[NJDriver]

I just want to get the cheapest SUV to drive NYC TLC. I see lots of Suburbans, but they come at a Premium. I can get a 2016 Ford Expedition 2wd XLT with leather, nav, sunroof and all the rest for under 50k.

I know it will fly with Uber, but will it fly with the passengers? Thoughts? Feel free to give me your opinion. I want to talk it out first before I spend 50k.

 

[cybertec69]

I just want to get the cheapest SUV to drive NYC TLC. I see lots of Suburbans, but they come at a Premium. I can get a 2016 Ford Expedition 2wd XLT with leather, nav, sunroof and all the rest for under 50k.

I know it will fly with Uber, but will it fly with the passengers? Thoughts? Feel free to give me your opinion. I want to talk it out first before I spend 50k.

You should go the AWD route, especially SUV, and sign up with another base, since your will be fed many uberx jobs with uber, which is the end for you and your SUV.

 

[NJDriver]

The Chevy Suburban and the Ford Expedition are 4wd systems not AWD. This means you only engage the 4wd system when you cant get by with 2wd. The 4wd is not engaged when it rains or there is a light snow. In fact, many might never need to engage 4wd at all in this area. If they drive up an unplowed driveway or on an unplowed road, if they back their boat down the wet ramp...perhaps, but once thats done it goes back into 2wd. You generally do not drive for extended periods with the 4wd on.

The AWD system found on the new Yukon Denali is always on and the system will spin certain wheels certain speeds depending upon conditions. Thats AWD.

4wd adds 250 lbs of weight to the vehicle and is the only true difference between with and without. That said, 250 lbs is a bit of weight to carry around all the time. It will zap about .5 to 1 mpg. Over 200 to 300k miles thats a lot of gas.

The only reason a livery or Uber driver should get 4wd is if they care about resale value. Many people feel they need it for NYC, but the reality is they dont know what they are talking about. They will very rarely engage it if ever in NYC. Most probably after the first big snow storm they will go out before the roads are plowed to test it out, but that will be the only time they will need it.

 

[ubernyc]

If you do buy an suv, don't join uber because 9/10 trips will be uber x. Join black cR base and do uber when slow

 

[NJDriver]

This is my experience exactly with UberX which makes me hesitate about the SUV. I find that if 4 people with lots of bags are going to the airport together they all pile into my Camry. As for the luggage, we fit as much as we can in the trunk and the rest goes on the passengers in the back or in the middle of the legs of the person in the front. People would rather ride uncomfortably with luggage on top of them for a half hour versus a more comfortable time in a decent SUV.

Im not quite sure who would call up the SUV or the Black Car.

 

[Engineer]

4wd is complete nonsense. I wanted to give it a try on 14 Yukon XL. Car response is really weird. It's acceleration slowed down and shifting became too slow. Never needed 4WD anyway.

That being said, if uber sends you uberX trips never ever think about driving an SUV.

 

[PoorBasterd]

Get a Toyota RAV4.
- Lots of leg room in the back seat
- tight turning radius for U turns
- Toyota makes the most reliable engines in the automotive industry
- very powerful yet economical
- made in North America.
- won't spend as much time in the garage as the Ford / GM / Chrysler nonsense.

 

[turbovator]

I just want to get the cheapest SUV to drive NYC TLC. I see lots of Suburbans, but they come at a Premium. I can get a 2016 Ford Expedition 2wd XLT with leather, nav, sunroof and all the rest for under 50k.

I know it will fly with Uber, but will it fly with the passengers? Thoughts? Feel free to give me your opinion. I want to talk it out first before I spend 50k.

Do you really want to spend $50 grand on a vehicle to drive for a company that has a "It's my way or the highway" mentality? Uber does and can deactivate accounts at will without even telling you why or even hearing your side of the issue. Where would the money for the vehicle payments come from if they did that to you? Reading some of the posts on this site, before you jump in ass first and get into a 4-5 year payment contract for a vehicle could help you to make an intelligent decision.

 

[Richard Cranium]

Do you really want to spend $50 grand on a vehicle to drive for a company that has a "It's my way or the highway" mentality? Uber does and can deactivate accounts at will without even telling you why or even hearing your side of the issue. Where would the money for the vehicle payments come from if they did that to you? Reading some of the posts on this site, before you jump in ass first and get into a 4-5 year payment contract for a vehicle could help you to make an intelligent decision.

Unless you truly NEED a new vehicle and are ok with it getting extreme mileage put on it.
Oh and to hell with what the Pax like, they are in it for 30min tops most of the time. YOU have to be comfortable with your vehicle.
Basically don't buy a car, especially a new one, to Uber in. IMHO>

RC