Help, need to fly to California

[E30 Wagen]

I've never flown before and don't know what I'm doing when it comes to buying plane tickets. I just need a one way flight from Grand Rapids to Sacramento. There's a car out in Folsom that I want to pick up and road trip back.

Or just convince me to ship it.

[roguetoaster]

Check out Kayak, Southwest (as they only sell direct via their site), or Google Flights. Select one way, select your origination point and destination, book/pay for flight with required info. After booking there may be an online check-in process some time before the flight, and then having completed that you will either go to the counter of that airline at the airport or a self service kiosk. At the airport you'll need a federally compliant ID (DL with a *, or a passport) and your boarding pass which you'll show at the security line. Basically just follow the signs at the airport and do what other people are doing. Also, understand what you can and cannot carry on board/what your airline charges for checked baggage if you want to take some items that you cannot carry on.

If you do fly you picked a really bad time to do it as lots of flights are booked up, but there should be some open through this weekend, albeit at higher than normal prices.

A few things to remember, you'll want some good tires for the drive back, which a CA car won't have, and you'll probably need temporary registration. Ultimately, I'd expect a fly out, drive back trip cost in the $1000 range, which is pretty close to what a shipper might charge.

[Conrad311]

I just did this from San Fran to Austin, more or less I trailered the car home with a friend who was coming here from la.

Shipper quoted me 1500 for a short notice trip. It’s always best to see a car before you buy it. But like rougetoaster said Odds are it won’t be road trip worthy. My tires were down to the wires. It’s fun to make it a trip but you might be better off flying out and seeing it and driving it to a shipment service and letting them bring it when it’s convenient for them. Just my 2 cents.

[E30 Wagen]

The car isn't 100% ready for a long trip, especially not through a snowy mountain state. I'm just scared of buying another car without seeing it in person because the guy seems like a major bullshitter and there are a couple issues that might be deal breakers for me. However it is an extremely rare find that I'd hate to pass up, especially at the price. Might be worth flying out to inspect and then pay to ship it back. Wish carfax wasn't $40... If anybody is in Folsom and wants to volunteer to check it out and promise not to buy it out from under me I'd be eternally grateful.

[venerated]

The car isn't 100% ready for a long trip, especially not through a snowy mountain state. I'm just scared of buying another car without seeing it in person because the guy seems like a major bullshitter and there are a couple issues that might be deal breakers for me. However it is an extremely rare find that I'd hate to pass up, especially at the price. Might be worth flying out to inspect and then pay to ship it back. Wish carfax wasn't $40... If anybody is in Folsom and wants to volunteer to check it out and promise not to buy it out from under me I'd be eternally grateful.

I would DEFINITELY go and see the car before buying, especially if you think the guy is full of BS. Usually when a deal is 'too goo to be true', it is.

What makes you think he's full of BS though? Have you reverse image searched the images? Do you know for sure he actually has the car? Sent video? etc

[E30 Wagen]

I've no doubt he owns the car (says he's owned it since 2002). It's an e36 btw. He's a nonstop motormouth on the phone who laughs at his own jokes and barely lets me get a word in. I believe he's taken very good care of the car mechanically, but he seems to gloss over what the condition the body is in (has a suspicious rust spot on the roof) and whether it's been in an accident. It looks really clean in pics he's sent me but I've yet to see a good shot of the front end, and the rear trunk lid doesn't seem to sit right.

[venerated]

If you're willing to travel for an E36, why not get one from Southern California that will have 0 rust issues? E36s and E46s are a dime a dozen down here.

Also, will you really not spend the $40 on Carfax, yet you'll fly to California to get the car? I think you need to rethink that.

[E30 Wagen]

The car didn't have any rust issues except for that spot on the roof, which was weird. I decided to pass on it because it looks like it was in a wreck at some point, among other things I didn't like. I was just really excited (though now really disappointed) because it was an uber rare slicktop. Besides the rare instance of somebody optioning that, it seems slicktops typically only come here when a serviceman stationed in Europe buys one and ships it here. Running the vin revealed S961 "Special Motor" so I thought that meant it had the euro only alusil m52 and wanted to confirm that, but not really worth $40 to find all that out.

[Conrad311]

well if we knew it was an e36 that would have made the advice giving much simpler- Skip it and buy another e30!

only sorta kidding, ive owned 2 e36s, a 94 318is and a 99 323ic, but I'll never own another..

[uturn]

Since the car deal went south..... maybe you should think of just booking a flight just to experience commercial flying. Stuff a backpack with a change of clothes (you can buy underwear and socks at any box store), no guns or pocket knives.... then book a hotel at you destination and go. Miami and you'll be a snowbird, Vegas and you'll be broke.

[2mAn]

Ive done the fly and drive several times, all were my own cars that needed to join me in SoCal... Its a fun adventure.

Link to this E36?

[E30 Wagen]

https://sacramento.craigslist.org/cto/d/represa-bmw-328-is-1997/7041118057.html

[roguetoaster]

Good troll.

[cheffy30]

OP why are you buying an autotragic parts car? sent from hell using tapatalk

[E30 Wagen]

Find me another rust free e36 slicktop (also in this year and color that I want) in the US for < $2k.