Shipping vehicle OUT of AK, and other questions. (Anchorage: insurance, brokers)

[meese83]

Hi All,

I've searched the forum for some concrete answers/details about shipping your vehicle permanently out of AK. I found a lot about shipping TO AK but not out.

If anyone has any suggestions, please be kind!

The deal is - we are a group of youngin's from the South... not just the lower 48, but the literal South. Georgia/Carolina area. Tentatively we have planned next year (July 09) to undertake a major road trip to AK. This is not some Christopher McCandless type deal at all. We have no desire to get purposely lost in the wilderness, be stupid, to disrespect AK or the Alcan or the wildlife, etc. This is just a genuine interest to see parts of S.D., Montana, Alberta, BC, YT, and AK. Yes, we know how far it is. We know the sometimes less than desirable road conditions, and are planning for whatever we think could go wrong.

We've been saving up for this and planning stops along the way and reserving lodging already for July 09. I have Milepost 2008 (will order 09). Our issue is... the vehicle. We have the time to get there (budgeting a few weeks)... but we don't have the time to back track the entire way (Alaskan road trip purists will scoff). I've gone through every possible iteration about how to do this. From buying a used car down here and donating it to charity up in AK and hopping on a flight home from Anchorage. I've also thought about shipping my personal vehicle back from AK. The latter seems to be more feasible. We understand the cost (upwards of $2500 probably) and I understand that it may take 3-4 weeks to get the car back... which is fine. My vehicle is a reliable, 4 year old SUV.

What does everyone think? Has anyone shipped their vehicle out of AK?

Would it be more cost efficient to ship it to Seattle/Tacoma and then ship it cross country (so using two fragmented reservations?)

Any advice from local yokels would be appreciated.

[meese83]

Interestingly enough, there is a route that leads through every state that has Georgia firearm reciprocity. I also have the documents to declare a firearm at the Canadian border. Necessary? Unnecessary? Could I sell it in AK? Donate it (lol...)? Maybe check it with the airline for the flight. Hm.

[stiffnecked]

If it's a handgun you can't take it through Canada. A longun as long as it's not prohibited it will be allowed but you gotta fill out the permit and pay $50 at the border. I never tried to ship a vehicle back.

[karibear]

You do realize you'll need a special whatsit from your auto insurance to get into Canada, too, right? As for the return trip, you might want to try advertising on craigslist for someone wanting to drive down one way, but who either doesn't have a reliable car or some other reason. There are good reasons for that, I can think of some with no effort, starting with military reassignments, and ending with divorces. If you do that well in advance, you'd have plenty of time to check references, etc.

[meese83]

Karibear - yes, that's a good idea as well. Thank you for the suggestion.

stiffneck - the forms from the Canadian govt websites say its a 25$ fee.. but 50, 25 whatever. I didn't see that handguns were prohibited, theyre listed under "restricted". either way, we can bring a basic long gun which we also have. i don't think its necessary... i'm more scared of crazy people along the way.

[akck]

You'll need passports to cross the border next year and if anyone one in your party has a conviction (even a DUI), can cause problems entering Canada. I found this site that might be helpful for your car:

Alaska Vehicle Transport - Car & Truck Shipping To and From Alaska

I'm sure there are others that do the same thing.

[meese83]

thanks! i found that site too... along with about 10000 brokers for vehicle transportation. guess ill just have to start getting quotes.

we've all got our current passports, no convictions, nothing of the sort. so hopefully we're good to go. we've crossed in/out of canada before (Blaine).

[karibear]

Originally Posted by meese83

thanks! i found that site too... along with about 10000 brokers for vehicle transportation. guess ill just have to start getting quotes.

we've all got our current passports, no convictions, nothing of the sort. so hopefully we're good to go. we've crossed in/out of canada before (Blaine).

Don't know when you last crossed at Blaine, but it's getting worse by the day. With the Olympics on their way, there's a lot of road construction, etc. I'd say cross further east. And the border guards, at least on the American side, are getting more and more paranoid.