have issues with Finance, I'll be paying straight away. Is it ok to drive Audi A3 in uberx. Petrol is good as it is turbo but I know the kms we guys drive to get money is sick as, resulting the dep. The good part is you enjoy driving and that happiness makes you keep going. Is there any part I am missing on and should re-think buying. The other option was buying that A5 and can drive it as UberPremium for a year. I know it depends where and when you drive to get those trip to get Uber Premium. I am happy to spent more 4-5k if there is potential.
Any better ride suggestion welcome.

Thank you very much guys.

Regards,
The Uber Man
On other news Audi unfortunately have a very short life when used commercially. Much better to go Mercedes commercial built/design if you want some euro trash. Don't get an Audi Neil because you'll regret it.
 
#8 ·
Turbo charged cars have a shorter lifespan and higher maintenance.
If you are thinking about doing Uber long term, best to get a hybrid.
They are cheaper to run i.e consumes no fuel in idle keeping in mind the time we spent idling waiting for pax and generally requires less regular maintenance. Brakes last far longer and transmissions are much simpler with core parts inside being electric motors/generators. I strongly recommend that you take the time to understand the mechanics of Toyota Hybrids' design and how they work. They're truly the marvels of engineering.

I understand the point about cars being enjoyable and fun to drive but rideshare is about making money. You are introducing emotions and personal preferences into a FINANCIAL DECISION.

I can almost guarantee if you purchase an EURO TURBO PETROL car for uber, it'd be the worst financial decision which you will regret for years to come.
 
#9 ·
Audi - the marque that ended my brother’s lifelong enthusiasm for owning European brands.
It was an A4, bought new, used privately, and cost him a fortune to keep going.
There used to be an old saying: “The only way to minimise your losses on selling an Audi is to trade it in on another new one”.
So true, still!
Euro cars generally tend to be about bragging rights at your golf club, not about economical operation.
 
#14 ·
Audi - the marque that ended my brother's lifelong enthusiasm for owning European brands.
It was an A4, bought new, used privately, and cost him a fortune to keep going.
There used to be an old saying: "The only way to minimise your losses on selling an Audi is to trade it in on another new one".
So true, still!
Euro cars generally tend to be about bragging rights at your golf club, not about economical operation.
I picked up a motoring journalist who reviews cars and writes for Drive magazine. He was dead set against European cars in general and Volkswagon in particular. VW have banned him from reviewing their cars. He told me stories of; German over - engineering causing unnecessary problems, horrific repair and servicing costs. E.g if the battery in your VW key goes flat, order a tow truck and the battery is quite expensive and sometimes VW are out of stock.

His only recommendation is to sell any European car when the warranty is kaput.

I had a Mercedes Benz customer complain to me that his 2016 Benz doesn't have a service book, as its all online. If you don't have proof that you service your car properly, resale value plummets. So he is forced to pay $900 to service his car instead of the $120 I pay.
 
#20 ·
The "sealed for life" advice by Ford Australia is interpreted as:

"Even though ZF Global recommended a Ford Australia schedule an auto service at 60,000 in the maintenance schedule, Ford Australia followed Detroit HQs directive to NOT to service the ZF 6HP26 as it doesn't make sense to increase the service cost as fleet managers will just buy Camrys"

take out: Ford Australia only cares if it makes it through the warranty period and not one millisecond afterwards
 
#19 ·
FG X is what I wanted but I could only afford an FG 2. FG X prices have held up brilliantly in the past 18 months. The reason is just what you said - owners are hanging onto them. Unlike pretty much everything barring a Toyota, most cars will be time bombs after 200,000ks but the FG in one tough bus. You're basically looking at the pinnacle of Australian automotive design and manufacturing. Engine, body, interior all tough and reliable.

Just make sure you flush that ZF 6 speed transmission - unlike Ford Australia's ridiculous advice - it isn't sealed for life. If you doubt this, just ring up a transmission shop - they'll say "flush transmission every 65,00". I love my FG - it's fast, reliable, comfortable and safe. I service it myself. And mine is actually going up in value. I only paid 7k for mine. I've done 45ks on it and I've only serviced the transmission and changed out the centre bearing on the driveshaft. Tough cars man.
The taxi industry couldn't kill them or HiAce's.
 
#21 ·
I got 1 ZF 6 auto transmission and mind you it pretty good and goes alright. Valve Body bent at 280k needed a new valve body cost for parts and labour $2850. Should of swapped it out for a newer 2nd trans at that stage would of just been a grand more. At 325k the torque converter went out and metal fragments in the whole transmission system which required a complete rebuild so wasted $$$ on the valve body as I had to get a brand new one as no workshop that reputable would touch it with metal fragments as they don't want to warranty it so that was another $5200 which isn't too bad usually looking at $6000 something for a full rebuild with warranty.

Will be throwing on the best active transmission cooler money can buy and installing it on it so I don't have to put in another transmission rebuild in the next 300k something which is pretty usual anyways as a dinosaur taxi fleet owner told me ford trans require rebuilds around that time. You get any kind of drama near 300k it most economical to just do a rebuild. The old bumpa was right :biggrin:

Even looked after, heat, use and load will kill something overtime. One thing that can effectively make it last longer is reducing that heat in the transmission by attaching a beefy aftermarket trans cooler.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Olapse
#22 ·
Two things kill 6HP26 transmissions:

heat - get a good cooler
Fluid/filter not changed out every 60,000

and these two problems are not mutually exclusive- dunno why people think transmission fluid has magical properties??
It's hydraulic fluid and it fatigues and breaks down and stops doing it's job - just like coolant, oil and brake fluid
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top