09th January, 2019

 

The results may surprise you…

Traditional Self-Storage Vs Specialised Vehicle Storage: Know the Difference!

 

If we’re honest, when people think ‘storage’, they usually think ‘self-storage’. This comes as no surprise in a rapidly growing self-storage market, powered by big players such as National, Kennards and Storage Choice. At Autohouse, we often hear comments from our customers such as ‘We didn’t know specialist car & trailer storage places existed’ or ‘I put my car in a normal self-storage unit because I didn’t think there were any other options’. As you’ll soon discover, these can be very expensive assumptions to make.

 
 

Admittedly, specialised vehicle storage is a fairly recent concept in Australia, however we are doing our best to educate the Storage Market on the key differences between this concept and traditional self-storage. The phrase ‘horses for courses’ has never been more fitting.

Why is Specialised Vehicle Storage Typically Cheaper?

Simple – instead of leasing individual units, a Specialised Vehicle Storage Business uses a bulk open space, or vertical stacking techniques. Without having to compartmentalise everything, there is far more space available to lease per square metre, resulting in economies of scale, which are then passed onto the Customer.

 

And How Much Cheaper Is It?

Glad you asked! We recently engaged with a number of local Self-Storage Businesses for some quotes on Indoor Car Storage, and Outdoor Caravan Storage. Here are the results:

 

Indoor Car Storage: Autohouse Vs Local Self-Storage Operators

 
 

The next cheapest option we could find in the local area was a 55% more expensive per week, with the dearest being whopping 136% more expensive.

 

Remember, this is for the exact same product – secure indoor car storage.

 

When it came to Outdoor Caravan Storage the comparisons were closer, with one Operator even matching our weekly rate. The majority however were still rather distant in terms of comparable pricing.

 
 

Outdoor Caravan Storage: Autohouse Vs Local Self-Storage Companies

 

Some Further Observations…

 

– It was decided to compare Outdoor Caravan Storage over Indoor because most self-storage operators contacted did not offer indoor options for Caravans due to height restrictions.

 

– 2 Operators contacted did not have any existing capacity for either storage units or Caravan parking spaces, and thus weren’t able to quote.

 

– Most Operators did not offer additional services for Cars such as battery conditioning, dust covers, start-up services and transportation.

 

– A number of Operators that were contacted initially via email/website inquiry form never responded to us.

 

– A small number of Operators only permitted access during restricted hours.

 
 

The Upshot

 

Regular Self-Storage facilities are great for large quantities of small items, but are typically not ideal for Vehicle Storage – at least not financially. Offering the storage of vehicles is simply an add-on for them, and not their core product. Storing a vehicle with a vehicle storage specialist will typically mean far more attractive storage rates, and create a more focused customer experience.

 

 
 

Disclaimer: The data above was obtained from a selection of well-known self-storage brands whom were located in the South-West Brisbane area. The quotations were obtain around mid-December 2018, and were requested and received over the phone, or via email. The prices above are subject to several variables and can be unique to each individual Inquirer. This article is by no means a deterrent for competitors in the Self-Storage market, its simply a like-for-like price comparison for two identical products.