Pros and Cons of Renting or Buying Cargo Shipping Containers for Travel, Storage, International Purposes

Should I Rent or Buy A Shipping Container? 5 Important Questions To Consider

In the market for a shipping container? If you’re not sure what you’re looking for, it can be stressful! Shipping containers can be a major investment, so it’s important to consider your specific needs in the decision-making process. 

Here at Moon Trailer Leasing, we talk customers through the logistics of buying and renting containers every day. We have decades of experience helping businesses and individuals make informed choices for their needs. 

That’s why we’ve compiled some of the most important questions you should consider when buying or renting a container. By the time you read through these, you should have a much clearer idea of what you’re looking for! Let’s dive right in.

Question 1: What is it for?

The biggest question you’ll face is why am I purchasing a shipping container. Is your business in need of a durable shipping container for intercontinental voyages, for years on end? Are you looking to remodel a used shipping container into a tiny home, or repurpose it as a shed or pool? Do you want to customize the sides of the trailer with your business logo or some sort of design? If you want to permanently modify or maintain a shipping container for a significant amount of time, you should likely consider buying it outright.

On the other hand, if you’re using a shipping container for temporary storage, travel, an event, as an office, or for other related business endeavors, renting may be in your best interest. Asking yourself this question is a great way to get the ball rolling and begin to figure out what you’re looking for. 

Question 2: How long will I need it?

The next question to consider is time-frame. Renting a shipping container is far more affordable if you plan on using it on a weekly or monthly basis. However, if you know you’ll consistently need a container for over a year, consider buying. The bottom line is: if your time-frame is up-in-the-air in any way, start with renting! 

Some rental companies also provide on-site storage and delivery options for rentals, which makes the whole process a breeze. If you work with a leasing company like Moon, you won’t have to worry about finding a storage space, lugging the container around, or exposing it to the elements. We’re here to handle everything for you!

Question 3: Where will it travel?

As mentioned in Question 1, the types of trips that your shipping container will make is very important to consider. If you’re using the container for storage, renting with a company that can keep it safe for you is a great idea. If you’re thinking about taking the container around the world, or altering it in any major way, buying is better. Unfurnished containers can weigh anywhere between 5,000 and 8,000 pounds, often requiring semi-trucks using special trailers to be moved. That’s why some leasing companies offer transportation, delivery, and relocation services, which can make traveling with your container remarkably easier. At Moon, we offer all of this, as well as a preliminary Delivery Accessibility Evaluation to help assess your specific needs before bringing you your trailer. 

Question 4: What size do I need?

Shipping containers are not one-size-fits-all. There are so many sizes on the market, designed for specific purposes and activities. Many people tend to overestimate and underestimate their sizing needs and purchase the wrong size container. We have both 20 ft and 40 ft containers available for purchase or rental, as well as 20 and 40 ft “Hi-cube” containers which are 1 foot taller than standard containers. If you’re stocking up a trailer for overseas or intercontinental travel, it’s not a good idea to have a lot of empty space for your items to roll around! We can evaluate your inventory and sizing needs to help you choose a trailer specific to your cargo needs. 

Question 5: What quality of shipping container do I need?

Are you looking for a “brand new” trailer, or are you okay with a used one? Many used cargo containers for sale are deemed to be wind and watertight and have a long life ahead of them. Choosing to buy or rent a used trailer can be markedly more affordable, especially during shipping container shortages and economic downswings. At Moon, we rent and sell both new and used containers that are thoroughly-inspected to meet ISO requirements as well as our own rigorous quality standards. Make sure you’re working with a company you can trust, or you may find holes or signs of disrepair after it’s too late!

Ready to Buy? We Offer New & Used Shipping Containers for Purchase 

Moon Trailer Leasing offers a variety of shipping containers for sale in Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, and Tennessee ready for immediate shipment from our Louisville and Lexington Kentucky yards. We also sell shipping containers from our affiliated depots throughout the US. 

The conditions of these storage containers range from new (“one trip containers”) to various grades of used containers. Pricing per unit is based directly on age, condition and remaining life expectancy. All containers for sale in our Louisville, KY yard as well as units sold from our affiliated depots are sold “as is” and are available for pre-purchase + on-site inspection. 

While many used shipping containers for sale may not be as aesthetically pleasing as newer containers, they may provide an ideal mix of economy and function for your particular storage application.

Ready To Rent? Explore Our Range of Sizes and Amenities

​​We maintain a large inventory of storage containers available for rent that are delivered on our company owned trucks from our Louisville and Lexington, KY locations. Our 40 foot storage containers are delivered using our semi-trucks with 40 foot tilt-bed trailers.  The 20-foot shipping containers are delivered on our 35 foot flatbed roll-back truck. We can easily evaluate your required delivery location to determine if placement is possible.

We rent portable storage containers in a variety of sizes and configurations. For example, we rent containers that have double swing doors on one end or on both ends. Our Hi-Cube containers offer extra clearance for requirements that demand extra floor to ceiling space (8 ft 5-1/2” floor to ceiling height). Shipping containers can be placed at ground level or put on a chassis for applications that require dock level access. All units are forklift accessible.

Contact Moon Trailer Leasing Today

If you are looking for shipping container rentals or purchasing options in the Kentucky or Southern Indiana, considering giving Moon Trailer Leasing a call. Our experienced team has decades of experience. We serve the needs of customers throughout Louisville and Lexington, Kentucky and in Clarksville, Jeffersonville, and New Albany, Indiana as well. Along with delivering clean, high quality, well-constructed units designed to meet your needs, our team is proud to offer competitive rates and top-notch customer service. Additionally, we also specialize in other related services including portable restroom and shower rentals, dumpster rentals, refrigerated container rentals and more. For additional details or to get a fast and easy quote for your project, give us a call at 502-776-2199. “Ask for the Moon, and get it!”