Does anybody store their car away from home? Need advice/opinions please

[69bronzeT5]

I've run into a difficult scenario (I may make a thread explaining everything). Anyways, we're being forced to move because our landlords (we rent right now) apparently have been told they have to update all the ventilation in our house (it's a fairly new house- I think the whole story is BS). Long story short, I'm going back to school (university) in September so I've made the personal decision to move to my grandparents. At this point, I still have not found a place for my Charger. I've seen ads on Craigslist for 1/2 of garage for like $175. There is actually one place where it says there are 2 units in a garage, each unit has it's own lock and the guy who rents the other side uses it for his classic car. I've been considering it but I really feel uncomfortable having my Charger sitting in some garage away from home especially in the easy steal state it's in (no windshield, no parking brake, driveshaft...easily rollable). I'm just looking for opinions on what I should do. Selling it is absolutely not an option. My Duster and Coronet have already been taken care of by the way...

[Kern Dog]

In 2004 I had a buddy that needed a place to paint a car. This was not just a "one day spray " job either. It was a prime, block sand, sealer, paint, then clearcoat project. After the paint dried enough, he had to sand and buff the car. The total time was almost a month. During that time I stored the Charger at a local indoor storage facility. I hated NOT having my car at the house. I didnt drive it everyday, but having it somewhere else made me want to.

[chargermike]

i dont know where you live. but i store my car in a airplane hanger at a small airport. with times being bad most hangers are sitting empty. i pay very little to rent it and since its in a airport you have to have a hanger or you cant get in. and thiefs dont steal from airports. very safe. if you have a small airport close check out and see if you can rent there. there are a least 20 other cars in hangers here. more cars than planes. good luck. and check with your insurance company and make sure they know your storing your car in a place other than your house. i had to take pictures of the hanger for hagerty to keep my policy good.

[bill440rt]

Growing up, we only had a one-car garage. Being that my brother, dad & I were all car nuts, we all had Mopars & storing them became a problem.
We used to rent garages out of local residences. Most of the people were elderly who weren't using them anyway. They were neat, clean, affordable, & had security systems. They were also referrals from family & friends, so we knew they were trustworthy.

[Chris G.]

I had been paying for rental garages for almost 10 years. After a while you get used to it. I have had some good and bad experiences with rentals, but what other choice do you have? Try and find a single garage or a two car that's separated in the middle with two doors.

You're at a stage now where paranoia is kicking in and that's normal. I doubt anyone will try and steal the car, but from my own experience I know it doesn't calm the nerves. Sooner or later things like this come up. Just bite down and find a good area with a single garage. Time is against you right now, so don't pass on something that looks good just because you think things will work out at home. 

$175 a month sounds pretty steep for a car that will never be restored...  

[69 OUR/TEA]

Cody,I've seen this a hundred times growing up with people I know buying cars with plans of restoring them,sitting around for years,outside or in storage.Not a big deal,but once payment for storage kicks in,and it still sits there,you're throwing money out the window.In the years you've had this car,you've basically done nothing to it,and I see it starting with you.$175.00 x 12 months =$2,100.00 per year,it will sit there for 3,4,5 years again as you try to establish your life.Now you've broken the $10k mark for storing a car that still needs thousands to do.I know you say selling is absolutely not an option,and I expect you to be stubborn as most car guys are about letting go of their machines,but time to search your soul.
You see what people's patterns are,they won't spend $20-$30K for a turn key Charger(or any classic for that case),driver to cruise night,mid level show car quality,but will spend $3,4,5K on rough projects and never do anything with,and spend thousands and endless years trying to build !!!
My advice for you is to let go of it,bank the money,put the money monthly in the bank as if you were paying rent for it,and watch it grow!!!!!!! For agruements sake,lets say you did get $5k for it,and 5 years of storage,now you have $15,500.00.You can pick up another one then,in better shape,more complete,running/driving. Don't worry,there is always going to be Chargers out there to be had.
Not trying to be mean to you,or rain on your parade,I just see from what I've watched you go thru on this site since you joined,you don't have the resources or facility,let alone finances to do what you want to that car.
Sorry to be sounding so harsh,just trying to give you some advice from someone older than you thats been thru these dilemas,and wish I had someone back then to tell me a few diff things.

[charger490]

yes what he said above

i have three cars and store them at a farm that no longer has chickens in the barn.there are 10 cars in there and we all have keys and know each other. we pay 150.00 per car per year.

