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  1. #1
    Senior Member RoadHazard's Avatar
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    Default Renting a Tow Vehicle?

    Where can you rent a tow vehicle? I've checked with Hertz, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise and all the usual suspects but they all told me they specifically prohibit towing anything with their trucks or SUVs.

  2. #2
    Late Braking Member
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    Default

    u-haul. They'll rent you both the tow vehicle and a trailer.

    Steve

  3. #3
    Senior Member rickjohnson356's Avatar
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    Default Enterprise

    I rented a full-size PU from Enterprise a few years ago. Just put a 2" ball on the bumper and a temp light kit. Worked ok with an open trailer for one weekend.

    Remove the light kit and ball before returning the truck. Ok as long as you don't have an accident.

  4. #4
    Senior Member Evl's Avatar
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    Budget has towing stuff on their bigger trucks (2" ball). We got varying responses to the towing question based on who we talked to, but didn't actually see anything in the papers they handed us to sign. Look into a short one way rental vs local too, because if you make the reservation through the web page it will have unlimited miles, which can save a pile of cash.
    #45 FE - Personal twitter: @AOERacing
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  5. #5
    Contributing Member Jtovo's Avatar
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    Default Prom

    It is like picking your girlfriend up for prom. You dont ask the dad permission to do the things you want to do. You just pick her up, smile and say you will bring her home safely.

  6. #6
    Contributing Member racer27's Avatar
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    Default

    Good topic ... I'm going to probably go the rental route next year for the few races I plan on doing. For me makes no sense to lease/own fuel in-efficient SUV/Truck just for a couple trips per year.

    Only hassle with renting is the time wasted with pick up and drop off. Other option would be to buy a used but reliable bare bones extended cab pickup, SUV or Van for use almost exclusively for trips to home depot & the track.
    AMBROSE BULDO - Abuldo at AOL.com
    CURRENT: Mid Life Crisis Racing Chump/Lemons Sometime Driver (Dodge Neon)
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  7. #7
    Senior Member Max Power's Avatar
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    It is like picking your girlfriend up for prom. You dont ask the dad permission to do the things you want to do. You just pick her up, smile and say you will bring her home safely.
    LOVE IT!

    I've been struggling with this question for quite a while. I own an old 97 Jeep Grand Cherokee with 150k miles on it. I don't race enough to invest in a nice tow vehicle, and living in Chicago, I really don't need it on a daily basis, but I still need a car in general. The Jeep is terrible on gas, especially tooling around the city. It isn't worth anything and runs great, so I can't get rid of it. It is definately convenient to have the tow vehicle ready at any given moment, instead of having to plan in advance for a rental.

    If anyone knows the magic formula for cheap tow vehicle/daily driver/don't race that much to justify a gas-guzzler equation, please post.
    Paul Reineck

  8. #8
    Contributing Member TimW's Avatar
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    Default

    If you have a simple single axle trailer with no electric brakes, rending a Ford Explorer from Budget will do the job. Mind you they say you can't, but don't volunteer you will. I had to move my car during its conversion and I did just that...all the Explorers Budget rented back then had 1" square receiver hitches...I just bought the insert & ball and was on my way.
    ------------------
    'Stay Hungry'
    JK 1964-1996 #25

  9. #9
    Senior Member
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    I have put my car in the back of my long bed pickup using timber ramps and a hand winch. Its a little awkard but means i dont need a trailer either. I'm not racing enough to justify the truck anymore so my plan is to sell it and use the ramp and winch with a UHaul truck for the couple of weekends i race.

    ian

  10. #10
    Contributing Member EYERACE's Avatar
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    look into renting a small RV that has a hitch receiver.....the RV stores are accustomed to renting them and you see RV's hauling a car or trailer/car often - camp at the track and the money you save on the hotel offsets the RV rental

  11. #11
    Member Larry C's Avatar
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    Try to find a Penske Truck Leasing Center or one of their nearby agents. You can rent a 16' box van with lots of room for tools, spares, camping gear and an open trailer from them. They are very rate competetive and their equipment seems to be nicer than U-Haul.
    We're only at home when we're on the run...

  12. #12
    Senior Member holmberg's Avatar
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    Default Rent at a commercial truck dealership

    Several years ago I needed to rent a pick-up to pull my FF in an enclosed trailer for a race weekend. I went to a local Ford commercial truck dealer (Mission Ford in San Jose, CA), and they we happy to rent me an F250 with a hitch. I fully disclosed my use of the truck. They had no problem with it.

    This was a major truck-only dealer, not an regular Ford dealer. The sell and repair everything from F150's up to semi-trucks. I would think San Diego would have something similar.

  13. #13
    Member
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    Default

    Interstate Truck Rental

    They specialize in renting trucks for trailer towing.

    http://www.goitr.com

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