View Full Version : U-Haul: An Important Public Service Announcement
Bailey Guns
02-13-2016, 12:48
If anyone EVER recommends using U-Haul U-Boxes for a move, shoot them on the spot. Fatally. Before they reproduce.
(Disclaimer: Shooting someone for this reason may not be legal in all jurisdictions. Consult with competent legal counsel before actually shooting someone for recommending U-Haul to assist with your move.)
They tell you that you damaged something?
Same with the home depot ones
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When I was actively shipping large vintage speakers, stereos, etc., I got them from Potestio Bros and they were fine. Then again, they were dish-pack boxes and I was hot-glueing and lining them with polystyrene. :D
I miss read this post. Completely missed that this was about boxes.
We bought a crap tone of rubbermaid tubs when they were on sale at the big box hardware stores. Used them for several moves - they were well worth it.
We bought a crap tone of rubbermaid tubs when they were on sale at the big box hardware stores. Used them for several moves - they were well worth it.
Agreed. I try to keep lots of stuff stored in them and avoid boxes, but it would still take us forever to move all the crap I've pack ratted over the years. hard to believe what you can stuff into a smallish 4br house, basement and 2-car garage.
I miss read this post. Completely missed that this was about boxes.
Stuving sux at reading comprehension. [Coffee]
I have had good luck going to moving companies and getting used boxes.
Uh oh, I've used the Uhaul boxes several times with nary a problem... what happened?
HoneyBadger
02-13-2016, 16:01
I don't know if there is a point to this thread, but I believe the OP is talking about U-Haul's U-Box service: https://www.uhaul.com/UBox/
Aloha_Shooter
02-13-2016, 16:16
It seems sort of like PODS. What went wrong?
speedysst
02-13-2016, 17:20
Its irritating when someone says "Dont do this" with no explanation. Curious minds want to know!!
When I used to haul LTL freight we did a lot of u- boxes. And I saw a lot of them busted open. None of their locations have docks so they set them in the trailer and then shove them in and later drag them back out with a hook on a rope. Not much clearance on either side. A little twist and it binds and then boom your u-box just busted open inside some common carriers trailer. I would have warned against using them if I knew anyone was considering it. Sorry for your loss and headaches trying to get any satisfaction. Or maybe they just lost your box? That happens too.
Bailey Guns
02-13-2016, 19:49
There almost isn't enough bandwidth.
And just to be clear these are the big, wooden, P.O.D.S.-type boxes. Not cardboard moving boxes.
The U-Boxes are flimsy, usually in poor condition, missing parts, dirty, and not weather-proof. And they're expensive. And U-Haul customer service tells you one thing but does another. Ok...the expense part. We knew what we were getting into when we decided to go with them. No excuse there. But...I was told, "We'll deliver four boxes. If you don't use one, you don't pay. And everything is pro-rated. The price includes a month of storage at your destination. If you need additional time you pay for another month at $245 month but it's pro-rated if you don't use the entire month."
Lies, lies and damn lies. We even knew that free month of storage clock starts when you take delivery of the U-Boxes...not when they arrive at your destination. So that "month" is really about 2 weeks.
Basically, everything went pretty well with the delivery, loading and pickup of the boxes at the home we left. When we got here, we needed more storage time while waiting to close on the house. $341 dollars. Almost $100 per month more than quoted. The explanation? "The price increased the first of the year."
OK...whatever.
Now that we're ready to pick up the boxes the new month started on the 5th of Feb. I was there on the 8th (because no one qualified to run the forklift at the U-Haul place was working on the weekend). "$341 please. It's a new month. Your storage fee is due and the system won't allow me to release a box until the fee is paid." I said, "Yeah...I'm gonna be picking them all up in the next day or two. Can we just settle up at the end of the week since everything's gonna be pro-rated?" I was promptly told they don't pro-rate any charges on U-Boxes. After explaining that's not what I was told by the booking agent I was told I'd need to take that up with the booking agent at corporate.
OK...whatever again. I need to get this done.
"How many days will you need the trailer? It's $25 per day or portion of a day."
At that point I decided it was better not to say anything as it's pretty hard to move from jail.
We get the first box unloaded and we're ready for the second one. Because only one fits on a trailer. And the chickenshit company only has one trailer available to use. And it's late on Fri and no one is there that's qualified to unload the empty and load another full one on the only available trailer...which is the one we're using. So...Monday is when I can pick up my next box. Meanwhile, since I'm "using" the trailer (translation: my empty U-Box is on it, sitting in the U-Haul parking lot), the $25 per day fee is lining their pockets and the storage clock is running.
