I just went on the CAA website to look up infor for a carnet. The cost calculator returned the following results:

If I choose the guarantee option, do I need to put up the entire $27,000???

I'm not sure how this Carnet thing works.

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not all those who wander are lost | two earthlings ride around the world

Well...I read the Carnet FAQ. Seems I will have to pay $2,650, if I understand what I have read.

Still, doesn't this seem pricey?

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not all those who wander are lost | two earthlings ride around the world

If it will cost me over $2000 to travell in these countries on my bike, i'll stick to the ones that don't require a carnet, thanx!
I'll be reaserching this whole carnet thing when i get home for my next trip, but it all seems rediculously expensive!

i think i understand this correctly. i have a choice of either the two option; which means i will have to either pay $9,290 or $27,650 upfront. if i choose the first option, i'll end up paying more overall after the discharge of the carnet.

regardless, either one of the two options i not possible. this is far too much freaking cash; and this puts my plan in serious question. is this some sort of joke?

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not all those who wander are lost | two earthlings ride around the world

I've had two carnets from the RAC in the UK over the years and both times the cheapest route to cover the non export liability was an insurance policy. On both occasions the total amount for the carnet (after refunds etc) was around about £300.

Ok, I had cheaper bikes (valued around £1500) and I wasn't going to countries with 800% import duty but that's a hell of a difference from the figure you've posted. Can't you sell your bike to your next door neighbour and buy it back with a receipt for $1000.

Unfortunately, I don't think selling my bike for a neighbour and buying it back for $1,000 would work. This is from the CAA FAQ:

Q: How do you figure out the value of my vehicle?
A: We have all kinds of books, we have on-line memberships and if we cannot get an accurate value, we will ask the client to bring his or her vehicle to an appraiser and have the vehicle appraised.

All this carnet stuff seems little confusing. I also got this from the CAA FAQ:

Q: What do you mean by purchase a bond indemnity?
A: Instead of providing the CAA with a huge sum of cash or going to your bank and getting a letter of credit issued you can purchase a bond amount for 10% the value of your vehicle plus taxes and you get 5% back when you return the discharged carnet to us.

Based on this, I would have to purchase a bond for $1,000 + tax. After returning the discharged carnet, I would get $500 of it back.

The $1,000 + tax + the CAA fee of $650 would bring the cost of the carnet to roughly $1,750; which is a lot more reasonable amount to put upfront. This amount wouldn't ruin the trip I have been planning for two years (and dreaming about for 6).

My expected departure date is August of 2011. Even before I found out about the cost of a carnet, hitting my target savings was going to be tough. A 2011 departure is already 2 years delayed from my original plan (which was really too ambitious), and I don't want to have to delay it by another year!

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not all those who wander are lost | two earthlings ride around the world