Challenge budget question

I've got to move a friend to Connecticut in early April and I'd be bringing back an empty tow dolly. If I pick up a car in Conn and pull it back, will my trip up to Conn. have to be counted in the budget. I know I will have to count the trip back, but didn't know about the trip up. Anybody know? Thanks.

From my understanding that would be a no, this is not an extra trip to pick up the car, as you are headed that way with the dolly, the return trip would be required anyway.

This is one of those places where careful reading of the rules can be your friend.

Sounds like a "you were going there anyway......."

In reply to aussiesmg:

you beat me on the post

nope, your traveling for another reason and integrating your hauling as a part of it. if you were only traveling to get the car, then you would have to include the costs of the trip into your budget. when i went to ny to get my 924, the main reason for the trip was a family vacation, i hauled the car home with me, but it doesnt count toward the budget. on the other hand, when i bought my parts car, i had to add the day trip to the challenge budget, cause that was the only reason for that trip (luckily only fuel at about $50, and i sold parts off it to recoup it. so the net effect was zero in the end.) I guess i could've thought up an excuse to drive to the tampa side, but im not a good liar and with my luck id get called out on it..

hopefully this year ill actually bring a car to the challenge..but spectating is fun too....

if you had an empty hauler on the way up and brought a car back, any incremental fuel burn would have to go into the budget. ie if you used 20 gal on teh way up and 30 gal on the way back, you'd have to hit your budget for 10 gal.

since it sounds like you're hauling a car up and maybe hauling one back, the fuel economy should be unaffected.

Thanks guys! Yeah, I'm hauling a car up and bringing one back. I may still suffer a slight decrease in mileage on the way back as that's a much heavier car, but I'll keep track of it and duly report the difference.

dmidknight wrote: Thanks guys! Yeah, I'm hauling a car up and bringing one back. I may still suffer a slight decrease in mileage on the way back as that's a much heavier car, but I'll keep track of it and duly report the difference.

To save your $30, think of some way to make your rig REALLY aerodynamic. If you do this well enough, you may be able to recoup on your budget simply by driving it back.

I'm hoping to lower the Astro before going up in the hope it might get me a couple more mpgs. God help me if I have to use the 5.4 Ford F150 gas pig. I've tried tuning it up, running higher air pressure, driving slower, and still it sucks gas like Chavez and I are brothers.