Well, after a lot of web research, discussion, etc. we've decided, at least for now, to drive a truck when we move. While the additional $2000+ for a PODS move might have been worth it for not having to drive, we decided against it, primarily because we would have had an extra load/unload step. We considered a full-service move, which wasn't as cost prohibitive as we thought and would have been home door-to-storage door, but when even the movers advise that you move your own tv, stereo, sentimental belongings, etc. what's the point? Almost all we're taking is either electronics or sentimental! We're taking very little in the way of furniture, no major appliances, etc.
For those considering a DIY move and who might happen upon this post sometime, let me address the potential "why Penske?" question. I have been reading various postings, etc. for months. Virtually everyone says to avoid U-Haul. U-Haul was the one company that would have enabled us to leave the truck in Canada, but the different between Calais, Maine - on the border - and Fredericton, NB - about 140 km into Canada - was $800. And, get this, they allowed slightly less mileage. Nah, I don't think so. Budget wasn't bad, but we get a AAA discount with Penske and almost all the postings I found had glowing reports on Penske. I had also called them a few months ago and a very nice representative had said there was no problem taking the truck into Canada, that we would just have to bring it back to Maine.
So, I've been watching the website, waiting for the 6 month reservation window. I checked this morning and discovered that I could reserve a 22' diesel truck and get both a AAA discount and web discount. But, I had a question about changing dates as we get closer so I called. I was told that we could change dates any time up to the day of the reservation and we can cancel altogether up to 48 hours in advance. Plus, it's unlimited mileage - which is a HUGE benefit - and we got an additional discount by reserving right then on the phone. So, we've reserved a truck for June for a reasonable $1047.96.
I can check periodically to see if there's a better deal, though, in my experience, the above is pretty good for a move of this distance. With a truck that's 22' we should have tons of room; so much that we won't have to pack stuff in the car like we had thought. The only down side - besides driving at all - is that we'll drive past the Maine drop-off, unload in F'ton, and have to return the truck to Maine. But, the up-side is that they give us 7 days, more than we had planned to take.
So, if all goes as planned - we'll do something like this:
Day 1: Pick up and load truck
Day 2: Saint Paul to Chicago - ~400 miles - evening with friends
Day 3: Chicago to Cleveland - ~345 miles - evening with friends
Day 4: Cleveland to Boston - ~640 miles - evening with friends
Day 5: Boston to Fredericton - ~430 miles
Day 6: Unload truck
Day 7: Return truck to Maine
There ya' have it. One of the most fun things about this blog is that I'll get to look back at this after knowing how things really played out!
10 months ago
5 comments:
Day Four sounds like a Killer.
Wish I could be there to see you, P and 6YO looking around downtown Boston for a place to park the 22' truck . . . . :)
All-in-all that sounds like an excellent price, though! What is the ETA calendar date of Day One?
Wow. I can't imagine it. We did the full-service move and were not advised to take anything ourselves, not a single thing, and certainly nothing as big and heavy as a TV or stereo.
Moving the four of us and what we needed for the week without our stuff was hard enough!
I wish you best of luck with it. I'll look forward to the report!
We were very pleased overall with the moving company thing. We did load our vehicles to the gills with our priceless possessions, 5 dog children and Diane's cigar humidor :) If I had it to do over? I would put even more in the moving van and relax!
web - re "killer" - yes, though 12 hour road trips aren't unusual for us. and, with boston as our goal and in mid-june, piece o' cake.
re: boston - used to live there and, as you might actually surmise, we won't be going into the city proper!
as above, we're looking at mid-june, but it all depends on the sale of the house. there's no reason we couldn't stay longer if we need to do so. we'll see...!
as for full service v. diy - it's primarily a cost thing. we're really not taking much in the way of furniture and while $4,500 is reasonable for an almost 2,000 mile move, it's still about $3,000 more than if we do it ourselves. seems silly when we have only one really heavy, cumbersome item - the treadmill - that's going. and, it's looking like we'll have help on both ends lined up.
we'll see. if i end up with gainful employment we might reconsider. but, having done diy moves from massachusetts to arizona and then arizona to minneapolis, it just doesn't seem that bad. at least this time i won't also be towing a car!
now, watch me eat my words!
if we were moving some place serviced by PODS we'd probably do that, but we're not. c'est la vie.
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