LUED

No idea, there might be 1,000. There's probably plenty registered but don't log on to Uber very often, or at all, as they're often busy with their own work.
 

People bought those cars with the hope they will be enrolled on Exec and will make double ££££££.
Of course now they are crying when they realised how small is the extra and how much they are losing in depreciation with 16 E class  or they don't care and like to work in E class while losing money

It's always going to be expensive, for the first year you've hold your private hire driver's licence. 
 
First year premiums of between £3,000 and £4,000 are not uncommon, especially in London. I expect it'd be cheaper because you're based in Birmingham?
 
Most people pay in monthly instalments. 
 
Even experienced drivers with several years NCB pay around £1,000. 

You would insurance to cover you for the hire and reward for the carriage of passengers.
 
You're local authority should tell you how to get your car plated, look on their website, it will be in the same section as your private hire driver's licence. 

2019 or 2020 for all diesel cars older than 4 years even if you are PHV
From 8 April 2019, the most polluting cars, vans and motorbikes will have to pay £12.50 to drive through central London, while buses, coaches and HGVs will pay £100.
London's ultra low emission zone (ULEZ):
Covers the same area as the existing congestion zone and will be in addition to the congestion charge Applies to petrol vehicles that do not meet Euro 4 standards and diesel vehicles that do not meet Euro 6 standards Will apply 24 hours a day, 365 days a year Will not apply to residents living in the zone until April 2022 Black taxis are exempt-but not PHV Replaces the £10 T-Charge which will apply for older cars entering the capital from October

Instead of finance why don't you try rent or lease?? maybe you will not like the job and then will be stuck with the finance

MY inside camera has a timer with 5 minutes loop recording and I always look at that and when 5 minutes passed, after 5 sec i press the no show button

Uber are selling a dream. 
I got a letter from my bank saying I'm pre-approved for a £35,000 loan, with monthly repayments of £686.41, payable over 5 years.
With promises of making £1200 a week, no wonder there are those spending those amounts on cars, thinking the loan could easily be paid back..

I hear about one in ten, to one in twenty jobs are Exec, rest are X.
 
I have never tried doing both, I'm always on Exec only.
 
My car as you see in my avatar is ridiculous to use on X. 
 

X drivers are likely to be make more than Exec anyway, there's more work around, less dead mileage as more likely to get a job in the suburbs. Also much cheaper car to run. 

Unless Uber takes their commission from tips, then it's not in their interests to introduce a tipping option. 

Hence, the introduction, in my opinion, of having to have a rating of 4.85, over 1,000 trips on X, before you can get onto Exec/Lux.
 
Before, a few years back (me included), you were able to go straight onto Exec/Lux, by passing a simple multiple choice test.
 
Thankfully, a lot of those drivers with low ratings/standards would have left by now, leaving the better (ex X drivers, who are upgraded) drivers on Exec/Lux. 

60,000 LUED 

Still too many.
 
What were the number of drivers in Spring/Summer 2012, which was when Uber first started in London? I'm sure it was less than 90,000.
 

too late, already too many exec drivers. people dreaming about ££££££ dont take in consideration all the factors

Many former Lux passengers, especially those who used Uber from when it was launched in London, now use Exec, with the exception of the mega-wealthy, but these are rare users, as they would have their own driver, or use a preferred chauffeur company, anyway. 
 
I would imagine most Lux drivers use Uber on the side, and have their own clients, and sub-contract from other chauffeur firms as well. 
 
If planning to work just for Uber, then, I agree you would earn more by doing basic X, putting the hours in (and previous experience/knowledge helps, too), and with some luck, you would earn more than an Exec/Lux driver, who may receive higher fares, but requests will probably not occur as often as X, and work would mainly be concentrated in town. As well as the typically higher maintenance and running costs of running an  Exec/Lux car, over an X car. 

All my mates who are driving for Lux have huge pressure because of Uber, they are making around £12/hour with some of them £70k cars, can you imagine. Well done for those who spent 4k for car and now are making close £1000 weekly, I am not sure what is the future and why uber lost so many clients from LUX, something happened and hopefully same thing will not be happening for EXEC although is very cost effective for majority of the customers

Top drivers, will have other work (and Uber on the side)- either their own private clients, or other, better paying firms, who look after their workforce! Those top drivers understand the market alright! 

thx guys for the replies, i will go and take my chances , keep you posted

I dont think will be a smart move, things are already very very sensible among drivers
increase supply and demand will follow but what uber did not kept is the standards...you can get a nice car as a customer but will be a lottery with the driver which can ask you for the post code when you say take me to park lane
just my opinion

Brand new 16/66 plate E-Classes on UberX, waiting at AVA to get a 75p per mile, job from Heathrow. Pool trips will be 25% less. 
 
Furthermore, don't forget their commission! 

It has probably already been renewed, and sorted out. 
When my operating licence was up for renewal, TfL sent out the information needed for the renewal application about 6 months in advance. 

40% from those latest 60k drivers will not be full time or not even on the platform any-more, many of them they quit uber after they realised your actual profit is around 50% from what you make...

Have you thought of lease instead.
No hassle with the menteinance and you always get the latest model...

The fares outside the TfL area (Home Counties), have always been lower, since they introduced Home Counties as a new area/city.