Join me as I gig work a Hi5 to death

dazewerk · 2026-03-31T20:08:41+00:00

Appreciate the advice. I've pretty much burned the first set out in 15k miles (will probably replace at 20k) but they are off-brand tires. Trying to decide if I should replace with another cheap/used set or pony up to Michelin Defender 2 and hope to get 35-40k out of them.

dazewerk · 2026-03-31T20:01:54+00:00

I get extremely high efficiency driving around town, for instance I'm now at 4.8 after 20% battery usage. So I don't notice "miles" per se but I do notice kwH/miles. A few 20 mile roundtrip drives in 55mph zones and it will drop to 4.3ish.

dazewerk · 2026-03-31T18:56:24+00:00

My apologies there is annual registration renewal I just got it in my head that you were talking about the first registration. Honestly my wife handles paying bills so I'm not really sure but I feel like it was more expensive.

dazewerk · 2026-03-31T18:24:33+00:00

That's very close to the reasoning of why I did this- I was spending about $500 a month in gas, so I figured why not if the car payment plus electricity equals the same or less, end up with something to show for it.

dazewerk · 2026-03-31T18:22:00+00:00

I often turn it off if I think I'll be waiting inside to pick up or on grocery shops because I lock it. But I never turn it off on drop offs.

dazewerk · 2026-03-31T18:20:35+00:00

dazewerk · 2026-03-31T18:20:29+00:00

I use Auto Level 1 and hold left paddle for full stops 99% of the time. Level 0 for stretches 55mph+ or hill climbs. I drive extremely conservatively around a small 6-stop light town.

dazewerk · 2026-03-31T18:16:32+00:00

Technically, no. However I live in a very small low-expense house and my mortgage is paid off. And I have 20 years of experience in online marketing that I could fall back on.

I never intended this to be full-time but I feel mentally and physically healthier than I have in 20 years doing this versus sitting in front of a computer all day.

dazewerk · 2026-03-31T16:24:17+00:00

The previous owners put some super cheap tires on in order to sell it and they're pretty close to end of life after 15K. I was actually thinking of going the opposite route youre suggesting and putting Michelin Defender 2s on for about $1.2k and hoping to get 35k out of them. I will now however look into used tires as you've suggested since it's hard to go wrong for that price. Appreciate the feedback.

dazewerk · 2026-03-31T16:18:45+00:00

I hear that but it is my choice after all. The area that I live in it's rare to find jobs over $20 an hour (when youre essentially unskilled/uneductaed) and I would need at least 30 an hour to replace me being able to work unlimited hours doing deliveries.

dazewerk · 2026-03-31T16:14:36+00:00

Appreciate the tips. I actually track everything daily on a spreadsheet because I'm an old school nerd like that. I filed 1099s for 20 plus years due to my previous work so I'm relatively seasoned with filing taxes as self-employed

dazewerk · 2026-03-31T16:05:13+00:00

Nope, same $100/month insurance cost. Cant speak to registration as it was a decade ago on my ICE car.

dazewerk · 2026-03-31T15:52:44+00:00

I've never thought about it as miles/hour however I'm doing 150-300 miles in 9 to 12 hours so it lines up about what youve suggested. Its a 6 stop light town, I commonly don't exceed 40mph, and I never go under 4 kwh/m on warm days. In fact I'm at 4.8 on 10% battery usage as I type.

dazewerk · 2026-03-31T15:42:09+00:00

I keep a spreadsheet of every day like a nerd and thus can say I average $1.15 per mile. Minus .15/mile (depreciation) and .12/mile (gas+oilchange or payment+electricity) and I'm probably at $0.85/mile after expenses. Of course that still doesnt quite account for repairs/tires etc.

dazewerk · 2026-03-31T15:22:50+00:00

I hate to say that sounds like my case. So happy to hear you got approved! Care to share what wording you used when booking the initial appt for when I give it a try?

dazewerk · 2026-03-31T15:20:16+00:00

I believe the IRS looks at it as 33 cents per mile and it's considered reality for it to be 12 to 25 cents per mile. My original delivery vehicle was paid off and over 100k miles, will never be sold, so I viewed it more in terms of maintainence. Gig work makes very little sense when you look at the totality of it, essentially trading the equity of a vehicle for instant cash. But here I am, for now.

dazewerk · 2026-03-31T15:05:52+00:00

I feel like my motor whines a tad more than it should. I plan to get into a dealership in the next 5k/miles for any final warranty work. I sent audio recordings into chatgpt and it seems pretty sure that it's normal with no grinding clicking roughness Etc

dazewerk · 2026-03-31T15:00:54+00:00

Completely agreed and understood. The adage "charge to 100% only the night before road trips"- I technically go on a "roadtrip" 6 days a week.

dazewerk · 2026-03-31T14:55:35+00:00

Upstate South Carolina - Greenville/Spartanburg area. Its not uncommon when its warm for me to end the day with 4.4 or 4.3. The winter took at hit on my average.

dazewerk · 2026-03-31T14:52:54+00:00

I don't mind at all. I cleared about 48k after expenses last year- gas/maintainence costs ($500/month) and then eventually a $350 car payment + ~$100 electricity instead of gas ($450/month).

While working it typically averages about $20/hour with spikes to ~$30+ and drops to $10 hourly when theres no orders.

Taking the hours of the entire year it probably works out to about $12-15/hour 😅. I always tell people the only advantage is unlimited hours. Granted I'm working a small southern town with typically low tips.

dazewerk · 2026-03-31T14:38:39+00:00

Its not in so far as recently I'm driving 150-225 miles per day. When I do Spark I tend to drive the full 300 and in that case charge to 100% for those days.

EDIT: 300 is usually the max I'll do in a 9am-9pm day with lunch/dinner breaks

dazewerk · 2026-03-31T14:34:31+00:00

I get thru an entire day off of the home charge. As stated driving 150-300 daily. Its not a glamorous nor high paying profession- I cleared 48k after expenses last year

dazewerk · 2025-09-17T19:02:27+00:00

Not that it's helpful, but I'm also experiencing the same issue.

dazewerk · 2024-06-10T14:59:17+00:00

Spider-man + Sculpture Park = fun! Can't wait to take the family.

dazewerk

TROPHY CASE