posted on May 27, 2016
Viper dude & family man
Turo member Ryan L. lives in Tempe, AZ, and is a car enthusiast who has owned a number of gorgeous automobiles. There have been Camaros, Corvettes, and Pontiac GTOs, but none of them get the attention of his 2006 SRT-10 Dodge Viper Coupe.
“It’s hard to explain what it is about the car,” he muses. We have a few guesses. Ryan’s Viper is a striking blue color, and has an impressive 506 cubic inch, 8.3 liter V10 engine that puts out 510 HP and 535 TQ. It can go from 0–60 MPH in 3.7 seconds. “It’s fun to drive,” he admits. “You get people pulling up to you, everyone wants to talk to you. People are taking pictures of the car all the time. It’s a unique experience that I haven’t had with any of my other cars.”
Ryan first came to Turo when he was “stuck” driving his wife’s 2009 Volkswagen Jetta, which was not quite his ideal ride. After he had a hard time selling the car, he began researching long-term leases and ended up listing the car on Turo. Much to his satisfaction, the Jetta was swiftly rented within the hour, and Ryan began putting that money toward his dream American muscle car.
It took a year of searching and a trip to Texas before he became the rightful owner of this Viper. From the start, Ryan knew he wanted to list this car on Turo too. “Every day I get ready for work, and I open the garage door, and it’s like having the keys to an amusement park,” he says. “It puts a smile on your face. I get to drive this to work. I enjoy sharing that with people. Maybe some people can afford it, but it’s not a practical car for everyone.”
And this is important because Ryan is a very practical family man. In light of their early success, Ryan and Kelly, his wife, decided to build a small business on Turo, listing another Volkswagen and two minivans. They make a point of treating their travelers like family — which means they provide free delivery, and if families are traveling with children, they’ll offer travelers car seats and strollers.
Ryan and his wife fostered kids for 10 years, and now have two sons and a daughter, so they’re familiar with the hassle of hauling kids’ gear when they travel. “It’s nice not to lug around four extra car seats,” he adds. He’s also been conscious of keeping an affordable price point, even on the Viper, to encourage rentals. Now, Ryan’s thinking that his Turo earnings might fund a Lamborghini Huracán.
If you’re in Phoenix, with or without your family, take one of Ryan’s cars around town or out for a trip to Sedona or the Grand Canyon.
Kamala Puligandla
Kamala Puligandla is a writer, editor, and bon vivant in LA. She is the author of two books, Zigzags and You Can Vibe Me On My Femmephone, and is always on the look-out for strange stories, excellent eats, and relaxing locales.