At that point I decided jail wasn't so bad. So, as my mom says, I "pitched a fit". A big, loud one. I even convinced another couple looking to move to go elsewhere for their moving service by explaining the type of customer service they'll get from U-Haul. Finally, the manager of the store, who looked to be about 14, came out to talk to me. I have to admit, the terrified look on his face empowered me to be an even more menacing a-hole. And it worked. Temporarily at least.
He agreed to not charge me any additional per day fees on the trailer usage but insisted he couldn't do anything about pro-rating the storage charges because of the way some system is set up. He also "found" someone qualified to run a forklift and accomplish the monumental task of:
lifting the empty U-Box off the trailer. To be fair, he had to remove the securing strap first.
placing the empty box just removed from the trailer on the ground.
lifting a full box on to the trailer. Again...the strap thing.
parking and turning off the forklift.
Yeah...it was a pretty grueling 15 mins.
Anyway, that's where we stand. I still have two more of these sons-a-bitches to empty, I'll need to take a second mortgage on the brand new house to pay the bill, and then I can wash my hands of this awful, awful company.
And by the way...this is the same U-Haul company who's truck went tits up on us near Burley, ID, stranding us for two days. The same company who sent two "professional" movers out to off-load the broken truck on to the new truck. These "professionals" couldn't make the contents of the broken 20' truck fit into a 26' truck. We're also out all the money for damaged and destroyed furniture caused by these two rejects. But, of course, it's my fault because I didn't supervise every movement they made.
Fuck U-Haul.
Bailey Guns
02-13-2016, 19:50
I know...TL;DR. But you axed for it.
Well, you're out of Colorado. Silver lining?
Good you explained. Had you not, someone would have amended your suggestion to include anything U-haul related. Super crappy company.
Need a renter to help offset the costs?
Count your blessings you're now in Idaho.
I'm jelly.
Bailey Guns
02-13-2016, 20:18
Need a renter to help offset the costs?
Count your blessings you're now in Idaho.
I'm jelly.
Naw...the house has in CO has sold. But we had several people offering stupid money to rent the house to use as a grow place.
In hindsight, I know it doesn't help. But I think many coulda said, avoid uhaul like the plague. If just the truck I like Budget out of the cheap ones before getting into more exotic stuff. I'm not sure what I woulda done moving as much as it sounds like you did. Probably done the actual semi mover.
cableguy11
02-13-2016, 21:53
And that's why I just let my job move me!! Just supervise when they are boxing it up and tell them what room it goes in when you get there.
Naw...the house has in CO has sold. But we had several people offering stupid money to rent the house to use as a grow place.
I meant in Idaho!
haha.
Naw...the house has in CO has sold. But we had several people offering stupid money to rent the house to use as a grow place.
Rent is fawked here. Growers move in, do 60k in damages, the owner cries. Dumb ass. I'm looking for a place to rent, I am NOT a grower. Fawk you, give me money. Umm, I'm not paying 3k a month for one room in a house.
hurley842002
02-13-2016, 22:49
And that's why I just let my job move me!! Just supervise when they are boxing it up and tell them what room it goes in when you get there.
Yeah, obviously not an option for the OP...
Bailey Guns
02-14-2016, 02:03
I meant in Idaho!
haha.
Oh! Duh...
Bailey Guns
02-14-2016, 02:06
Yeah, obviously not an option for the OP...
Unfortunately not. We thought we were saving moving, investigated the options, blah, blah, blah. It would've cost us about $1500 more to have movers do the whole thing. Yeah...we both feel stupid after this one. But, it's almost over. I'll stop bitching about it soon.
Well...maybe not that soon.
Harley-FXDWG
02-14-2016, 08:23
Forget Uhaul all together. Why would anybody use them? They are overpriced! And they force you to pay For extra days even though you dont need them!
Aloha_Shooter
02-14-2016, 09:45
Sorry to hear about that sad treatment. I've only dealt with U-Haul a few times in the past and hadn't had any problems with them then but it sounds like they really played fast-and-loose with you.
Grant H.
02-14-2016, 12:11
U-haul sucks.
I know this isn't what you were talking about, but for anyone reading this, U-haul cardboard boxes suck as well. They tear to easily, and their glue comes apart after about 2 weeks I think. Same can be said of Home Depot and Lowes boxes.
As we have been selling stuff, cleaning, packing, etc to get ready to list our house in Longmont, I have been buying these: http://www.globalindustrial.com/p/storage/bins-totes-containers/shipping-security/distribution-container-with-hinged-lid-21-1-2x15-1-4x12-1-2
My company buys up-tower cable management stuff in them and they are extremely durable. The only one we have broken is the one that got the corner crunched by the truck (freaking new guys...) They are a little more expensive than wally-world rubbermaids, but they are more than worth it.
HoneyBadger
02-14-2016, 14:23
U-haul sucks.
I know this isn't what you were talking about, but for anyone reading this, U-haul cardboard boxes suck as well. They tear to easily, and their glue comes apart after about 2 weeks I think. Same can be said of Home Depot and Lowes boxes.
