Car-related Business Ideas to Start Without Money

Owning a vehicle can be expensive. Aside from the fuel, parking, and toll fees that you need to pay on a regular basis as you drive your car to work, you also need to pay for the car insurance, monthly repayments if you finance your vehicle purchase, as well as for the occasional repair and maintenance. These expenses can put a strain on your household budget, especially if you’re only earning enough to cover the basic necessities.

Instead of treating your car as a financial burden, however, you can turn it into an investment machine combined with some hard work and networking skills.

Here are several brilliant car-related business ideas that can help you earn extra income:

Car Rental

Ideal if you have a day job that requires standard work hours or has a second vehicle that sits in the garage for most of its life, a car rental business allows you to earn extra without doing any side hustle.

To start, simply find a trusted friend or relative who’s interested to rent your car for personal or business use. If you’re renting your vehicle to someone you barely or don’t know at all, make sure that the person is referred to by a person you personally know and trust. This referer must be able to stand up for the renter’s credibility

You can also tap on the growing popularity of peer-to-peer car rental platforms, like Car Next Door, DriveMyCar, and Carhood to start your car rental gig. These companies allow you to rent your vehicle outside of your area with minimal requirements, such as:

• Safe and comfortable to ride cars that are not older than 2001 models
• Located in an area where a peer-to-peer car rental platform operates
• Available for a fair amount of the time (you don’t drive it daily)
• Has registration with appropriate CTP insurance

Your income will depend on the type of car you drive. On average, small car owners make $250-350 a month, large cars and SUVs earn around $300-500 monthly, and those who drive vans and utes earn between $350 and $750 a month.

Carpooling

Carpooling is ideal if you regularly drive for long distances and your carpoolers live in your area and share a common destination, like a school or an office. Aside from saving fuel and earning extra, you can also help your “passengers” save money and time by providing them with easy access to transportation, especially if you live in a place with limited access to public transport. Moreover, you can reduce traffic congestion, conserve energy and reduce your carbon footprint.

Your income will depend on your “carpool arrangement”, specifically on how many passengers you want to accommodate and much you want to charge each carpooler.

Errand-Running Service

Hate the idea of other people driving your car? You can run errands for those who do not have time to pick up their medicines, groceries and other specific stuff like brochures at the local printer or documents from the government or private organisation.

You can easily schedule these errands according to your availability, like before or after your eight-hour shift at the office, especially if you drive around the metropolis and know your way around. In Australia, an online and mobile marketplace called Airtasker can help set all the specifications you want.

A small car helps you do all the light errands, like delivering and picking up documents. If you own a ute or a van, you can also transport cargo and other goods.

Aside from earning money, you’d also be helping other people, especially those who find it difficult to move around town and do errands on their own, like the elderly and the people with disabilities.

Mobile Advertising Service

If you love to get paid while simply being on the road and don’t mind driving around town, especially in crowded areas, with an advertisement wrapped on your car’s sides or positioned on its rooftop, mobile advertising is for you. Unlike car rental and ride-sharing, you don’t need to let other people into your vehicle to earn cash. You simply need to drive yourself to and from every day and that’s it! If you drive in two different or longer distances regularly, businesses would be likely to compete for your consent because it would mean more people to see their advertisements.

There are plenty of Australian businesses that on-sell advertising space on your car to third parties, such as OpenAds, Wrappli, and Carvertise. These companies typically use vinyl wraps for advertisement, which does damage high-quality paint and even protect it from weather exposure.

The rates for mobile advertising are largely influenced by the type of ad placement on your car and your motoring habits. The payment, meanwhile, is generally provided via monthly direct deposits. Hate seeing the ads yourself? Don’t worry. They’re placed outside your vehicle so you won’t need to see them while driving.

Become a driving instructor

Want to get paid while showing off your amazing car and your impressive driving skills? Be a driving instructor! You may need to get a certification for this, especially if you’re planning to make it big someday by opening a driving school.

Rates for this type of gig differ considerably on your level of experience, the number of hours you’re planning to spend, and the students you’ll be working with. If you’re only teaching relatives, friends and people in your neighbourhood, you may be inclined to ask for a lower price than if you’re running a driving school of your own or a member of one.

Regardless of your students’ profile, it is safe to secure a license and become a certified driving instructor. If you live in Western and Southern Australia, you would only need to pass a theory test and background check to become one. On the other hand, you would be required to complete a Certificate IV level course in Transport and Logistics Road Transport (Car Driving Instruction) if you live in Victoria.

These are just a few of the many money-making ventures that you can do with your car. Whatever car-related business you decide to start, don’t forget to take good care of your vehicle. It’s not only your second home; It’s also become your investment.

Want to apply for a car loan? Call us on 1300 722 210 or complete the Loan Pre-Approval form.

See also:

Australia's Top-Selling Cars in 2019

The Best Utes in Australia Today

How to Buy a Ute: Tips for First-Time Buyers