Renting a tow dolly in the Seattle area

[revbill]

I'm planning to pick up a disabled Loyale, and I need it to be towed about 15 miles to my house. I'm thinking about renting a tow dolly, but so far Uhaul is the only place I can find that rents them. After finding out the hard way about how their "reservations" don't reserve anything, I was hoping to avoid ever even talking to them on the phone again.

 

Does anyone know of another place locally were I could rent a dolly without renting a truck? Should I just suck it up and pay a tow truck? I live on the Eastside, if that helps.

 

I've used a tow strap before, but I'll leave that to the more

adventurous from now on. I'm too old for that now (and I'm not even that old!)

Thanks,

Bill

[Dr. RX]

Gee, I don't understand you're problem, I have rented tow dollies many times for both the Issaquah and the Kirkland U-Haul, without any problems. After I request the reservation on-line, I contact the reservation center to make sure which location they placed teh reservation, then I call that center to make sure that they got the reservation. I have never had to rent a truck, just to get a tow dolly.

[revbill]

I did basically the same thing with a truck, only the day before I was going to move out of an apartment (so I had one weekend to move) they said the truck wasn't available, so I was out of luck. I had to scramble to get a truck so I could move from downtown, which is harrowing enough already.

 

It's good to hear that you haven't had the same problem renting dollies, though. I might give them another try.

[jeffast]

i had them screw up the destination and the pickup either way they gave me a dolly at the right place but still it was two hrs i could have been driving home wasted

 

i drove like 7 hrs to pick up my six

[TheSubaruJunkie]

I used to work at U-Haul (not proud of it, and was only a very short time) but i have to side with Bill on that argument. U-haul doesnt know the meaning of reservation's.

 

I work for United Rentals, and my yard has 2 tow dollies that we rent out. You might want to check in your area, call one and they should be able to check their system to find out which locations carry a dollie.

 

But you maybe required to have a Full Sized 1/2 Pickup.

 

-Brian

[critical_max]

Tow Dollies at U-Haul

I used to dispatch U-Haul for the Western Washington region a few years ago. There weren't more than 2-3 operational TD units (Tow Dollies) in all Washington state at any one time. That sort of equipment would get stolen and turn up years later. One time the regional marketing manager in my county found a small trailer in somebody's yard by the road in the country, painted over in disguise. They later ID'd it as a trailer that had gone missing 15 years ago from a local franchise.

 

Reservations at U-Haul

Reservations just mean you're first in line, If and only If the unit shows up at the same place and time as you do. There is no surplus, as 2/3 of their rolling stock was "down for repairs" at any one time.

 

Renting at U-Haul

Do what Dr.RX said, call every location involved with the process to

a)verify that your equipment is present and being held for you, and if equipment is expected to arrive for you but now is in transit then:

ask about other equipment that's there that you can switch to.

c) If you can, just drive to the franchise and pick one on the lot to rent. that way you get to see it. Pick the newest one. Consider driving to a different rental franchise if there are no new ones (shiny ones).

[edrach]

I believe it's a United Rental on 132nd near Totem Lake just north of 124th. There's also a Sun Belt rental in Redmond and in Woodinville. Good luck.