As we have been selling stuff, cleaning, packing, etc to get ready to list our house in Longmont, I have been buying these: http://www.globalindustrial.com/p/storage/bins-totes-containers/shipping-security/distribution-container-with-hinged-lid-21-1-2x15-1-4x12-1-2
My company buys up-tower cable management stuff in them and they are extremely durable. The only one we have broken is the one that got the corner crunched by the truck (freaking new guys...) They are a little more expensive than wally-world rubbermaids, but they are more than worth it.
This is contrary to my experience. I have moved 3 times in the past 5 years (twice more than 1000 miles, once less than 10 miles). In my most recent move (last June) I reused about 30 Uhaul boxes from our very first move in 2011. In between moves, I use the boxes for storage and have some stacked 8ft high in my garage with lots of stuff in them. I've had to reinforce the cutout "handles" on most of them with packing tape, but that happens with any box. In my last move, I use some successfully held 50+ lbs of stuff without incident.
I also have about 20 large rubbermaid tubs that I use for storage and moving. They have already paid for themselves several times over.
I have also used a Uhaul trailer (their biggest enclosed trailer - I think it's 12'x6') for 2/3 recent moves and I KNOW I got lucky on some of the BS that BaileyGuns talked about. Some things are worth moving yourself. Some things are worth letting movers handle. I took all of our valuables and irreplaceable stuff in the trailer, along with enough stuff to comfortably live for a few weeks without the rest of our household goods. I let the movers handle all the furniture and other heavy stuff. They broke and lost some of our stuff and it has been a big PITA getting reimbursed for it, but it still sounds like a better experience than what BG is dealing with.
Thanks BG for the details on the U-Box scam. I'll be sure to avoid that as an option.
OldFogey
02-14-2016, 14:32
Go to any local brewery and see if you can get crown boxes. They come in boxes of 10000 crowns. Strong as hell.
Grant H.
02-14-2016, 16:20
This is contrary to my experience. I have moved 3 times in the past 5 years (twice more than 1000 miles, once less than 10 miles). In my most recent move (last June) I reused about 30 Uhaul boxes from our very first move in 2011. In between moves, I use the boxes for storage and have some stacked 8ft high in my garage with lots of stuff in them. I've had to reinforce the cutout "handles" on most of them with packing tape, but that happens with any box. In my last move, I use some successfully held 50+ lbs of stuff without incident.
I also have about 20 large rubbermaid tubs that I use for storage and moving. They have already paid for themselves several times over.
I have also used a Uhaul trailer (their biggest enclosed trailer - I think it's 12'x6') for 2/3 recent moves and I KNOW I got lucky on some of the BS that BaileyGuns talked about. Some things are worth moving yourself. Some things are worth letting movers handle. I took all of our valuables and irreplaceable stuff in the trailer, along with enough stuff to comfortably live for a few weeks without the rest of our household goods. I let the movers handle all the furniture and other heavy stuff. They broke and lost some of our stuff and it has been a big PITA getting reimbursed for it, but it still sounds like a better experience than what BG is dealing with.
Thanks BG for the details on the U-Box scam. I'll be sure to avoid that as an option.
I must have gotten a bad batch from U-Haul.
I've never had to use a U-Haul trailer as I have always owned good sized enclosed trailers of my own.
Three of us Colorado trapshooters were going to Washington state for a competition. I tried to rent a 4x6 trailer for the trip. They said they couldn't rent a trailer for that many days, as they would lose revenue due to the trailer being gone for so long. So, after explaining that they would be renting the trailer for over a week, when it would sit on their lot for that week if I didn't rent it, I finally had to rent it for a day. 7 days in a row. Yep, same time, but that would be alright. (It was painful to watch, it really was).
Then, when I arrived to pick up the agreed upon (reserved) trailer for the trip, they didn't have a 4x6 trailer. But, they had "UPGRADED" me to a 5x8 trailer, at no additional cost!!! So, now, I had to haul a trailer that DIDN'T fit nicely behind my SUV, with the additional $hitty mileage of a trailer that would be acting like a sea anchor all the way to Washington and back. THANKS, U-HAUL!!!!! It was RESERVED, DAMMIT!!! Now, because they were SO nice to me, I was hauling a half-empty trailer against the prevailing westerly winds. THANK YOU AGAIN, U-HAUL!!!
I'm okay, really, I just need another Jack and everything will be fine...until the next time I think about U-Haul.
We bought a crap tone of rubbermaid tubs when they were on sale at the big box hardware stores. Used them for several moves - they were well worth it.
Same here. I rent, so I can move as often as once a year. Large rubbermaid tubs mean that I have my furniture and a half a dozen large, strong tubs to move my life.
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