Rent vehicle to tow a boat? Anyone done this?

**Boz** · 10-25-2005, 05:03 PM

Has anyone flown into a distant locale and rented a vehicle to tow a boat back home?

**STV_Keith** · 10-25-2005, 05:06 PM

Yup. Had my dad fly to NY, rent a Blazer, go to U-haul and buy a hitch for it, then get the boat and drive it to NV.

**Boz** · 10-25-2005, 05:09 PM

Ok; 3 minutes for that response. Thank you. I was just about to TTT it.......

I'm guessing the rental company wasn't aware you put a hitch on it?

**SUPERBASH** · 10-25-2005, 05:13 PM

No. But...Just a few weeks ago...we rented a Ram1500 to trailer 3 ATV's out of state. It had the harness "plug" dangling...but no hitch. Only a bumper (strong enuff for what we were towing)...but it had 3 holes in it for hitch balls...but a plastic trim over them. We neatly "trimmed out" one hole & installed the 2" ball. When we were done...we just siliconed the trim piece back on. Ha Ha.

**stokernick** · 10-25-2005, 05:17 PM

Helmut[STVHELM]

**bulldogdaddy** · 10-25-2005, 05:18 PM

told enterprise last summer i wanted to use the truck i rented to pull a boat and they flipped!
you better make sure about their policies incase something would happen

**Boz** · 10-25-2005, 05:26 PM

I like the "hole in the bumper" gig.
I think this might be one of those situations where you assume the risk and hope for the best. What I'd like to tow is not that heavy and could be done with a bumper mounted ball behind a blazer or something of that size.

**STV_Keith** · 10-25-2005, 05:27 PM

Originally Posted by Boz

Ok; 3 minutes for that response. Thank you. I was just about to TTT it.......

I'm guessing the rental company wasn't aware you put a hitch on it?

No, they didn't. We removed the hitch before returning the blazer. Before getting my own truck, I had reinstalled and removed that same hitch at least a dozen times when renting other blazers locally, to tow the boat.

**stvhelm** · 10-26-2005, 08:10 AM

Trailblazers, ford expeditions and explorers, come with hitches. no need to put one on. Your auto policy usually covers rentals. Also there's a drop fee if you dont return the vehicle where you started. It maybe cheaper to just drive it round trip. you'll get unlimited mileage if you fail to tell them you're leaving the state.

**largecar91** · 10-26-2005, 08:34 PM

I rented a Trailblazer this summer and it had a receiver on it and the factory tow package and trailer plugs( no receiver). I didn't use it to tow but I looked and it was sure ready to tow.

**stvhelm** · 10-26-2005, 09:09 PM

I rented a trailblazer to tow to jasper and back last year

**Psyco** · 10-30-2005, 07:38 PM

Rented a Chevy 1500 last Nov. Renoved the plastic cover and in stalled a pigtail. Removed ball and pigtail before returning. They never were the wiser. Used quick splices to tap into the factory harness.

**David** · 10-30-2005, 09:27 PM

I took the train instead of flying.
I towed a car instead of a boat.
But the experience is similar.

I rented a moving van and a car trailer from U haul last weekend to retrieve my Lotus. U Haul in Ontario won't rent pick ups for one way rentals.

Of course its kind of goofy to drive an empty moving van just to get a tow vehicle, but I did it anyway.

I learned an expensive lesson about driving slowly. I went through a lot of gas the first day

At any rate, U haul vans are an option if you need to tow a boat one way.

**KaptainKirk** · 10-31-2005, 09:00 AM

call them they have no problem u renting from them and doing anything to there stuff.

I was looking to fly from chicago to dallas for a boat only way to do it honestly with there stuff was a moving truck from u-haul....they did have a pickup to rent and do it...plus then could drive only one way and give it back to them locally....but helm is right you can drive both ways if you have the time....I only had time to drive one way....

My .02

K.K.

**LakeRacer99** · 10-31-2005, 02:20 PM

Similar to the others here...I rented a Ram from Enterprise and drove from Kansas City to Chattanooga to pick up an Allison that I bought. It had the pigtail and a stepbumper with the plastic cover. I removed the plastic cover and installed a 2in ball. Made my trip with no probs, then I removed the ball and put the plastic back on.

My only mistake was letting them give me a Ram. I got 13mpg there and 10 coming back pulling my little Allison.

Have fun and remember, it's just a rental, so drive it like you stole it...hehe...

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