Moving advice (U-Haul, mileage, rental, trucks)

[edemay1022]

I am moving from Chicago to Denver area in a few weeks. I dont have much stuff to move but what I need is a Pickup truck that can pull a car dolly (my car may not make it if I were to drive it). I would prefer to not have to rent a big u-haul style cube truck because the cost is outrageous (approx. $1100). I am finding it very difficult to find places that will rent pickup trucks that will also allow you to tow a car dolly behind it (I only have a Hyundai Accent which would be far less than most trucks towing capacity). Does anyone have advice or experience in this?

Thanks in advance.

[monkey cabal]

Maybe send your stuff in a pod and drive the car. Good luck!

[PacificFlights]

I know this is a bit late, but-

Although your car is small, the dollies and trailers can haul much more. Since they don't know what you will really be hauling, they limit trailer use to the trucks that can handle the maximum weight. Abuses have occurred and the companies just decided to remove the hitches from anything they think may not be able to haul the biggest cars.

You can rent a small 10' or 12' mini cube van and use a dolly. Add up the cost of the move including vehicle, dolly and extra tolls for the extra axles. Also get a quote for a van that is at least 16'. At that size you can actually put your car inside with whatever else you are taking with you. Add up the cost that way as well. Figure about $50 - $100 CASH at each end to get a flatbed tow truck (at their yard or around the corner from the yard -wink-wink-) to load and unload the car from the truck. Which makes better money sense?

[JustJulia]

Originally Posted by edemay1022

I am moving from Chicago to Denver area in a few weeks. I dont have much stuff to move but what I need is a Pickup truck that can pull a car dolly (my car may not make it if I were to drive it). I would prefer to not have to rent a big u-haul style cube truck because the cost is outrageous (approx. $1100). I am finding it very difficult to find places that will rent pickup trucks that will also allow you to tow a car dolly behind it (I only have a Hyundai Accent which would be far less than most trucks towing capacity). Does anyone have advice or experience in this?

Thanks in advance.

When we moved cross-country, we couldn't find any companies that would rent anything that could tow a car. I did all the calling around and was frequently told that nobody would do it because of insurance reasons. We had to drive both cars. Shipping the car was going to be about $1500 from Southern California to Chicago.

If you don't have much stuff, a PODS-type cube might work for you. There are many companies out there, not just PODS, so shop around if that's what you want to do.

I read that you're not sure the car will make the journey ... is it possible to sell your car and BUY a reliable little pickup?

[SoHoVe]

Another option is just to have your car shipped and rent a mini van (or similiar) to move your belongings.
I am not sure what this would cost you but by the time you figure in the cost of renting the P/U, renting the dolly, and the gas mileage you will get while towing it might not be a tremendous difference.

[kodaka]

If your car can't handle driving 1,000 miles, you should seriously wonder about the value of taking it. Assuming average consumer usage, 1,000 miles is merely six months of ownership. If it only has six months of life left in it, you are going to end up replacing it in short order anyway so just do it now.

If you have no other option but to take it, then drive it and stick to the slow lane and highways instead of interstates.

As others said, car rental places just won't rent for towing. U-Haul has the smallest vehicle for towing, a tenfooter, which is really a pickup truck with a box slightly larger than a topper on it. And that will cost you $1100 plus the gas to drive it.

[mich2fla]

Originally Posted by kodaka

If your car can't handle driving 1,000 miles, you should seriously wonder about the value of taking it. Assuming average consumer usage, 1,000 miles is merely six months of ownership. If it only has six months of life left in it, you are going to end up replacing it in short order anyway so just do it now.

If you have no other option but to take it, then drive it and stick to the slow lane and highways instead of interstates.

As others said, car rental places just won't rent for towing. U-Haul has the smallest vehicle for towing, a tenfooter, which is really a pickup truck with a box slightly larger than a topper on it. And that will cost you $1100 plus the gas to drive it.

I don't know about you but I put on little over 1,100 miles per month on my car.