It’s no secret that the way we get around is changing.
More and more people are opting for ride-sharing services like Uber instead of owning a car.
If you’re looking to start driving for Uber, you’ll need a car.
But what are your options?
Here are six ways to get a car with Uber in 2023.
Table Of Contents
Uber Car Requirements
In order to drive a vehicle for an Uber service, drivers must meet some basic Uber vehicle requirements before getting approved.
These standards are in place to ensure the best possible ride for passengers, and are actually pretty light:
- Must have four doors and have the ability to transport at least four passengers
- The vehicle can not be more than 15 years old
- Salvaged, reconstructed, or rebuilt vehicles don’t qualify
- Vehicles can’t have any significant cosmetic damage, missing pieces, commercial branding, or taxi paint jobs
- Only Uber-approved rental vehicles qualify
- Auto insurance is required
The requirement for Uber Eats is even less strenuous, with drivers only needing to have a valid 2- or 4-door car, current driver’s license, and a social security number.
UberEats will also allow deliveries by scooter and bicycle in certain areas, but that will restrict your options.
Can You Get A Car With Uber?
Yes!
If you want to be a driver for Uber and purchasing a vehicle isn’t something you can handle, Uber is there to help.
Uber partners with several rental car companies to allow interested drivers to make short- and long-term rentals.
How Do You Get A Car To Drive For Uber?
Uber only allows approved rental vehicles.
However, many rental car companies partner with Uber to offer drivers more options.
Let’s look at some of the major rental companies.
Rent With Hertz
Hertz is one of the largest rental car companies in North America, and they partner with Uber.
As a result, they offer a large variety of cars that meet Uber’s criteria.
Drivers can rent by the week and drive unlimited miles.
Hertz also tries to help with longer-term renting with easy renewal options.
So if you’re looking for the best car for Uber, Hertz is a great option.
Rent With Turo
Turo is a car-sharing marketplace.
In other words, users can put up their vehicles for rent, and other users can rent a car from what’s available.
Turo is an excellent service, but it is not Uber-approved.
If Uber catches drivers using non-approved vehicles, drivers risk having their accounts deactivated.
So, it’s best to avoid Turo if you’re looking for an Uber option.
You can learn more about how Turo works here.
Rent with Fair
The Fair app is a used car leasing service.
For many years, Uber and Fair partnered to allow Uber drivers to make rentals and short-term leases.
However, in mid-2020, Fair ended their weekly Uber rentals, citing rising insurance costs.
Shortly after that, they ended their Uber program altogether.
Fair is an option for an Uber driver looking to lease their car, but they no longer have an Uber partnership.
Rent With Getaround
If you’re just looking to drive for Uber once in a while, Getaround may be an option for you.
Getaround offers hourly rentals of vehicles through the use of their app.
Getaround will show you available vehicles.
Then, you make your way there, get in, and go.
Getaround is convenient, but continually updating your vehicle’s information every time you drive may not be.
Getaround is also available to drivers in Boston, San Francisco, Washington DC, Atlanta, Denver, Los Angeles, Portland, Philadelphia, San Diego, Seattle, and Atlanta.
Rent With Avis
As another sizable rental-car provider, it’s no surprise that Avis partners with Uber to give drivers easy access to Uber-approved vehicles.
Avis provides a great selection of cars along with insurance, so it’s everything drivers need.
Avis provides vehicles for weekly rentals, and drivers can keep their vehicles for up to eight weeks before needing to return and exchange.
Avis covers many major metropolitan areas in the United States, but check that they are working with Uber in your area.
Rent With Zipcar
Zipcar is the leader in short-term rentals.
It provides drivers with hourly rentals.
Because of this, it may not be the best option for those looking to drive consistently, but as a side gig, Zipcar is a good fit.
As a bonus, if you’re interested in driving for Uber Eats, Zipcar offers special discounted rates.
You can learn more about how Zipcar works here.
How Much Does It Cost To Rent A Car For Uber?
If you’re a driver looking to rent a car, the cost is huge.
After all, if you’re putting most of your Uber earnings toward a car rental, you’re not getting the most out of your driving time.
Average Prices
Both Hertz and Avis offer longer-term rentals at approximately $260 per week.
However, that number doesn’t necessarily cover extra insurance and fees and does not include gas or ancillaries.
Pricing for hourly rentals is a bit harder to nail down due to things like surge pricing.
However, Getaround does advertise a $4/hour option, which might be an excellent fit for the occasional driver.
Do You Get A Discount On A Rental Car Through Uber?
When you have to spend money on a rental car to help get your Uber driver career going, it’s a good idea to see if you can find any discounts.
Every little bit helps!
Let’s look at a couple of possibilities.
Partner Programs
Uber’s partnerships with companies such as Hertz and Avis open up potential savings opportunities.
These partnership programs exist with rideshare driving in mind, so you can rest easy knowing that renewals and insurance are there to make your life as easy as possible and your rental as cheap as possible.
In addition, Uber partners will periodically offer discounts and different perks.
As an example, see Zipcar’s discounted pricing for Uber Eats Drivers.
If you rent directly through Uber, you can often get 10% Uber Cash back as well.
Weekly Rates
Some different car rental agencies will offer weekly rates to encourage longer-term rentals.
Agreeing to a whole week’s rental will generally save you some money per day overbooking the daily rate seven times.
Before you do any rentals, do your research and see the best deals.
Related: How to rent a car for long term
How To Get A Car With Uber
Uber drivers have a wide variety of options when it comes to renting.
If you like to shop around, you can check the individual agencies and see what the best rental option is.
The Uber driver app is the most convenient option, though.
You can see available cars and rent them through the app!
This might be the best way to get a car with Uber.
Here’s how to do it.
Step By Step Instructions
- Open your Uber app on your phone.
- Click on the Rent icon on the screen.
- Enter your pick-up and drop-off details, including locations, dates, and times. Uber will allow you to make multi-day rentals as well as short-term ones.
- The list of available cars will now pop up. In addition, you’ll have the ability to filter and sort on different criteria, such as price and distance.
- Tap on a car to see individual details.
- Read and agree to the terms and conditions, then tap Reserve.
- Follow instructions to go pick up your rental car!
One thing to note is that you’ll still be responsible for insurance on all rental cars.
Many credit card companies offer protection, so check with your provider.
If that’s not an option for you, rental car agencies will provide you with insurance as well.
Is It Worth It To Rent A Car For Uber?
There isn’t one right or wrong answer to this question.
Everyone’s situation will be a little bit different.
Many Uber drivers use rental cars, but many feel like it’s not right for them.
Here are some potential pros and cons.
Pros
- The easiest way to get driving with Uber
- Great if you like driving different cars
- Flexible options and vehicles for different kinds of Uber offerings
- No long-term commitments
- No payments if you’re not actively driving
Cons
- It can be just as or more expensive than a car payment
- It will require a lot of legwork and time to make reservations, pick up, or drop off
- Have to ensure Uber app is up to date with current vehicle
- Have to ensure the rental vehicle is up to Uber standards
Ultimately, you have to think about what you want.
For example, if you think Uber rideshare will be a big part of your life, you might be better off looking for a used vehicle with a payment roughly equivalent to what you’d pay for a rental.
On the other hand, if Uber is going to be a side or part-time gig for you, renting might be better.
Wrapping Up
No matter which direction you choose, you have many options at your fingertips when it comes to Uber vehicles.
So do your research, see what’s available, and make the best choice for your lifestyle and wallet.
Good luck!
