Mike Key, I understand for some people pets aren't terribly important, but ours are to us. We won't leave them, whether that is a smart decision or not.
The mileage quoted for the black car was during last summer when that car was loaded and towing a vehicle during our own move out here. I figured it was a nice low number to estimate with for a ballpark cost with a little wiggle room.
AJ, flying the animals doesn't look like a viable option based on several things. The airlines I looked at online all have breed restrictions prohibiting the transport of a Pit Bull at all, even if the other two could be checked as carry-ons. Also, they are not up to date on vaccinations and such, and we simply don't have the money to do everything at once. We'll need to find a place for everyone to stay once they all arrive, also.
Melissa, when my husband and I first considered moving away from Florida, we were all living together, and the plan had been for all 4 (or 5, with hubby's half-brother) to make that move. In the end it was just my husband and I. Now, we flew his mom up to visit us, and realizations have been reached that the reasons they stayed behind were no longer valid, so they want to come out to be with us. So we have a mom-boyfriend and hubby-brother to transport, plus the family pets. It makes no sense to send the mom back after her vacation visit, when we still have no way to get everyone here.
After some poking around, it seems like a much better option to rent a more efficient car than drive our own. costs look like they can be at $40 a day, so that's $280 in rental cost, plus gas cost (30mpg, $4.00 a gallon) at $782. Would total just over a thousand dollars. That would be a $600 savings over rough estimations to drive our own car, assuming food stayed the same.
As for those asinine things like charging per mile to go out of state (for our trip, 5867 miles- that would cost an extra $1200 or so, since they give you 150 miles per day free, then charge $0.25 per mile after that), I'd like to punch someone.
You're telling me I can drive anywhere I want within the state of Oregon, but if I want to actually GO somewhere, you'll charge me extra? I'm putting the same wear-and-tear on the car, the same risks, and there are branches of a car rental company everywhere, not to mention I'm returning the car to the same place I got it anyway. That's bull.
That's like charging more for a hotel room with the exact same size bed and other comforts when there is a married couple needing a room, versus one person alone. (Mom's flight was delayed and she missed her connecting flight. We had to stay over-night and it was too cold to sleep in the car. $39.00 advertised, but we had to pay $50 because we didn't lie. SAME room)