So, you need to ship a car across the country. The problem is that you need the car until the very last minute, before you board the plane. What to do? Car storage is an option. Likewise, it’s an option if you can’t be there when the car shipping company delivers the car at your destination.

Car Shipping Options

Car shipping companies offer a range of options, including:

• Open car shipping
• Enclosed auto shipping
• Railways vehicle shipping
• Roll-on, roll-off car shipping
• Door-to-door shipping
• Facility to facility shipping

Whichever option you choose, you can store the vehicle in a storage facility for a while. One of the main reasons why people store their vehicles, is when they are deployed by the military. If they are unable to take the car with, they can deliver the car to a car storage facility on the day they leave. When they return to America, or when they are settled at their new base across the country, they can have the car shipped to their new location. 

Taking Care of Your Car in Storage

As with standard car shipping, it is important to ensure that you prepare your vehicle for storage, especially if it will be stored for a month or longer. Some car storage facilities that offer long-term storage also offer a battery top-up service to ensure your car remains operable. 

If the car is not operable, you must notify the car shipping company. It typically costs more to ship an inoperable car, but if you don’t notify them, it will cost you even more, especially if the company does not have the equipment needed to load the car onto the truck. Cars are typically either driven onto the ramp on the trailer. However, inoperable cars have to be lifted onto the truck. Not all auto transporters have the equipment at hand to do that. 

How to Choose a Car Storage Facility

Your car is a valuable investment, and you want to take good care of it. Naturally, you want to choose the best storage facility possible. When you look for a facility, look at the following:

• General appearance – Ensure that the facility is clean with no pest infestations or water leaks. 
• Security – Find out what type of security the facility offers. Ideally, you want a well-lit facility with lock up storage units, access control, and 24/7 guards. 
• Occupancy – While this will depend on the location, you want to know that it is not a fly-by-night facility. There should be some other cars in storage too. 

Finally, make sure the terms are agreeable to you. Indoor storage will be more expensive than covered storage, but it is an infinitely better option if you need to store your car for a week or more. Some car shipping companies can arrange car storage for you if you use their auto transportation services.