{"id":150,"date":"2023-02-24T22:23:08","date_gmt":"2023-02-24T23:23:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/choicehard.me\/?p=150"},"modified":"2024-09-02T15:25:40","modified_gmt":"2024-09-02T15:25:40","slug":"why-is-u-haul-so-expensive-10-reasons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/choicehard.me\/index.php\/2023\/02\/24\/why-is-u-haul-so-expensive-10-reasons\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Is U-Haul So Expensive? (10 Reasons)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"U<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Whether you’re moving to a new home or looking to put some of your items in storage, you may need a vehicle larger than your own.<\/p>\n

U-Haul is a popular company that rents out trucks, vans, and other vehicles to people who need a larger vehicle to haul their items.<\/p>\n

People often use the trucks to store furniture and boxes while moving to another residence.<\/p>\n

Renting a U-Haul isn’t always cheap, however.<\/p>\n

Before you choose to rent a U-Haul vehicle for your moving needs, it may be worth knowing why U-Haul is so expensive to rent.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Why Is U-Haul So Expensive? (10 Reasons)<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"U-Haul<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The average price of renting a U-Haul is between $20 and $50 with mileage costs and other fees added to your total from there.<\/p>\n

U-Haul can be expensive because of its limited inventory, the different costs associated with running a rental company, any additional services you include with your rental, and the time of year in which you choose to rent.<\/p>\n

Let’s look at these factors in more detail.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

1. Peak Moving Season<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"Light<\/p>\n

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One of the reasons U-Haul rentals can be expensive is if you’re trying to rent a truck or trailer during peak rental season.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeak season\u201d is typically when the moving season occurs.<\/p>\n

You may not realize that there’s a moving season, but there is.<\/p>\n

It tends to start around spring and ends around fall.<\/p>\n

During this time, because the weather is warm and pleasant, people are out looking for new homes, new apartments, or moving their children in and out of college.<\/p>\n

It’s also a time when people go on vacation.<\/p>\n

They may need to rent a trailer to haul some ATVs or even a boat.<\/p>\n

Because it’s a time when a lot of people are renting trucks and other moving equipment, it means the demand is exceptionally high.<\/p>\n

Since U-Haul only has so much inventory, they have to increase their prices due to the high demand.<\/p>\n

You might find that U-Haul prices are a lot lower during the late fall and winter.<\/p>\n

U-Haul is expensive because renting something during peak moving season exacerbates the lack of inventory that U-Haul has.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

2. Limited Inventory<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"U-Haul<\/p>\n

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The problem with U-Haul which directly impacts its prices is its limited inventory.<\/p>\n

Although many U-Haul stores have lots of acreage and trucks, they still have a set number of rentals available in their space.<\/p>\n

They can’t buy a ton of trucks if they don’t have room to store them.<\/p>\n

As such, they have a limited inventory.<\/p>\n

This means that they almost always have a shortage of their services.<\/p>\n

Since there’s a shortage, U-Haul can ask for higher prices for their rentals.<\/p>\n

This is done to decrease demand until their supplies increase again.<\/p>\n

That’s why renting from them during the moving season is especially expensive.<\/p>\n

Since they only have so many trucks, trailers, and other moving equipment, if the demand is high for those items, then the price is going to be high.<\/p>\n

It all comes down to how large the U-Haul store is, too.<\/p>\n

Larger U-Haul stores are going to have more inventory space than smaller stores.<\/p>\n

Pricing also comes down to how many of a certain vehicle are in stock.<\/p>\n

For example, U-Haul might have a lot of car trailers for rent but very few 10-foot trucks.<\/p>\n

The limited inventory feeds into their higher prices.<\/p>\n

U-Haul is expensive because they don’t always have a lot of inventory.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

3. Fuel Costs<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"Cropped<\/p>\n

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Another big factor that can make U-Haul expensive is fuel costs.<\/p>\n

U-Haul charges customers fuel costs in a few ways.<\/p>\n

For one, they charge customers based on mileage.<\/p>\n

If you’re driving a long distance, then your mileage cost is going to be quite expensive.<\/p>\n

U-Haul charges this to keep up with fuel costs as well as maintenance costs.<\/p>\n

The more you drive the U-Haul, the more damage you’re essentially doing to it.<\/p>\n

U-Haul also doesn’t fuel the truck for you.<\/p>\n

They’ll have it gassed up when you first pick it up, but from there, it’s up to you to refuel it.<\/p>\n

Refueling a moving truck is more expensive than refueling a standard car.<\/p>\n

These trucks tend to have bigger gas tanks.<\/p>\n

As such, you’ll face higher prices at the fuel pump.<\/p>\n

High fuel costs make renting your U-Haul even more expensive.<\/p>\n

U-Haul is expensive because you typically have to pay for your own gas.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

4. Maintenance Costs<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"U-Haul<\/p>\n

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While you do need to pay for damages if you end up in a wreck or you harm the U-Haul truck, you don’t have to pay for standard maintenance costs.<\/p>\n

U-Haul takes care of all that.<\/p>\n

That also means that U-Haul takes on a lot of costs in this regard.<\/p>\n

They need to give their trucks and vans regular maintenance to ensure they’re in working order.<\/p>\n

They know that if they don’t keep their vehicles in top shape, then they’re not going to last very long.<\/p>\n

Spending a few grand on a vehicle to keep it in good shape is far more affordable than having to buy an entirely new truck.<\/p>\n

As such, it makes sense that they maintain their fleet.<\/p>\n

That said, it does increase their costs, too.<\/p>\n

They will occasionally have to replace parts and maintain tires.<\/p>\n

Because they have a reputation to uphold, they can’t rent out a truck or van that won’t function.<\/p>\n

