‘I make £600 extra per month with my car side hustle – you could do it too’ | Personal Finance | Finance
Hamnant Mashiana makes £600 extra per month with his car side hustle (Image: Hanmant Mashiana)
A dad from Stockport has revealed how he turned a dusty driveway dilemma into a lucrative side hustle, bringing in about £600 extra every month. Hamnant Mashiana, 33, who sells cars for a living, first discovered peer-to-peer sharing platform Turo after struggling to sell one of his vehicles.
The father of two told Express: “I had one car which would not sell for some bizarre reason. I started Googling how to maximise my return on the car while it wasn’t selling, and Turo kept coming up. I did a bit of research, but it all seemed a little too good to be true at first.”
Mr Mashiana’s 2014 Vauxhall Astra wasn’t flashy and was worth around £3,000. Instead of letting it gather more dust in the driveway, he decided to list it for rent online.
The opportunity seemed ‘too good to be true’ at first (Image: Getty)
Turo lets everyday car owners rent out their vehicles to travellers or locals who need temporary access to a car, without the commitment of ownership.
At first, Mr Mashiana said the idea of handing over his keys to strangers felt daunting. He said: “At first, I was a little nervous as I’d not been through the process. It was quite daunting giving out a car to a complete stranger.”
The nerves disappeared once the first rental was complete. He said: “After the first one was done and I saw the money in the bank, I was quite confident that this was a good side hustle.”
Mr Mashiana said “within days” of listing his car, requests began to come in from travellers seeking a practical family vehicle.
His location near Manchester Airport worked well to his advantage. Visitors arriving in the area often need an affordable car that can fit luggage and passengers, and Mr Mashiana’s Astra ticked the boxes.
By the end of his first month, he said he’d already made about £150. The success spurred Mr Mashiana to start looking for other affordable vehicles to build a portfolio and earn a bit more.
He eventually added two more Vauxhall cars with similar specs, creating a small fleet that would generate him a steady rental income.
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According to Mr Mashiana, success largely comes down to buying the right car.
He said: “The money is made in the purchasing of the car. As long as you have a strategy, you can make money. There are some costs which can set you back short-term, but like anything, you need to persevere.”
One of the biggest concerns for new hosts is the fear that renters might damage their car.
Mr Mashiana said: “Turo has protection plans. I make sure I take as many pre-trip photos and if there are concerns once the car has returned, you can speak to Turo about next steps.
“I would also suggest having a good mechanic who can get you in on short notice and for a good price.”
Now, Mr Mashiana says the side hustle brings in around £600 per month, which has made a real difference to his family life.
He said: “I have a young family, so the extra income can pay for things like trips, meals out and lots of toys and teddies galore for my two girls and wife.
“Emotionally, it can be a weight off your shoulders knowing that you should receive a certain amount per month. Although the income isn’t guaranteed, you get a feel for what sort of income you should – hopefully – bring in.”
Mr Mashiana’s experience comes as new research suggests millions of cars could be earning their owners’ money instead of sitting idle.
Millions of cars available
A study commissioned by Turo found that 72% of London’s estimated 2.56million car owners do not use their vehicles every day, suggesting that about 1.84million cars could potentially be rented out when not in use.
More than a third (34%) only use their car one to three days per week, while a further 33% use it four to six days per week.
Meanwhile, about 440,000 Londoners said they need regular access to a car but do not own one, particularly since car-sharing service Zipcar exited the UK market earlier this year.
Rory Brimmer, managing director of Turo UK, said: “Zipcar’s exit has created a genuine crisis for hundreds of thousands of Londoners who rely on flexible car access without the burden of ownership.
“What our research shows is that the solution has been parked on London’s streets all along – with 72% of car owners not using their vehicles daily, there are 1.84million cars available for rental on the days they’re not needed, while their owners spend £200 plus monthly on costs they’d love to offset.”
“This isn’t just about filling the Zipcar gap – it’s about creating a more efficient, sustainable model where Londoners support each other rather than enriching corporations.
“With 53% of renters preferring to give their money to neighbours over big companies, and younger car owners leading the charge, we’re seeing a fundamental shift in how London thinks about car access.
“The question is whether we’ll embrace this community-driven solution or watch 300,000 more cars clog London’s streets as people are forced into purchases they don’t want and can’t afford.”
