Sergey grew up on Russia\u2019s remote Sakhalin Island (\u201cyou can Google where it is and you’ll be surprised\u201d). Since Japan is a mere 80 miles away, everyone on the island uses right-hand drive Japanese cars. And because they drive on the right in Russia, Sergey was involved in the driving process as a young kid \u2014 he\u2019d help his grandfather pass cars on the highway by spotting oncoming traffic from the left passenger seat. He\u2019s been fascinated by cars ever since.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thanks to the brutal Russian winters and poor road quality, Sergey mostly grew up around rugged SUVs \u2014 cars like his Nissan (or Datsun, depending on the country) were simply too expensive, fragile, and impractical. \u201cAs of 2020, officially, only 30% of roads are paved on Sakhalin Island, and I think it’s a very optimistic number,\u201d said Sergey. \u201cIf you make enough money you can afford to drive a nice sedan in the summer (3-4 months), and if you make even more money you\u2019re probably thinking about moving somewhere else.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many years ago, after moving to Southern California, Sergey was surprised to find you can buy a classic Z-car in the US for relatively cheap. \u201cI started looking specifically for a red one, wanting it to be more dramatic and Italian,\u201d said Sergey. \u201cI once drove an Alfa Romeo and I still remember every second of it, so I wanted to capture those feelings.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n He found his \u201874 260Z (Sergey has listed it as a 240Z, which he\u2019s found people are more familiar with) in a small town near Salinas, California. It was a long-term project of one older gentleman who had repainted the original yellow to red. \u201cHonestly, I didn’t know what I was buying exactly and couldn’t check it properly. I was getting my red dream car and it’s running and that\u2019s all that matters,\u201d he remembers. \u201cIt barely made it back to LA. Turns out I had to rebuild half of the engine and work on the electrics.\u201d So he started taking care of the essentials, but \u201cearly on, it was a long and very expensive process.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In early spring of this last year, the little Nissan broke down and wouldn\u2019t start. \u201cAll the mechanic shops were closed. I was looking at it every morning, thinking I can’t do anything about it.\u201d So he got some tools, turned to YouTube, and a couple days later it was running. \u201cI found out that I was just afraid of the unknown. After I fix it I feel much more comfortable starting new things even if I know nothing about them.\u201d After getting the car shipshape, Sergey listed it on Turo to help fund further restoration. He’s spent this year adding more upgrades and creature comforts, which to him is proof you can do anything if you just try. \u201cI heard a very cliche phrase from some Harley riders: \u2018I fix him and he fixes me\u2019, and that easily applies to me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI put it on Turo for two reasons. First, it’s paying for the restoration.\u201d There\u2019s always more to do when you have an old project car, \u201cand I want it to pay for itself. If everything goes to plan I’m going to make it my daily driver, with all the comfort of a modern car but the look and feel of the old one,\u201d Sergey said. \u201cAfter each trip, I install new goodies and each guest gets a slightly different car!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Among his recent upgrades are aftermarket bucket seats, Momo steering wheel, and Rota RKR wheels. At the moment, Sergey notes that the engine, chassis, brakes, wheels, and gearbox (all the essentials) are in great shape, which he confirmed with a track day at Laguna Seca. \u201cI wasn’t the fastest, obviously, but I was quicker than some 911s from the same era.\u201d (Please leave the track driving to the owner \u2014 taking a car on track is prohibited on Turo<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI’m looking at it as a community project. It\u2019s a more efficient way for me to pay for the restoration, and the project has much better chances of success,\u201d he said. \u201cI also like meeting all these people. I mean, if you booked my Datsun, there\u2019s a great chance we have something in common.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The second reason that Sergey listed the car is it has to be driven. \u201cFour times per month. Every week. All the fluids have to get up to temperature and all the moving parts have to work. Without regular use, you should expect problems.\u201d In this way, every guest contributes to the project by helping stretch the car\u2019s legs and allowing Sergey to afford more upgrades. What could better capture the spirit of car sharing?<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/turo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/big-sur-040415-00614-1024x512.jpg\")
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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nPaying for the project with host earnings<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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