Seeking a Tow Vehicle

[JAdams]

Hello, new to this forum as my wife and I decided to go full time beginning fall 2020. So I've been seeking pre-owned RVs.

I have an opportunity to purchase. I don't have a tow vehicle for another 2 months or so. Seeking a rental a vehicle with 5000lb tow, 500lb tongue. I know this is a long shot.

Enterprise and Uhaul trucks have 4 pin connectors and aren't an option.

I've thought about hiring a company to tow the trailer to me, but we need to see it first given the cost.

Round trip would be 2200 miles.

I've literally got the cart in front of the horse here.

[Jann Todd]

Originally Posted by JAdams

Hello, new to this forum as my wife and I decided to go full time beginning fall 2020. So I've been seeking pre-owned RVs.

I have an opportunity to purchase. I don't have a tow vehicle for another 2 months or so. Seeking a rental a vehicle with 5000lb tow, 500lb tongue. I know this is a long shot.

Enterprise and Uhaul trucks have 4 pin connectors and aren't an option.

I've thought about hiring a company to tow the trailer to me, but we need to see it first given the cost.

Round trip would be 2200 miles.

I've literally got the cart in front of the horse here.

Make a trip to see the trailer before you hire someone to tow it. Make sure it is what you want. Then see if the seller can help you find someone or maybe put it into a storage lot for 2 months, get your tow vehicle and go pick it up. The rental lot won't be as much as hiring it towed to you. Unfortunately most rental vehicles don't have the brake controller and that is what you need most. I know a lot of GMC Yukon rental vehicles have the 7 pin connector and are prewired for the controller but they do not have them since they are rentals not used for towing. We bought one and it does great with the trailer. We added in the controller. You may have to hire someone to tow it to you but that is risky as they won't treat it like you would and will be very expensive.

[jokra]

Originally Posted by Jann Todd

Make a trip to see the trailer before you hire someone to tow it. Make sure it is what you want. Then see if the seller can help you find someone or maybe put it into a storage lot for 2 months, get your tow vehicle and go pick it up. The rental lot won't be as much as hiring it towed to you. Unfortunately most rental vehicles don't have the brake controller and that is what you need most. I know a lot of GMC Yukon rental vehicles have the 7 pin connector and are pre-wired for the controller but they do not have them since they are rentals not used for towing. We bought one and it does great with the trailer. We added in the controller. You may have to hire someone to tow it to you but that is risky as they won't treat it like you would and will be very expensive.

I would assume that you don't like the first trailer that you and your partner look at. I went to see quite a distance (in opposite directions) to look at my "perfect" trailer and found that I did not like either one since they had short-comings that I did not want to deal with. The second one I bought and stayed in overnight after having it hooked up to my vehicle and still found a major flaw that I had not noticed or been told about. I always tried to make a small vacation out of it and a "learning" experience. You are in a much better bargaining situation if you can "walk away". You can always spend a nice night in a nearby motel and change your mind the next day, the owner will still take your money.

[AC0GV]

[QUOTE=JAdams;760629]Seeking a rental a vehicle with 5000lb tow, 500lb tongue. I know this is a long shot.


I've thought about hiring a company to tow the trailer to me, but we need to see it first given the cost.

I searched "Massachusetts f150 rental" and had a few hits but none jumped out at me. I've heard that delivery runs about $1/mile. Wish I was closer, I'm always up for a road trip (but not east coast) Our local building centers do rentals.

[JonRaw]

Originally Posted by JAdams

Hello, new to this forum as my wife and I decided to go full time beginning fall 2020. So I've been seeking pre-owned RVs.

I have an opportunity to purchase. I don't have a tow vehicle for another 2 months or so. Seeking a rental a vehicle with 5000lb tow, 500lb tongue. I know this is a long shot.

Enterprise and Uhaul trucks have 4 pin connectors and aren't an option.

