GRM relay...or any empty trailer going from Raleigh area to Atlanta?

I'm up to trouble again.  This time getting my wife and son started down the path of their crapcan endurance racing "career".  Oh, and of course I'll be happy to drive it just to help teach them...rough job but someone's gotta do it.

I don't own a truck/trailer yet.  Not sure if I'm going to.  It may not be cost effective for me, so I may just wind up using Uhaul whenever I need.  I can certainly do that in this case.  But before I drop the cash (mileage charge is going to SUCK) to do that, can't hurt to ask if anyone has an empty truck and trailer heading in this general direction.  If you can help me get it from outside of Raleigh, Clayton to be specific, to outside of Atlanta, let me know.   

I was gonna suggest the AAA Big package that tows up to 200 miles...but, it's 461 miles

It might be time to buy a tow vehicle too.  Yukon XL from GRM'er on your way looking for a manual trans commuter as trade.  What do you have that fits that description in your ever growing fleet?  

John Welsh said:

It might be time to buy a tow vehicle too.  Yukon XL from GRM'er on your way looking for a manual trans commuter as trade.  What do you have that fits that description in your ever growing fleet?  

I don't have anything to fit that.  The fleet is actually going to be shrinking.  Here is what we have.

2014 Toyota Prius C - our workhorse and super hesitant to get rid of it.  Wife works at home full time, I work at home 4 out of 5 days.  However, kids have lacrosse, office is 65 miles away, trips to/from Fl, etc...we've had that car 8 months and put over 25,000 miles on it.

2011 BMW 128i 6spd - that's my daily.  Love it, don't want to get rid of it.

996 - wife's toy.  Non-negotiable

986 - the one you really helped me with.  Love it, would hate to get rid of it.  Enjoying the hell out of it.

'85 Fiero GT 4spd - this one may/will go.  58k original miles, like a time capsule.  Runs/drives perfect.  Sad part is PO put goofy cosmetics on it which left some "scars", so it'll hurt value.  Love it, but rather have other things.

'91 Miata - just got it in trade.  Also will go up for sale soon.  5spd, zero rust, outstanding condition.  Runs/drive great.  I love NAs, but don't really have a need/use for it.

Fiero and Miata will go to make room for this race car.  A tow vehicle would be great for picking up cars I buy or transporting the race car.  However, outside of that I have no use for one and no desire for one.  With $4.50/gallon gas, it'd just sit 99% of the time.  Prius isn't ideal for running too/from Florida, but it works and is economical.

I'm not far from Clayton, but I just sold my tow dolly over lunch time. Let me know if you need eyes on it, first.

If you do wind up in the area, let me know. If I'm available, maybe we can grab lunch. Hell, I may even know the seller if it's already prepped for crapcan racing.

 

In reply to Brett_Murphy (Agent of Chaos) :

Yep, it's already prepped and has been racing for a few years.  It's a done deal, just gotta get it to Atlanta 

I work in Clayton, live in Mt Olive.  I'd be happy to pick it up and store it at the farm until such time as it is convenient for you or until I have a free weekend for a bit of adventure trip (gas on your dime, sorry but dang its getting expensive to tow stuff around the country)

And I have no need or budget for either but entertain me with prices on the Fiero and Miata, I hate to drag an empty trailer home so maybe something could happen there.

Interesting...my in-laws own property in Mt. Olive. They just finished converting a new, big shed into a tiny home to use when they're in town!

JThw8 said:

I work in Clayton, live in Mt Olive.  I'd be happy to pick it up and store it at the farm until such time as it is convenient for you or until I have a free weekend for a bit of adventure trip (gas on your dime, sorry but dang its getting expensive to tow stuff around the country)

And I have no need or budget for either but entertain me with prices on the Fiero and Miata, I hate to drag an empty trailer home so maybe something could happen there.

 

Hello my friend!  I need to make a call to U-Haul today or tomorrow and get some idea on what it'll cost me to bring a truck up and back.  If I rent a truck, I can probably just run to Clayton to grab it.  I want to try to get it here within the next 2-3 weeks, thought it's not mandatory.

I haven't put a lot of thought into pricing for the Fiero or Miata yet.  The Fiero is going to be tough to figure out.  It's truly a survivor.  The PO was 84 years old and had owned it since 1998, hence why it only has 58k miles.  The interior is darn near spotless...seats, dash, wheel, etc... Engine bay is minty clean.  Even the ac works!!!  However, his nephew had a weird thing for tacky add ons.  Much of it was just tape stripes, front splitter, and crap like that.  I took all that off with no issues.  He also put louvered vents into the trunk and hood.  I can't take those off because they're actually "functional", which means holes were cut into the panels.  Sigh.  So not quite sure where it would fall on the price spectrum.  Here are some pics taken while it was still at the PO house.  I have since removed the stripes and have the stock height risers to put the spoiler back to factory height.

In reply to SKJSS (formerly Klayfish) :

It will be cheaper to have it shipped than it will be to go get it yourself with a Uhaul truck.  The truck alone will be 99 cents per mile.  At 450 miles, that's a total of 900 miles onto the Uhaul truck or about $900.  If gas is $5 (maybe a little overestimated) and mpg is 15 (maybe a little under estimated) then you'll need 60 gallons of gas = $300.    Do you want to pound out 7 hours there and 7 hours back with loading and stops to be easily a 20 hour day?  If not, $125 for hotel.  All told, its $1,500 to go get the car.  

I'm sure shipping costs are up with fuel up but I'd think $1.50 per mile would get it done.  450 miles x $1.5 = $675 and you just stay home (or at work) and it arrives right to your door.  Heck , half your personal cost would be $750 and that is $1.66 per mile.  Go all the way to $3 per mile and your not saving money but your sure saving a lot of driving and effort.

Or, if you're uncomfortable or unable to pay and title remotely then you might just have to get it yourself.  

In reply to John Welsh :

You could be right.  At some point, U-Haul just charges a bulk rate for miles.  Just want to find out what that is. If nobody else can help get it down here, I probably will just use a shipper.

Look into Enterprise Commercial .  They rent out F250s and allow towing.  About $130-ish per day and you might have to take a whole weekend or 3 days.  Comes with 200 miles per day or 600 for a weekend but only 25 cents overage.  The 300 mile overage would be just $75.  Your rental should be under $500.  Do you have a friend at Enterprise?  

Then just pay uhaul only for a tow dolly weather round trip or one way is cheaper.  All total you'll be under $700 for truck/trailer.  Much nicer ride too in a crew cab.  

If you rent from Uhaul via round trip where you take and empty trailer up with you, pay the tiny extra for a tull trailer over a tow dolly.  The empty dollies are loud and bouncy.  But the full trailer weighs 2,000lbs empty so it tows very pleasantly when empty.  

Yup, I have contacts at Enterprise through work.  I will look into that option.  If nobody can grab it, as you said earlier it may just be better for me to ship it.  If U-Haul, etc..is only $100 or so cheaper than a shipper, that extra money is worth the 15 hours total of drive time I'll save.