Newbies renting a tow vehicle

[britta315]

Does anyone have experience renting a truck to get an Airstream from the place it was purchased? (We are looking to tow one from the Florida panhandle to North of Atlanta - 5+ hours.)

What is a good rental service?
What do we need to know?

Thanks!

[Rich Jenkins]

Probably depends on the company you contact. Here are a few things to think about...

What are the specifics (Gross weight, tongue weight) of the Airstream?

Does it have a weight distribution hitch?

Do you intend to drive over interstates or roads over 6% grade?

For the Rental Company:

What is the Tow Capacity of this truck?

Does it have a hitch rated above the AS requirements?

What is the GCWR of the truck when towing?

Does this truck have tow mirrors?

Does the truck have a 7-way trailer jack?

Does the truck support electric trailer brakes with a proportional brake controller?

Is insurance available in the event of loss or damage to the truck or TT while towing?

[AWCHIEF]

I recently spotted a Uhaul pickup hauling an about 30 ft SOB on the interstate. Looked stable and level. I could not tell if any WD was used or what the truck model was.

[Belegedhel]

I have learned in attempts to do this in the past that any of the conventional car rental companies (ie., Hertz, Budget, Enterprise, even Uhaul, etc.) strictly forbid you to tow anything with their vehicles, even if they ar renting you a Suburban with all of the hardware installed you would need. You will likely need to go with a commercial vehicle rental company that rents 3/4 ton trucks. You will find that these typically only do business 5 days a week, and are a lot less tolerant of one way rentals than a typical car rental place, and are a lot more expensive than a typical car rental place.

You might also check the cost of having someone deliver the trailer for you.

good luck!

[Woosch]

There was a recent thread were someone was towing their Airstream from Tampa to Portland OR with a Uhaul. You may want to look at the post.

[Rich Jenkins]

Originally Posted by Woosch

There was a recent thread were someone was towing their Airstream from Tampa to Portland OR with a Uhaul. You may want to look at the post.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f42/...nd-164946.html

[wildhorses]

We rented a Dodge 2500 from Enterprise TRUCK Rental last year to tow our old camper from Charlotte, NC to Oshkosh, WI and back. It was the smallest truck they rent that has towing capacity and they encourage towing with it. Very inexpensive, rented it for 2 weeks and it was less than $1000.

[Tom_T]

Originally Posted by Belegedhel

I have learned in attempts to do this in the past that any of the conventional car rental companies (ie., Hertz, Budget, Enterprise, even Uhaul, etc.) strictly forbid you to tow anything with their vehicles, even if they ar renting you a Suburban with all of the hardware installed you would need. You will likely need to go with a commercial vehicle rental company that rents 3/4 ton trucks. You will find that these typically only do business 5 days a week, and are a lot less tolerant of one way rentals than a typical car rental place, and are a lot more expensive than a typical car rental place.

You might also check the cost of having someone deliver the trailer for you.

good luck!

This is absolutely correct on the no tow with regular car rental companies.

Also for those recommending UHaul - their truck are usually only 1/2 ton truck with the base level 5000" & 500# HW ratings - PLUS & more importantly - they almost exclusively only have a 4-pin electrical connector, so you can't run trailer brakes off of them (UHaul's rental trailers have surge brakes). Moreover, since UHaul charges a daily rate + per mile - they quickly become more expensive than other commercial rentals.

Penske, Ryder, Budget Commercial divisions (not the car rental at airports & neighborhoods noted above) sometimes have trucks with 7-pin electrical connectors & 2", 2.5" or 3" receivers (you'll need an adapter for 2.5 & 3" to 2") - but these are more often than not a big box truck for moving, & more expensive than just a pick-up - which these 3 rarely have in their fleets. They do usually allow one-way & out-of-state towing.

Also, some few Toyota dealerships have Toyota's TRAC Rental System & may have pick-up &/or SUV tow vehicles in their rental fleet, but they usually don't allow one-way & out-of-state towing. So you have to call around to find one with TVs, that will allow you to go to GA, but expect a round trip to return it to the renting dealership - or better yet, just do it locally in GA & leave off the air flight to go get the trailer.

We've been using Enterprise Commercial since 2014 & get their 3/4 ton crew cab trucks, which will be new 2017 F250 or RAM 2500 (sometimes GMC/Chevy & a few 1/2 ton here & there) in the current fleet & all equipped with 7+4 pin & 2.5 or 3" receivers (they supply the adapter if you ask). They run us about $100/day or $800/week + tax & their full insurance coverage you'll need (unless your a business & can add them as named insured on your biz auto policy), & which includes 150 miles/day & 850 mi/week IIRC (we usually tow less in SoCal & Central Coast for vintage rallies, so never max out) - but they usually don't allow one-way & out-of-state towing. So you'll need a waiver to go out-of-state, & would probably rent in GA, go get the trailer & return.

