Steerpike

I do see the fact that my stuff is just a big pile of loose boxes (plus a few big, delicate artwork items) as a challenge for the 'freight' options. The boxes are essentially Home Depot 'Small' (30+) and 'Medium' (10+) boxes, and not all of them were packed with any sort of rough handling in mind. So I think that flying down and loading up a cargo van is going to be the best option. The 8' 'PODs' solution (https://www.pods.com/portable-container-sizes) might have been a good option - I could have loaded it at my home then had it delivered to CA ... but since I need to put the stuff into storage at the new location also, I'm still not clear how I would handle that.

With gas prices over $6/gal in CA, and close to $5/gal in AZ, the 19mpg cargo van is a much better option than the 12 mpg 10' truck from uhaul. 750 miles is going to cost about 750 / 19 * $5.50 = $217 in the cargo van, vs $344 in the truck.

Cargo van it would appear to be ...

I've started the process of getting a few quotes from some local freight forwarders. I'll report back on what I find. Right now, some of the items, like the artwork, and some very delicate ceramic pieces, are essentially loosely placed on top of everything else. My plan, for the 'van' option, was to simply pack them last, on top of everything else. If I'm going to rely on a 3rd party to pack everything for me, they are going to have to be taken care of.

penguinsix

Have you considered a full-size SUV like a Suburban or Yukon that has the capability of lifting or removing the rear seats? Might be big enough and easy enough to rent from all major car carriers.

Steerpike

In post #3 above, I said this - "The hertz woman I spoke to suggested renting their biggest category of SUV - a Ford Expedition EL, or a chevy Suburban, or GMC Yukon XL ... but I have yet to see what the usable inside dimensions of those vehicles is - probably not good enough. I'd certainly be willing to pay the extra for that solution, just because it would be a smooth ride!"

If I want to rent one-way, I can't remove any seats, so the best I can do is fold everything out of the way. I haven't been able to find any decent info on what space is available. What I need is a space about 4'6" wide, 8-9' deep, and 5' high.

SpoogleDrummer

Budget Truck Rental seems to have the option to return your vehicle in another state.

Pulaski

I am not sure how I feel about this in a reply to my post, and whether I should take it personally.

retzie

If you reached the same conclusion as the broke students and postdocs, that just confirms my suspicion that they always find the most economical solution

ddsrph

I would look into the option of trailer. You can have trailer hitch installed for 2-3 hundred and have for future use. Custom hitches are made for most vehicles. You can look online at trailers.com or the Reese hitch company. With the low weight of the cargo involved you could even consider buying a small trailer if you have room to store later. Many fold up for storage.

Steerpike

My personal vehicle is already in CA with me, so if I were to want to tow a trailer, I'd have to drive down to AZ to start the return journey, which defeats the primary purpose of avoiding a two-way drive.

Boomhauer

Have you looked at uShip ?

It's a bit like uber; you list the stuff you have that needs to be shipped and get bids on it. Some bids will be from commerical movers while some will be from averages Joes who happen to be travelling past your origin and to your destination. I've only used the service once; needed to ship some exercise equipment that weighed around 130lbs, to Atlanta from the MidWest. The guy who transported it was just an average Joe from this area who happened to be travelling to Atlanta. His price was around 40% lower than the cheapest LTL (Less Than Truckload) price I got from freight forwarders.

Downside is being comfortable sending your stuff with someone you do not know and not a business, but uShip is a very popular transport option.

ddsrph

Don’t know how I missed that part. That’s a long drive.

Steerpike

Thanks - that's very good to know!

ddsrph

You could possibly increase security and decrease volume by buying some of those black plastic containers with the yellow lid from Lowe’s. They can be tightly filled and several tie wraps can hold the lid on. I have used them to ship some airplane parts.

penguinsix

I think your height requirements would be the problem with a Yukon. It's wide enough, and maybe long enough (with the seats folded) but don't think it's that tall.

Pulaski

On that basis, Steerpike could try contacting local movers in the SF area asking if they are interested in a small shipment on the return leg from Arizona as there is likely a steady flow of full moving vans from Northern CA to Arizona, and the return leg of most moving van contracts is entirely empty. So if you can schedule a pick up time at the mover's convenience they might be willing to give you a competitive quote considering that their van would be almost certainly empty on the return leg anyway.

Leslie

They allow one way and have cargo vans.

https://www.pensketruckrental.com/