I'm seriously thinking about going into the '05 Rally with a buddy of mine and I was wondering is it easier/cheaper to drive your car back or get is shipped, I don't know how much shipping costs are on cars since I have never shipped one but does anyone have an idea of what would be cheaper?

Cost for shipping back via enclosed trailer: $1500
2 Tickets to fly back; approx $400

Driving back; gas cost, mileage, hotel; risk of tickets; wear/tear on car, etc.

I shipped my car back in 04' and plan on doing the same in 05'

-Awais

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Mine shipped in an open bed was $850, plus plane tickets. Then the car's winsheild was cracked while it was in transit. Next year I am driving home.

Nick

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Mine was circa $700 shipped open, plane ticket was <$100 and I was back in 5 hours rather than a couple of days driving. Factor in mileage, wear and tear, tickets, and lost time and it is well worth it. Car was filthy when it got here but no damage.
-Ed

thanks guys, if i do get the money to go....ill barely have enough so shipping back at that price wouldnt work, haha id just sleep in my car on the way home....part of the whole experience would be fun anyway, also, i know you have to have the sponsors decals on your car of the AKA Rally, when you sign up do they send them to you, or do you put them on when you arrive?

sleep in your car that would suck for me im 6'4 ...

Last year most of us put the stickers on ourselves about 10 minutes before we left from New Jersey. You might be able to have them sent to you prior to the start, this would make it easier to apply them to a clean surface but you will have a cop magnet driving to the start point.

As far as shipping versus sleeping in your car, if the extra $500-800 (shorter distance this year) is going to break the bank, then you might be better off not to go. Unforseen expenses pop up all along the way and you definately need to plan for a cushion. If you get stopped doing 100 in a 70 (which seemed to be a fairly common ticket in 04) then you will spend at least $300 dealing with that assuming that you do not try to fight it. It is not Gumball but it is not a cheap trip.

Also, shipping the car will ultimately be cheaper than driving it back. 2000 miles/20 mpg = 100 gallons of gas = $250, add an oil change and regular maintenance costs, food for the trip, possible tickets and damage, and depreciation and you end up saving time and money. I estimated the depreciation of my car at over $3,000 for last year's rally. Just some things to think about. Good luck.
-Ed

This year we will be applying the stickers the night before. Ed - thanks for the detailed reply. I agree with you that shipping the vehicle back is more cost effective than driving. Perhaps we will try to find an even better solution, like getting a group of vehicles shipped back to the same general location. Maybe get a whole transport going from Florida to DC/Philly/NY, for example. Even if you utilize door-to-door, it should be cheaper, considering it is half the mileage that it was last year.

Chris

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SHU188mph

I am driving home this year. It is close enough for me.

Nick

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i live about 2-3 hours from philly near Gettysburg so it would be basically goin the same distance back as up....but yea a bulk shipping of cars would be a lot cheaper, an i also planning on having a credit card to use just for the rally if certain things pop up unexpectedly like you mentioned

this year will be my first and prob guessing right peadal to the floor and drive alert

As long as you do not drive like a jackarse you will most likly not be thrown in the slammer.

Nick

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hey me and pookie drove back from LA with Dunn and it took us 3 days from La to Virginia Beach. we stopped in ALbqur. NM for a couple hours of sleep. but the way back we took our time and stopped to see different things we didnt see on the way to LA the Cadillac Ranch was badass. so was the Smokey Mountains. just figure out what u want to do. i drove back and still had fun.

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Your foot won't always be on the pedal. Give your car a break sometime.

Yup, the trip back was fun too. Sorry for sleeping half the way back the. I needed my beauty sleep.

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Any one need some one to drive their car back to where ever let me know I'll do it for you. P.S. anyone with a p.o.s. car need not apply.

I would be a little nervous about what condition the car would be in by the time it got back to my house.

Nick

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yeah i think id rather drive my car back myself, thank you very much

If anything happend to my car because of someone else's actions. I would end up in jail.

Nick

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yeah i put my car through enough shit, i cringe to think what someone who didn't love her as much as i do whould do. I try to show her some sympathy, she is old

What do you drive? I forgot.

Nick

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right now a 91 accord se

contemplating an upgrade to an evo or sti

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91 Accord se - She may be old, but she's fiesty

Hurricane+Boat=
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That would be a nice upgrade. I still think STi > EVO.

Nick

ps. another thing that makes the STi better is the little i on the end

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haha true but what about the shity mpg man don''t want my montly gas bill to be bigger than my car payment

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91 Accord se - She may be old, but she's fiesty

Hurricane+Boat=
Me+Insurance Check =

It really isn't that bad if you stay out of boost. I went 260 miles in the last 1 1/2 days averaging over 100, in boost alot, and it is under 20 degreese. I averaged around 18mpg.

Nick

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thats not bad, about the same as my accord right now

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91 Accord se - She may be old, but she's fiesty

Hurricane+Boat=
Me+Insurance Check =