Note that the Dodge/RAM pick-ups have hitch receivers mounted higher on the trucks than the Ford & Chevy/GMC trucks, so you may want to request the Fords, & also ask for back-up camera to aid your hitching.

Otherwise, you may find someone to deliver it for you as noted above, but make sure that they're fully qualified, insured & bonded for any damage.

PS - We also during 2013 had rented Nissan Pathfinder V6 from TRAC from a dual Toyota/Nissan dealerships, until they sold off the Toyota side & no longer had TVs in their fleet. They also had Nissan Armada & Titan V8s, but we don't need that for our 3000# Avion, plus they were 45 mins away from us in Orange to Long Beach, while Ent. Comml. is 5 mins away.

Good Luck!
Tom
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[Rgentum]

For tax savings purposes, it was vital for me to take delivery of our new AS, purchased in CA, in NV, which has no sales tax. I asked the AS dealer how that could be arranged, & they gave me the name of a commercial trucker they used for deliveries. He had an F-350 duelly & delivered the AS from Los Banos, CA (Toscano RV), to Reno, NV for $600 & then acted as the dealer's agent to formally transfer the AS to us.

Yes, I eventually paid sales tax in WA, my resident state, whose sales tax rate is comparable to that of CA, but WA calculates sales tax on the difference between purchase price & the value of any like-kind trade-in, while CA calculates sales tax only on the purchase price alone. My trade-in value, for a 5th wheel, was approx. $30K, so by paying the trucker $600, I saved almost $2,400 in sales tax that I would have otherwise had to pay had I taken delivery of the AS in CA.

[Side-Stream]

Originally Posted by Tom_T

This is absolutely correct on the no tow with regular car rental companies.

Also for those recommending UHaul - their truck are usually only 1/2 ton truck with the base level 5000" & 500# HW ratings - PLUS & more importantly - they almost exclusively only have a 4-pin electrical connector, so you can't run trailer brakes off of them (UHaul's rental trailers have surge brakes). Moreover, since UHaul charges a daily rate + per mile - they quickly become more expensive than other commercial rentals.

Penske, Ryder, Budget Commercial divisions (not the car rental at airports & neighborhoods noted above) sometimes have trucks with 7-pin electrical connectors & 2", 2.5" or 3" receivers (you'll need an adapter for 2.5 & 3" to 2") - but these are more often than not a big box truck for moving, & more expensive than just a pick-up - which these 3 rarely have in their fleets. They do usually allow one-way & out-of-state towing.

Also, some few Toyota dealerships have Toyota's TRAC Rental System & may have pick-up &/or SUV tow vehicles in their rental fleet, but they usually don't allow one-way & out-of-state towing. So you have to call around to find one with TVs, that will allow you to go to GA, but expect a round trip to return it to the renting dealership - or better yet, just do it locally in GA & leave off the air flight to go get the trailer.

We've been using Enterprise Commercial since 2014 & get their 3/4 ton crew cab trucks, which will be new 2017 F250 or RAM 2500 (sometimes GMC/Chevy & a few 1/2 ton here & there) in the current fleet & all equipped with 7+4 pin & 2.5 or 3" receivers (they supply the adapter if you ask). They run us about $100/day or $800/week + tax & their full insurance coverage you'll need (unless your a business & can add them as named insured on your biz auto policy), & which includes 150 miles/day & 850 mi/week IIRC (we usually tow less in SoCal & Central Coast for vintage rallies, so never max out) - but they usually don't allow one-way & out-of-state towing. So you'll need a waiver to go out-of-state, & would probably rent in GA, go get the trailer & return.

Note that the Dodge/RAM pick-ups have hitch receivers mounted higher on the trucks than the Ford & Chevy/GMC trucks, so you may want to request the Fords, & also ask for back-up camera to aid your hitching.

Otherwise, you may find someone to deliver it for you as noted above, but make sure that they're fully qualified, insured & bonded for any damage.

PS - We also during 2013 had rented Nissan Pathfinder V6 from TRAC from a dual Toyota/Nissan dealerships, until they sold off the Toyota side & no longer had TVs in their fleet. They also had Nissan Armada & Titan V8s, but we don't need that for our 3000# Avion, plus they were 45 mins away from us in Orange to Long Beach, while Ent. Comml. is 5 mins away.

