Tow or drive it home?

maulcruiser

maulcruiser

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2005
Location
Bladenboro/Wilmington, NC
Buying a truck in VA this weekend that I will not have seen in person or driven until I get up there. I have the option to drag a 30' gooseneck up there and just haul it back, or I can make an adventure of it and try driving it home. Taking the gooseneck will involve four extra hours of driving to return truck and trailer to their respective owners, but offers more potential for a successful journey. I'm just torn and thinking out loud. A trailer has to go with me to carry the extra bed and body panels home, or I can flip the bed upside down on the truck and figure it out that way. The gooseneck would allow truck and extra bed to ride on the same trailer.

Make an adventure out of it, or play it safe? I'm kind of needing an adventure...

This is the truck in question I'm bringing home.
e6ad8bf7a8657ebe45d0fda30655791f.jpg
 
Driving it back requires a second person to make the trip.
Im a lone wolf on road trips..Id bring a trailer.
 
If I had the truck and trailer at my house I'd go that route. You saying it's an extra 4 hour drive to get the truck and trailer would probably lead me to just go up there and drive it back. I hate borrowing stuff from people in general, but an extra 4 hours is a lot. On the other hand, if it's far enough away that you're willing to drive the extra time to get the truck and trailer then maybe your gut is telling you that the truck isn't trustworthy enough to make the trip, so the piece of mind may be worth it.

Duane
 
My first question is how long of a drive is it from your house to the truck? If the drive is less than 2 hours I'd say adventure. If it's over a 2 hour drive I'd get the trailer.
 
maulcruiser said:
Buying a truck in VA this weekend that I will not have seen in person or driven until I get up there. I have the option to drag a 30' gooseneck up there and just haul it back, or I can make an adventure of it and try driving it home. Taking the gooseneck will involve four extra hours of driving to return truck and trailer to their respective owners, but offers more potential for a successful journey. I'm just torn and thinking out loud. A trailer has to go with me to carry the extra bed and body panels home, or I can flip the bed upside down on the truck and figure it out that way. The gooseneck would allow truck and extra bed to ride on the same trailer.

Make an adventure out of it, or play it safe? I'm kind of needing an adventure...

This is the truck in question I'm bringing home.
e6ad8bf7a8657ebe45d0fda30655791f.jpg
Click to expand...
Damn that’s not far from my house I’ve eye balled that truck for last 5 years never for sale tho, I thought they had sold it awhile back and I missed out... truck is solid from what I’ve seen hope you got a good price on it
 
maulcruiser said:
Buying a truck in VA this weekend that I will not have seen in person or driven until I get up there. I have the option to drag a 30' gooseneck up there and just haul it back, or I can make an adventure of it and try driving it home. Taking the gooseneck will involve four extra hours of driving to return truck and trailer to their respective owners, but offers more potential for a successful journey. I'm just torn and thinking out loud. A trailer has to go with me to carry the extra bed and body panels home, or I can flip the bed upside down on the truck and figure it out that way. The gooseneck would allow truck and extra bed to ride on the same trailer.

Make an adventure out of it, or play it safe? I'm kind of needing an adventure...

This is the truck in question I'm bringing home.
e6ad8bf7a8657ebe45d0fda30655791f.jpg
Click to expand...
Is that in Blacksburg?? Lol maybe it’s not the same truck sure to hell looks like it tho lol the building I’ve seen it sittin at is even the same lol probably not it tho!?
 
If you have access to a smaller vehicle with a tow hitch, I would rent a uhaul tow dolly and drive up to get it. Then tow the vehicle driven up there home with the new truck. If you break down, you can always unload the vehicle driven up there and drive it home. Plus you wouldnt have to have another driver.
 
I'm probably free and have a truck and 26 ft gooseneck...so there's that.

Plus...if you're going up 17 anyway, it's not like it doesn't go through New Bern.
 
Last edited:
@Ron has a good point. You're going to need a 2nd driver to drive it home.
Unless it is really close, I'd trailer it.
Plus there is the legality issue of driving it w/o tags etc. I know you can "get away with it" but not all LEOs are friendly about that kind of thing.
4 hrs to get the trailer and do it right is kind of inconsequential in the long run.
 
I guess I spent too much of my early 20’s hitch hiking, sleeping on the side of the road or waiting on a ride, to ever think an ‘adventure’ will ever sound like a good idea again. My chest tightens even thinking about driving my rigs 3 miles home that have been in my storage building the last couple years...so they’ll be trailered.
 
Looks like an old Air Force Truck...

I'm right along 95/17 in Virginia if you're traveling that way need any support on your Journey
 
I was thinking ex AF truck too!
 
C.Berry said:
Damn that’s not far from my house I’ve eye balled that truck for last 5 years never for sale tho, I thought they had sold it awhile back and I missed out... truck is solid from what I’ve seen hope you got a good price on it
Click to expand...

It's in Unionville. Looks to be pretty far from Blacksburg, but it was listed about a month ago and I'm just now getting the guy to communicate with me.

It's a five hour one-way trip from me, so I'm thinking the smart play would be to tow it back.
 
That's what is so crazy to me...it's 5 hours from Wilmington and 4 hours and 45 minutes from New Bern, but I damn sure can't get to Wilmington in 15 minutes! Eastern NC is a pain to get out of...we've got 17 and 70, that's it.
 
Awesome truck! Tow it back. Even if you do have AAA, you're gonna sit on the side of the road for at least an hour (probably 2) waiting for them to come get you. And that cost per mile adds up quick if you're beyond the 100 mile free tow limit. They may also take issue with another bed strapped down to the bed of the truck they need to tow. AAA is funny about that kinda stuff.
 
You can also just call a tow truck if needed instead of paying in advance for towing insurance.
 
Back
Top