GON
$175 Site Donor 2026
Rented a U-Haul auto transporter to tow our youngest Son's car from Denver to White Sands. Our youngest son spent the last two years stationed in the Army in South Korea; his car was in a rental garage in Parker, CO. The rental garage is being sold, so I grabbed his car and will bring it home and do maintenance on it before he returns from ROK this fall.
Having prior rented the U- Haul auto transporters many times, I expected the one-way rental to be in the low $300 USD range. I blown away the rental was in the $600 USD range (before taxes). At $600 before taxes, I started shopping for a used trailer in Denver, as I have to take a vehicle from White Sand, NM to Hurlburt Field, FL next month-- so could justify buying a auto hauler.
Couldn't find a good buy on a used auto hauler, so conceded to pay OOA $600 for the U-Haul. Was not happy. The $600 from Castle Rock, CO to White Sands, NM included four days. The four-day rental is done by U-Haul for safety/ liability reasons. U-Haul has an exposure if they contract a one-way rental of over 350 miles per day, plus a day to load, and a day to unload.
Kept inserting the online quote and could not get a better price than about $600 USD. Then I plugged in Colorado Springs, which was 35 miles south of my location. The price went down from $600 USD to $200 USD, and the minimum rental period dropped from four days to three days. It appears the "line" of maximum daily driving mileage dropped, a minimum day rental was reduced, and very significant savings. I tried Larksberg, CO which is halfway between Colorado Springs, and Parker, CO- still $600 USD and four days minimum. The significant lesson learned on one day rental- know where that line is for a minimum day change, might save significant money. I drove 70 miles round trip and 2 1/2 hours and saved over $400 USD.
Next note, when I arrived at the pickup location, the auto transporter was no longer available. Agent stated no issue, which was accurate. Agent found me another U-Haul auto transporter 15 minutes away. I thought I would get the $50 rebate if guaranteed rental vehicle isn't available. Thought wow, I am going to reduce the $200 USD cost to $150 USD and even more happy. A very hasty check on the terms and conditions informed me I would not get the $50 rebate. The reason- to get the $50 rebate, the renter has to wait over 24 hours, if U-Haul can locate any appropriate substitute in the region, which the renter has to drive to at the renter's cost, in under 24 hours, the $50 rebate is null and void. Essentially, the $50 guarantee your reserved rental vehicle will be available is anything but. U-Haul is not giving its renter's a free lunch.
Uhaul has newly designed tow straps for the front wheels. Work well and significantly less risk than the older designed U-Haul used for straps for decades. I had the old designed straps come loose once or twice. Kudos to the newly designed straps.
Supplementally, I did find a used auto transporter, and likely will try to return to Colorado to inspect and possibly purchase next week.
Having prior rented the U- Haul auto transporters many times, I expected the one-way rental to be in the low $300 USD range. I blown away the rental was in the $600 USD range (before taxes). At $600 before taxes, I started shopping for a used trailer in Denver, as I have to take a vehicle from White Sand, NM to Hurlburt Field, FL next month-- so could justify buying a auto hauler.
Couldn't find a good buy on a used auto hauler, so conceded to pay OOA $600 for the U-Haul. Was not happy. The $600 from Castle Rock, CO to White Sands, NM included four days. The four-day rental is done by U-Haul for safety/ liability reasons. U-Haul has an exposure if they contract a one-way rental of over 350 miles per day, plus a day to load, and a day to unload.
Kept inserting the online quote and could not get a better price than about $600 USD. Then I plugged in Colorado Springs, which was 35 miles south of my location. The price went down from $600 USD to $200 USD, and the minimum rental period dropped from four days to three days. It appears the "line" of maximum daily driving mileage dropped, a minimum day rental was reduced, and very significant savings. I tried Larksberg, CO which is halfway between Colorado Springs, and Parker, CO- still $600 USD and four days minimum. The significant lesson learned on one day rental- know where that line is for a minimum day change, might save significant money. I drove 70 miles round trip and 2 1/2 hours and saved over $400 USD.
Next note, when I arrived at the pickup location, the auto transporter was no longer available. Agent stated no issue, which was accurate. Agent found me another U-Haul auto transporter 15 minutes away. I thought I would get the $50 rebate if guaranteed rental vehicle isn't available. Thought wow, I am going to reduce the $200 USD cost to $150 USD and even more happy. A very hasty check on the terms and conditions informed me I would not get the $50 rebate. The reason- to get the $50 rebate, the renter has to wait over 24 hours, if U-Haul can locate any appropriate substitute in the region, which the renter has to drive to at the renter's cost, in under 24 hours, the $50 rebate is null and void. Essentially, the $50 guarantee your reserved rental vehicle will be available is anything but. U-Haul is not giving its renter's a free lunch.
Uhaul has newly designed tow straps for the front wheels. Work well and significantly less risk than the older designed U-Haul used for straps for decades. I had the old designed straps come loose once or twice. Kudos to the newly designed straps.
Supplementally, I did find a used auto transporter, and likely will try to return to Colorado to inspect and possibly purchase next week.
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