O-Hell Rolls Over

diane o'thirst · Post by **diane o'thirst** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 12:55 am

http://consumerist.com/346986/u+haul-to ... eservation

U-Haul has gotten a very deserved bad reputation in the community. How many Burners have had to bolt out of their local U-Haul's front door in a frantic quest to find what they need when they showed up to get their trailers, box and utility vans and got stiffed by these corrupt assholes?

How many hoary veterans have warned First-Years, "Stay the hell away from U-Haul!! They'll take your money and screw you over!"

A San Francisco lawyer launched a class-action against U-Haul and forced them to pay $50 to California residents who secured a guaranteed reservation with them, but sent away empty when they came to collect.

This guy wouldn't be a Burner, would he?

pinemom · Post by **pinemom** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 6:22 am

I dont know but I'd have him over for dinner!

I can think of at least 3 times (luckily none for BM, but for moving) where I made my reservation weeks in advance! Reserved by credit card, only to get there and poof, no truck, or not the right sized, or no hand truck..etc....

Worst time was when I was moving back to Reno from sacto, went down the street 2 weeks in advance filled out reservations for a truck put down my credit card....had to pay for an extra day as I wanted to be ready to load earlyier then they opened, no prob. Went to pick up truck, they had none, nor did any of the 25mile radius store have one...I ended up having to fucking drive to a town 3 towns away 45+ mins one way to pick up a friggin truck, which by the way...was 4 ft smaller then the one I ordered.
and by that time I was 14 hrs behind scedule!!!
I will never ever use them again.asshats

oneeyeddick · Post by **oneeyeddick** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 7:44 am

Same situation, in 2000 we reserved a trailor for Burning Man a month early. Got there, no trailor, he tried to get me to take a flatbed instead !!!
I had to drive over 50 miles away to get a 5x8 enlosed trailor, and when I got there, the same reservation connected with the credit card could not be used, and I did not have a card at that time. DOH !!!!
I had to go back home and get my girlfriend and take her back down there with me so we could use her card. The whole process made us miss our window and we ended up leaving the next morning instead of that day.
The following 6 years in a row, however, we had few problems, and only had to go to another store twice to get our 5x8 trailor and they were just across town.
Make note if you are going to use U-haul, do not tell them you are using it to go out of state with. The rates that they use for intrastate travel are greatly amplified in comparison for a local rental. We tell them we use the trailor to hold and keep the food and supplies safe for a large Church campout at the one of the local campgrounds. Praise Jesus !!!
The fee beyond the initial $39 for first couple of days is only $10 per day versus the $30+ per day if you tell them you are going to Nevada.
And for God's sake, don't buy into thier insurance, as your vehicles insurance probably already has coverage for trailors. Total scam !!!!

Post by **AntiM** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 9:59 am

U-Spew is the reason we own our very own Big Bubba now. Having your own trailer is amazing if you have a place to store it.

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 10:04 am

It's kind of retarded to offer guaranteed supplies of finite resources, especially if you have no control over the demand. Nothing can be guaranteed.

BAS · Post by **BAS** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 10:37 pm

IIRC, a friend of mine once got the best of U-Haul when they only had a truck LARGER than the one he and his wife reserved. When they wanted to charge him more for the larger truck, he got stubborn and refused to pay the extra amount, and wound up getting the larger truck for the same rate as the smaller one!

Another guy I know swore off ever using U-Haul again when the truck he was driving up from Missouri had one system after another fail on him during the trip! I believe by the time he arrived, even the brakes had stopped working. I don't know if he ever got a refund from them or not.

Anyway, I would rather not deal with them if I can avoid it.

Kinetik V · Post by **Kinetik V** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 11:01 pm

I flat refuse to use U-Haul after getting gouged on prices, having equipment fail (brakes? What trailer brakes? You don't need no stinkin trailer brakes...or so says the man behind the counter who can't even drive the trucks on the lot to properly park them!), and being told my SUV that came factory equipped with a trailer towing package rated at 5000 lbs couldn't pull one of their small flat bed trailers to haul a washer and dryer home. When I called bullshit and the guy got in my face about it, I told him to take his trailers and his business and shove it up his ass.

When I moved my stuff out of Missouri I didn't even give U-Haul a thought. It was Penske that got my business....and while they may give other burners a hard time about rentals going to BRC, they've always done right with me. In the past 2 months my extended family and I have rented 9 trucks and 4 full sized car haulers from Penske covering trips from Denver to deep in Nebraska and KC to way deep in Nebraska. There was not one single problem with any of the trucks, there were no hidden charges, and in short it was as hassle free of an experience as one can ask for. The only gripe we all shared especially coming across I-76 was the trucks would only do 72 mph in a 75 mph speed zone which is really not much to grumble about. Fuck U-Haul...I wish that attorney well with his class action suit.

Thecatman · Post by **Thecatman** » Sun Mar 23, 2008 8:46 pm

For last years BM I rented a 4x6 Uhaul trailer w/o problems. The only problem was the dealer in Carson City would'nt let one go to BM but the next one I tried in Reno did'nt seam care. They asked what I needed it for and I said "to go camping" and they asked "where" and I said "the Black Rock Desert". Maybe they did'nt put two & two together.

Thecatman · Post by **Thecatman** » Sun Mar 23, 2008 8:48 pm

For the record, if anybody is going to rent an RV from Sierra RV in Reno, forget it. They're sold out

motskyroonmatick · Post by **motskyroonmatick** » Sun Mar 23, 2008 9:55 pm

Prices are coming down on box trucks and all kinds of trailers. Craigslist in Portland has a new listing for nearly any trailer you could want about every day now. I imagine is is much the same elsewhere. If you have a place to store the trailer owning makes sense.

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Sun Mar 23, 2008 11:42 pm

I'll chime in and recommend getting your own trailer too. There isn't that much to a trailer, so you can get a used one and not have a heck of a lot to worry about. Tires, brakes, wheel bearings... lights... that's about it.

You know how cool it is to be able to come home from the playa and unpack the trailer whenever you feel like it, rather than having to immediately clear it out, wash it, and return it?

But thanks for the word on U-Haul. If I ever need to rent a truck, I'll go elsewhere.

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 12:02 pm

Watch out for everyone listing their trucks as larger than they are by including the useless cubbyhole at the roof.
Even after being specific about moving 12 foot racks, I was given a short truck and no bigger one was there.
I made them give me a bunch of tiedowns, but very unsafe.

Post by **mdmf007** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 6:48 pm

You can buy little trailers pretty cheap as well. Old boat trailers are great to tow as well. They tow straight and are easy to deck.

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 8:23 pm

I saw someone who used a wornout fold up camper.
He gutted it and used it for cargo.
He said no one ever tried to break into his crummy looking trailer.
Saw a pickup camper on a flatbed at the rainbow gathering.
Ratty on the outside, hidef surround in stainless on the inside..