Moab: Best way to get a Jeep there from North Carolina

Rockroaster

Active Member
Joined
Mar 30, 2011
Location
Charlotte
My family and I are planning a trip to Moab next June, and Im trying to get together a plan to get my JK out there. My family is either trailering or driving their's from different parts in the east.

I'm wondering if anyone has any recommendations on the best way to get it out there. Im not really sure where to start when it comes to looking at ways to have it shipped out there. I can't drive it out there; Im on 40"s and it would suck. Right now, I'm planning on pulling it out there with my truck/trailer that I use now for distant trail rides. But that's expensive and makes for a longer trip, which may not be possible depending on time off from work.

Then comes in the option to ship it, and fly out. Anyone have theirs shipped out there, either by car hauler, moving companies, shotgun drivers, or even by train? If so, who did you use, how did you find them, and what did it cost (roughly)? I'll be coming from Charlotte, NC.
 
Just a thought, but how about a uship.com auction? Just never know who's heading out there or back with an empty load and willing to take it on cheap.
 
If you don't need it daily and are ready in advance, shipping by rail seemed to be very reasonable last I looked.

The only hiccup was that transport time was very vague where it could take a week or 2 depending on their stops, etc which also meant they couldn't guarantee a specific delivery date, etc. but, if you have some time, ship it out there a month in advance and it would surely be there when you get out.


Or, use a dual car hauler and get some of your other family to haul it if they are making the trip anyway and you fly out.
 
6BangBronk said:
Just a thought, but how about a uship.com auction? Just never know who's heading out there or back with an empty load and willing to take it on cheap.
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I havent looked there, never heard of it. Any experience using them?

rockcity said:
If you don't need it daily and are ready in advance, shipping by rail seemed to be very reasonable last I looked.

The only hiccup was that transport time was very vague where it could take a week or 2 depending on their stops, etc which also meant they couldn't guarantee a specific delivery date, etc. but, if you have some time, ship it out there a month in advance and it would surely be there when you get out.


Or, use a dual car hauler and get some of your other family to haul it if they are making the trip anyway and you fly out.
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I dont use it daily; it sits unless Im going on a ride, or its nice out. I dont mind shipping in advance, to an extent. What rail system/where did you find info on it? I've heard of people doing this and it being reasonable, just not sure where/how to look.

My brother use to have a nice gooseneck when he did hotshot hauling across the US, but has since sold it. He will be hauling his buggy on a trailer just big enough for it (with a fairly light truck); other brother is planning on driving his the whole way.

I'd be hauling with a Tundra CrewMax; does great around here, but might suck in Colorado. Plus the downtime may not be an option when it comes time to go, so hence my search for shipping options. Almost hate to miss the drive, just to see the countryside, but may not have a choice.
 
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Let me throw something out there.
I'm sure you are very attached to your JK and want to wheel it - but you might consider instead renting one from these guys
Cliffhanger Jeep Rental Moab Utah Rubicons and & Extreme Jeeps
You can get a Rubicon double-locked on 35s.
Technically they have restrictions on where you can go... but lets just say that experience shows that they have no way to know as long as you bring it back in one piece. And trust me you can tell they are beat on.

A group of us from our club were just there in early October. 2 of us rented JKs, others trailered out. I have zero regrets about the rental and would do it again.
I flew out using air miles I had. This worked out to be way cheaper (even if I'd paid full price for teh plane ticket) than the hauling.
I looked into many options to get one of my Toys out there (I really didn't want to do the drive) and nothing was as cost effective.
 
Don't pull through Colorado unless you're just interested in the scenery or wheeling along the way. I-40 to ABQ and then up 550 is a hell of a lot easier to drive.
 
I looked into it a few years ago and found the same thing as someone above said about not having a set timeline. Car haulers don't guarantee a delivery time, and if you ship it early where's it going to sit until you get there?

As far as rail, I read that sometimes they'll sit in places you don't want your nice JK on 40s sitting for long...

Our best option was a friend with access to an 18 wheeler with lowboy, but it never happened.
 
I have driven to moab and back three times, once on 33s, twice on 35,s. My 2 Dr on 37s I would drive it out and back if I didn't have a tow rig. Cost is going to go through the roof on anything but towing / driving yourself versus towing. It only takes 2.5 days one way stopping at night and believe me, you need at least 5 days to wheel and really get in a lot of trails.

The last trip we drive out and back, 4 nights in hotel, camping 5 nights, fuel, food and bullshit money, spent less than 2k.
 
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Oh, and I know they have rentals, its MOAB, best wheeling in the world. What you built you Jeep for, if you got it , take your own rig!

