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U-Haul Truck Rental Review

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Renting a moving truck when you're moving is a difficult decision. Luckily, U-Haul has 6 different vehicles to choose from for your move, and their prices are very fair. Because of this, they really are one of, if not the best, in the truck rental market out there. They have 21,000 locations across the United States, so finding your local one shouldn’t be too difficult. Check out the rest of this guide to learn more about U-Haul.

U-haul_Truck_Rental_Review

All About U-Haul Trucks

U-Haul has 6 different trucks:

  • Pickup truck
  • Cargo van
  • 10’ truck
  • 15’ truck
  • 20’ truck
  • 26’ truck
 Pickup TruckCargo Van10' Truck15' Truck20' Truck26' Truck
Dimensions7'10" x 5'2" x 1'9"9'6" x 5'7" x 4'8"9'11" x 6'4" x 6'2"15' x 7'8" x 7'2"19'6" x 7'8" x 7'2"26'2" x 8'2" x 8'3"
Home SizeSmall load, studio Studio, deliveriesStudio, 1 bedroom apartment1 or 2 bedroom apartment2 or 3 bedroom home3 or 4 bedroom home
MileageUp to 19 MPGUp to 18 MPGUp to 12 MPGUp to 10 MPGUp to 10 MPGUp to 10 MPG
Max Load1,897 lbs.3,880 lbs.2,850 lbs.6,385 lbs.5,700 lbs.9,010 lbs.
Price (starting at)$19.95 + $0.69 a mile$19.95 + $0.69 a mile$19.95 + $0.79 a mile$29.95 + $0.79 a mile$39.95 + $0.79 a mile$39.95 + $0.79 a mile

We ended up doing a quote for moving from Houston to Chicago, which is around 1,300 miles. The price for a 10' truck is $692.00, a 15’ would cost us $728.00, a 20’ truck is on special for $764.00, and finally, a 26’ is also on special for $772.00. Of course, this doesn’t factor in options like towing a vehicle, insurance, moving supplies, or extra helpers (totally optional).

With U-Haul, you are responsible for paying for gas. So, when factoring in costs, keep fuel costs in mind. One useful tool we use is Gas Buddy. It’s a free app that shows you the cheapest prices near you so that you aren’t overpaying on gas. It uses your location so it will always update to where you are.

Using U-Haul for Local and Long-Distance Moves

U-Haul is great for local and long-distance moves. The prices are fair for any size move, as you can see from the rates above.

There are a few ways to reserve a truck (or trailer if that’s what you need). You can go to their app, you can use their easy to find the app on the iOS or Android app store, and reserve everything through there. You can also go to their website at "uhaul.com", or you can go in person to one of their stores and do it in person. Keep in mind that with Covid-19 going around the rules for in-store reservations might be different for different stores around the country.

You can even do a Mobile Pick-Up for your truck, so you don’t have to go to the store. From the app you can choose the option “Mobile pick-up” and you can pick up and drop off the vehicle without stepping a single foot into the store. This is great for our post-Covid world where we now have to be extra vigilant about what we do and who we are around.

If you need a trailer for your move, U-Haul has got you covered. Their trailers are:

Cargo trailers

  • 4' x 8’
  • 5’ x 8’
  • 5’ x 10’
  • 6’ x 12’
    • These trailers are lightweight, so you’ll save gas and they have a lockable latch to protect your stuff

Utility trailers

  • 4’ x 7’
  • 5’ x 8’
  • 5’ x 9’
  • 6’ x 12’
  • 6’ x 12’ with a ramp
    • These trailers are open and are great for heavy and awkward shaped items

Car and Motorcycle trailers

  • Tow dolly (only front 2 wheels on a dolly, good for a front-wheel-drive car)
  • Auto transport (all four wheels on the trailer)
  • Motorcycle trailer
  • 5’ x 9’ with a ramp
  • The motorcycle and 5’ x 9’ trailer are great for towing motorcycles, and the dolly and auto transport is good for towing your standard vehicle
    • Be careful that you only tow a front-wheel-drive car on the tow dolly, you could damage your transmission and run into other issues in your move

We recently ran into a situation when looking at a move where U-Haul wouldn't suggest any trailer to tow a vehicle we entered in. This may very well happen to you in a real-life situation. While it is unfortunate, it is very unwise to go against U-Haul’s safety standards when it comes to these situations. The U-Haul trailers are rated for a certain weight (as are the hitches) and your vehicle could outweigh that or it could even be too big for the trailer. Either way, it is best not to defy the safety regulation when it comes to your vehicle. You can easily check on their website if your ideal setup s safe or not on their website.

What People Are Saying About U-Haul

In looking at online reviews, U-Haul doesn’t look overly favorable. However, when you read the reviews most people complain about the same thing:

The majority of people complaining were about their vehicle not being reserved. A lot of them had a reserved vehicle ready, but it wasn’t at the location that they wanted. Some people had it where they had no vehicle, or they needed a large truck and got a 10’ truck. That frustration is totally understandable.

Now, while it is important to look at the reviews, there are some things you need to keep in mind. Things like saying the stores need music (an actual review we came across) isn’t really a review worth taking into account, another review that we read that only says "horrible equipment" really gives nothing for the consumer to judge off of, and saying you won’t write a review but giving it 1 star out of 5 is not helpful either. So, take each review for what it is and make your own decision after doing some research.

What Else Does U-Haul Offer?

U-Haul doesn’t only offer rental trucks. They have storage centers, offer moving supplies for you to purchase, have U-Box containers (like Pods, can be loaded then shipped somewhere), can help you with propane and propane accessories, you can purchase trailer hitches at U-Haul and get them installed there (you can also get accessories like bike racks, cargo carriers, hitch locks, etc.), and U-Haul also offers moving help through local movers in your area.

One thing that is cool about U-Haul is not only can you rent trailers through them; you can also purchase their trailers. You can also buy trucks through them as well. Why would you want to buy a vehicle or trailer through them? There are a few reasons:

  • You can use them for business such as deliveries or to add another fleet vehicle to your crew
  • If you were in the market for a pickup, then checking them out could be a viable option
    • They have 2019 Ram and Silverado's for sale with low miles in excellent condition and will occasionally have flash sales where those prices can be extremely low
  • The trailers can always be good for work or moving things, I know I have needed a trailer several times and didn’t have access to one
  • They also sell tow dollies so if you move a lot (or have a business where you move folks) then getting dollies for your fleet would come in handy
    • Would also be good if you purchase cars a lot if you’re a car enthusiast 
  • When looking at a vehicle you get a "report card" that tells you how the vehicle is out of 5 stars
    • It grades the engine, transmission, brakes, cab, safety systems, front end, interior, tires, van box, and how well the maintenance has been on the vehicle
    • You can even look at the maintenance history and records of the vehicle too

While this option obviously appeals to a certain amount of people out there, it is really cool that it is out there and that anyone can use them. If this is something that interests you can go to www.trucksales.uhaul.com.

Overall Opinion

U-Haul is a solid moving company. While they don't have guaranteed reservations, they do take care of their customers. They have a lot of different options for trucks and trailers that you can choose from, and they also carry things like propane, moving supplies, and they even sell vehicles. If you are looking for a moving company to fit your budget and your move, U-Haul is going to be it.

Katherine Broome  Posted by Katherine Broome on December 1, 2020

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