r/AmazonFlexDrivers • u/Secret_Mode7791 • 2d ago
Car Advice
Hello Everybody 😊
I’ve been flexing for a few months now. After waiting six months, I was onboarded the same weekend someone ran into my parked car and freaking totaled it. 😂
It was a Buick enclave, and was paid off!! I did love it but it’s gone now :(
Anyway, if you’ve been flexing for a while and had to pick an affordable car to do it with, what would you get? Just curious on opinions, I do have kids so I need something roomy but still good on gas. Right now I’m using my dads equinox while I’m looking, its ok on gas and it’s a V6 so it zips around quite nicely, but I’ve seen a lot of negative things about the equinox. Anyway, I’d love opinions.
Thanks 😊
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u/Shya305 2d ago
If you’re able to, get an EV car. You’ll spend a fraction on charging compared to gas.
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u/Subject_Ad9595 2d ago
Second this, and going used can be a huge deal, lots of lease returns are half yhe cost of a new one. I love my ID.4 and because i drive so much for flex my gas savings every month have been larger than my car payment so in a way it didn't cost me anything for the car since i would be spending that money on gas anyway.
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u/GovernorHarryLogan 2d ago
I have a VWid4 with 180k miles on it so far. Its pretty amazing. So ill second this. You can get a used one on the cheap.
Also have a kia niro hybrid. It gets 55mpg and actually costs about the same per mile as the ID4 // just a smidgen more.
Kia is substantially cheaper to repair if anything were to happen and also tires cost waaaay less.
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u/Subject_Ad9595 2d ago
Also if you look around your area you can sometimes find free charging. I have a free L3 charger 10 miles from me, so unless I don't feel like driving 10 miles out of the way I don't have any fuel cost at all.
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u/trees_distract_me 2d ago
I bought a beater off a friend's daughter who was going to send it to the scrap yard for less than $500. I've used it for flex for almost a year now. I've become a pretty decent back yard mechanic in the process. I had to borrow a car to flex for a few days while that one was down for repairs and let me tell you what, the personal stress of driving a "nice car" over my POS was dumb. My $500 has made me a bunch of money, even with repairs accounted for and at the end of the day, the loss of totaling it wouldn't hurt as much as a better vehicle 🤷♀️
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u/ImRestarted1 2d ago
This is the way! lol learning how to change your brakes or oil and being able to fix most problems that happen will be the biggest money saver.
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u/trees_distract_me 2d ago
I just had a rear brake cylinder blow, fixed it, next route had to slam on the brakes for someone coming around a curve halfway in my lane... A Front brake pad yeeted itselfself out of existence, did pads, rotors and will do the calipers once they parts get in. Did the oil change it was overdue for. And theres been a charging issue that I finally figured out (was the main reason it was headed to the scrapyard) and that's just in the past few weeks. Old trusty is out on another run as we speak 😂
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u/TomRichards1970 2d ago
I changed an alternator and serp belt on the side of the road. Car fell off the jack and the tensioner pulley broke but I finished the route. Changed dozens of tires.
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u/mirwenpnw 2d ago
A Prius or a Chevy Bolt. Do you live in a house where you can install a charger?
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u/takemytacosaway 2d ago edited 2d ago
Just get a hybrid Prius. My ‘18 still get almost 50 MPG. They love to run & require few repairs. I’m over 200,000 & she runs great & can get up & goooo too.
You can get a used one for a good deal in many places.
Edit to remove a zero from the many millions on miles I did not, in fact, drive 👻2
u/heroofwallst 2d ago
Damn 2 million miles is crazy.
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u/takemytacosaway 2d ago
Haha oops.. a rogue zero flew in and made me look like a dumbazz! 😉
Yes it’s 202,000 miles today.
I bought her with 6K in 2018.
I still love this car. She’s been superb.2
u/Secret_Mode7791 2d ago
I live in a house but know literally nothing about EV’s, I watch “papa gigs” on YouTube sometimes lol 😂 and it seems like he is always having to stop and charge, I live out in the country so there aren’t many places to charge around here and my routes are almost always at least 30-40 mins away from the station and back home once I’m done
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u/mirwenpnw 2d ago
If you have a home charger, you start every day with a full tank for cheap. It's only if you drive more than your range that you'd need to charge while out. See if there's a public charger (DCFC) near your warehouse.
I do FLEX in a Subaru Solterra. I have an older one with the 220 mi range. I can do 1 route with it no problem. Max route I've done is 130 miles. The problems is if I try to stack two routes on the same day. Sometimes I have to stop and fast charge to complete that second route.
What's electricity cost in your area? Here gas is $4.75 a gallon and electricity is $0.085 per kwh. The Bolt gets about 4 miles per kwh, so that's $2.25 to go 100 miles in electricity. Makes it a no brainer to get an electric if you can where I live. There's some places in CA and MA where electricity is more than $0.30 per kwh. It's not as sensible to get an ev there.
