The air bag: take a Fermé line on storing valuable cars

A monthly rate starts at Dh2,400, but each client is quoted individually.

One of Parc Fermé’s dedicated storage rooms. Courtesy Parc Fermé

As I sit in the living room at my in-laws' home, 5,600 kilometres away from my own place in Dubai, an email drops into my inbox. It's a report from Parc Fermé, the specialist car storage facility in Dubai Investment Park, where my TR6 is currently enjoying some TLC, safely ensconced in a temperature-controlled room away from the heat, humidity, dust and careless drivers.

I’d completely forgotten about this: anyone who is a customer of Parc Fermé receives a monthly report on their car(s), and today is the TR6’s one-month anniversary there. The report is a one-page PDF that includes three photographs of its current position – right now, it’s parked next to a Lykan HyperSport, so it’s in good company – that show a different view of the car in each. I can see its bonnet is currently not quite shut and there are protective covers over the seats and steering wheel, as it’s currently having some investigative work carried out on it, in preparation for it going back on the road once the weather calms down.

The report also documents the odometer reading, how much fuel is in the tank, the pressure of each tyre and that the car was washed this morning, as well as having its engine started. It’s like it’s at some sort of health farm for the summer holidays.

The reason I chose Parc Fermé when it came to storing my car was simple: it’s a one-stop shop where everything can be looked after when it comes to maintenance and servicing, as well as long- or short-term storage. A small team of dedicated staff, headed up by the owner Motaz Abu-Hijleh, a former high-ranking engineer with Emirates and full-on competition driver, can take care of almost anything, from full ground-up restorations to engine tuning and performance upgrades. I don’t need to take my car anywhere else.

Shopping around for the best deal, I spoke to three companies and visited two. The third wanted an outrageous sum each month for basically keeping the TR6 inside a steel container alongside other customers’ furniture, so was dismissed instantly.

The other two were Parc Fermé and another option close by, where I found dozens of Ferraris and other precious automobiles parked in what amounted to little more than a section of car park three floors underground. It was extremely hot and sweaty, and only a small handful of cars were stored in air-conditioned plastic “cocoons” – which ­surprised me, because heat and humidity wreak havoc on cars’ rubber seals, trim parts and a host of other vulnerable items.

The rate I was quoted was ­entirely reasonable (Dh1,800 a month for a 12-month contract) and there were two things going in its favour: I would be able to access my car whenever I wanted and the facility’s location was a lot more convenient than Parc Fermé’s, where I would also need to give notice if I wanted to take the car out for a spin. These ­factors were outweighed by the fact I felt better leaving my new toy in the hands of people who know how to look after it ­sympathetically.

Three levels of service are ­offered by Abu-Hijleh and his crew. I opted for the least expensive “Standard” package (monthly rates start at Dh2,400, but each client is quoted individually), because I need to keep monthly ­expenditure down. But the extra spend compared to the nearest competitor is worth it in my mind, because no ­matter how much you spend, these ­people are enthusiasts, as well as experts, and will keep your pride and joy safe. Whether you need to leave one car or your entire collection, for a week, month or year, you might be surprised how little it costs for such care and ­attention.