Sunday, November 06, 2005
U-haul... tips
So here is a quick list of things you must check/consider before/during/after you want to rent a truck to move. UHaul turned out to be best for me and so I would write with that in mind:
1) The truck company you are pschologically attached to, might not be the best for you. Cross country/mid-country moves are much cheaper when done with Penske and not UHual. UHual works better for local moves or short one-way moves. And if you have a lot of delicate and/or heavy stuff, professional movers are better. Shop for movers/trucks.
2) When renting from UHual, first find out your nearest UHual center - if possible, don't rent from a UHaul "dealer". That's because dealers typically don't have a wide choice of trucks. And trucks are NOT always in great condition. Read on.
3) When you are taking the truck, make it clear that you would like to check it out first before accepting it. Remember, when you are at the place, that is your only chance to change the truck if you don't like. Afterwards when it is loaded or when you are half way, it is practically too late to change your mind.
4) In the truck, check the following:
a) That you can move the mirrors flexibly enough. Remember, driving a truck is different from driving your compact or SUV. You need to be more aware of sizes and surroundings.
b) Mileage: I didn't realize this for the truck I brought home - it had 165K miles. That is TOO MUCH. It rattled and rattled and would burn a lot of gas. My intuition says, go for something less than 100K.
c) A/C: Especially if you are going for a "long drive".
d) Size and Capacity: For anything more than 1 bed-room, you must go for something more than a 10ft truck.
e) Categorization: Make note of the height (clearance) and weight (in tonnes). UHual is NOT typically categorized as a "truck" for highway rules, but if you are driving their biggest one, there is a chance that an officer might question you on the way.
f) Mileage: Most trucks do not give more than 15mpg even in best conditions. Mine gave 8 mpg and I spent $160 simply in gas for a one-way drive from LA to SJC. Be prepared for the shock of your lifetime after you have seen your compacts give 30+.
g) Noise: Trucks are not quiet beings. They rattle. And they keep doing that. Forever. Yes, it is annoying. Make sure the rattling is within your limits of tolerance.
5) While driving, be prepared to drive at less than 80 MPH. 60 is optimal. UHaul trucks do not go too fast and 80 is actually the max they show in the speedometer. Factor for more time. It took me 9 hours in total to drive one way from LA to SJC (400 miles), including an hour of break.
6) When you return the truck, don't forget to fill up the tank (or leave it at the level they gave you). Otherwise, they will slap you with $6 per gallon. Don't waste your money - please.
7) Do Loading/Unloading carefully. Things tend to move around a LOT when you are driving. Keep heavier, more flat things more towards the shutter. Also remember that unloading takes about 3 times less time than loading.
Moving itself is painful. Don't let the truck add to it. It is the focal point of your move. If the trucking goes bad, there is hardly anything worse that can happen in the experience. Hope these tips help.
1) The truck company you are pschologically attached to, might not be the best for you. Cross country/mid-country moves are much cheaper when done with Penske and not UHual. UHual works better for local moves or short one-way moves. And if you have a lot of delicate and/or heavy stuff, professional movers are better. Shop for movers/trucks.
2) When renting from UHual, first find out your nearest UHual center - if possible, don't rent from a UHaul "dealer". That's because dealers typically don't have a wide choice of trucks. And trucks are NOT always in great condition. Read on.
3) When you are taking the truck, make it clear that you would like to check it out first before accepting it. Remember, when you are at the place, that is your only chance to change the truck if you don't like. Afterwards when it is loaded or when you are half way, it is practically too late to change your mind.
4) In the truck, check the following:
a) That you can move the mirrors flexibly enough. Remember, driving a truck is different from driving your compact or SUV. You need to be more aware of sizes and surroundings.
b) Mileage: I didn't realize this for the truck I brought home - it had 165K miles. That is TOO MUCH. It rattled and rattled and would burn a lot of gas. My intuition says, go for something less than 100K.
c) A/C: Especially if you are going for a "long drive".
d) Size and Capacity: For anything more than 1 bed-room, you must go for something more than a 10ft truck.
e) Categorization: Make note of the height (clearance) and weight (in tonnes). UHual is NOT typically categorized as a "truck" for highway rules, but if you are driving their biggest one, there is a chance that an officer might question you on the way.
f) Mileage: Most trucks do not give more than 15mpg even in best conditions. Mine gave 8 mpg and I spent $160 simply in gas for a one-way drive from LA to SJC. Be prepared for the shock of your lifetime after you have seen your compacts give 30+.
g) Noise: Trucks are not quiet beings. They rattle. And they keep doing that. Forever. Yes, it is annoying. Make sure the rattling is within your limits of tolerance.
5) While driving, be prepared to drive at less than 80 MPH. 60 is optimal. UHaul trucks do not go too fast and 80 is actually the max they show in the speedometer. Factor for more time. It took me 9 hours in total to drive one way from LA to SJC (400 miles), including an hour of break.
6) When you return the truck, don't forget to fill up the tank (or leave it at the level they gave you). Otherwise, they will slap you with $6 per gallon. Don't waste your money - please.
7) Do Loading/Unloading carefully. Things tend to move around a LOT when you are driving. Keep heavier, more flat things more towards the shutter. Also remember that unloading takes about 3 times less time than loading.
Moving itself is painful. Don't let the truck add to it. It is the focal point of your move. If the trucking goes bad, there is hardly anything worse that can happen in the experience. Hope these tips help.
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Wow man, these are great tips. It's IS really important to gas up before returning the truck, I had a bad experience with that once, never again. Moving could be actually OK if you care for all the details beforehand, but these are things you only learn as you go, so great having this post, thanks! :)
Thanks for sharing! Will definitely keep this list in mind, may even print it out for my move to FL from CA.
Thank you very much for these very useful tips. These are very helpful for folks who are moving stuff across the States. Truck driving is a difficult task by itself, and safety efforts must be doubled to avoid accidents.
Glad your blog because it is exactly what I was looking for, and we read all the posts. I look forward to another great article from you.
This is really wonderful that I have found this website. I would really admire the efforts made here to make the content & the whole stuff more wonderful than others.
Meanwhile, choosing the most appropriate commercial truck rental company is not an easy task. You must always take into consideration different fees and charges depending on the size and how long you want the lease to be. There are instances when the leasing company will ask you to pay additional costs if you go over a certain mileage. Always read the contract agreement carefully to have more understanding on the terms and conditions of the lease contract.
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