U Haul

[Old Guy]

Wow, I got bitten by the U-Haul/Explorer bug yesterday! I wanted to rent a car dolly to tow my son's car and everything was okay until they found out I had an "Explorer Sport Trac"! They impolitely told me they didn't rent to Explorer owners even if it was a 2004 model year. Penske won't rent the car dolly unless you also rent their truck to tow the dolly. Now I understand why everyone is so upset with U-Haul... I understand there is a lot of family infighting within U-Haul, maybe they will cause themselves to be bought out! Probably the best thing that could happen to them and us....



And, oh yes they would rent it for my son's 2002 Mazda Dual Sport! Gee it's the same chassis, I hate incompetent sales people.



Oldguy

 

[Larry Phillips]

What's worse, they'll rent to Mercury Mountaineers, which are more identical than Sport Tracs.

 

[Rodger Tellefson]

It's not the individual U-Haul stores, it is a H-Haul corporate decision because of *^*^(* lawyers; and our legal system having lost all common sense.

 

[Old Guy]

Worse yet I hate incompetent managers! As a 71 year old retired Engineering VP from a large Aerospace Company I've seen my fair share.... and sometimes when they really screw up with incorrect stupid moves we fired them.... but not always, it depends on their EEO status... we must not piss off the government's affirmative action agencies!



And the older I get, the more difficultly I have in dealing with stupidity!



:angry:

 

[Darrel Chaney01]

Yeah our legal system needs a rework. When you can spill hot coffee in your lap, fill suit on the company that sold you the coffee and win, something is wrong. What is next cell phone companies or lipstick companies, how about the newspaper. No I know Levi, because you had a wreck trying to change your pants while you are driving. ANYTIME you have a wreck and you are doing something besides driving, IT IS YOUR FAULT. Now if these lawyers and judges would wise up. You went to law school all those years, use it. Sorry just one of my pet peeves.

 

[Old Guy]

Well the biggest mistake is that most of our Senators and Congressmen are lawyers! Gee it's like you have the "Fox Guarding the Hen House! What's worse is that most people are so fed-up they don't even vote any more! I write to my elected officials and express my concerns about ethics etc on a regular bases. Gee the Congressman from LA has $100,000 of cold cash stashed in his freezer, and he says he's not guilty! I guess that's what they refer to as "Cold Cash"!

 

[Darrel Chaney01]

And to think they have a so called "ethics committee".

 

[Gavin Allan]

I wish Ford would do something on our behalf to help shut down U-Haul, or else buy U-haul out.

 

[Peter Vincent]

I should go in and try to rent from UHAUL. When they say no I will take them outside and show them I have a UHAUL Hidden hitch on my truck.

 

[Old Guy]

I am in the process of writing their PR goup a letter! At least I'll feel better knowing that I did something!

 

[Old Guy]

This is what I sent to U-Haul:



Yesterday I attempted to rent a car dolly to tow my son’s car. Everything was fine until I told them I planned on using my 2004 Explorer Sport Trac, as the tow vehicle. I was then told that they didn’t rent to people with Ford Explorer’s. My other son has a 2002 Mazda Dual Sport, which has the same frame and suspension as my Explorer, and they would allow me to rent a dolly for towing behind that vehicle. Doing some research I also found that you allow people driving Mercury Mountaineers to rent trailers and auto tow dollies, yet a Mountaineer is the same suspension etc. as the Explorer. As a retired Engineering VP from a major aerospace corporation I request that someone in your organization review the U-Haul policy surrounding Ford Explorers. With number of Explorers on the road you certainly must be losing market share because I was able to rent the dolly from one of your competitors!



Respectfully,



A. J. Simonin,

VP Engineering (retired).

 

[A1cntrler]

I sent a letter that looked quite similar to yours to U-haul several years ago. Of course I got no reply. Seems to be a losing battle. If you need to rent, they are usually the only game in town too. Whenever I needed to rent something I would do it from on base from the Outdoor Equip. Rental. Turns out that was a way better deal anyways. I could rent a trailer or tow dolly for the weekend (Pick up on Friday anytime and return before 1 on Monday). UHaul gets pissed if you rent a trailer on Saturday morning and don't have it returned to them by 5pm same day... Anyways I have been out of the military since November last year, and haven't needed a trailer yet for anything. Not sure what I will do when I need one though..



Just from experience--- When you send an e-mail it tends to get lost somehow.. Gets filtered out before it gets to the right person if you know what I mean... Good old pen/paper with a 41 cent stamp will get more attention...

 

[Old Guy]

Thanks A1cntrler, I forgot about renting from a military base! I consult PT for my old company at WSMR and they used to allow contractors to rent trailers etc., I'll check it out!



It's too bad but I believe U Haul is a family held company... if it were publicly traded on the stock market, we could each buy one share and overwhelm the next stock holders meeting!



OldGuy

 

[shawn stonbraker 2]

Actually, writing the company will either get you:



1. No reply at all.



or



2. A standard letter saying that it is thier policy and they are not going to change it, etc., etc.



The best thing to do is to get the media involved somehow. (not that the papers would probably think it's "newsworthy". You are just one person writing in a complaint. Or better yet, one of a few thousands of complaints they get every day. If the media gets involved, the complaint goes to thousand upon thousands of people, that will hurt business. Not saying it would do any good either way. When they think they have you by the "short and curlies", they will just coose to ignore the problem.

 

[Brett Wustman]

What exactly is the story behind this? I have never heard anything about u-haul not renting to explorer owners, can someone fill me in?

 

[shawn stonbraker 2]

Dunerunner, it goes back to when the Explorers rolling over (not sure if it was the same time of the "tire blow-outs") when hauling trailers. There were a few of them and the owners sued U-Haul over it and won. So now U-Haul will not rent to anyone with an Explorer.

 

[shawn stonbraker 2]

On another note, my wife has an '05 Mountaineer. When my mother-in-law was moving back to my area, my wife went out to help her pack up and drive a trailer (a U-Haul trailer that my wife rented) back for her filled with housewares. When my wife hit the interstate she was cruising along at 60mph when all of a sudden the vehicle just took off toward the side of the road and she almost lost it. She was pretty shacken up when I talked to her, but luckily, that was the only time it happened. What caused the vehicle to do that? I don't know. We talked about it and she said everything was fine, then all of a sudden the car just wanted to flip. So maybe there is something to it. I don't know.:wacko:

 

[Old Guy]

If everyone on this site email them unison on a future date... such as June 30th, it would overload their mail server and at least we would get someones attention. To the best of my knowledge that's not illegal!



:lol:

 

[shawn stonbraker 2]

Oldguy, maybe we could start our own "chain e-mail" just like the "save gas" ones.

 

[Tom Schindler]

We had an online petition and there were members here that said they would not join the petition.



I will send my email, if that is what you all want to do, but frankly, tyhe ban does not affect me. I have 4 trailers I can use anytime I wan't. Anything from a small utility trailer to an enclosed single axle trailer up to a 16' flatbed tandem axle trailer.





Tom