Look, we know gas is expensive, but don’t save a couple bucks by topping off your U-Haul’s gas tank with water. We won’t pretend to care about U-Haul—not even U-Haul cares about their vehicles—but the next renter will want to bludgeon you with a rusty ice pick when their truck breaks down because you hosed the engine.
“It can cost up to $2,000 each time it happens, minimum,” said Merow.
U-Haul dealers must now find a way to counter this new water scam while also continuing to battle traditional gas scams. They are on full alert.
“We have increased security, increased cameras at all our locations, increased patrols,” said Merow.
Merow says the thefts have become brazen. Just this past weekend someone stood on the other side of the U-Haul parking lot fence in broad daylight and fed through a siphon hose, trying to get at the gas inside the U-Haul trucks.
Um, don’t siphon gas from U-Haul trucks, either. This little non-recession thingy is turning ugly.
U-Haul: Crooked renters refill gas tank with water [KOMO]
(Photo: Mikey G Ottawa)
it took an hour and a half for us to lease a u-haul from a local convenience store….the clerk was dealing with us while selling lottery tickets and cigarettes….the vehicle was slated to be picked up the following morning at the store location…..we had the receipts and other paperwork…the next morning we went to pick up the truck, the clerk,not the same one, could find no paperwork that we leased a truck….we did get a truck, but not the one we had signed for….i hope i never have to get involved with u-hall again….
You know, I think I just figured out how to get rid of the 6 or 8 gallons of used motor oil I’ve been too lazy to bring in for proper disposal.
You know, this U-haul rep is pretty entertaining:
“”It seemed a little bit odd in the very beginning when this started happening, but the more and more it happens, we shake our shoulders,” she said.”
Riiight. “Odd” that losers are supplementing fill ups with water due to historically high gas prices? Odd if it wasn’t happening, frankly.
And what the fuck is “shake our shoulders” supposed to mean? Who “shakes” their shoulders? I couldn’t figure that one out. I’ve tried it, but it doesn’t make sense.
And then there’s this beauty:
“”Unfortunately we caught them before they did it. Because then we couldn’t prosecute,” said Merow.”
WTF is that supposed to mean??? Well, no shit because if you “catch” someone before they do something, the didn’t do it. You can at LEAST prosecute on some other charge, like “attempted”.
@mariospants: i wouldn’t expect anything but shaking shoulders and confusing language from a u-haul “veteran”…
@ludwigk: If you want to be technical about it, they require the gas tank to be at the same level it was when you picked it up, whether that be half-full, full, or whatever.
@FatalisticDread: Uh, I was correcting the spelling dude. Pay attention huh?