U-Haul Denial

[JoeInOh]

I went to rent a U-Haul car dolly today from an actual U-Haul facility (not from the back of a car repair shop). The counter person told me that I was not able to rent any trailerable item there because my Gladiator has a soft top. I must have made a face or something because the manager walked right over and said that "they do not rent to Jeeps with soft tops because the occupants will die in a roll-over, U-Haul policy." I asked if that was corporate policy and he said yes. I figured I wasn't going to get anywhere with either of them so I left. Does this make any sense? Did anyone hear of this before?

Thank God I don't ever have to tow with this thing - certain death is imminent.

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[Zero_Accel]

I remember hearing about this from some of the JK crowd that they are correct, no soft tops allowed with U-Haul.

Probably a CYA policy with them, or their corporate insurance said no.

 

[Josh00333]

Correct.

 

[BlueScapegoat]

100%. They're fine with it if you have a composite plastic or fiberglass hard top though. Totally safe.

 

[Aceman8772]

I rented a car transport from Uhaul in San Diego as well as cargo trailers in Washington state. I would go to another U-haul dealer.

 

[Advntrbound]

I rented a trailer from them and I have a soft top. Not a single issue. Top style wasn't even asked.

 

[Sandevino]

I never got any grief either…

 

[BlueScapegoat]

Their policy is no soft tops. I've been told this at locations in MN, WI, OH, and PA.

That doesn't mean your specific branch bothers to enforce it, or check, or even knows that a Gladiator is available with a soft top.

 

[TheRealGinjaNinja]

I was aware of this. I believe it was an old policy back in the CJ / TJ era that they just never changed. Kind of dumb for a Gladiator but it is what it is. My local Uhauls I have been enforcing it.

Cheers

 

[NachoRuby]

No soft top trucks or SUVs. It happened to me in my TJ years ago too. For some reason, they think the crash protection comes from the top, and not the thick roll bars underneath it. It's an antiquated policy, left over from the 60s or 70s, from older CJs with no crash protection. Ironically, soft top cars are allowed to pull their trailers. But not trucks or SUVs.

 

[Sparty]

It's true

The way around it these days is just tell them that your top identifies as a hard top. Any objection from them and threaten to sue for discrimination and defamation

 

[ShadowsPapa]

It's true

The way around it these days is just tell them that your top identifies as a hard top. Any objection from them and threaten to sue for discrimination and defamation

The JT can even go back and forth - hard top today, soft top tomorrow.
Mine identified as topless - a third option - a year ago.

 

[Mjolnir]

Plenty of posts on this. That is their policy, although some stores don't follow it.

 

[Panthers65]

Yep, it's not the "Soft Top" it's uHaul's policy to not allow convertibles to tow their trailers, they're just too dumb to make an exception for Jeeps which they consider convertibles because the tops come off.

 

[NachoRuby]

Yep, it's not the "Soft Top" it's uHaul's policy to not allow convertibles to tow their trailers, they're just too dumb to make an exception for Jeeps which they consider convertibles because the tops come off.

It is the soft top, on an SUV or jeep. They'll rent to a hard top jeep, or a soft top car. It says so right on their website:
"Must be equipped with a hard top if it is an SUV or Jeep. U-Haul does not allow any type of sport-utility vehicle not equipped with a hard top to tow U-Haul equipment."

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