Heated Winter Car Storage – Sorry, Car Snuggie* not provided

We do want your car to be cozy while it hibernates away the cold and salty Maine winter months in our climate-controlled, heated, secure facility; but, no, we do not provide Car Snuggies. We get asked that question again and again; and we know that you want the best for your car but 60+ degrees of radiant-heated polished concrete gently warming your car’s underbelly is perfect for our vehicular winter guests. Since we do offer trickle charging, you could think of the battery as a lead-lined plastic encased Snuggie for its electrons, if you squint? Of course, you can provide your own Car Snuggie if you wish. We have nothing against Snuggies in general but we do not provide that service.

Now that we’ve cleared that up, you should know that we are still accepting cars for the winter 2012-2013 storage season. If you have not visited here before, please take the less-than-five minutes to see our video on our homepage so you can get a feel for the place. But realize that the video is targeted to the potential member.

You do NOT have to be a member here at Portland Motor Club to be able to store your car for the winter or any other time (we have military contractors and service men and women as well as world travelers storing their cars with us for sometimes years at a time!). Members have access to their cars to be able to take them in and out as they wish and to use our facility including our lounge and onsite detailing center Portland Detailing (www.PortlandDetailing.com) but if you want to put your car up for the winter, you can just pay for straight winter storage. We have plans for the number of months that you want to store the car. The monthly rate goes down with length of stay.

We expect that we will be pretty darned full this winter so you might want to contact us sooner than later. As you can see from the accompanying photo, we were very busy in a very quiet kind of way last winter! Please call Kal Rogers at Portland Motor Club at 207-775-1770 or email info@portlandmotorclub.com to make a reservation or to get more information.

Professional heated winter car storage at the Portland Motor Club in Maine… Sorry, no Car Snuggies!

* As I thought about what there really is to say about properly storing your car worth storing properly, it occurred to me that there isn’t really all that much to say. There are websites out there with a laundry list of things to do to prepare your car for the winter which could take you all winter to accomplish. We find that it’s really pretty straightforward here at Portland Motor Club: we store cars in a dry 60+ degrees with a trickle charger on them and they come out several to many months later none the worse for wear. So, what else is there to talk about but Car Snuggies (even though we don’t provide them)!?!… Kal

Thirty Seconds of Greatness

A shorter take on Rich Brooks‘ (of Flyte New Media) visit to Portland Motor Club.

Why Professional Car Storage?

Providing a marina-like approach, some dedicated vehicle storage facilities offer car owners the freedom to come and go as they like while enjoying peace of mind that their vehicles are protected from the elements, damage and worse  While it is certainly possible for a private owner to create the ideal environment for protecting the condition and value of a collectible car, it requires a serious investment into designing and building a sufficient facility that will take into account many factors such as temperature, humidity, security, access and cost. Usually some sort of compromise results that either consciously or inadvertently jeopardizes the condition, value or safety of the vehicle. Seasonal storage usually means that the vehicle is unavailable for up to six months at a time while often cold temperatures, humidity, critters and other factors can do their worst on your four-wheeled friend.

Professional collector car storage can be the affordable solution that addresses all of the storage concerns of a car collector. By garaging with a company that has designed a facility that specifically addresses all the specific security, environmental and safety concerns of car storage, car owners gain the peace of mind that comes from knowing that their prized possession is getting the care that it truly deserves.

For the auto enthusiast, it is heart breaking to hear about the seemingly annual garage collapse or burned-down chicken barn housing irreplaceable cars. Imagine the sense of security that comes from knowing that one’s vehicular pride and joy is locked away in a fortified facility featuring smoke and heat detection, a sprinkler system, and continuous visual monitoring and video recording. It’s a bit like car storage heaven!

For certain vehicles, these are not seasonal issues: proper year-round care and housing is vital to protecting the condition and value of cars that have significant worth. Even if the owner lives at a distance from the storage facility, proper care and storage trumps convenience. Oftentimes such a vehicle is only used or shown occasionally anyway. For those who do live relatively close to a year-round storage facility, they can consider such a place a marina-like service where their car receives secure storage, care and maintenance, and it is prepared and ready to go when they are, any time of year.

Car owners might also like to know that their batteries are tended to regularly, that someone is watching out for leaking fluids and other problems, and that while the car is in storage, its condition can be maintained via reconditioning and restoration services. Also, concerns about the safe and proper transportation of vehicles to and from such a facility can be handled by professional covered transportation services that certain facilities may offer. A professional car storage facility can also cater to custom care concerns and requests such as specialized mechanical work or upholstery replacement.

Some facilities even offer a members’ lounge where one can talk shop with fellow enthusiasts and can enjoy the camaraderie of gathering with other collectors, or they take a meeting with a business associate. In some cases, they might have access to the facility for special business or social occasions. In many cases, other collector car events such as car club meetings, educational events, rallies, shows and even auctions can take place on the premises. For a relatively reasonable annual fee, collectible and special vehicles can get the home they deserve and their owners can get the protection they really want and need for their valued investment. It’s nice to know that there are a few places out there that are providing car storage done right.

Kal Rogers
Marketing Director
Portland Motor Club
Portland, Maine