Would you?

[Buck531]

Ok so I have a chance to buy an '03 Regal GS with 72k miles and it's mint and loaded. Here's the catch. It's in southern California. My friend has been trying to sell it for a while and he just can't sell it out there. So last night he said he'd be happy to get rid of it for $3,000. KBB is around $6k. Then I told him I'd buy it if he bought me a plane ticket and I'll just drive it back. He said sure. It's slightly modded and recently put a $3k built trans in it. It has a few other mods (little more than mine but not much).

 

I'm thinking of going out there, driving the car back and then selling mine. My car is just about paid off. KBB on my 99 Regal is $4500. Sell it for around that much, pay off the car I'm getting from Cali and bank around $1500-2k and pay off some bills.

 

I'm going to try to get him to get another ticket for my wife and we can make a small vacation out of it. He works for Toyota and said he has like 300k flier miles so getting another ticket shouldn't be an issue. He also has a company car so this one has pretty much sat for 2 years.

 

I really don't see any downside to this other than a really long drive back but if I my wife goes she could drive too. Any other opinion?

[Doc1647545523]

You've prolly already considered this, but you're taking a car which "pretty much sat" for 2 years and putting it to the acid test with a freeway drive 2000+ miles. On the positive side, it will be a good test for the car and will help you identify any problem areas. On the other hand, is a breakdown in BFE something you have the time/money to absorb easily? The car should be fairly reliable considering its age and the fact that your friend vouches for it.

 

My .02

[Bam]

Pay $500 and have it shipped, I agree with Doc. You'd be prone to wasting that much or more on incidentals/break downs because you'll be outside your comfort zone and something you may be able to fix yourself in the garage isn't possible for you stuck on the side of the hwy without tools/parts. Otherwise buy it.

[Snowflake]

shipping it would be the way to go. gas alone for the trip back would probably be around 250 at least.

[Buck531]

Oh he has driven it in the past two years. Just not that much. Maybe 200 miles in the past year. He just drove it last week for a good 50 miles.

 

I wouldn't be too concerned with replacing anything on the car if it would break down. I know more about these cars that I would ever really care to know .

 

The only other reason that I'd consider driving it back is sort of a mini-vacation. Spend a lot of time with my wife (that we never really have anymore with two kids).

 

If I do drive it back I was thinking of shipping a small tool set to my friend so I have something to use "IF" something would go to crap. I've known this guy for a while and I do trust his word on the car reliability.

 

Decisions decisions...

[TTQ B4U]

If you decide to have it shipped let me know. My nieghbor has his own rig and trailer and does runs to Cali all the time as one of his big customers is out there. He does a lot with cars too through various connections. He can work you out a very good deal. 35+ years, licensed, etc....real deal.

[Buck531]

If you decide to have it shipped let me know. My nieghbor has his own rig and trailer and does runs to Cali all the time as one of his big customers is out there. He does a lot with cars too through various connections. He can work you out a very good deal. 35+ years, licensed, etc....real deal.

 

Can you ask him about how much he'd charge from LA to here?

[BrianZ06]

Sounds like something I would have done a few years back.I say go for it if you have the time and just dont be in a hurry to get back. Good tires,brakes , serpentine belt,etc ???

[TTQ B4U]

Can you ask him about how much he'd charge from LA to here?

 

sure. I'll find out when his next run there is too. will PM you back.

[2 Sweet]

Good deal, I would totally do it. One of my friends bought an S2000 in San Diego this past summer. We flew out there, picked it up, and drove it home. Other than the driveshaft bolts falling out in Tulsa Oklahoma, the long drive really wasn't that bad, and we got to hang out in San Diego for a couple days which was nice.

 

We ended up staying in a hotel almost every night on the way back, but I would imagine that making the trip in something as comfortable as a Regal would be WAYYYY better than being crammed into an S2000 for 2400 miles. Unless you can get it shipped for cheap, I'd go for it.

[Skinner]

If you're not worried about the car do it the wife and I did that about 8 years ago and we loved it. We stopped in Zion national park and Moab. Although after Denver there was nothing I mean nothing for flat road. Also we did most of the trip doing about 85 to 90 mph and its kinda old to be passed by semis at that speed. We made it back in 3 days but should have stopped and did a forth day as we were exhausted.

[John Bruh]

If your only bringing one car back from California its going to be at least 1k

[RC K9]

If you trust the condition of the car...I would say make an adventure out of it but be sure to build some extra time in there in case something does go wrong. I have thought about doing the same thing...could be fun.

 

As for shipping, like CarWhore said, I would imagine if you are only moving 1 car it's going to cost you well over $500. It would be $500 if it was riding on a truck with about 10 other cars...

 

Dry van from west coast to OH is going to run between $4,700-$5000.

[Bam]

A quick 20 second google search showed multiple companies, and the 2 I clicked on quoted $700 and $820, so I'm sure there are cheaper and more expensive, but I would think you'd spend half the price of shipping in gas alone. But I understand the vacation aspect and think it'd be fun as well. Either way, definitely buy the car as its a deal. I'd take another regal for that price as well.

[jeffro]

hey if you decide to drive it back, take route 66 if you get the opportunity to. a few of us from here drove half of it and loved every mile of it. might be slightly off course, but its worth it.

[TTQ B4U]

A quick 20 second google search showed multiple companies, and the 2 I clicked on quoted $700 and $820, so I'm sure there are cheaper and more expensive, but I would think you'd spend half the price of shipping in gas alone. But I understand the vacation aspect and think it'd be fun as well. Either way, definitely buy the car as its a deal. I'd take another regal for that price as well.

 

Spot on. My nieghbor said $900 in a covered trailer.

 

hey if you decide to drive it back, take route 66 if you get the opportunity to. a few of us from here drove half of it and loved every mile of it. might be slightly off course, but its worth it.

 

That's what I PM'd him. Organize a mini CR Route 66 cruise and have all the back-up you need in case of break down

[Buck531]

Well everything looks good right now. My parents have a few points built up on their CC's for the Fairfield Inn (won't have to pay for a hotel) and it looks like we'll be stopping in Albequerque (sp), Somewhere in Missouri and then home. First two days would be 12 hour/800 mile drives, and the second 9 hour drive from Missouri to here.

 

He's buying both my wife and I plane tickets out there. There are some parts I'm going to swap/ sell from his car to mine. The car has a $3k trans in it now which is the price of the car in itself.

 

We're looking to leave on the 30th of this month, stay the night, leave Sunday and be back on Tuesday if everything goes as planned.

 

The wife and I are pumped. We're going to try and stop at a few places on the way back from Diners Drive Ins and dives on Food TV. I saw a few places but we'll see.

[RUTAN TA1647545492]

Cool, sounds like a fun roadtrip!

[ansonivan]

Love the road trip idea and second the motion to do a few miles on 66.

 

Cheap insurance: Find a shop in Cali to inspect the car before you fly. I'm sure you trust your friend but it's still a good idea to get an impartial set of eyes on the car.

[Buck531]

He's taking it to the dealership on Monday to have it gone though, tires balanced, etc.

 

That and the fact that him and I know these cars inside and out should help things out a bit.

[Aaron]

Sounds cool. Good luck.