Car Storage Dilemma Garage or Open Air

Whether you own a Ferrari or a clapped out, Del boy style Robin Reliant, everyone gives some thought to where they keep their car.

You may think that you don’t have a choice – after all, unless you have a garage or a driveway, you keep it on the street, don’t you? Well, for most people the answer to that question would be yes, but there are alternative options if you feel your car isn’t safe on the steet outside your home.

Purists

There tend to be two schools of thought when it comes to where to park, if you are lucky enough to have a choice in the matter.

Those who have a garage but choose not to park their vehicle in it overnight may well come out with a pre-rehearsed line or two about allowing their car to breathe. But the reality? Well, let’s be honest, the chances are they’re probably lazy or use their garage for storage.

Figures from the RAC Foundation showed that an incredible 24 per cent of people with garages didn’t use them. Admittedly this research was carried out in 2006, but it still goes to show that many people prefer – for whatever the reason – to leave the car out of the garage.

The other school of thought on the garage versus open air debate is that by leaving a car in the garage overnight it will not only protect the paintwork, but will also keep the car secure – and it’s very difficult indeed to argue with those facts.

But what if you don’t have a choice?

While councillors up and down the country bemoan people who don’t make use of their garages for taking up valuable on-street parking spaces, many people simply don’t have a choice when it comes to where to park – or so they think.

The reality is that many people with a garage space may rent it out, either long term or short term, for holidays. Sites such as www.parkatmyhouse.com detail driveways and garage spaces available for rent – and owners of unused spaces are able to make good money, particularly if living in a busy city or near an airport.

Male retreats

Many people now use their garage as the proverbial garden shed – a place where men do men’s things or simply as an extension to the home. But if not, then it makes sense to keep your car in there. Not only will it preserve the vehicle and help to extend its life, but it will also keep it secure.

Insurance

Leaving a car in a garage can save good money, too. A standard question when applying for car insurance is where the vehicle is kept overnight and stating (honestly) that it’s kept in a secure garage (whether it’s yours or rented) will have a positive effect on the cost of insurance premiums.

Despite many people saying garages aren’t big enough to park in, or add to the hassle when just wanting to nip to the shop, the implications in terms of the car’s life, its safety and your financial health mean it makes good sense to make use of the garage for its original purpose.

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