I've thought about hiring a company to tow the trailer to me, but we need to see it first given the cost.

Round trip would be 2200 miles.

I've literally got the cart in front of the horse here.

Check where the closest Enterprise Truck rental is to you:


https://www.enterprisetrucks.com/truckrental/en_US.html


They have 2 ton pickup trucks that are set up to tow. You get a certain number of free miles per day. Not sure how close an office is to where you are but you can check.

[redbarron55]

Cheaper is to buy a trailer near where you need it.
They are all over and if patient you can find one you like over the off season and maybe save some money on the purchase and moving.

[CasitaMiner]

Originally Posted by redbarron55

Cheaper is to buy a trailer near where you need it.
They are all over and if patient you can find one you like over the off season and maybe save some money on the purchase and moving.

I agree with this, there are plenty of trailers it just takes time for one to pop up in your neck of the woods. No need in massive travel.

[inkslinger]

Originally Posted by JAdams

Hello, new to this forum as my wife and I decided to go full time beginning fall 2020. So I've been seeking pre-owned RVs.

I have an opportunity to purchase. I don't have a tow vehicle for another 2 months or so. Seeking a rental a vehicle with 5000lb tow, 500lb tongue. I know this is a long shot.

Enterprise and Uhaul trucks have 4 pin connectors and aren't an option.

I've thought about hiring a company to tow the trailer to me, but we need to see it first given the cost.

Round trip would be 2200 miles.

I've literally got the cart in front of the horse here.

You may need to borrow a vehicle from a friend. We also bought our trailer before buying a tow vehicle. The previous owner was kind enough to tow it to our home.

For a while, we were considering just using rental vehicles to tow the trailer on weekend trips to avoid the cost of a new, larger vehicle, but most rental companies informed us that they would not allow their vehicles to be used for towing. This included Uhaul, oddly enough.

[JAdams]

Originally Posted by jokra

I would assume that you don't like the first trailer that you and your partner look at. I went to see quite a distance (in opposite directions) to look at my "perfect" trailer and found that I did not like either one since they had short-comings that I did not want to deal with. The second one I bought and stayed in overnight after having it hooked up to my vehicle and still found a major flaw that I had not noticed or been told about. I always tried to make a small vacation out of it and a "learning" experience. You are in a much better bargaining situation if you can "walk away". You can always spend a nice night in a nearby motel and change your mind the next day, the owner will still take your money.

Wise advice, thank you.

[JAdams]

Originally Posted by redbarron55

Cheaper is to buy a trailer near where you need it.
They are all over and if patient you can find one you like over the off season and maybe save some money on the purchase and moving.

Good advice, thank you. We have some time so I'm practicing patience.

[JAdams]

Originally Posted by inkslinger

You may need to borrow a vehicle from a friend. We also bought our trailer before buying a tow vehicle. The previous owner was kind enough to tow it to our home.

For a while, we were considering just using rental vehicles to tow the trailer on weekend trips to avoid the cost of a new, larger vehicle, but most rental companies informed us that they would not allow their vehicles to be used for towing. This included Uhaul, oddly enough.

I agree, I've struck out with Metro Boston Uhaul and Enterprise. I was specifically informed their vehicles were for light trailers with 4 pin connectors and no trailer brakes. Modifications aren't allowed. From what folks have posted here this appears to be a regional franchise difference.

Good news, my cousin in northern New York has a lot of experience towing his large boat trailers is able to assist us if we locate an RV prior to buying a new tow vehicle.

[ThomasC]

Originally Posted by CasitaMiner

I agree with this, there are plenty of trailers it just takes time for one to pop up in your neck of the woods. No need in massive travel.

I beg to differ with you two. One of you is in Florida and the other California. Those are both RV Meccas. Both areas have Bigfoot dealers. Not so much in New England.

I went to your sightings thread which has 196 pages. I searched for Massachusetts, Mass, and MA and I only got 12 hits. Your methods may not work around here.