The drive is part of the experience, most people never get to see so much of the country, or at least to me it felt special.
 
Jason W. said:
The drive is part of the experience, most people never get to see so much of the country, or at least to me it felt special.
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Agreed. I just got back from driving to Dallas. We did it overnight while the 1.5 year old slept. I hated not being able to see anything but it's the only way with a young child.
 
Lots of great info here guys, keep it coming! obullfish, who did you get that price from? Would be interested in contacting them, as well as the guy RobMcBee posted (thanks for sharing!). I have really contemplated renting one out there, but I know I will regret not taking my own; Ive got years of building, and lots of money wrapped up in it (as we all do), and would love to have my own out there for my first trip. Maybe if I get to go on future rides, I will just rent, but this time I am set on taking my own.

I want to go through Colorado; one for scenery, and 2, on the way back, I plan to stop for a day and hit some trails. I may go the other route on the way there. I do want to drive for the scenery, however it just may not work out with work for me to do so. We plan to be out there for roughly 5-7 days, with a mix of wheeling and sight-seeing. We also plan to spend a day or 2 in Sand Hallow, a couple hours away. If Im going to go that far, might as well hit that place up while out there. SO say its 5 in Moab, 2 in Sand Hallow, thats 7 days. Then 3 days roughly each way, so it would be about 2 weeks off work. While I hope that I am able to get that much time off, my wife may not be able to, hecne comes the need to have someone else take it out, and fly out myself.

Jason W., you did the whole trip for $2k? How much of that was fuel, and what was your mileage on the drive there? Pulling a trailer, and planning to hotel it (wife hates camping), I was budgeting between $3-4k for the whole trip (closer to the $3k, but prepared to spedn $4k in case there are issues/emergencies).

LBarr2002, great point on it just sitting somewhere; didnt really think about that. I dont know anyone out there, so it would end up just sitting in a lot somewhere... not ideal. Would have to plan something else for it while it sits when Im not there, and make sure it is placed in a safe location. Somewhere insured.
 
I've never been to Moab but hauled my Jeep to California and back for under $1200. It took us 3.5 days driving each way and I'd do it again without hesitation. I agree with Jason, seeing the country while driving was part of the experience.
 
Rockroaster said:
I havent looked there, never heard of it. Any experience using them?
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No but there's a TV reality show from it. Like storage wars but it's hauling wars. Uship got their stardom from that show. I like it better than storage wars but that's not saying too much...
 
My mileage varied and so did gas prices, I'd say about 1k for fuel when prices were up, last year was around 800. 15- 17mpg
 
You might consider changing your trip from June to late August or early September. It'll be hot as hell in Moab in June, and some of the stuff in CO could be still snowed in.
 
A group of us went out this year in May ( weather was perfect )

2 diesel trucks each pulling a double car trailer with 2 rigs on them.. had the wives fly to denver.. we picked them up and then drove to Moab..

we stayed in a condo that all 8 of us could sleep in for the week.

If I remember correctly each couple paid between $1100 and $1500 and that covered condo, fuel and hotels. we each then paid for our own meals and snacks etc and fuel for our jeeps/buggies..

and if I could get the days off again I would do it again in a heartbeat :)
 
Thanks obullfish. Good to hear what everyone is reporting for what it costs them to haul it out there themselves. Sounds like most of you have pulled with something a bit better than my Tundra... But that's all I have to work with, and I'm coming up with roughly $2k in fuel for the whole thing, considering different terrain where I might only get 7-8mpg.

Good idea on the condo. We could do that wth the whole family and really save. Any recommendations Bruiser?

I would like to go a different time than June, but with my brothers kids still being in school, and my varying travel for work, late June is about all we could make work, unless we went out for Easter Jeep Safari.
 
Do you know what your Tundra actually gets towing? 7-8 mpg sounds low for a single car trailer with 1 rig on it, even for a half ton. My GMC 2500 with the 6.0 gasser averaged 10.5 on the highway. Charlotte to Moab is roughly 4000 miles round trip. Even at 7 mpg and $2.25 a gallon (guessing), that's only $1300 total for fuel plus a couple tanks in your rig.
 
livetorun said:
Do you know what your Tundra actually gets towing? 7-8 mpg sounds low for a single car trailer with 1 rig on it, even for a half ton. My GMC 2500 with the 6.0 gasser averaged 10.5 on the highway. Charlotte to Moab is roughly 4000 miles round trip. Even at 7 mpg and $2.25 a gallon (guessing), that's only $1300 total for fuel plus a couple tanks in your rig.
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yeah, the guys that towed out there last month were quite pleasantly surprised, with the massive turndown in gas prices they found the trip cost way less than expected.
 
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