[Old Moparz]

Cody,I've seen this a hundred times growing up with people I know buying cars with plans of restoring them,sitting around for years,outside or in storage.Not a big deal,but once payment for storage kicks in,and it still sits there,you're throwing money out the window.In the years you've had this car,you've basically done nothing to it,and I see it starting with you.$175.00 x 12 months =$2,100.00 per year,it will sit there for 3,4,5 years again as you try to establish your life.Now you've broken the $10k mark for storing a car that still needs thousands to do.I know you say selling is absolutely not an option,and I expect you to be stubborn as most car guys are about letting go of their machines,but time to search your soul.
You see what people's patterns are,they won't spend $20-$30K for a turn key Charger(or any classic for that case),driver to cruise night,mid level show car quality,but will spend $3,4,5K on rough projects and never do anything with,and spend thousands and endless years trying to build !!!
My advice for you is to let go of it,bank the money,put the money monthly in the bank as if you were paying rent for it,and watch it grow!!!!!!! For agruements sake,lets say you did get $5k for it,and 5 years of storage,now you have $15,500.00.You can pick up another one then,in better shape,more complete,running/driving. Don't worry,there is always going to be Chargers out there to be had.
Not trying to be mean to you,or rain on your parade,I just see from what I've watched you go thru on this site since you joined,you don't have the resources or facility,let alone finances to do what you want to that car.
Sorry to be sounding so harsh,just trying to give you some advice from someone older than you thats been thru these dilemas,and wish I had someone back then to tell me a few diff things.

Probably the best advice yet. 

But, maybe you can consider doing it with the other cars to keep the Charger? 

I've been down a similar road in the past before I built my garage & all it did was slow me down with important things I had to do. I never paid anywhere close to the $175/mo. you are considering, but what I did pay added up to quite a few dollars over several years. When I put up a Cover-It temporary garage, the problems didn't go away, they just changed. Being stubborn or determined about something can be a benefit, but it can also allow you to be your own worst enemy. I learned over a long period of time the hard way & sometimes still feel I haven't learned a thing.

[Troy]

Not sure about prices in your area but there's no way I'd pay $175 to store ONE car. That place better be locked down like Fort Knox! I've lived at my current house for 10 years and there is no garage so I've always had my cars stored elsewhere. I've had everything from storage units to home garages to stand-alone garages (and my current "warehouse") and only had one really bad experience (within 10 days of moving in so I was able to bail before I got settled). The going rate around here for "open storage" (like a big warehouse with lots of cars) is $50-60 per month. I typically pay $60 per month for a 10x20 locked storage unit but have seen them up to $85. A 10x40 usually runs about $100-130 - but holds 2 cars so that's still $50-65 each. Single car garages go from $75-100.

Your car doesn't move so - unless you leave the door open - no one will even know it's there. As mentioned above, find someone who is renting the garage to their house because they don't use it. Many people are more willing to rent if it's *only* for storage and you're not in there working on it all the time.

Unfortunately, I also have to agree with 69 OUR/TEA. When I was a teenager I had a 68 Charger and a 70 Challenger. Both cost a lot to keep maintained and on the road - even way back then! I eventually sold both to buy something "more reliable" for college (but that didn't work out so well either). People ask if I wish I still had those cars and I can honestly reply "no" because I had nowhere to put them and they'd have rotted to the ground (or been claimed by the storage company) before I could ever afford to fix them. I've only recently had the means to restore a car and I, foolishly, bought eight of them! I've had two for over 7 years with no noticeable progress. Keeping the running cars on the road takes most of the money I could use on the projects. I've been forcing myself to trim the fleet and, so far, I haven't regretted it. I know you have some emotional attachment to the Charger which makes it a lot harder to let go. However, you could sell either of the others to pay for the storage on the Charger.

Troy

[ITSA426]

We store our cars for winter about 100 miles from home.  We own the property, and a neighbor watches it for us.  The cars are insured, as is the property.  We know where all the keys are, so we are comfortable with them there.  It is also heated with a four post hoist and all the tools we need so it becomes a place to go in winter and the place for vehicle maintenance in winter.  Renting spaces would not be a practical option unless it was dirt cheap because comparable, heated secure, winter storage here is about $400 for the season.

[BananaDan]

I store my car in a garage in town.  I pay an obscene cost for it but I was in a tough spot because I had less than a month to find one before winter hit, and I wanted one close to my house because I'm restoring her interior over the winter and didn't want to travel far to do that (especially when I usually forget a tool or her keys or something stupid and have to run home quick to get it).  I found the place through a referral of my mechanic in town who I trust.  I do look forward to moving in a few years and getting a house with a garage, but for now this is what I have to do.  I can guarantee though that when spring hits, I finish the interior and she's running again I will be finding a new garage that is more affordable (but likely may not be as close to home).

Ask friends, neighbors and any local businesses if they know of anything and you can always check craigslist.  That's where I was searching before I landed my current spot.  Also, you can always use a storage facility that has external access, not all facilities can fit cars but they are out there.  Make sure you bring a tape measure when you look at garages also, a few I looked at in nearby apartment buildings weren't deep or wide enough for a Charger.  Actually, I didn't mention it above, but apartment buildings are great sources.  They are usually always private and not all residents have cars so the management company or landlord are always looking to rent out unused garages for a reasonable price.  I looked at two less than 1/10 of a mile from my house and they wanted $100/month but they were too small for my car.  

