Moving expenses

[Beev]

In September I will be moving to Florida from Kansas, and I'm trying to figure out the best/cheapest way to do so. Looking at a generic uhaul it looks like a full size truck is around $1500, but a trailer is only ~$500. I have a little 4 cylinder GMC Sonoma, so I'm sure how well it will tow one of the trailers.

The problem is I have a bit of furniture. If I get the truck I can take it all, but if I get a trailer I will have to sell most if not all of it instead and just buy new furniture when I get to Florida. New furniture certainly has its appeal, but that's just more money to spend...

Thoughts or suggestions?

 

[nageov3t]

how much furniture are you talking about, and what's the quality like?

 

[TheNinja]

probably cheaper to get the full sized uhaul b/c you won't be able to sell your current furniture for much and will have to spend a lot more than $1500 to get new furniture.

 

[Scarpozzi]

I checked Uhaul, Budget, and Penske when I did my last move. I was able to find a coupon online and it saved me hundreds of dollars. Just remember that most people move the last weekend of the month...Try for the middle of the month if possible.

 

[Farang]

Buy an old box truck then sell it. Just an idea, definitely higher risk and I don't know how long it would take to sell.

 

[rivan]

how much furniture are you talking about, and what's the quality like?

This. Is your furniture worth the $1k difference?

As for towing with a 4c Sonoma, I would not recommend it, unless you're talking about one of those 4-5' minitrailers.

 

[EagleKeeper]

A tandem trailer will hold 1-2 bedrooms of furniture.

You need a 6cyc vehicle to pull that size trailer without burning up your tranny in the truck.

When I was a beginning driver, we used a 6cyc four door to haul that amount from Detroit to Boston.

 

[kami333]

Remember to take gas into consideration, those U-haul trucks only get like 10mpg.

We found it just as cheap (and a lot easier) to get a PODS and have them worry about the transporting.

 

[dullard]

I didn't look up the towing capacity of that vehicle, but it is probably about 1500-2000 lbs. The trailer itself is 1920 lbs while empty. Then tack on your weight and the weight of the stuff you put in the vehicle. Don't even think about it.

I had a good friend who thought he could tow a U-Haul trailer with a Ford Explorer to save that $1000. U-Haul wouldn't let him pick up the trailer with that vehicle, so he got a bigger truck, rented the trailer, then swapped vehicles. 1000 miles later he blew his transmission and was out about $2500 (plus he had to rent the U-Haul truck to finish the move). Like I said, don't do it with your vehicle. The $1000 extra for a full size truck is a steal in comparison.

 

[Texashiker]

Sell everything that can not fit in the Sonoma, drive to florida, buy what you need.