People will stop renting from them and go to their competitors instead.<\/p>\n

Since they have high maintenance costs, however, they need to cover those costs with higher prices.<\/p>\n

It allows them to build up a cushion that they can draw from when costs are a bit tight.<\/p>\n

U-Haul is expensive because of its high maintenance costs.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

5. Insurance Costs<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"Top<\/p>\n

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Because the business\u2019 survival is dependent upon its fleet, U-Haul also has expensive insurance plans for its vehicles.<\/p>\n

They want to make sure that if their vehicles do end up in an accident or get damaged that they’re going to have some form of protection.<\/p>\n

Considering that their business puts their assets in the hands of others, there’s a good amount of risk that they take on.<\/p>\n

They’re trusting the renters to be mindful of their use of the trucks and to bring them back in one piece.<\/p>\n

Obviously, that doesn’t always work out.<\/p>\n

Many renters aren’t used to driving big trucks or hauling something behind their cars.<\/p>\n

That sort of inexperience can lead to accidents and damage.<\/p>\n

To ensure they’re able to keep up with the repair costs, U-Haul relies heavily on their insurance plans.<\/p>\n

However, because their business is slightly risky, they likely face high insurance rates.<\/p>\n

In order to be able to pay those rates, they have to charge high prices for their equipment.<\/p>\n

U-Haul is expensive because of its high insurance costs.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

6. Toll Fees<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"Highway<\/p>\n

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Since most people use U-Haul trucks to move\u2014sometimes across great distances\u2014one expense that they may not consider is toll fees.<\/p>\n

U-Haul does not pay toll fees for you.<\/p>\n

Instead, when you pass through a toll, you’ll either pay it directly, or the bill will be sent to U-Haul.<\/p>\n

If this occurs, U-Haul will add the toll fee<\/a> to your final bill.<\/p>\n

Essentially, you’ll be responsible for paying all toll fees that you collect.<\/p>\n

U-Haul doesn’t pay them.<\/p>\n

This makes renting from U-Haul expensive because it’s just another fee that you need to pay while using their service.<\/p>\n

The good news is that if you know your way around the area or have a good GPS, then you can usually avoid paying toll fees by not driving on toll roads.<\/p>\n

That might make your drive a bit more difficult or last longer since it may not be the most direct path, but it can help you avoid tolls.<\/p>\n

That said, the extra mileage or fuel costs you add to your total might end up costing you more than the tolls.<\/p>\n

As such, it’s worth planning your route to ensure you’re taking one that will save you the most money.<\/p>\n

U-Haul is expensive because it doesn’t cover your toll fees.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

7. Extra Fees<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

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Besides paying external fees like tolls, you’ll also have an assortment of different fees to pay to U-Haul.<\/p>\n

One such fee is their environmental fee.<\/p>\n

U-Haul charges an environmental fee<\/a> to help combat carbon emissions.<\/p>\n

Since their business is all about driving, they’re a contributor to pollution.<\/p>\n

In an effort to do their part in reducing pollution, they charge an environmental fee.<\/p>\n

They use the funds of that fee to research and develop new ways of making their trucks and operations more eco-friendly.<\/p>\n

That usually means investing in new technology that helps them cut down on carbon emissions.<\/p>\n

They also use it to sponsor energy-saving and water-saving projects.<\/p>\n

While the intentions behind the fee are good, it does make renting from them a bit more expensive.<\/p>\n

Not only do you have the standard rental fee, but you’ll have fees like the environmental fee added on top of it.<\/p>\n

Depending on how many fees apply, you could end up with a very expensive rental.<\/p>\n

U-Haul is expensive because it charges you extra fees on top of your rental fee.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

8. Self-Storage Services<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"Main<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

While renting from U-Haul can be quite expensive, it’s even more expensive when you add on extra services.<\/p>\n

One of the services that people often include is self-storage services.<\/p>\n

U-Haul typically has storage units that you can rent to permanently or temporarily store your items.<\/p>\n

It’s helpful when you need to move out of a place and aren\u2019t quite ready to move your things into your next place of residence.<\/p>\n

The problem with using their self-storage services is that it makes using U-Haul even more expensive.<\/p>\n

You have to pay them monthly for the unit, and that rate differs based on the size of the unit.<\/p>\n

Add your truck rental fee to the mix, and you have a very expensive bill.<\/p>\n

U-Haul is expensive because of added services like self-storage.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

9. Damage Fees<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"fees\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Though you may be a well-intentioned and safe driver, there may come a time when you accidentally damage the U-Haul truck or trailer.<\/p>\n

A tree branch might fall on the windshield.<\/p>\n

Someone might run into the truck when they are moving furniture.<\/p>\n

Car accidents are common.<\/p>\n

Whatever the reason, your rental could become damaged.<\/p>\n

In most cases, the renter must pay for those damages.<\/p>\n

The exception is those who pay for some sort of protection plan<\/a> through U-Haul.<\/p>\n

If you pay for a protection plan, then your rental price is going to be higher.<\/p>\n

However, it also means that if you damage the truck, you won’t have to pay what could be an even higher price to fix it.<\/p>\n

U-Haul is expensive when you pay for protection services to avoid paying for damages.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

10. High Demand<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"closing<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A final reason why U-Haul is expensive is that its services are often in high demand.<\/p>\n

Even though the moving season is when U-Haul is in most demand, it’s also in relatively high demand throughout the year, too.<\/p>\n

People are always moving or hauling things around.<\/p>\n

As such, you often have to compete with other people to get your hands on a specific truck or trailer.<\/p>\n

When the competition is fierce, U-Haul is able to charge high prices.<\/p>\n

U-Haul is expensive because its trucks and trailers are often in high demand.<\/p>\n

The post Why Is U-Haul So Expensive? (10 Reasons)<\/a> appeared first on The Cold Wire<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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