A DRIVER claims she has found a way to dodge sky-high car rental charges – renting a U-Haul for just $19.99 a day.
Houston-based songwriter Raycheal Winters shared the hack with her followers, but is it really a smart move?
Winters posted a video explaining her discovery to her TikTok followers.
She said: “My car broke down this morning, and [Enterprise] wanted to charge me upwards of $500 for a few days’ car rental.”
Instead of using a traditional agency like Enterprise or Hertz, she opted for a U-Haul.
“But U-Haul? $19.99 a day, baby,” the TikToker gleefully says, panning the camera to show the van she’s riding around in.
This matches the rental cost listed on U-Haul’s website for a nine-foot cargo van for a day.
Can you really use a U-Haul as a rental car?
Technically, yes – but drivers need to be aware of extra charges.
Some U-Haul locations charge mileage fees, which vary depending on the branch.
Drivers can use a mileage estimate calculator to gauge costs before renting.
Those planning a one-way move can buy a preset number of miles, according to the U-Haul website.
Going over that amount incurs a $1 per mile fee.
Moving company Nelson Westerberg notes that per-mile charges for a U-Haul range from $0.40 to $1 per mile.
By contrast, most traditional car rentals, include unlimited mileage, though customers are advised to check before signing agreements.
Budget states: “Most of [its] rentals come with unlimited mileage,” but adds that customers should verify before signing rental agreements.
This comes after U-Haul agreed to a $5,085,000 class action settlement last year following a data breach that compromised’ customers’ personal data.
The settlement benefited California residents affected by breaches in September 2022 and December 2023.
Affected customers received around $100 each.
U-Haul operates through a network of over 24,000 locations in the US and Canada.
The Arizona-headquartered company was founded In 1945 by Leonard Shoen and his wife Anna Mary Carty, who started off with an investment of just $5,000.
U-Haul is a moving truck and trailer rental company[/caption]
