This Summer, in July, I'll be flying out to Reno for a big family reunion, then I'll be bumming around the west coast for a while before headed back to Upstate NY. I have a one-way ticket out July 13, and have no plan for how I get back, but I have tickets for Indycar @ Mid-Ohio the first weekend in August, so that's when I have to get back.
My options are: buy another one-way ticket back (booooring), buy a rust-free car and drive it back myself (I'm broke), or pick up and deliver a car for someone who wants one. I'll be in the Reno/Tahoe area, then headed down to Ventura, CA. I could deliver pretty much anywhere, as long as you could help me get home to Ithaca (please, no Odyssey jokes....) after I drop off the car. Or bike. Or bus. Heck, I'll drive whatever back as long as its legal.
Rust Belt prisoners, let your Craigslist trawling begin!
Jeez. My thread is right below this one. Er... was.
But I have a plan. And it is plenty cockamamey without introducing a third party.
A generous offer, but I wouldn't make anyone drive a car cross country that I can afford.
Wow, a great and cool offer! ...and I'm only two miles from I-70, so you'll probably go right by me on the way to Mid-Ohio.
But, much like Dan, I'm not sure you'd want to drive back a non-rusty, but still-a-turd car I'd want/ could afford.
...in the meantime I'm going to some out-west CL sites...to look around...you know...just in case...
A poem my High School English teacher gave to us right before graduation:
Ithaca
When you set out for Ithaka
ask that your way be long,
full of adventure, full of instruction.
The Laistrygonians and the Cyclops,
angry Poseidon - do not fear them:
such as these you will never find
as long as your thought is lofty, as long as a rare
emotion touch your spirit and your body.
The Laistrygonians and the Cyclops,
angry Poseidon - you will not meet them
unless you carry them in your soul,
unless your soul raise them up before you.
Ask that your way be long.
At many a Summer dawn to enter
with what gratitude, what joy -
ports seen for the first time;
to stop at Phoenician trading centres,
and to buy good merchandise,
mother of pearl and coral, amber and ebony,
and sensuous perfumes of every kind,
sensuous perfumes as lavishly as you can;
to visit many Egyptian cities,
to gather stores of knowledge from the learned.
Have Ithaka always in your mind.
Your arrival there is what you are destined for.
But don't in the least hurry the journey.
Better it last for years,
so that when you reach the island you are old,
rich with all you have gained on the way,
not expecting Ithaka to give you wealth.
Ithaka gave you a splendid journey.
Without her you would not have set out.
She hasn't anything else to give you.
And if you find her poor, Ithaka hasn't deceived you.
So wise you have become, of such experience,
that already you'll have understood what these Ithakas mean.
--Constantine P. Cavafy
Jerry
HalfDork
6/6/13 8:48 a.m.
Wonder if there's any rust-free SC MR2's out west?
You kidding me? Driving back a turd is just part of the fun! In fact, maybe I should charge more for a boring car. Let me drive back an MR2 and I'll do it for gas and food. Buick? 500 dollars!
I just looked at the Reno CL and found:
302 Mustang II-$500
'87 Corolla FX -rust free
'89 Toyota 4X4 -rust free
'86 Honda SI hatch -no "typical Honda rust" I've heard about for years
'78 Alfa Romeo -rust free
Most of the ads don't even mention the word "rust". Most of the ads also show blue, blue sky. How I envy those people...except when I see very little to no grass -I like my yard to be green and not brown/gray.
When was the last time you saw most of those with no rust, especially the Toyota truck??
But I'm at work and I'm not really looking. 'Cause I'm at work. And don't need another project. Even if it's rust free.
Really.
dammit...
Jerry
HalfDork
6/6/13 10:46 a.m.
Jamesc2123 wrote:
You kidding me? Driving back a turd is just part of the fun! In fact, maybe I should charge more for a boring car. Let me drive back an MR2 and I'll do it for gas and food. Buick? 500 dollars!
What would you charge for this?
So we could actually charge you for the trip back if the car is cool enough? Thus offsetting the transportation costs and price of the car?
Nashco
UberDork
6/6/13 12:16 p.m.
I want a rust free car driven to me! Who is paying for it? Thanks in advance!
Bryce
Powar
Dork
6/6/13 12:33 p.m.
Winner:
http://reno.craigslist.org/cto/3824595094.html
Just hang out until you find one of these, rust-free and running, for under $5K
then call me.
pinchvalve wrote:
Just hang out until you find one of these, rust-free and running, for under $5K
then call me.
http://www.thanatosrealms.com/war2/sounds/humans/peasant/selected3.wav
Funnily enough a lot of us in the Reno/Tahoe area buy cars over in CA (Sacramento, Bay Area or down in LA) because the choice up here isn't that great.
Also keep in mind that there is no smog outside Washoe county up here (ie the greater Reno area) and that might lead to an expensive headache in other areas.
Rust usually isn't a problem, but depending on the car deferred maintenance can be. I've seen a ton of heaps out there that look good at first glance and not so much when you look under the hood.
Also, in NV the plates stay with the previous owner so to move the car legally you need to get a movement permit from the DMV, which requires NV insurance (IIRC they don't accept out of state insurance unless you're military stationed in NV). Nothing insurmountable, but you have to keep that mind. Much easier to purchase a car in CA as the plates stay on the car, all you need is insurance...
IME the better deals here are usually domestic cars, Japanese cars and especially Hondas can be pretty beat up.
What about an hand-built Italian car that parts are hard to get for:
http://reno.craigslist.org/cto/3768064794.html
Have fun. If I didn't just buy my new car I would take you up on the offer. I could even drive you the rest of the way home, my being half an hour away.
