"Randy Maheux" > wrote in message
news:Wt%Sd.137540$6u.74566@fed1read02...
> In 5 weeks I will be moving from San Diego to the Daytona Beach area. My
> problem is getting my Miata back east. I could drive it in 4 - 12 hour
days
> or pay Mayflower to haul it with my furniture. Nine years ago I was a
> zombie after driving a Ford Ranger from Tampa to San Diego in 4 days.
Now,
> at age 60, I am really tempted to let the movers do it. Using Mayflower
> adds $600 to the cost but the thought of 45 hours in a car that I can't
take
> a nap in seems daunting. I might even come to hate my dual exhaust by the
> time I got there!
>
> My thinking seems stuck on weighing the cost against the discomfort.
> Perhaps, someone in the group can give me other factors to consider or
> things to look out for if I decide to ship the car. I could really use
some
> group wisdom on this....

Randy, I'm 20+ years younger than you, and there's no way in hell that I
would want to drive my NB Miata for 45 hours. I once drove to my mom's
house about 15 hours away in my NA, and I swore I would never do that again.
I couldn't imagine doing a 45 hour drive.

Think of it this way...how much is your time worth? $600 / 45 hours =
$13.33 an hour. I would gladly pay someone $13 an hour to get 45 hours of
my life back. Also, don't forget driving the old girl ain't free. I'd
figure it'd cost you, what, $200-ish just in gas, plus motel(s) and food?
So, by driving you're only really saving maybe 1/2 of that $600 or less,
plus you're out 45 hours of your time, which you will never get back.

Now, if you had the extra time, and could take your sweet time doing it,
driving coast-to-coast could be fun, if you had time to stop along the way,
take interesting back roads, etc. But if you're just going to drone on down
the big freeway at max speed just to get there, then I say ship the darn
thing. $600 ain't a bad price to have your car shipped, either, so it's not
like they're ripping you off on the price.

It sounds simple to me. Ship it, and enjoy the reunion when you get to
sunny Florida.

Regards,
H.