8 Great Automotive Side Hustles If you love cars but aren’t in a position to make your career all-automotive all the time, you are in luck. Turning a passion for cars into a little bit of extra income has never been easier, and has some convenient side effects far beyond some cash in your pocket. More time with cars is what we’re all chasing, right? Here are eight ways you might not have thought of. A side hustle is not always primarily about making money. Being crafty with your “spare” time can sometimes open new doors. This can include access to cars, people, events, and experiences that would otherwise be out of reach if the only option you had to gain access was trying to buy your way in. Any of these can potentially make a few bucks, but don’t ignore the ancillary benefits, as those may be worth more than the extra cash. Photography This is probably the first one that pops into most people’s minds, and for good reason. If you own a car, you’ve likely put at least a little effort into taking pictures to document your work, or at least the condition of the car. People are willing to pay for print-quality images of their cars, so taking the time to learn the skills needed to take good photos can be valuable. It’s more than just holding a camera and pressing the shutter button—having appropriate locations and techniques to make different cars look good is also critical. The added bonus? Photography will open the door to discovering all sorts of sweet rides. Wrenching The second-most obvious activity is turning a wrench. Fixing cars has been a side gig since the first car was sold. If interested in this one, be careful, as things can get sticky quickly if new issues are discovered mid-project. It’s bad enough when you have to convince yourself to invest in more parts to fix something right, but when it’s someone else’s money, it can be that much tougher. Don’t forget to add in the liability that comes with handing a car back to the owner to drive. While this is an option that a lot of us are drawn to, it’s also one that a lot of people take part in without fully accounting for the risk. Research If you’re reading this, you’re a car person, and you probably know your favorite parts of this hobby. You’ve probably also spent countless hours reading about Mopars or Art-Deco-era coachbulders or whatever your niche is, and know more about that corner of the hobby than the average person. If not, dive in! This can be as simple as reading books or as complicated as tracking down information on a specific vehicle history for an owner. Regardless, stick to good, trusted sources and work to make personal connections with experts in the field. You don’t have to write a research paper or present your knowledge to anyone, but having a catalog of knowledge is something that can be very valuable when the time comes to get your hands greasy. Compiling reference materials also makes you a great resource for expertise when others go searching for facts or history on brands, makes, or models. Transport Have a vehicle capable of towing? And a trailer that sits more than it gets used? Sounds like logistics might be something worth exploring. This is not a business venture to approach lightly, though, as there are plenty of regulations governing the transportation of items for paying customers. But with appropriate insurance and other business items established, it is often easy to find someone who is scheming to buy a project car or motorcycle but lacks the ability to transport it. Helping friends pick up project cars has led to some of the most fun trips I’ve had—and I often didn’t pay anything other than adding miles to my odometer. Would have done that anyway. Driving routes Everyone loves a good driving road. Few have the time it takes to explore an area thoroughly enough to find the really good routes. If you love getting out there and threading together an excellent drive, you might be surprised to find that knowledge and time can have value. Creating a route or day-trip that could be self-guided—especially in a touristy city—is a perfect example. Assembling a book of directions with fun facts mixed in and recommended stops can be done relatively easily at home on the couch and offered for sale for a few dollars online. Will it make you rich? Probably not, but it gives you a reason to go driving and might cover a tank of gas or two. Storage Most in the vintage car hobby struggle with space, typically the lack thereof. If you somehow don’t have that problem or are currently between enthusiast cars, helping out a fellow car lover with temporary storage can be a fun way to change up the garage decor in a big way without doing much work. Much like the one above, be sure you have appropriate protections in place for both parties before taking in an orphaned project car. Detailing Who doesn’t love a good before-and-after? Making those moments happen can be even more rewarding than just seeing pictures. For better or worse, there are a lot of people who don’t want to put much effort into keeping their vehicles clean, but do care enough to have others take care of that for them. Just a few loyal clients—family members or co-workers, for example—can turn a couple of evenings a month into a little extra cash. Beware of operating costs, though, as the price of products and tools used for detailing can very quickly rise out of hobby territory. Writing for-sale ads If you’ve ever shopped for a used car, you know how little effort some sellers will put into giving any information, yet become annoyed at anyone who asks questions before making a full cash offer. A service that would assist in writing a solid for-sale ad—and possibly even assisting with the photos (see the first entry)—creates a surprising amount of value in the right situations. Handling the transaction can be tedious—this is more about consulting on presentation to attract the right buyers. Online ads are more polished than ever, but not everyone wants to put the time in themselves to maximize their return.
