Outrageous vehicle costs. (Bethel, Craig, Nenana: fit in, buying, vs.)

[6.7traveler]

I've heard of people pulling trailers and campers up to sell and at least making enough to pay for their gas. I don't know how much they actually make though. You would have to find the right vehicle/camper/trailer that is in demand up here and get a great price on it down there to make it worthwhile.

I once pulled a 88 suzuki samurai up here straight out of the desert, bone stock and rust free. I sold it for a $2k+ profit up here, but wish I would have held onto it. That thing was a blast on trails and not much bigger than a side by side. Great gas mileage and you could sometimes go 55 on the highway downhill if the wind was in your favor.

[Haolejohn]

Originally Posted by MN_man

followup question here... I'm pulling a small camper (very small) up from Minnesota in early June for my daughter to spend the summer in while she does volunteer work in Seward. I have a pretty open itinerary... plan to spend a couple weeks fishing and drive back leisurely toward the end of the month.
I'm planning to pull it up with my grand Cherokee and then drive home. But because I need to come back up in the fall and pull the camper home, I've been wrestling with the thought of just flying home in June and leaving the jeep up there with her for the summer, then fly back up in Sept. and drive back. She doesn't need a vehicle...it would simply be to save driving time, both coming home in June, and driving back up in early Sept., and keep miles/wear and tear off the jeep.
So...what if I were to buy a late model used pickup, say a Tundra perhaps, pull the trailer up with it and then sell it and fly home? Not looking to make a bunch of money, but maybe come out far enough ahead to finance the trip/cover my airfare?
Then of course I'd need to make the roundtrip drive in the fall.
I'm not a big car, or truck, guy, but I have plenty of time to price shop, do some research as to what kind of truck seems to be most in demand up there, (make, 6 or 8 cylinder, cab config), and I have the cash available. Heck, if someone up there wanted to find a truck down here and cover expenses I'd buy it and drive it up for them! that might be a longshot I realize. But does this sound like a reasonable thing to look into?

My experience is that a vehicle will sell for about $2k more on average here than lower 48, so depending on the cost you pay and your time and your fuel and other expenses in the vehicle, it may not be worth it.


The asking price isn't always the selling price.

Our 2001 subaru with 167K miles on it would sell for about $6k where I am at. I'd say $5k in Anchorage.

[MillerThyme]

Originally Posted by Haolejohn

My experience is that a vehicle will sell for about $2k more on average here than lower 48, so depending on the cost you pay and your time and your fuel and other expenses in the vehicle, it may not be worth it.


The asking price isn't always the selling price.

Our 2001 subaru with 167K miles on it would sell for about $6k where I am at. I'd say $5k in Anchorage.

Our Subaru has 216k miles and even with its gremlins it could easily sell for $2.5-3k - we paid $2100 with KBB being $1600.

Darn things hold value up here.

[riceme]

^I think Samurais are about the only good thing Suzuki ever did. They are pretty fun, stock or modified... sorta like a Jeep but with affordable parts, lol.... and only lacking in power.

[RayinAK]

Originally Posted by riceme

^I think Samurais are about the only good thing Suzuki ever did. They are pretty fun, stock or modified... sorta like a Jeep but with affordable parts, lol.... and only lacking in power.

Sidekick, too. It's there in the group of top off-roading small SUVs because it has a manual transmission with a HI/LO range. Visibility is great from the driver's seat because of the short and sloped hood. It feels like you can almost see the front tires climbing over rocks and things like that. But for true off-roading these vehicles are modified with bigger tires, and suspension that has longer travel.

[riceme]

Oh yeah, those are all over the desert too! Both the of those get awesome gas mileage too... Teensy tinsy little motors.

[riceme]

Originally Posted by RayinAK

What I do is to look at the vehicles I am looking for at the NADA handbook, then look around Affordable Used Cars or similar used car lots. If I find a good deal, then I make an offer for the vehicle.

Hey Ray, is there any particular reason you use NADA and not KBB, etc.? I have always used KBB and I just realized the only reason is because my dad always did (back when it was actually a blue book. Ha). It's probably six and one half dozen but since I'm kind of poking around at Tacomas I thought I'd ask if there's a reason or if it's "just because."

[Haolejohn]

Originally Posted by riceme

Hey Ray, is there any particular reason you use NADA and not KBB, etc.? I have always used KBB and I just realized the only reason is because my dad always did (back when it was actually a blue book. Ha). It's probably six and one half dozen but since I'm kind of poking around at Tacomas I thought I'd ask if there's a reason or if it's "just because."

Dealerships use NADA. At least down south down south they do.

[Haolejohn]

Originally Posted by MillerThyme

Our Subaru has 216k miles and even with its gremlins it could easily sell for $2.5-3k - we paid $2100 with KBB being $1600.

Darn things hold value up here.

When we found out we were having a third child we decided to sell one of our two outbacks. The newer one for $21k and the 01 for $7k. At that time it had only been in Dillingham for about a month. Had multiple offers ranging from 6500 to making payments. What hurt us was a 2002 model had just sold for $6500 with 20k less miles.

Fully loaded outback that was previously owned by a UGA professor that commuted over 100 miles a day (why the mileage was high) was in perfect shape. I couldn't bring myself to let it go for less than $7k. But $2500 barge fee and $1500 in maintence (winterized and replaced everything that would need replacing within next few years).

[MillerThyme]

Originally Posted by Haolejohn

When we found out we were having a third child we decided to sell one of our two outbacks. The newer one for $21k and the 01 for $7k. At that time it had only been in Dillingham for about a month. Had multiple offers ranging from 6500 to making payments. What hurt us was a 2002 model had just sold for $6500 with 20k less miles.

Fully loaded outback that was previously owned by a UGA professor that commuted over 100 miles a day (why the mileage was high) was in perfect shape. I couldn't bring myself to let it go for less than $7k. But $2500 barge fee and $1500 in maintence (winterized and replaced everything that would need replacing within next few years).

Understandable.

My neighbor wants to move back into his village, and he was complaining about the cost of shipping a vehicle ($5k for him). He plans to save for a newer vehicle with much lower miles than his current 260k mile truck and then move. Don't blame him, wouldn't want to pay more than my vehicle is worth either.