Debunking Splend Myths

There are many options for Uber drivers when it comes to buying a car — finance, leasing or subscription plans. But which one is the best? That depends on your needs as a driver, but joining a car subscription plan is undoubtedly the ideal choice if you're looking for flexibility.

Splend’s Flexi Own plan is an all-inclusive car subscription tailored for rideshare drivers that covers everything you need to get on the road and earn, from car paperwork to rideshare insurance and regular maintenance. It helps you save time and money, all whilst having the option to return the car after the minimum subscription term.

As with anything new to the market, there are plenty of myths and misconceptions about Splend’s subscription plans, so let’s break each down. 

Splend Myths #1 - Splend is more expensive than DIY finance 

Car subscription vs car finance is an ongoing battle. People tend to compare only the headline weekly payment and automatically assume that DIY finance is the cheaper option. With a closer look, you’ll realise that car finance only covers the car payment and none of the running costs, such as paperwork, insurance and servicing, whilst Splend’s plans come with everything a rideshare driver needs to start driving. 

Once you add these costs to the car finance monthly payments, you will see that you end up saving money with Splend. All that added to the flexibility our plans offer, the ongoing support you get from our team of PCO car specialists and the time you’re saving yourself by letting us handle all the admin work.

Don’t just take our word for it, but rather trust the numbers. Here is a data-based example of how much you can save with Flexi own compared to DIY car finance for a Volkswagen ID.3.

^{*DIY car finance assumes an APR of 12% over a four-year contract as of May 2023.} 

Myth #2 - Splend’s mileage allowance is too low 

Splend has a 700 miles weekly allowance for Flexi plans and 1,000 miles for Flexi own. If you exceed this, there is a small £1 charge for Flexi and a £2 charge for Flexi own per 10 additional miles. An average Uber driver in an EV travels around 70-100 miles per day in London. Therefore, even if you drive every day, you will fall within the weekly allowance with no problem.

Did you know? On Splend’s Flexi Own, any excess mileage contributes to your car payment. Even if you exceed the weekly mileage, the extra fee goes into your car payment and helps you own your car sooner.  

Myth #3 - Splend’s range of cars is limited 

As PCO specialists, we’re always keeping up with the industry’s trends and aim to offer our drivers the best cars for Uber. Since we’re big fans of green mobility, our fleet consists only of electric cars, with EVs being now the most profitable option for rideshare drivers. 

By switching to an electric car, you can significantly reduce your fuel and maintenance costs and take advantage of the numerous perks — increased earnings with Uber Green, exemption from paying the Congestion charge and ULEZ charge, as well as getting easier access to an EV with the Uber Clean Air plan.

Our mission is to offer every driver a perfect car for their needs. Some drivers feel safer in smaller, compact cars, such as the Volkswagen ID.3 and MG4, while others aim for size and comfort in a small SUV, like the frugal Kia Niro 2 EV or MG ZS.

If you can’t get past range anxiety regarding EVs, we offer extended-range models, such as the Volkswagen ID.4 Pro Match, with an impressive 349 miles WLTP range. 

We constantly try to keep up with market trends, technological progress and rideshare drivers’ demands so we know when to make new additions to our car range. 

Myth #4 - Splend is expensive compared to the competition 

Getting on a subscription plan is already a hard decision, let alone choosing the ideal provider for your needs. Compared to other car providers, Splend subscription plans cover everything within the subscription fee — car servicing, replacement tyres and brakes, rideshare insurance, 24/7 roadside assistance and replacement car in case of an accident. 

Here is a list of what do we offer extra compared to our competitors. 

As you can see from the table above, we are the only true all-inclusive provider on the market. Because we do include everything, the final costs end up being the lowest on the market. Plus, you get that complete peace of mind that comes with Splend.

With Splend, you can also use your Uber Clean Air EV Assistance towards paying for a brand-new car.

About Splend

At Splend, we believe in drivers. We know their vehicles need to work harder than most; that they drive more miles than most; that their insurance is hefty; their maintenance costs high and that they can face unreasonable finance rates – which is a heavy load to carry on their own.

That’s why at Splend, we exist to support rideshare drivers with a new model, that takes all those car ownership costs, and provides them for less, with lower purchase prices, better rates, lower servicing and insurance costs – all for one weekly repayment, all in one place.