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What am I missing?



 
 
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  #1  
Old February 23rd 05, 02:24 PM
Randy Maheux
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Default What am I missing?

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....



Ads
  #2  
Old February 23rd 05, 05:10 PM
Natman
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Default

On Wed, 23 Feb 2005 05:24:02 -0800, "Randy Maheux"
> wrote:

>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....
>
>
>

I love my Miata, but if there was ever a car that was NOT designed for
12 hour days of droning along a straight freeway, it's it.

Four days of your time should be worth something. If you're moving,
there must be something more constructive you could do for four days
than listen to your exhaust at 3500 RPM.
  #3  
Old February 23rd 05, 06:38 PM
Phil
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Default

Randy Maheux wrote:
> Using Mayflower
> adds $600 to the cost but the thought of 45 hours in a car...


That comes to just $13.33/hour. If you include the non-driving time
during the trip [toatal ~84 hours - morning of the first day through
evening of the fourth] the cost drops to just over $7 an hour. Is your
time more valuable than that? Not to mention the 'car lag' from long
days driving.

  #4  
Old February 23rd 05, 07:18 PM
Chief_Wiggum
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Default

PLUS the peace of mind. If you break down, get a flat, hit bad weather, or
(god forbid) get in an accident, then the value of shipping it goes up
exponentially!

Add to that, the extra miles you WON'T be putting on the car, and I think
it's a bargain!.


"Phil" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Randy Maheux wrote:
> > Using Mayflower
> > adds $600 to the cost but the thought of 45 hours in a car...

>
> That comes to just $13.33/hour. If you include the non-driving time
> during the trip [toatal ~84 hours - morning of the first day through
> evening of the fourth] the cost drops to just over $7 an hour. Is your
> time more valuable than that? Not to mention the 'car lag' from long
> days driving.
>



  #5  
Old February 23rd 05, 08:03 PM
Natman
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Default

On 23 Feb 2005 09:38:13 -0800, "Phil" > wrote:

>Randy Maheux wrote:
>> Using Mayflower
>> adds $600 to the cost but the thought of 45 hours in a car...

>
>That comes to just $13.33/hour. If you include the non-driving time
>during the trip [toatal ~84 hours - morning of the first day through
>evening of the fourth] the cost drops to just over $7 an hour. Is your
>time more valuable than that? Not to mention the 'car lag' from long
>days driving.
>

Also subtract $200+ for gas and three nights of motels.
  #6  
Old February 23rd 05, 08:17 PM
HardwareLust
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Default


"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.


  #7  
Old February 23rd 05, 08:43 PM
bgt
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Posts: n/a
Default


"HardwareLust" > wrote in message
news:TE4Td.38384$uc.12964@trnddc08...
>
> "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.
>
>


I'm sorta in the other camp, I'd suggest leaving the car with a friend
during your move, then go back and get it if you can make time for a road
trip. I bought my Miata in socal and drove it home over three days (I'm
North of the Border in the Great White North), not too bad, but if I had it
to do over again I'd take 5-7 days and make a holiday of it. Don't know if
the extended road trip can fit into your plans, but it can be a good way to
see the countryside. If there are time constraints ... no contest, just ship
it.

BGT


  #8  
Old February 23rd 05, 09:13 PM
gixer
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Posts: n/a
Default

I can't believe you guys,

Its a long way sure but if you take your time, book some extra days and
break the trip up, call it a holiday and drive it mate.

We have done, Uk to Greece, and back twice now, each time taking different
routes through Europe, or the old Eastern block, every time has been
fantastic.
If you break down, you get it fixed, you take a can of Foam tyre repair in
case you get a puncture.(we took out the spare to free up more room)

We took a tent and camped most nights to save money, but had to buy a boot
rack for the extra kit that goes with camping.
I'm sure if you look at the map you can find some nice twisty lines
somewhere that break the freeway monotony.
I've got a custom made system with just 1 silencer, and no Cat, we had the
top down all the time except for one rainy day in France, (the shelf between
the wind blocker and the boot was a fantastic extra storage spot) and we
never noticed the exhaust noise in the slightest except through the Mont
Blanc tunnel, and that was only because we turned down the stereo

I bought a MX-5 so I could experience driving, rather than a tool that gets
me from A to B, and to me this sounds like a experience and a half,
I don't think it's fair to compare a trip like that in an open top sports
car, to a SUV.

