Guys,
I am working on a story on automotive storage facilities. I am talking car barn type places that offer some social aspects and services like detailing and repair. I am not talking about keeping cars in your mom's basement or your friend's two car garage.
Do you know of any places like this? Do you use, or have you used, such a place? Care to comment on the experience?
Thanks,
Tim Suddard
The one in Milwaukee closed up about 8 yrs ago, now its a lawn care facility.
Around here there is a place called Atlanta Motorcar Club & Storage. It looks like it serves the well-heeled classic and exotic crowd. I'm personally more interested in E3 which has it's own DIY shop facility and appears more functional and less expensive. I met a guy who kept his early NSX at their Tucker facility and he seemed happy with it. I don't remember the monthly outlay, but I don't remember it being exorbitant considering the shop included a lift & hoist. No experience myself to speak of.
In reply to Matt B (fs) :
I have talked to E3. That sounds like a pretty good deal, as they have tools and a lift that members can use.
The places in my area (central/shore area NJ) do not seem great. $200/mo gets you access TWICE per year at one of them. It's extra to access 'whenever', and even then you don't just show up and hop in your car. You have to call ahead so they can play tetris with all the other cars. No last-minute sunny day cruises.
The price seems high to me but that's how the math works. Space will lease at $1-1.50/mo per square foot and you're going to need 150 sq ft per car cramming them in fairly tightly (forget having a big, open space).
I am acquainted with the people that started Petrol Lounge in Austin. It also caters to the well-heeled crowd, but the price also includes services that make sure the cars are ready to be driven any time.
They have hosted events and showed up on the local news a couple of times so I would think they'd be open to a GRM interview.
There are some fancy places in DFW. I have a neighbor building more of a DIY place here in MS. The new one will be a 9 unit building with 7 1000 sq ft and two larger ones. I may look into it.
https://chanhassenautoplex.com
Very near my house. Also near princes garage.
The one we had in Tallahassee dealt high-end. You got an appointment for them to bring your car out to you. They made a bit of cash storing impounded cars from the courts. Now its a large Trans-Am custom shop.
iron gate garages in Naperville, IL is the place in the western Chicago suburbs. They are garage "condos" I believe that the smallest unit they currently offer is a 20x40 (4 cars in theory) and cost around $130k when new in 2015 and a quick google search revealed that an 864 sq' ft unit is currently going for $209k.
https://www.irongatemotorcondos.com/
Additionally, for Autobahn members you can "lease" a space around the track to build a garage. I am not a member there so I don't know the economics of that.
Oddly enough there's two of these places being built by my house, both are competitors. They were advertising it as "customizable man cave/extra car storage." I looked into it briefly, but even the smallest one was way, way out of my budget. I think they started at $90k, with most "floorplans" well above that number.
Then you were encouraged to build it out (add a lift, add a loft, want a bathroom?) to greatly added expense. Building one I would actually want was going to be a quarter of a million dollars. We're in a fairly affluent area, but that type of service clearly isn't targeted at me.
Fueled by Caffeine said:https://chanhassenautoplex.com
Very near my house. Also near princes garage.
The Autoplex is a very cool place with lots of interesting cars. Some of the garage owners have very basic setups that are just for storing or working on their cars, but many of them have amazing 'car caves' that are decorated to the hilt and filled with incredible car collections. They host quite a few events during the summer.
https://bernheimcarclub.com/ is one here in KY. I've not been there, but I've heard its a nice place in a questionable part of town. It is 35+ minutes from my house and above my paygrade regardless.
There's one opening up in Hendersonville NC called Prescott Auto Reserve. It used to be a sports complex that my dad designed a renovation for.
I've been thinking of asking if we can use their parking lot for AutoX lol
This place is going up near me, which I find kind of odd, because there are no motorsports facilities within 200 miles of here: https://roadhousemotorcondos.com/
Their model seems to be ownership only, no rentals. Construction isn't finished yet, but it'll be interesting to see how quickly it fills up once it's done. If the prices come down a bit, I could maybe justify it, but I can't see taking on a second $200k mortgage right now on what might be a depreciating asset.
https://theshopclubs.com/
out of my tax bracket but those that can afford it say it's a hoot.
I have known Blair for many many years. His website sucks. He races a '71 911.
Blair primarily services Porsches and Audis. I have taken my Cayman to him more than once.
In the winter here in NH going to his expansive shop is like going to a Porsche museum. So many sweet cars.
More than I am willing to pay to store a car there but he's awesome. Pretty sure it can be serviced and race/road ready for you when you pick it up in the spring.
Tim Suddard said:In reply to Matt B (fs) :
I have talked to E3. That sounds like a pretty good deal, as they have tools and a lift that members can use.
We're supposed to be getting an E3 in Largo near Clearwater. I'll be interested in your take. It looks like there is one lift that needs to be shared? Curious how the model works.
Garage Condos Tulsa near me seems to fit that bill. I chatted with them briefly during construction but don't know much more about them.
In the Ann Arbor/ Ypsilanti area, we have The Warehouse ( not to be confused with a bands club) and along with it the Points and Condenser society, who organize rallies. Don't have much contact info, but there has been a first Saturday open house for over 20 years.
It's the place where our 2002/03/04 challenge car was built.
In reply to Tim Suddard :
http://www.petrollounge.com/
https://crystalcleanautodetailing.com/
This place has storage, paint correction, detailing etc.
One fella in my garage club drives an Alfa 4C, he works at a storage and maintenance garage for the local wealthy. Not sure if it's a public business for just for the lucky few.
This one has been in the works in Northern Virginia for a while: https://gas-haus.com/
Dominion Raceway has this: http://www.dominionlux.com/
I'll be interested to see how robust these are during any kind of an economic rough spot...
Thanks for all the help guys. We will check all these leads out. So far I am learning that's this can go from a simple, dry secure, parking spot for about $150 per month to a bar restaurant social club to a condo you can buy.
Matt Farah has a super nice one, Westside Collector Car Storage in CA. I'm sure it's quite pricey
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