where do you store your cars?

Kevin,

I sent you a PM.

Jack

 

Ok - questions for you guys & gals -
1 - where do you keep your collection after you outgrow your garages?
2 - how far from your home would you travel?
3 - Is the mancave experience enticing or do you prefer the race shop experience?
4 - Does comraderie make a difference or do you prefer to be away from other car enthusiasts?
5 - Do you care about climate control & security or is price more relevant?
6 - How big is big?
7 - Do you store your cars on lifts?

Kevin[/QUOTE]

1 - Didn't get there yet, however my wife sometimes makes me feel that one car sitting in the garage is one too many ...... so yes i would consider sharing a space with a friend that has more cars than i do.

2 - if it is too far then it kills the "MY WIFE AND KIDS WENT TO A BIRTHDAY PARTY, LET ME GET THE CAR AND GO FOR A RIDE" at least this is the case for Married with Children Dads. so distance will play a Roll...... otherwise you have to plan it and be out for the day or 1/2 a day.

3 - Definitely ... this is what my buddies car freaks like me have been talking about for a while ... rent a 1500 sqf whse store the cars have a pool table a BBQ and make it a garage and a hang out place.

4 - being surrounded by other people with the same interest always helps
it makes it more fun,

5 - Security is important as everyone would be bringing their priced possession valued at 15 k or 2 mil ... actually for a guy with a 50 k ferrari which amount to all his savings might me more important to safe guard it than for the guy with the various 250k cars..
Also price need to make more sense than ever. For the guy that had 10 cars he can probably build a garage in his back yard .... for the guy that has 1 or 2 or even 3 cars it needs to make economic sense.. imagine if you have a 80k ferrari and you spend 20k a year in rent ,.... if you keep it home and you trade up at the end of the year ....... obviously we can make as many scenarios as you wish.

6 - i guess that 3 to 6 cars with space to to hang out so you can share the space maybe with 2 friends and make it a boys hang out. if you have 10 valuable cars i guess that again storing them was already resolved before you bought them.

7 - having a simple lift will be great ... car guys always want to be able to get under it ...

and for the temperature control ......... here in florida is not an option if you dont have AC you just cant use it more than for storage and even then older ferrari interiors will melt on a summer days.

 

I like your idea Kevin but I'm on the west coast. I'm going to try to build my own again.

I think people like to go see cars and other people. I don't know if the garages as social clubs are working. I think being adjacent to a dealer or service place would be a good location.

 

The only tools in my garage are a screwdriver with a broken tip and a ballpeen hammer and I'm throwing the screwdriver away.

I don't think that parking under a car is luxurious. I may have to though. Oh well.

 

Hey, I might be in this situation in the not too distant future, depending on fortunes

1. how far, it needs to be close. I like to drive my toys, but I hate to drive otherwise
2. Is there a difference? A mancave should have a lift and toolbox, as well as a pool table and fridge, tv, stereo, couch, etc
3. Hanging out with the Guys (and Girls) is always part of the fun
4. Cost is essential for me!!! Climate Control is nice, but not required, I am building a car without it.
5. Size doesn't matter as long as there is room for the car and room to work on it. A shared lift would be awesome!!
6. I don't want to be under another car, especially one that leaks brake fluid!!!

Hope this helps

 

I feel your pain Kevin. Having designed a car collection warehouse and maintaining the operation for the past ten years I'm sure I can relate.

I have come across many collectors over the years and have seen their storage solutions firsthand. My employer and I actually considered opening a "club" storage facility very similar to yours up in Palm Beach so I might have another perspective for you.

I'm working round the clock to finish my next piece for Cavallino this Saturday but I'd love to talk to you in more detail at the track Friday or anytime this weekend after the dust clears.

I'll keep an eye out for you so we can talk.

 

My answers are just to give you another opinion.
I don't foresee outgrowing my garages in the current house.
If I did outgrow the garage I would add another one, if that is not feasible I would rent a unit, or maybe get an airplane hangar for storage.
I would travel a maximum of 15 minutes.
Either a cool hangout or a race shop atmosphere is good with me. I prefer a cool hangout space that doesn't smell like an amphitheater the day after a show.
Comraderie is a nice idea but is not likely to work with strangers. It is even tough with friends due to different expectations of responsibilities.
Security is important. Price is important. Climate control is nice but not critical to me.
I would say 1500 s.f. is pretty good, 3,000 s.f. is big.
I store one car on a lift for servicing, not needed for storage currently (plus a lift looks cool).

BT

 

where do you keep your collection after you outgrow your garages? Unfortunately, for now, in the driveway of my house, and other people's houses that are vacant and in foreclosure in my neighborhood.

how far from your home would you travel? This is very important b/c it turns the ability to go for a quick drive into a drawn out experience. 5-10 minutes max.

Is the mancave experience enticing or do you prefer the race shop experience? Both have merit. If I had a storage unit, I would customize it with a loft, pool table, lift, plenty of storage, and the ability to store as well as view the cars I left there.

Does comraderie make a difference or do you prefer to be away from other car enthusiasts? This is a double-edged sword, as if I were there I would like my friends to come hang out with me.....but, if it's someone I don't know that has a bunch of people I don't know hanging out there it would make me feel a bit less secure about leaving my things there. As long as there's adequate security, then having the 'clubhouse' feel is much better. That's common at the boat-lift type marinas I have stored my boats in the past have been. It's nice to know the people there.

Do you care about climate control & security or is price more relevant? It's a balancing act. Certainly price is important vs other options available to people, but typically people want as much for their money as possible. If I were contemplating storing an expensive car I would care more about security than if I were just storing average stuff.

How big is big? All I have to do is look down.........wow, that's BIG!!! Oh, wait, ok, about the storage facility.....I think this really depends upon how many cars someone wants to store. In other words, if I had 1 car to store, I would want enough room for that car, plus a lift, plus storage space, plus space to work, plus space to hang out. Add more space to this for every additional car I wanted to store.

Do you store your cars on lifts? Yes, I have 2 lifts in my garage right now. So, I am able to store 5 vehicles in my 3 car garage.


I have some additional comments, suggestions, and thoughts that I will share with you in person when I see you on Friday.