[Evan11Evan11]

Hello all,

So I've been driving uber for about 4 months now downtown Toronto and I love it. However, as many have mentioned on these threads, surges are becoming fewer and far between and without a surge price you barely make enough to be worth your time anymore after the safe ride fee and 20-25% deduction.

My lease is ending soon and I'm torn between getting a hybrid to make the short $4 rides worth it, buying a vehicle that can be used as XL or even more interested in getting a car that fits in the UberSelect category.

Now here are the hardcore questions:

Who here drives select in Toronto right now?

How often do you see select pings in Toronto?

I've heard the rides are worth it, but there are much less pings. However, those are all coming from other cities not Toronto. Any TO locals care to share how many rides they average an hour?

Which times are best for driving select? I'm sure rush hour is good (4-8pm) but what about mornings? And weekends especially?

Lastly, what cars do you recommend that won't break the bank for when I drive uberX in between the select calls.

Thanks everyone!!

 

[13210]

It's been said here many times before. Don't let driving for Uber influence your car-buying decision. If you use an UberX-type car for your daily driving, the additional cost to get an UberSelect vehicle will never be realized. I drive very sparingly now, but in my experience (and anecdotally), you're lucky if you get 1 UberSelect fare for every 15 UberX fares.

 

[kwzombie]

UberSelect seems to be being dropped in a lot of US markets, btw..

 

[biozon]

OMG, another SELECT thread

Why can't people use search?

what cars do you recommend that won't break the bank for when I drive uberX in between the select calls.

The answer was, is and will always stay the same - NEVER BUY A VEHICLE SPECIFICALLY FOR UBER. Not new, not used, none. It's not worth it. It's a really bad investment and you are better off Uber if you can't use the car you already have.

 

[kwzombie]

I'm always a bit shocked when I ride in an Uber and hear how the person bought the car just for Uber and it's a brand new Jetta/Elantra/etc.. in for a world of hurt when the car is worn out before the payments are.

 

[biozon]

Yeah, it's just some people don't realize what the depreciation means in general, let alone depreciation for a vehicle that was purchased specifically for Uber purposes.

 

[Exclusif]

I think a lot of ppl feel for the uber ads showing you making $700 - 1000/ week. So you would think buying a new car will be paid off before you know it if your making that kind of money. Also people fail to factor in the expenses until you get into it and by that time it's too late.

Anyways...OP Select pings are far in between, some weekends I don't even get 1 out of 30 rides that I do. If I'm lucky to get a select ping it's short distance like 3-4km which is still more then X but not eye poping.

If you are in market for a new car I would say get XL, most XL cars qualify for Select. This way you can get all 3 type of requests.

 

[Majkel]

There is no sense driving on uber select. Uber riders are so rare. I think to earn some money on uber you need hybrid car with propane installation lol or full electric car. Otherwise it has no sense. But buying these cars will cost you fortune, so there is no sense in uber. Ok, maybe in new years eve it will have little sense. Im passing with driving uber from next week.

 

[biozon]

There is no sense driving on uber select.

How do you mean? UberSELECT rates are more than 2 times more than UberX. So if you are driving a vehicle that's eligible for SELECT, you won't accept SELECT pings to get twice more fares?

I think to earn some money on uber you need hybrid car with propane installation lol or full electric car.

To earn money on Uber you need a vehicle that you already have and that qualifies for Uber. Buying a new or used vehicle specifically for Uber is madness. Even if you are going to do it full time. Especially now, when it's unclear what the new regulations will be next year.

 

[PoorBasterd]

I'm always a bit shocked when I ride in an Uber and hear how the person bought the car just for Uber and it's a brand new Jetta/Elantra/etc.. in for a world of hurt when the car is worn out before the payments are.

I think a lot of ppl fall for the uber ads showing you making $700 - 1000/ week. So you would think buying a new car will be paid off before you know it if your making that kind of money. Also people fail to factor in the expenses until you get into it and by that time it's too late.