Dan

[BananaDan]

I typically pay $60 per month for a 10x20 locked storage unit but have seen them up to $85.

Wow.  I called multiple storage units in the Northern New Jersey area last fall and the going rate here for a unit like that is $200-$225/mo. with anywhere from the first 1-3 months free if they have a special running. 

Dan

[devilgear]

Cody. Im in Minnesota. Not sure how far away you are, but i would let you store it here for free if you could make it. I know its a long way, but let me know if you to...

[stripedelete]

Listen to Our/Tea.  It may not be what you want to hear, but..........

If you have access to free storage, pick one, store it, come back to it later down the road.   

[TUFCAT]

Listen to Our/Tea.  It may not be what you want to hear, but..........

Sorry, but I agree.  

My Dad used to tell me... "don't spend money on a dead horse".

Trust me ....it was said a lot!   Looking back now, I wish I listened.

[69bronzeT5]

Sorry guys.....call me crazy or stupid but I just can't sell it. It's got way too much sentimental value to me, I mean I've had the thing since I was 6. Sure I could sell it and buy another Charger down the road but it still wouldn't be THIS Charger. Believe it or not, if somebody offered me an R/T for mine, I'd say no. It's got that much sentimental value to me. I have taken everybody's advice to heart though, don't get me wrong. If I wanted, I could store it at my grandparent's work but it would be outside and under a tent canopy which isn't really ideal for me but if I had to I would.....I'm just trying to find dry indoor storage for it first. My stepmom is trying to find a house with a garage though but it isn't looking too good so far.

[TUFCAT]

As long as you know your sentiment for this Charger will cost more money in the long run, then who am I to judge? .

Keeping your car is a cool thing - we all understand

Many adults have faced the same issues.

I'm still in mourning over a particular 1972 Charger Rallye I sold....(but it was the right choice)  

[Brass]

Reading this, I can't shake the feeling that you're fettered to a corpse.

I too had to let my first Charger go shortly after highschool.  It wasn't one I had owned since I was six but there was a lot of sentimental value there nonetheless.  Currently I realize that I'm better off with the car I have now and way ahead financially, even though it took a long time.

Good for you for going back to school though.  University can be a rite of passage of sorts.  So is making tough decisions.  Anything you can do to enable yourself to succeed would be the best favor you could do yourself. Still, if you can find a way to keep it without it being a burden, then more power to you.

But to answer your question, I live in an urban area where garages and parking are commodities.  My secured garage is a short walk down the street and I pay $85/month.  Which is a steal because most I looked at were at least $125/month.  You might try searching craigslist - some apartment buildings have a surplus of garage space or covered parking.

[69 OUR/TEA]

Striking similarity!!!!!

            http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,78453.0.html

[Chris G.]

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,33096.0.html

[69bronzeT5]

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,33096.0.html

?

[Chris G.]

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,33096.0.html

?

Really? You want me to pull quotes from that thread? 

I've decided it's been sitting too long and it's time I actually drive it. After talking with my dad and going over everything, I've made a goal to get it on the road for summer 2011.

[69bronzeT5]

Really? You want me to pull quotes from that thread? 

I've decided it's been sitting too long and it's time I actually drive it. After talking with my dad and going over everything, I've made a goal to get it on the road for summer 2011.

That was definitely the plan and goal until this having to move crap hit...

[jasonfromIKILLYA]

Dude.  Don't sell it.  Do some background on the place where you want to store it and if you're comfortable, put it there.  I pay $200 a month to store mine in a garage not even big enough to work on it in.  The prices will vary based on what city you're in and what you're trying to do.  Do your homework on the spot and you'll be fine.

[Drache]

Sorry to hear about your predicament. I had to sell my '69 Skylark when storage became an issue and I can say they Im actually glad I did. It needed way more work that I could put into it. I went through a lot of the buying cheap vehicles hoping to save money but in the long wrong it was just costing me money. I then decided to buy a car that didn't really need serious work (thus my post after post about various vehicles). Now Im not saying for you to sell the Charger, sentimental value can mean more to one person than to another.

If you lived closer to me I'd just say store it here in the barn for free at the ranch. It's not heated but it does come with an armed guard 

Have you checked with storage companies in your area? Ones around here you can either pay $100 a month for a locked private storage container or pay a cheaper fee for a sort of open barn type (roof, three walls, open front, about 100 feet long). People usually back their boats or RV's but Ive seen a couple old cars there with car covers over top of the cars.

[chargermike]

i pay 250. a month for my hanger. i split it with two other guys. i share my half and pay 65 a month. good luck and if it means alot to you then keep it. 

[69bronzeT5]

Well......it's gone....

[69bronzeT5]

......to a friend's shop for a few months (free storage) until I can find something long term

[TUFCAT]

It has a lot of tow miles!

[DonC1]

Cody, I stored my roadrunner at a storage shop outside of Duncan...your old home town:) for $50. a month.
I'll check into for you if you want.