by Steven Perez
posted on September 27, 2019
This Dallas host is buying his dream cars
Just over a year ago, Turo host Christian M. left his job to take some much-needed time off. The California native had transferred from LA to Dallas when his company, Toyota Motors, moved its US headquarters to the “Big D”. Thanks to his job at one of the world’s largest car manufacturers, Christian had been exclusively driving Toyota and Lexus cars for 18 years.
For a car guy with eclectic tastes, almost two decades of driving Toyota vehicles can become a bit monotonous. So Christian took the opportunity to try something new — he bought a 2018 BMW M3 with every option to get some excitement into his life, and hasn’t looked back since.
Then Jeep launched the new JL Wrangler. By this time Christian had heard about Turo, so he decided to try hosting out and help justify his purchase by listing the Wrangler on Turo. It was instantly popular with guests — an encouraging sign for Christian. Then he listed his M3 to similar success, and that got the ball rolling on Christian’s Turo journey.
A whole new world of possibilities
“I use Turo to make money, but I only buy cars that I personally want for myself.” Unlike many hosts with multiple cars on Turo, Christian’s roster includes a lot of older specialty vehicles that would be hard to find elsewhere, even on Turo.
Christian says he tends to buy cars that he’s always wanted, or sometimes simply interesting deals that come across his radar. He’s bought a few cars on the popular auction site Bring a Trailer, including a 1989 Jeep Cherokee, as well as an absolutely immaculate 1989 Mercedes-Benz 560 SEL. “I have a soft spot for that Mercedes, it’s such an epic car to drive,” says Christian. “As far as luxury cars, it was about the best in the world in 1989, and it’s still really something today.”
Just look at this excerpt from a review a guest left about the Mercedes: “It drives like a yacht on a cloud. Sitting in the car, you are enveloped in luxury: the feel of aged wood, the smell of baby-soft leather, the sophistication of sleek chrome and steel. An engine that purrs like a sleeping kitten.” It goes on, but you get the idea.
Other unusual models in Christian’s lineup include a third-generation Toyota Supra Turbo, which, when’s the last time you saw one of those? One of Chrisitan’s favorites right now is his Jaguar XKR, a rocket ship in coupe form riding a 5.0L supercharged V8 to the tune of 510 horses. “My XKR is really the ideal Turo car. I love it.” says Christian. “I’ve found that color is really important in making your listing pop for guests, and the Jaguar is a great color.”
He also offers two Fox-body Mustangs, one convertible, one coupe. Both red, both with the 5.0L V8. Third-generation Mustangs (commonly referred to as “Fox-bodies”) have a reputation for not being the most reliable vehicles after all these years, but Christian’s two Mustangs are super low-mileage and in fantastic condition inside and out. “I always get people booking the Mustangs out of nostalgia,” says Christian. “It’s the same for me — I got them because I always wanted one growing up.”
While his hosting duties take work and time, Christian’s having a lot of fun with this (plus, he’s an All-Star Host!). He’s been able to get many cars he wouldn’t otherwise, models he’s always dreamt about. “My philosophy is, I don’t want cars you could get just anywhere else,” says Christian. “And that’s the fun thing about these cars — my guests are people who enjoy driving them and I enjoy giving them that experience.”
If you’re in the Dallas area and are feeling some nostalgia itches, give them a scratch and check out Christian’s excellent offerings.
Steven Perez
Steven is an avid car guy and content maker at Turo. Between Golden State Warriors games he can be found getting lost somewhere in California.
