Rent a Tow Vehicle

I need to tow a trailer from Washington state to Central California
and trying to figure out the most cost effective and time efficient
way to do it. It is a long damn drive up and back and I am wondering
if flying commercially one way and then renting a tow vehicle for the
return would be viable. I am having a hard time identifying rental
companies. Does anyone have any insights or suggestions about this?
Thanks much!

David Grah
Bishop, California

a lot of car rental companies specifically prohibit towing.
some car rental companies now have pick up trucks..
it would be good to call and ask about towing a light weight (2000# trailer)
they may require a "premium fee" for towing along with the one way charge

Budget, Alamo, Hertz, National

BT

"dgrah" wrote in message
...
I need to tow a trailer from Washington state to Central California
and trying to figure out the most cost effective and time efficient
way to do it. It is a long damn drive up and back and I am wondering
if flying commercially one way and then renting a tow vehicle for the
return would be viable. I am having a hard time identifying rental
companies. Does anyone have any insights or suggestions about this?
Thanks much!

David Grah
Bishop, California

David,
Yes, Rental companies prohibit towing and also limit crossing some
state lines, but many people still do it......yearly....for soaring
vacations. The trick is to request a vehicle that is sold 100% with a
hitch receiver as standard, like a Chevy Trailblazer. Then purchase
the wire adapter, $15 at any parts store. Rental is $500 extra if you
drive it one-way only. Calculate cost with gas and hotels and compare
to options 2 and 3 below:
Option two is to post here asking for someone to deliver it for you
for a fair price, or even part way to get close enough for you to meet
them.
Option three is to use a shipping auction site like uship.com to list
your request. There are post on RAS about this already.
I evaluated the cost of all three options, tried option 3, then got
lucky that Option 2 worked out.
~Barny

Instead of a rental car, what about a rental moving van/moving truck?
U-haul rents lots of vans/trucks that have tow hitches on them for
towing U-haul trailers.
I was wondering if U-haul, Penske or one of their competitors would
offer something that would work? Has anyone tried that?

Chris

Instead of a rental car, what about a rental moving van/moving truck?
U-haul rents lots of vans/trucks that have tow hitches on them for
towing U-haul trailers.
I was wondering if U-haul, Penske or one of their competitors would
offer something that would work? *Has anyone tried that?

Chris

Add $.79-$1.49/mile to the cost of fuel + rental/ins fee and airfare/
moties. It quickly becomes more spendy than it's worth, although it
technically can be done that way...Best to keep posting here for
someone willing to tow it south for you if you are not in a position
to easily get it yourself (meaning a suitable vehicle already on
hand).

-Paul

Option 4. Not quite so easy ending in California, though. Fly up, buy a
cheap car, drive it home, sell the cheap car. Many dealerships take cars
on trade that will go straight to the auction to be sold for about scrap.
All you are really looking for is a car that has 2000 miles left in it
(some margin for after you get it home!).

Knew you could count on a different approach from me, didn't you?

Steve Leonard

Is this a glider purchase? If so, consider negotiating a meeting at the
half way point.

Paul
ZZ



dgrah wrote:
I need to tow a trailer from Washington state to Central California
and trying to figure out the most cost effective and time efficient
way to do it. It is a long damn drive up and back and I am wondering
if flying commercially one way and then renting a tow vehicle for the
return would be viable. I am having a hard time identifying rental
companies. Does anyone have any insights or suggestions about this?
Thanks much!

David Grah
Bishop, California

"sisu1a" wrote in message
:

Instead of a rental car, what about a rental moving van/moving truck?
U-haul rents lots of vans/trucks that have tow hitches on them for
towing U-haul trailers.
I was wondering if U-haul, Penske or one of their competitors would
offer something that would work? Has anyone tried that?

Chris

Add $.79-$1.49/mile to the cost of fuel + rental/ins fee and airfare/
moties. It quickly becomes more spendy than it's worth, although it
technically can be done that way...Best to keep posting here for
someone willing to tow it south for you if you are not in a position
to easily get it yourself (meaning a suitable vehicle already on
hand).

-Paul




Rent the truck with a trailer hitch on it, take your sleeping bag along
and sleep in the back. Plenty of room, and you sleep nearer the glider.

Seems like a good plan to me!


Larry

Rent the truck with a trailer hitch on it, take your sleeping bag along
and sleep in the back. *Plenty of room, and you sleep nearer the glider..

Seems like a good plan to me!

Larry

Hmmm, @~1000mi (estimated trip distance, Seattle to Bishop...) just
the milage fee alone adds $1000-$1500, regardless of where you sleep
(not to mention U-haul's/etc typically get 10mpg...).

Personally, I'm a tried and true rubbertramp/gliderbum and almost
always sleep in my vehicle while traveling/soaring, regardless of
season/location. I'm just way too cheap to cough up that kind of loot
with nothing to show (one way milage fees OR motels!). If there's no
one to drive it down I would go the Steve Leonard route and buy a
local beater long before handing ANY of the box truck companies that
kind of cash to haul something a Honda Accord could tug... (I tug with
a Chevy Astro FWIW. It's somewhat economical ~ 20mpg on tow and with
all the back seats out it's quite roomy for me and the dog... ;-)

-Paul

At 04:07 28 September 2008, Steve Leonard wrote:
Option 4. Not quite so easy ending in California, though. Fly up, buy
a
cheap car, drive it home, sell the cheap car. Many dealerships take
cars
on trade that will go straight to the auction to be sold for about scrap.

All you are really looking for is a car that has 2000 miles left in it
(some margin for after you get it home!).

Knew you could count on a different approach from me, didn't you?

Steve Leonard


Thats what I did when I had my car stolen when working near Fayence in
southern France. I live near London and I had taken my glider for weekend
soaring. After the theft, I put an email around my place of work looking
for a cheap car with a tow hitch. I bought an old Alfa which took me home
and survived long enough to find a permanent replacement. Nobody noticed
the mismatch of car and trailer registrations!

Colin Appleyard