Buying a truck

[Retired2017]

Hey folks,

I'm coming back to AK for a second time and plan to stay this time. I'm going to get a truck and was wondering if the prices are much higher than the lower states. I hear there is a 5k difference. If so, I plan to buy and drive up. Any advice either way?

[Paul H]

I don't know if the price difference is that great, it comes down to what model and how popular they are. I have a feeling dealers are pretty hungry everywhere, so you could probably find a better deal in the lower 48, as they don't have the additional shipping fees to bring the vehicle up.

The up side of driving a vehicle up is it'll be partly broken in by the time you get up here. The down side is, you might already need a new windshield as well

[Amigo Will]

A few months ago I came through Washington and if you bought a truck or big car they gave you a new compact for a buck.

[Retired2017]

Amigo,

Well, if I go that route, I could put the compact in the bed and bring it as well.

That wont happen in the used truck market though.

[BucknRut]

If you are planning to buy used...

Buy down there or come up and buy my used one, then I can go down there and buy me a new one with the same check you handed me <grin>

The Alcan isn't that bad, but you will have paint chips and such, it's the nature of the beast!

[AKDoug]

I saved 9K on my Duramax 2500 CrewCab when I bought it in N. Carolina in Jan of '07. I burned up most of the savings in a 4 week vacation with the wife and kids driving it up, but it was well worth it. Until I located that truck the biggest savings I found was right about 3K difference between Alaska and the Lower 48.

[bustedknee]

I have bought several trucks in Portland and either flew down and brought them up on the Ferry or had the dealer deliver them to Lynden Freight (or the Ferry).

Even when I flew down and brought it back myself I saved a couple thousand bucks.

The salesmen always delivered the trucks to Seattle for less than 100 dollars (it takes 2 guys).

The salesmen in Soldotna, Anchorage and Wasilla always tried to guilt-trip me by telling me to keep my money in Alaska.

I always tell them, "I don't mind helping you put your kids through college but I don't want to do it all by myself".

Shop around on prices and compare (internet and phone calls). Usually, you can beat the Alaskan prices by 3 to 10 grand.

[Retired2017]

I'll do some serious shopping in Arkansas during a family stop-n-go. IF I find a good vehicle I plan to drive it up. I just hate doing that to the wife....over a week on the road and no relief driver.

I guess well make more frequent stops.

[AK Bearcat]

Turch purchase

We bought a new 07 Dodge from Dave Smith in Idaho and drove it back up here, to Alaska. The purchase price was about $7500.00 less and it only cost $565.00 to drive back up. Flight down was free so no expense there. We two drivers went down on the red eye Friday morning and were back in Palmer, Sunday afternoon. Look 'outside' and drive up. For the most part the roads are good and one gets to see some good looking country.

[COtoAK]

My husband purchased his truck a couple of years ago down in Oregon. It was definitely cheaper to do that than to do it up here. He still had to winterize it, of course, but the couple of hundred to winterize on your own saves the thousands extra you'd be spending up here on an already winterized truck.

We bought a trailer and it was cheaper in the Lower 48 as well. Because they don't readily make trailers up here, they sell for a pretty penny.

My suggestion is that you save the thousands on a truck, purchase a trailer, move your items up, sell your trailer for twice the amount up here (it's the going rate anyway) and then you have your truck and extra money in your pocket once you arrive.

[Bill S.]

http://www.worthingtonford.net/pages...0&featureid=-1

Use this to at least compare and get an idea.