Cheaper Alternative to Van Hire?

Kayleigh09

I am moving from Birmingham to Helensburgh MQ's and I need to get minimal belongings up there. I have looked into hiring a van and between the hire and fuel costs it will cost around £500!!! This seems ridiculously expensive to me!

Do any MSer's know of any other cheaper ways that I could get my belongings up there?

Thanks everyone

dzug1

??? Something funny about this question

Everytime I see it some answers have disappeared.......

Kayleigh09

I posted it in 3 forums - this one (as my OH is in the Royal Marines and I am moving to Helensburgh Married Quarters), in the motoring forum and in the Hire Car forum. Hoping someone somewhere will give me an answer

Alias_Omega

I guess it depends on how much 'stuff' you wish to take.

I've moved in 3 car loads before, and once in a LWB transit van. The multiple trips were a right pain in the bum, and i prefer the van option anyday.

I found 1 day van hire, with unlimited mileage to be about £85 with local firm price matching. It can be done, you just need to put the time in.

Alias

Owain_Moneysaver

If it goes on a pallet, you can get pallets moved around the country fairly cheaply. Palletline suggests about £68 for Birmingham to Helensburgh economy for 1 pallet. Rocketblue suggests £94. A van might be cheaper to hire, but you have to pay for petrol and drive it A-B and back B-A and then get youself back to B by train or whatever.

snowball1972

Are you not entitled to the move at public expense?

Alias_Omega

Snowball,

I would assume this is the first move from Civilian life, into Married Quarters.

citykid5

why not buy a trailer,move your gear then resell at the other end?

Kayleigh09

Alias - that sounds a lot better to me. Only issue is the distance, as I don't drive, someone will have to do a near enough 700 mile round trip and then get back to these neck of the woods in a day! But, will defo take that on board and mention it to whomever helps me move!

Owain - I have had this mentioned to me a couple of times now. Seems like that would be the most convenient. Thanks for looking into that for me, may be worth enquiring into!

Snowball - as Alias said this is the first move from civvie street into military accommodation. So nope - isn't it just any move besides your first and last which are funded for?

Citykid - I never thought of that, good thinking! Thanks!!

Alias_Omega

It can be done, its 636mile round trip. This is where you need your Dad & Mum/Uncle. Dont forget you will be there, plus your husband at the other end to help.

I've ran a search, with europcar, and its come in just under £90 for a SWB Transit Van, hired from Saturday 6pm, returning Monday 9am. (Hire from Birmingham City Centre). Throw in about an extra £100 for fuel.


Collect the Van, load it up. Set-off, should take about no more than 6hrs up there. Leave the Van loaded, get some sleep. Your quarter should come with beds/furniture, so you dont have to sleep on the floor. If not, they can be arranged for a few days.

Have some breakfast in the mess on base (buy meal tickets), Off load the Van. Spend 2-3 hrs with your parents, showing them around. They will want to see where you are going to live etc.

Thank your parents for helping you. Give them a Kiss & Wave them off. They drive back & return the van that night to the depot, and post the keys through the drop-off point.

Job done..


(You could play around with the dates & times, as usually it would be from 1pm on a saturday as its when the office closes, so even more time).

Marker_2

I hired a man (3 actually) with a van and it cost me £200, didnt have to lift a finger either! I had a an entire house and a half worth of contents to move though. That was a total of 400 miles. Your local paper will have adverts.

Europcar sounds like a plan though if you havent got much stuff.