Good Luck!
Tom
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Tom,
I called Enterprise Commercial Truck rental and two things were an issue (now this might be location by location and I just need to call another. or the guy on the phone just didn't know

1. he said they only had 5 Pin connectors and they didn't have any with 7 Pin
2. What about electric brake controllers? Isn't that critical, he said they didn't come with that either

[TRIPPPIN]

Originally Posted by Side-Stream

Tom,
I called Enterprise Commercial Truck rental and two things were an issue (now this might be location by location and I just need to call another. or the guy on the phone just didn't know

1. he said they only had 5 Pin connectors and they didn't have any with 7 Pin
2. What about electric brake controllers? Isn't that critical, he said they didn't come with that either

This thread is 5 years old so I don't know if you'll get Tom to answer.
I think the guy on the phone is wrong - I don't know of any 5 pin connectors. Your best bet is to ask for a truck with a tow package and see if there is one at the Rental location for you to inspect. Key piece of advice is to tell them you want to tow with the rental vehicle as many companies have restrictions that can void the contract and make you liable.

[jeffb831]

From the Enterprise site:

Towing is available on 3/4 ton and 1 ton pickup trucks in accordance with manufacturer specifications. An additional towing charge of $25 per day may apply. Towing is not permitted for Non-Commercial Renters and Drivers under the age of 25.

When selecting a reservation, it asks if it's for Commercial or Personal but I am not sure what it takes be a "commercial" renter. Here in NJ the commercial rates seem cheaper too.

In order to prevent towing without paying, they have a lock through the receiver that they need to remove when picking up the vehicle.

[Side-Stream]

Thanks TRIPPPIN and jeffb831

So there are a ton of Enterprise Commerical Truck rental locations, So I'll just try a few others.

But what about the Eletric Brake controller? I've not actually towed my AS yet, but thought that was necessary

My plan is to use this truck to get a lot of practice driving around and learning how to hitch and unhitch before I have to do it for real

[Tom_T]

Originally Posted by Side-Stream

Tom,
I called Enterprise Commercial Truck rental and two things were an issue (now this might be location by location and I just need to call another. or the guy on the phone just didn't know

1. he said they only had 5 Pin connectors and they didn't have any with 7 Pin
2. What about electric brake controllers? Isn't that critical, he said they didn't come with that either

Hey Trippin - I'm still around!

Geesh Side-stream!

That guy/gal doesn't know WTH he/she are talking about!!

Even on their Enterprise Truck Rental (ETR) website it gives the correct info for the 3/4 ton pick-ups, but the person may be a transfer from Enterprise car rentals (I just ran into one last month, who I went around direct to the manager who I know).

According to the Orange CA ETR Mgr & his DM (who used to manage here) - they've stopped ordering the 1/2 tons with the tow option pkg - but then I could NEVER find a 1/2 ton available since 2014 anyway! So no loss - no gain.

What they do have are ALL 3/4 ton equipped with 7-blade/pin - & usually a combo 4-pin/7-blade & the now bigger 3" receiver due to increased tow ratings of the Big 3-4's 3/4 tons - but I think that ETR still limits you to 10,000# in their rental contract anyway. So you want to make sure to get the 2" receiver adapter sleeve with the truck rental.

Do it online as commercial, then go in & talk with the manager that you're a sole proprietor, & want to rent to tow under that, but don't want the hassle of setting ETR as another "named insured" on your business insurance contract, & will just pay the additional daily rate for ETR's "Supplemental Liability Protection" & DW/CDW Optional -$0 Deduction Coverages.

That adds $17.50 + $31.99 per day ($49.49/day for both) - to the rental fees of usually about $75 - $77 per day or $355 - $385 per week (week starts at 5 days - so book the full 7 days) - depending on the season (summer highest) & any ongoing price hikes. That comes with 150 miles free daily, & 1200 miles per week - so usually no mileage charges. This is right off of my latest 11/1-23/22 rental - the 3rd one this year.

They also have monthly rates & free miles for longer rental trips, but I don't know them offhand.

All ETR 3/4 ton trucks now come with the back-up cameras, & ALL have brake controllers built-in, & most seem to have built-in anti-sway & lights-out programmed into the electrical hook-up, are either long or short bed, long/medium/short crew cabs of some sort seating 5-6, all have bed liners, are really tall big jacked-up vision limiting & hard to climb into 3/4 ton monster trucks (a few have side steps), from RAM/Dodge, Ford, Chevy & some GM (mostly the former 2), varying gas or diesel.

