Renting a storage unit to detail car (cars, winter, running)
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What about using a bank drive through on the weekends when they are closed?
In addition to what easy62 said, those drive throughs are also quite tight. There wouldn't be enough room to properly detail a car under there.
My suggestion is just hire a detailer and take it to their shop, or use the self serve car wash. You don't have to use their nasty old brushes. You can just use the pressure washer and bring your own bucket(s) and wash mitts.
A friend of mine uses a storage unit to store his classic muscle car in the winter; he uses a carport at his house to store it in summer. The complex where he rents the unit has gated entry and he can access it anytime as I have been with him at night when he had to access it. Most of the units at that complex are small for household storage, but some are larger individual garages where people can store vehicles. I don't know about water or power at the complex, but I have seen people washing and detailing cars there when I visited the car with him once.
It seems to me that the cost would be prohibitive when you can probably hire a detailer to do the job for the same price as a month or two of storage. Also be aware that those places charge a higher price for a short term lease, so it might just pay you to wait until you move into a house.
I think a much better option for you would be to find a homeowner who has an extra bay in his garage and rent that from him. Where I live people rent one bay of a three car garage to people to store their vehicles in when they go back up north, don’t see why you couldn’t find a similar situation for detailing your cars.
Have you read the contract at the storage unit to see if such a thing is allowed? I highly doubt it is.
It generally isn't allowed, but what they don't see can't hurt them. Like I mentioned, years ago , when they left at 5 pm, I moved into my storage unit and worked inside with the door closed. No one knew I was in there. That worked in the Winter months, but the Summer was too hot, so I had to open the doors.
I realize some places have gated, locked at night units, but a lot of them down here are completely open, and you can access them 24/7.
I do all the time, either that or ill let them use some of my waxes/tools. But the issue is they usually are busy and aren’t home. That’s why I’m trying to get my own place
It appears that you need to seek out a girlfriend or whatever.
It generally isn't allowed, but what they don't see can't hurt them. Like I mentioned, years ago , when they left at 5 pm, I moved into my storage unit and worked inside with the door closed. No one knew I was in there. That worked in the Winter months, but the Summer was too hot, so I had to open the doors.
I realize some places have gated, locked at night units, but a lot of them down here are completely open, and you can access them 24/7.
Storage places I rented didn't want me even using power tools to cut up boards for craft projects. And the last couple places I checked out, really grilled me to ask what I'd be storing and asked if anything I did might leave stains, like car parts, etc. So, if you do decide to rent a unit, don't tell them you'll be doing any work in it, or that you'll have any car parts in it, etc., is my advice. Of course, then you run the risk of being kicked out - but it shouldn't go on a credit report or anything if you did get kicked out.
I feel your pain. I don't have access to any electrical outlets where I live, even though we have an underground garage. So, if I just want to vacuum out my truck, I have to take it somewhere else. It's a pain.
I rented a 10x20 unit that was big enough to work on the car. I'd have to shift it from one side to the other but I could easily get things done. SInce working on cars in units is frowned upon, I would wait until the place closed for the night, (7PM) and then park my daily driver in front of my unit and pull the door down. (I had access until 11PM). Nobody ever said a word in the 3 years I was there. Wasn't doing anything major, but I could have easily detailed the car. Wouldn't be cost effective though as MA prices for a drive-in 10x20 unit was around $300/month
However, for the cost and time of setting up the contract and then cancelling, you could just buy one of those portable tent setups you see people tailgating with all the time. That's how I detail my car these days if i'm not doing it in my garage that I now (finally) own. Sometimes I like to back it into the driveway and it's not in full shade until 1PM. So I use one of these in the AM.
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Like I mentioned, years ago , when they left at 5 pm, I moved into my storage unit and worked inside with the door closed. No one knew I was in there. That worked in the Winter months, but the Summer was too hot, so I had to open the doors.
