Situation: I need towing help, preferably with a tow hook father than a flatbed due to space limitations (though you can assess the situation if you have only a flatbed). I have some vehicles on my property that need to move, some just a short distance and one several miles.
One is an older, larger Jeep 4x4 , good body and interior, with out of state plates abandoned on my property, which I have had several offers for, even though its engine has been partially disassembled, there is no key, and the steering column is locked with the front wheels pointing to 10 o'clock. A tow dolly hooked to my minivan, which has a receiver, or another pickup truck I could borrow, could probably haul it down the driveway and up the steep rise to the turnout 40-50 feet above, though negotiating the kinda steep dip where the driveway meets the road at an angle could be tricky. So I can probably handle that part and then sell the jeep from that spot. Or include it in this deal! But there's more!
Much more: I also have a full-sized older pickup truck that has a hut built over its 8 foot bed and overhanging some of the cab. It is tall (full-sized house door, peaked roof that a 6'3" man can stand up inside) and doubtless heavy (all wood construction, shingle roof that does not leak btw). It is facing a dropoff, so it would need to be pulled backwards, at least initially, to remove it from its spot at the top of the driveway. I would then want it towed several miles (more than 4, less than ten, I would say, depending upon which of two potential new homes it goes to). Tires inflate, gear shifts to neutral. There is also the option of separating the truck hut from the truck, adapting it for storage or other use, and then the pickup could go on its own (I was told it had transmission trouble when I obtained it 8 years ago).
Here is my proposal: You drive up (15 minutes from downtown Los Gatos, 20 from the fish hook at 17&1 in Santa Cruz), optionally move the jeep out of the way, and tow the pickup truck hut to its new location. Should take 1-2 hours, total. In return, you can have some combination of the Jeep, a 2003 Odyssey that has been sitting for years which may or may not be revived (it had a radiator leak that led to an automatic shutdown in 2017 and has sat since then). Tires may or may not be refilled with air. No key. Body OK but damage to both bumpers. Might have been home to rodents who could have chewed wires. So, a salvage fixer-upper that I can get $200 for if I let one outfit tow it away. Similarly, there is also a 2001 Honda CRV with 200K+ miles that was recently restored to good working order, needs only a few small repairs, but has recently been vandalized and thus needs tires and windows and headlights. I can sell or trade the Odyssey and the CRV or leave them where they are for now. The Jeep must be moved. And there is a 1995 Lexus with only 200K miles on it that I can keep or sell but may need to move a short distance. It needs some minor cosmetic repairs but is a smooth-handling beast. The registration status of each of these vehicles makes them problematic for returning to service in California cheaply, though if you have solutions for those issues, I am all ears. Two-day permit to drive it elsewhere to register/sell? Is that legal? Advise me! There is also a 2001 Sienna that needs some repairs and has had its tires, battery, a strut, an axle, and a control rod removed, plus there s an unidnetified sludge creating a nasty sound when it drives. Otherwise looks good. New radiator cost $260. It is the boneyard for my current Sienna but if it fits into the trade/sell picture, OK. Happy to include the Sienna, The Jeep, or the CRV in any trade. This is a potentially great opportunity for the right tow truck owner/driver.
As you can tell, I am no expert and have a bit of a mess on my hands. My near-term objective is to move the white full-size pickup with the hut on it so that its occupant can continue to occupy it elsewhere. The jeep and probably the Lexus have to move out of the way, perhaps to the turnout, to make that happen. I think the Lexus could drive out if i swap in a charged battery. So each of these comes with some problems, but there is value (Jeep body is good, roof rack alone is like $500; it's the one I am getting lowball offers on in the $350 range; I know it is worth more, like I say just for the rack, which I guess i could remove and sell separately. )
A housemate may have a 2000 Chevy extra long van with like only 120k or so miles on it. I drove it for awhile and it was a very good vehicle, though the gas gauge doesn't work. Not sure what he is asking, maybe $2,000-2500, but he mentioned being willing to sell it so thought I would mention it here. Some rust on the roof, recently smogged and registered.
Would love to reduce the vehicle population there and end up with both sides feeling like they derived decent value. I know I could just hire the tow truck for cash but I am limited on cash at the moment and hope to barter away some of these vehicles. Indeed I am open to cash offers and perhaps some other barter offers. I could use an IBC tank or other usable cistern, help with some trenching and extending water lines and electric on the property, an Alaskan mill, long chainsaw and/or milling help, assistance putting up a yurt, building a deck, a treehouse, retaining walls, gutters, some plumbing help , electrical work, framing and building walls, etc. I also have a large inventory of items you could browse through.
Let the bartering begin! The sooner , the better! Thanks for reading all this. Happy Labor Day Weekend, all!
Please include a phone number in your reply. And hours it is OK to all. I would love to have this happen ASAP.