Also, ETR seems to have gone back to not putting their decals on the doors/tailgate again - so they're not obvious rentals in use (probably due to resale being tougher on a pick-up with decal outlines in the later faded paint).

It pays off to get to know the manager at your local ETR, & to do so again with new GMs for any new ones when they get transferred or promoted.

They like regular customers who rent trucks & pay for the extra daily insurance - which is usually not claimed upon & therefore gravy profit!

It also pays to reserve early - do several early in the year if you know some or all of your trips ahead of time, because summer & around the holidays can be very busy & eats up truck availability. Holidays because FedEx, UPS, etc. rent up trucks for extra holiday drivers during the buying/delivery rush, & pick-ups go when the box trucks are all rented out.

Because most of our rentals are for Vintage Trailer Rallies - which you have to book into 6 months to a year in advance, I usually have a pretty good idea of when I'll need rentals over the year, & I just send them an email with my list of dates, then call in to follow-up, & to get them to email a reservations receipt or screenshot of same for my records.

If it's an emergency or last minute rental, then try to give as much advanced notice as possible, & to be one of their best customers (remind them of such too). Sometimes the GM can quote you their rates for a year, but then they may want you to sign a contract, which then gets back to adding ETR onto your business or other Auto & General Liability policies - so not worth it for sole proprietors & small businesses for a few rentals a year (but maybe if you wanted to rent one truck for a year or several months).

So now you have the whole skinny on how to get the best rates, what they are currently, etc.

Jeffb831 - I've never been charged the extra $25/day for towing, nor have I seen any with locks through the hitch receivers. Those may be local or regional things, or up to the individual "store" manager. That's where the personal relationship with the local GM comes in for you - or you switch stores to one more willing to accommodate your needs, in return for a good renter.


ETR will miss me whenever we get our Cayenne TV & use that instead of rentals!

Good Luck!
Tom
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[Side-Stream]

Tom T...wow! thanks for the detail and the tips. This is VERY helpful. Right now a Tow Vehicle is no way even remotely in my budget. Especially since I don't even drive that much now, the thought of having an expensive truck that I need insurance, personal property tax and payments is daunting considering how little I'll use it a year

But I can easily budget a few grand a year ($150 a month) for the 10 or so days I plan to use it. Likely be less than some of the fees I'd have to pay annually to own one.

Down the road, when I'm retired. I will for sure own a TV. But for the next few years, this is going to be a great option.

My only gripe with ETR is they are only open m-f (few locations have early sat hours)

I plan to get to know a local GM as all these tips are just what the doctor ordered!

[Tom_T]

Originally Posted by Side-Stream

Tom T...wow! thanks for the detail and the tips. This is VERY helpful. Right now a Tow Vehicle is no way even remotely in my budget. Especially since I don't even drive that much now, the thought of having an expensive truck that I need insurance, personal property tax and payments is daunting considering how little I'll use it a year

But I can easily budget a few grand a year ($150 a month) for the 10 or so days I plan to use it. Likely be less than some of the fees I'd have to pay annually to own one.

Down the road, when I'm retired. I will for sure own a TV. But for the next few years, this is going to be a great option.

My only gripe with ETR is they are only open m-f (few locations have early sat hours)

I plan to get to know a local GM as all these tips are just what the doctor ordered!

Sidestream -

ETR & most rental locations for all car & truck rentals have a process which will allow you to drop off your rental after hours, take pix of it & note the mileage, then leave it. I emphasize take lots of pix to so condition & no damage, in their lot.

Some may leave the vehicle out for you with some prior arrangement, signature, charge card - but I don't know that you'd really want to pick up the truck on the weekend if you're still working. Usually you'll need to plan for a day before & after for hitching, loading/packing, etc. anyway - especially if you store the trailer off-site.

It's also helpful to pick up the truck late in the day - mainly so you have extra time on return if you run later getting the trailer parked at home or storage, fueling up before return, etc. Anyway - that works best for us.

You can also plan an extra day or extra hours for those load hauling chores around the house that the pick-up comes in handy for.

We've been renting too for 3-6 long weekend trips to vintage trailer rallies/campouts a year, & were waiting to buy a combo TV & around town 3rd car (hopefully a Cayenne), but retirement & COVID hit at the same time, & the crazy car/truck market hit at the same time. It's not quite back to normal prices yet, but we'll look again when it does - hopefully 2023.

Happy Camping!
Tom
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