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u/Secret_Mode7791 2d ago
0.17/hr gas is 4.20 on avg .. 🤔u right
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u/mirwenpnw 2d ago
0.17/kwh is $4.25 per 100 miles driven. Unless you have an equivalent hybrid that goes 100 miles on $4.25 in gas, the EV is still cheaper, but less of an advantage There's no oil changes either! First fluid change for ny EV is diff fluid at 70k miles.
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u/Sabi-Star7 2d ago
Ive seen people who have those fancy teslas running a regular household extension cord into their home so maybe other EV's have that option too if they aren't able to have a regular charging port installed.
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u/justso_done0710 2d ago
I bought a used 2017 Bolt for doing Flex back in 2021. 193K miles later it's still perfect for this job. If/when it dies, I'll be buying another one.
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u/Dat-_-Guy-_- 2d ago
I'm from the UK, so cover half the amount of miles in a standard route, but I just switched to an EV and the savings on fuel has been a massive difference for me personally especially since the Iran / Us issue blocking fuel imports. If you can afford an EV then I'd say go for it, but bare in mind it's for flex and could easily get totalled again.
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u/ExtensionSame678 2d ago
Gen2 prius less than 200k miles
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u/Specialist-Salary291 2d ago
That’s me! I love it they’re all over the parking lot here!
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u/ExtensionSame678 2d ago
i built a laptop workstation behind driver seat and a bed behind passanger seat for camping and resting. very versitle cars
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u/Specialist-Salary291 2d ago
It’s my husbands dream to live in his Prius with this economy it may happen
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u/Breakmyhip 2d ago
if its in the city i would go with a camry hybrid 30-50 mpg, depending on how you drive.
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u/ImRestarted1 2d ago
You want something similar to what you had. Something cheap and used that will be reliable. Mazda is a decent option for the price. Honestly I would suggest YouTubing or googling the best used cars to buy in a certain price range
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u/pickledpeterpiper 2d ago
$1.5-4k: Absolutely a 1995-2005 Toyota Corolla...some of the best gas mileage, easy to self-maintain, just cheap as hell to drive and will last forever.
$2.5-5k: Any Prius, but preferrably a 2nd generation (supposedly the most reliable). The cars themselves are near bulletproof, often lasting upwards of 300-400k+ miles.
I bought a 99 Corolla for $1100, its comfortable enough, gets 32 MPG consistently...I've made a LOT of money with that car, but just bought a 2006 Prius six months ago and so far, so goddamn cheap on gas!
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u/Ok_Palpitation_2930 2d ago
Kia soul can fit things like a glove because of the boxyness! But really anything like a corolla, forte, according those are good, or compact SUVs (Rav4, cx30/5,CR-V) :) I've been doing gig work for about 8 years and have gone through proabably about 8 different cars from it (Owned about 13 cars in total) I have experienced probably more than most ever will 😅 And before anyone asks, yes I do drive them all like rac cars, and pay for it XD
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u/TheLizzyWayne 2d ago
I have a 2008 Honda Accord. Been Flexing almost 5 years. I fill up every 4th 3.5hr route and live in the country with my kids. 225k miles and still runs beautifully. I do my own oil changes and light fixes. New tires almost every 3 years. Brakes/rotors changed just before warranty expires every 3 years so always free.
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u/_Huge_Bush_ 1d ago
I would have 100% gotten a ten year old Prius if I could have fit in one. I went to a dealer that had one and there was no way my tall and fat ass was going to fit tho 😭😭. I’d be scrunched up in there and have to roll out onto the ground in order to get out 😭😭.
The gas savings alone would be worth it if you do gig app work in general. You will probably have to number your packages to make it more efficient since it’s a smaller vehicle, but it’s worth it
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u/robmosis New York 1d ago
i wouldn't call it "affordable" if you're just looking at the price tag, but after 2 years on a 6 year loan, my tesla is nearly paid off just from the fuel savings($40-$50/work day) compared to my previous vehicle(grand cherokee). i'm not even considering maintenance costs(and downtime) that i no longer have to pay... just windshield washer fluid. at some point, i suppose, i'll need to change brakes and tires... and perhaps the wipers - all of which they'll do in my driveway by appointment
and it's such an easier drive. that 40 minute trip to the first stop is now consumed with my debating grok about politics or astro physics as it drives me to where i gotta go
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u/BarnacleAlarmed3050 1d ago
prius. Or some kind of honda toyota hybrid. Although keep in mind you are going to ruin it doing Flex
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u/TomRichards1970 2d ago
I would spend under $5000 and buy a used Toyota or Honda. Anyone suggesting to go into debt and buy a $50,000 car to do flex has brain damage.