The Pros and Cons of Using a U-Haul Van Rental to Move - Moving.com (2024)

Should you rent a U-Haul van rental over a typical moving truck for your upcoming DIY move? While box trucks are a great option, they aren’t necessarily the right option for every move. Van rentals are better suited for small moves – particularly when they are located in urban environments where parking is difficult to come by. U-Haul van rentals are perfect for moving a studio apartment or dorm room. According to U-Haul, the vans feature nerf bars to make stepping in and out easier. The cargo vans are capable of holding up to 3,880 lbs. and have inside dimensions of 9’6″ x 5’7″ x 4’8″ (LxWxH). Each van rental seats two adults comfortably and includes air conditioning, automatic transmission, cruise control, air bags and an AM/FM stereo. Still debating whether or not to rent U-Haul cargo van? Here are the pros and cons of using these van rentals to move to a new home.

Pros and cons of using a U-Haul Van Rental to Move

Pros

It’s easier to park and drive than a moving truck

U-Haul van rentals are much easier to maneuver and park than large truck rentals. In fact, they probably feel and drive much like your own car. Box truck rentals, on the other hand, are large, bulky and can be difficult to maneuver on narrow roads. Additionally, parking a large moving truck is tricky business, especially in a congested city. Fortunately, cargo vans come with sliding side doors, which make it easy to load and unload from the sidewalk. If your move involves parallel parking or parking in a small space, then renting a cargo van over a moving truck is a wise decision. Don’t forget height restrictions as well. If you must pass underneath a low bridge or enter a parking garage, you won’t be able to drive a box truck due to height restrictions. Van rentals, however, will allow you to drive under low bridges and inside parking garages.

It’s ideal for small moves

Just need to move a few pieces of furniture? There’s no need to rent a large moving truck that’s difficult to drive. U-Haul’s cargo van rental is the ideal choice for anyone dealing with a small move. According to the truck rental company, the U-Haul Cargo Van fits a twin-sized mattress, spring box set, three-seater sofa, two nightstands and several boxes. U-Haul also mentions that the 9-foot cargo van is ideal for an apartment or studio move.

It’s more fuel efficient than a moving truck

According to U-Haul, the company’s cargo van typically gets 18 miles per gallon, and the gas tank holds up to 25 gallons of gas. This makes the cargo van much more fuel efficient than the company’s truck rentals, which are larger and require more gas when on the road. For reference, U-Haul’s 10-foot moving truck rental gets 12 miles per gallon and holds up to 33 gallons, making it less fuel efficient than the cargo van.

Cons

It’s not great for medium to large moves

The biggest con to using a U-Haul van rental over a larger rental truck is simply that the van isn’t ideal for medium to large moves. In fact, the van may not be able to hold the contents of anything more than a studio apartment or small, one-bedroom home. If you decide to use a cargo van for a medium to large move, you’ll probably end up having to make several trips back and forth using the van. If the move is local, and it’s only one or two-bedroom’s worth of items, then this might be perfectly doable. However, if the move involves moving a large household, and/or moving a long distance, then it might be best to rent a large enough truck from the outset. U-Haul’s truck rentals are ideal for medium to large moves. To give you an idea of what each U-Haul box truck can handle, here’s a quick synopsis:

• 10 ft. box truck is ideal for a one-bedroom apartment move.
• 15 ft. box truck is ideal for a two-bedroom apartment or condo move.
• 17 ft. box truck is ideal for a larger apartment and condo move.
• 20 ft. box truck is ideal for a two or three-bedroom home and large apartment move.
• 26 ft. box truck is ideal for a large, three to five-bedroom home move.

To compare the various U-Haul truck rental sizes, checkhere.

It’s more difficult to load and unload items

Unlike a pickup truck with an open back or a large box truck with a wide door, enclosed cargo vans may be slightly more difficult when it comes to loading and unloading items. Additionally, cargo vans are more difficult to load and unload than the typical box truck rental. While the cargo van does come with nerf bars to make stepping up easier, it doesn’t come with an EZ load ramp like the larger truck rentals. If you plan to move large furniture inside a cargo van, make sure you have the proper equipment and assistance to safely load and unload your items.

It’s not capable of towing anything

Many of U-Haul’s truck rentals are capable of towing trailers and cars behind them. Unfortunately, the company’s cargo van is not. If you need a truck to handle a small move, you may want to consider renting a pickup truck that is capable of towing a trailer or personal vehicle – as opposed to a cargo van which is not. For reference, a pickup truck has a towing capacity of 6,000 lbs, a 15 ft. box truck has a towing capacity of 10,000 lbs, a 17 ft. box truck has a towing capacity of 10,000 lbs., a 20 ft. box truck has a towing capacity of 7,500 lbs, and a 26 ft. box truck has a towing capacity of 10,000 lbs.

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