Any half sensible person, if they just spent a little time with Google researching the good, the bad and the (f)ugly about Über would have reached the conclusion on their own that you just don't buy a car for Über. Why am I convinced of that? Because thats exactly what I did and that was the conclusion I reached when I still had my old 98 Corolla. And that was before all the fare reductions

It just amazes me how some people are so gullible and just run with the ball when they see dollar signs without getting the real story. These are probably the same people that buy the penis enlargement gimmicks shilled in the spam emails they get.

 

[Majkel]

Ok, fares are bigger, but pings from uber select are about 5-10 % of pings here in toronto. Of course there is no sense to buy new car for uber, but if you drive uber select your car isnt old 2000 kia rio with small 4 cylinder engine bought for 450 $ (this car will be great to transport uber riders), but something much better and newer like at least 2007 bmw, acura or cadillac vehicle with leather seats and much bigger engine, at least V6.

So when you have uber select car, you drive 95 % of time uberx passengers for uberx fares, but you pay more for a gas, maintence cost is bigger, your leather on seats can be damaged without protection, and your car losts its value each day.

Ok, you can take only uber select pings, but you can wait sometimes 3-4 days for them. And uber of course deactive you soon.

I will never drive uber again with car more expensive than 500$.

 

[biozon]

Ok, fares are bigger, but pings from uber select are about 5-10 % of pings here in toronto.

Even so, what's your point?

If you already have a vehicle that you drive for UberX, and it is eligible for SELECT, why not accept SELECT pings?

but if you drive uber select your car isnt old 2000 kia rio with small 4 cylinder engine bought for 450 $

Yes. I think everyone realizes that. Again, I don't understand your point.

(this car will be great to transport uber riders), but something much better and newer like at least 2007 bmw, acura or cadillac vehicle with leather seats and much bigger engine, at least V6.

So when you have uber select car, you drive 95 % of time uberx passengers for uberx fares, but you pay more for a gas, maintence cost is bigger, your leather on seats can be damaged without protection, and your car losts its value each day.

Ok, I think I'm starting to understand what you mean. Let me stop you right there.

1) I drive X, XL and SELECT. My statistics is that I get XL ping every 5 rides or so, SELECT ping every 10 rides or so on average. That's more than enough to compensate for increased gas consumption (which is 9.7 L on highway, BTW).

2) Maintenance for my Acura is generally just a tad more expensive than for Honda. Example - oil change costs $28 for labour, $58 including half-synthetic oil (I bring in my own Pennzoil synthetic which I buy for $30 in CT on sale). Pretty much sets the bar for the rest of the maintenance types. The vehicle is extremely reliable (mine is 7 years old, has 197K kms on it and never it failed me). I also do most of the maintenance myself (with exception of oil changes, cause it doesn't make any sense for me to do it for my Acura dealership will do it for $28. There is also old oil that you have to recycle after, so it's just not worth it. So I saved a lot of money.

3) Any seats can be damaged without protection.

4) Depreciation - it might be true for someone who plans to sell the vehicle someday or trade it in. I'm not planning to do so with my MDX. I love this car, and I will own it until it's not capable to drive anymore.

I will never drive uber again with car more expensive than 500$.

Well, you can't buy a $500 vehicle that qualifies for Uber of 2006 or newer year model in good condition today. So...

 

[PoorBasterd]

I will never drive uber again with car more expensive than 500$.

If you find a 4 wheel unicorn that's 2006 or newer for $500, PM me right away!

 

[Majkel]

Im not native english, so sometimes its hard for me to find good words to describe what i think.
Yes, uber allows only newer cars so why totally passed driving uber becouse its not possible to finding car in price lower or equal 500$. I stopped damaging my car in f****ing uber anymore. But i sometimes read forum.

 

[fourone6]

last week, Select was around 30% of my earnings. the week before i picked up a lady downtown requesting Select and drove her to Milton. $100 net earning one trip.

 

[showtimez]

You are at überX 3*zone and what do you do if you keep receiving 1* select or xl

 

[biozon]

From my over a year and close to 1000 rides experience with Uber, I've never had any significant surge (except for one UberX x2.4 last week). I would still accept SELECT or XL.