Car Talk: Prius Perfect for Pizza

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(brandon @ Jun 29 2006, 09:25 PM) [snapback]278962[/snapback]</div>

Tom and Ray there is that Cab driver in Vancouver BC that settled that issue with 300K on the car!

 

Although the basic premise is sound, it's unlikely that the pay for pizza delivery is high enough to allow for the purchase of a new Prius. A much older, 1G Prius is probably within the budget, though.

Unfortunately, the prices for a decent 1G Prius are still higher than that of brand-new, bargain-basement Kia Rio or Hyundai Accent. If I were making my living delivering pizzas, I'd probably buy one of those instead of a used 1G Prius.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(rudiger @ Jun 30 2006, 08:26 AM) [snapback]279055[/snapback]</div>

that all depends on where you work and what other bills you have to pay. when i delivered pizza i made $7.50/hr plus tips. i could manage over $100 in tips on a good night. it figured out to around $12.50/hr averaging out the week. that's about what i make now. after rent, car payment, utils, and such, i still have quite a bit left over. chances are they are living with parents.

 

About 10+ years ago, a company in Oregon called "Izzy's Pizza" started a test of what they marketed as "Limousine Pizza Delivery". The had a small fleet of Geo Metros painted up to look like limos, and I think the drivers wore one of those tacky "tuxedo" T-shirts. I don't know if they still do it.

Here in Portland, there is a grocery delivery service "Organics to You" that we use, and they use a full-size Dodge Sprinter van on our route. That might be a prime candidate to utilize the new plug-in hybrid Sprinter if it becomes more widely available.

- Bob R.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(rudiger @ Jun 30 2006, 06:26 AM) [snapback]279055[/snapback]</div>

Very few pizza places supply the vehicle for the deliveries. The drivers would be using their cars for their whole life (as in style, not time), so I would think that the lower gas costs would, in this case, definitely help the Prius to, to use the phrase we all love so much, "pay for itself" in a much shorter time than otherwise. If you are delivering one pizza and get a $5 tip, wouldn't it be great for that $5 to equal LOTS more miles so you can make lots more $5 tips?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rufaro @ Jul 1 2006, 05:36 AM) [snapback]279604[/snapback]</div>

Rufaro,

It gets even beter than that. You get paid for miles driven, not recompensed for gas, so that could be a signfiicant amount. If you drive like 50mi/night that's (IIRC) like .44x50 = $22. Consider that 50mi will just cost you a bit over a gallon, and that the Prius has a absolutely stellar reliability record, about $10-15 of that is pure gravy (and not taxed, IMHO). Consider that a full work month contains like 21 days, that's about $200-300 of income right there to support a car payment.

Comparing with a less reliable and/or gas-economical car, that margin could be quite thin or negative. Assume the above scenario, 50mi could run anywhere from 2-5 gal (dep. if it's a car or truck)...remmeber these are city mpg. With an average of 2.5 gal (assume a corolla, for example), that itself is approximately $5 more than the Prius scenario, leaving only about $100-150 additional above tips to support the car payment.

 

Other factors, like insurance and car payments, should be taken into account, as well. Logically, those costs are likely going to be twice as much again for a vehicle whose purchase costs are twice as much initially.

If a new Prius is within the means of a pizza delivery person's income, it would certainly be the best choice (as it would seem to be for any prospective new car buyer whose majority of driving is mainly stop-and-go in a metropolitan area).

My suggestion is that for most of that income bracket and credit history, a cheapo Kia Rio or Hyundai Accent (or even a Toyota Yaris 3-door) at half the price of a new Prius is much more attainable and, for the intended purpose, will work nearly as well cost-wise (overall).

 

I use my Prius to deliver pizzas... ...to my house, where I eat them
Last week I saw a new mustang with pizza delivery sign parked in front of the store: how economical is that!?!

 

Yesterday I saw a HCH I delivering pizza for Dominos! I gave it my nod of approval.

 

I have delivered pizza for about 14 years now... I looked at my bank statement from January 2008 and I was spending $350-400 a month in gas in my Subaru (which I LOVED)... But I just hated giving so much of my money to the Oil Companies. So, I used my tax return to post a down-payment on an 08 Prius, brand new.
I still work for Domino's and have had my Prius for 3 years. I just hit 100k miles. This car saves me about $150 to 200 per month versus my old Subaru which is about half of my car payment. So it's pretty much like I bought a car for $13,000 (half the price of my Prius) just with the monthly savings on gas!
It truly is without a doubt the PERFECT car for any type of delivery job... And I can totally afford it! I average around 55 mpg when it is warm outside... And it is so much fun to drive, holds almost as much cargo as my Subaru did, and it handles really well in the snow! With the navigation system I never get lost, and I simply just LOVE my car!
Just thought I would post my two cents

 

Heh, I asked http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-...ow-many-you-deliver-pizza-w-your-prius-p.html years ago.

 

Wut

That is an abominably ridiculous statement.

 

Based upon your actual delivery experience, a great post! Keep 'em coming. The only pizza place in my community does not deliver. Maybe I should go talk to him.

 

So how did you fair with the mileage paid by your boss?

Guess you really save some brake work as well with the Prius.

 

quite a few pizza delivery guys/gals have a full time day job, they deliver pizza or newspapers to pay the bills. Delivering pizza 10-15hr a week would cover new Prius payments.

 

I deliver pizza for Papa John's, and deliver newspapers every morning. The money I save in gas every month pays the car payment.

I bought the 2010 Prius brand new in August last year. After 11 months, I just went over 50,000 miles, yesterday.

It is definitely worth it. I make about $2300 a month from just the newspapers, and I can make up to $1900 delivering pizza. No car repairs so far. I just checked my brake pads after 47,000 miles and they still look brand new.

And to save another $100 a month, I cancelled my collision insurance. I'm gonna cancel my comprehensive soon. That'll take my premium down to $36 a month.

Since people are having no problem going over 300,000 miles, mine should definitely pay for itself. Most people probably can't drive that far during the life of the car and it dies from age rather than mileage. I should hit 300,000 within 5 years. (if i don't total it first ^_^)

 

I don't think you CAN 'total' a car with no collision or comprehensive insurance.

 

Indeed. I think that 'not having insurance' makes me a better driver.

 

and an irresponsible citizen.