dpb wrote:
brianlanning wrote:
My impression from the last experience w/ U-Haul (which I intend to be
_THE_ last one ) is that their billing software now is so inflexible
from corporate the local rental places essentially have no freedom for
fixing any billing other than, say, the sweep-out charge which they can
add/not add. It certainly appears true they can't change anything once
billed, even an incorrect billing. I had the local guy charge an extra
day and it took nearly an Act of Congress to get it corrected through
corporate -- at his billing station, once their software thought said
trailer was rented for two days there was literally no way he could
alter the fact.

Someone sent me an email describing some of their business model these
days. They sound like typical corporate america. That by itself is
enough to make me not get a u-haul trailer again.

It may well be that is fairly close to the marginal cost for the local
self-financed guy under his cost model. Quite possibly he has the same
problem as do many other small outfits--not enough volume combined w/
relatively high fixed costs to keep the incremental cost high.
Alternatively, he might just be a grumpy old man and as stodgy in his
ways by now as I...

I know the small u-haul people make next to nothing on the rentals. I
have to wonder why they put up with it.

As for the non u-haul guy, they're probably having a hard time
competing with a corporate giant who can play games with the laws and
get huge discounts on equipment by buying in volume. I could tell he
was feeling great about his job that day, even before I started talking
to him.

I think the plan is for us to buy a 12' or 16' trailer as soon as we
have a place to park it. Seems more workable to us (since we drive
vans) than a separate pickup truck.

brian