Go for it mate, even if you don't fancy it id be tempted to fly over and
drive it for you



BTW how many miles is that?


"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....
>
>
>



  #9  
Old February 23rd 05, 09:51 PM
Grant Edwards
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

On 2005-02-23, gixer > wrote:

> Its a long way sure but if you take your time, book some extra
> days and break the trip up, call it a holiday and drive it
> mate.


You do realize that here in the US, we only get between a third
and a half the days off that you do?

> We have done, Uk to Greece, and back twice now, each time
> taking different routes through Europe, or the old Eastern
> block, every time has been fantastic.


Have you driven across the US? Driving through Europe and
driving through the US are vastly different experiences. There
are parts of the US that are awfully empty. You can drive for
hours and hours and hours and find nothing. There are parts of
the US where it may be 100km to the next exit off the freeway.
And when you get there, there's nothing _there_ but a different
road.

Sure, if you got two weeks (and a good chuck of money) to spend
on the trip (and you pick a route that's fun and interesting to
drive) then it's worth doing. If you actually need to get
there in a reasonable, fixed amount of time, it's not as fun.

> I bought a MX-5 so I could experience driving, rather than a
> tool that gets me from A to B,


I bought a hammer so I could drive nails. That doesn't make
every problem a nail. Sometimes you just need to get from A to
B. When A and B are 5000 km apart with a lot of nothing
between, and you've only two days to get there, driving
probably isn't the right choice.

--
Grant Edwards grante Yow! Gee, I feel kind of
at LIGHT in the head now,
visi.com knowing I can't make my
satellite dish PAYMENTS!
  #10  
Old February 23rd 05, 11:30 PM
Natman
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

On Wed, 23 Feb 2005 22:13:19 +0200, "gixer" > wrote:

>I can't believe you guys,
>
>Its a long way sure but if you take your time, book some extra days and
>break the trip up, call it a holiday and drive it mate.
>
>We have done, Uk to Greece, and back twice now, each time taking different
>routes through Europe, or the old Eastern block, every time has been
>fantastic.
>If you break down, you get it fixed, you take a can of Foam tyre repair in
>case you get a puncture.(we took out the spare to free up more room)
>
>We took a tent and camped most nights to save money, but had to buy a boot
>rack for the extra kit that goes with camping.
>I'm sure if you look at the map you can find some nice twisty lines
>somewhere that break the freeway monotony.
>I've got a custom made system with just 1 silencer, and no Cat, we had the
>top down all the time except for one rainy day in France, (the shelf between
>the wind blocker and the boot was a fantastic extra storage spot) and we
>never noticed the exhaust noise in the slightest except through the Mont
>Blanc tunnel, and that was only because we turned down the stereo
>
>I bought a MX-5 so I could experience driving, rather than a tool that gets
>me from A to B, and to me this sounds like a experience and a half,
>I don't think it's fair to compare a trip like that in an open top sports
>car, to a SUV.
>
>Go for it mate, even if you don't fancy it id be tempted to fly over and
>drive it for you
>
>
>
>BTW how many miles is that?
>

I'm going to guess that you have never driven across the US. It's
quite different from driving from the UK to Greece! (Which is a trip
I'd love to take in a Miata.)

San Diego to Florida is almost 3,000 miles (4,800 Km). There are LONG
stretches where there isn't a windy road within a 100-mile radius.

There are certainly some points of interest along the way, such as the
Grand Canyon and New Orleans, but if you start touristing, you'll turn
a 3,000 mile 4 day trip into a 5,000 mile 2 week trip in short order.

"I bought a MX-5 so I could experience driving, rather than a tool
that gets me from A to B"

Me too. Unfortunately, this is very much an A to B trip. It's about 48
hours of continuous driving, split into four 12 hour days. Or eight 6
hour days.


 




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