Car storage venture research

Guest · Sep 23, 2007

I hope I'm not too out of place writing this. I'm currently undergoing some research of which I was hoping members on here would help me with. I can tell from reading the forum that you are all a pretty enthusiastic lot about your cars! I have a unique opportunity for a new business venture, I currently work in a printing firm and to be honest it's starting to get a little tedious, and like many people, have ambitions of starting my own business. The prospect is for Professional Vehicle Storage. I have access to a large, new, immaculate and extremely secure factory space. The factory was purpose built as a printing facility so therefore large open spaces; easy, wide access to vehicles throughout and is heated; with room for approximately; 30/40+ vehicles, there is also lots of surrounding open space, (car park and truck turning circle) for the occasional get together!

My plan is to offer secure long/short term storage for vehicles that fellow enthusiasts feel deserve it! Along with all of the support services you may require; i.e. transportation, exercise and maintenance, valeting and repairs. The facility is in a small town on the border of Lancashire and Yorkshire which is about 40 minutes from Manchester, Leeds and Preston. I have been a car enthusiast since well before I could even drive, and so this would be an enterprise that I would be extremely passionate about. My question to you is whether you think this is a valid business opportunity, in order to find out whether there is a market for this; want to try and gauge any potential demand for such a service. I would be extremely appreciative of input you would have for me. Thank you in advance.

Axl Rose · Sep 23, 2007

Sounds nice to me..only the distance from Barnsley would make me think..i only have Porsches as my everyday cars and insured wiyh limited mileage so i don't think i can do a 100 mile trip every weekend just to work on my project(i assume you'd be renting the space out as bays)..but i'm sure there's plenty of owners out there who might consider storing their classics in a secure warehouse..so good luck anyway..

Paul Holroyd · Sep 24, 2007

Hello Ben,

The concept sounds good and their are many secure parking companies doted around the Uk so the idea must work.

Will it work!!! It all depends on your overheads I would imagine that the rent for such a large industrial unit is not cheap so it depends on how much you will charge for secure parking / storage.

If you aim for the (top-end Porsche owners) ones with the brand new GT3, Turbo and so on (ones with more money than they can shake a stick at lucky persons) then yes they could afford it BUT these people will all ready have a large garage probably purpose built next to there detached house so they will have no need for your service.

The die-hard Porsche enthusiast with a limited budget may be interested so bare in mind that the price should be fare because not all Porsche owners have money to burn.

I wish you all the success and I think you're on the right tracks to offer spin-offs with valeting and other ideas.

Regards

Paul Holroyd

Motorsport Artist
Porsche Motorsport ArtistJournalist for www.porschesport.com

ubertub · Oct 16, 2007

Ben,
You sound like just the sort of person I have been waiting for... so to speak. I urgently require storage of my car, and a good deal of my friends do too. I live in a small town on the border of Lancashire and Yorkshire (can't be many of those!) Please get on with it before winter. lol.
Good luck.
mik.