Living in an apartment in LA can be an exciting experience, but if you’re a car enthusiast, it can be challenging to find a place where you can store or work on your vehicles. While you can certainly negotiate for a parking space at your apartment complex for your main vehicle, it may be difficult to get one or two more spots for your other cars. If that’s the case, consider renting space within the city to store your prized possessions.
It may not seem like it, but there are actually several ways to safely store your car even if you live in an apartment in Los Angeles. It is estimated that 14 percent of LA County’s unincorporated land is devoted to sheltering automobiles, which breaks down to 3.3 parking spaces per vehicle. With this much available space, you can certainly find the right car storage solution for all year gearhead needs. Here are some ideas on where to store your extra vehicles.
Find a Car-Friendly Storage Unit
Having a safe and secure storage space for a vehicle isn’t just a problem for gearheads. Those who travel a lot for work need it as well, and so do active military personnel. Serving members of the army may choose to have their military car shipped to the place where they’ve been put on a new assignment. But if they want their vehicle to remain in LA, then they need a place to keep their car while they’re on active-duty deployment.
Finding a car-friendly storage unit is one of the best and cheapest ways to house your vehicle in LA. You can find them in places like Eagle Rock, San Pedro Street, and Glendale Boulevard, and some of them are spacious enough to fit a conventional sedan or an SUV. For a small car and one motorcycle, find a unit that measures about 10 x 20 or 10 x 25 as that’s about the same size as a standard one-car garage. Meanwhile, if you need a place for a large vehicle like an SUV or an RV, find a 10 x 20 to 20 x 20 storage unit. You’ll also need to decide on the type of amenities that you’ll need for the unit. Note that amenities such as climate control, 24-hour access, security alarms, and access to electrical outlets may add to the overall cost of your rent.
Consider Alternative Storage Areas
If a conventional storage unit doesn’t give you enough room to work on your car, then you’ll need to consider alternative vehicle storage areas. Something like a hangar will be perfect for gearheads since it has lots of space for a car or two, and you can easily move around while remodeling or restoring your vehicle. You can find a few hangars for lease in places near airports, and if you’re in LA, the best and nearest place to find an available hangar is in Van Nuys.
Here, you can rent a large shared hangar for about $1,500 a month, and the cost can be manageable if you split it with other gearheads who need space for their car projects. Some hangar rental owners won’t mind if you use the hangar as a garage. But there are others that will require potential renters to have an aircraft before approving the lease. Ask about the terms and conditions, as well as the amenities included before signing the lease.
Rent a Garage from LA Homeowners
Some homeowners choose to rent out their garage to make some extra cash, so be on the lookout for garage listings in and around LA. If you choose to rent a garage attached to a private home, you’ll need to meet with the homeowner and set a few terms to ensure that your car is safe at all times. For instance, if the garage doesn’t have a lockable door, you can ask them to install a smart camera so you can check your vehicle no matter where you are. If the garage comes with a lock or a passcode, ask if you can change the passcode so that only you, or you and the homeowner, has access to the space. You may also ask the homeowner to keep the garage clear of boxes, bikes, chemicals, and other items that may potentially damage your car.
Being a car enthusiast in LA has its challenges, but there are ways to get around your vehicle storage problem. Consider these ideas to store your extra cars, and gain peace of mind knowing that your vehicles are in a safe and secure place.
