Renting an RV

[Dino]

Wifey and I want to get out of the house for a while.  We don't book hotels as we like to get moving when we feel like it.  A few years ago we toured New England and really didn't have any issues with this as there are plenty motels around, but this time we're thinking of renting an RV so we can really go where we want AND have the ability to make our own food.

We don't need one of those mastodonts but something a little bigger than a VW microbus would be nice.     Something with a little kitchen and a small bathroom so we don't have to rely on motels.  Who has any experience with these things and what should I expect to pay to rent one for 7-10 days? 

[Old Moparz]

My wife & I rented one almost 30 years ago for a full week & it was great. It was the first time we did it so it was a learning experience. If I recall, it was a 26 foot Ford that had a van type cab & not difficult to maneuver. I am sure there are smaller ones available but this is what we drove. We didn't plan anything other than to rent it & head to Cape Cod, MA & then Portland ME. We bought food for a lot of the meals but also ate at restaurants when we felt like it.

The biggest disadvantage of an RV over a trailer, is that it's also your only mode of transportation. Parking is limited at times & you need to plan ahead when you stop for the night so you don't have to go back out to get anything. Ours had a 2-way refrigerator that ran on propane & electric & we discovered that if the vehicle is not level the propane automatically shuts down for safety. It thawed some of our frozen food & ice & made a water mess, but once we figured things out it was fine.

We now have a 24 foot travel trailer, our third one since that RV rental & also deciding we were done with tent camping. 

[HPP]

Never rented one, but I have had a few.

Yes, they do give you flexibility over a hotel, but you will still need to pay for campgrounds, or plan on staying in Wal-Mart parking lots. I'd think rental outfits will have a variety of types and style to suit your needs, so speak with them about what you want out of it. Also check out wher eyoru intended travels are taking and you and options for coachs as well as any size limitation that may be in place.

Quick run down: class A - the big bus type units where you sit over the engine or the engine is in back under the bed. Large and roomy. I've owned one and maybe because it was an older '80s era unit, I never felt comfortable driving it. It rocked and swayed constantly even with some aftermarket add ons to help. Newer ones with more computerized systems may be easier to drive now days. Class B - vans converted to rv use. This are a standard length van chassis with raised roofs and minimal kitchen/restrooms. This is most like the VW microbus of years ago, but they are obviously upgraded to be more modern so they are a skosh longer, work better and are more comfortable. No more difficult to drive and a 1 ton truck. Class C - these are the van or truck chassis units that are 22-32 feet long with full ammenties like a full galley, restroom with showers, bedrooms, microwaves, etc. Also easy to drive once you familiarize yourself with blind spots and length.

[Dino]

Thanks guys!  I think the class C is what we would want so I'll go talk to te rental peeps.  I can drive big rigs so the size itself does not worry me.  A covered bridge in Vermont however may become an issue.   

[bakerhillpins]

Thanks guys!  I think the class C is what we would want so I'll go talk to te rental peeps.  I can drive big rigs so the size itself does not worry me.  A covered bridge in Vermont however may become an issue.   

Are you planning on the New England tour again? If so get in touch and we will have to connect while you are here. I could even get you some free camping spots in the yard or across the street for a few days... If the charger ever gets moving again you could borrow that too.   

[Daytona R/T SE]

Wifey and I want to get out of the house for a while.  We don't book hotels as we like to get moving when we feel like it.  A few years ago we toured New England and really didn't have any issues with this as there are plenty motels around, but this time we're thinking of renting an RV so we can really go where we want AND have the ability to make our own food.

We don't need one of those mastodonts but something a little bigger than a VW microbus would be nice.     Something with a little kitchen and a small bathroom so we don't have to rely on motels.  Who has any experience with these things and what should I expect to pay to rent one for 7-10 days? 

We looked into renting a smaller -Class C ?- motorhome last winter for a trip we were going to take this summer.

Once we included the cost of fuel and mileage it was somewhere between $4000 and $5000 for a trip between Illinois and Montana and back for 10 days.

I told the Ol' Lady "Fu%$ that, I'll just buy a used one, and after we take a few trips, if we don't want it any more I'll sell it.

Hence the other RV thread I started.

And...

The Montana trip didn't happen. 

[Dino]

Thanks guys!  I think the class C is what we would want so I'll go talk to te rental peeps.  I can drive big rigs so the size itself does not worry me.  A covered bridge in Vermont however may become an issue.   

Are you planning on the New England tour again? If so get in touch and we will have to connect while you are here. I could even get you some free camping spots in the yard or across the street for a few days... If the charger ever gets moving again you could borrow that too.   

NE is high on our list, we just love it there.  Thanks for the offer, I'll definitely get in touch if we're coming your way.

What do you mean if it ever gets moving again??  What happened?

Wifey and I want to get out of the house for a while.  We don't book hotels as we like to get moving when we feel like it.  A few years ago we toured New England and really didn't have any issues with this as there are plenty motels around, but this time we're thinking of renting an RV so we can really go where we want AND have the ability to make our own food.

We don't need one of those mastodonts but something a little bigger than a VW microbus would be nice.     Something with a little kitchen and a small bathroom so we don't have to rely on motels.  Who has any experience with these things and what should I expect to pay to rent one for 7-10 days? 

We looked into renting a smaller -Class C ?- motorhome last winter for a trip we were going to take this summer.

Once we included the cost of fuel and mileage it was somewhere between $4000 and $5000 for a trip between Illinois and Montana and back for 10 days.

I told the Ol' Lady "Fu%$ that, I'll just buy a used one, and after we take a few trips, if we don't want it any more I'll sell it.

Hence the other RV thread I started.

And...

The Montana trip didn't happen. 

Aww that sucks!  I'd love to see Montana myself.

That's quite the bill!!  I'd buy one for that as well.  A motel will probably be cheaper for what we want to do but the experience would be nice as well.  I'll go visit this RV place tomorrow and see what I can find out.  Good luck on you RV search.

[Daytona R/T SE]

Thanks guys!  I think the class C is what we would want so I'll go talk to te rental peeps.  I can drive big rigs so the size itself does not worry me.  A covered bridge in Vermont however may become an issue.   

Are you planning on the New England tour again? If so get in touch and we will have to connect while you are here. I could even get you some free camping spots in the yard or across the street for a few days... If the charger ever gets moving again you could borrow that too.   

NE is high on our list, we just love it there.  Thanks for the offer, I'll definitely get in touch if we're coming your way.

What do you mean if it ever gets moving again??  What happened?

Wifey and I want to get out of the house for a while.  We don't book hotels as we like to get moving when we feel like it.  A few years ago we toured New England and really didn't have any issues with this as there are plenty motels around, but this time we're thinking of renting an RV so we can really go where we want AND have the ability to make our own food.

We don't need one of those mastodonts but something a little bigger than a VW microbus would be nice.     Something with a little kitchen and a small bathroom so we don't have to rely on motels.  Who has any experience with these things and what should I expect to pay to rent one for 7-10 days? 

We looked into renting a smaller -Class C ?- motorhome last winter for a trip we were going to take this summer.

Once we included the cost of fuel and mileage it was somewhere between $4000 and $5000 for a trip between Illinois and Montana and back for 10 days.

I told the Ol' Lady "Fu%$ that, I'll just buy a used one, and after we take a few trips, if we don't want it any more I'll sell it.

Hence the other RV thread I started.

And...

The Montana trip didn't happen. 

Aww that sucks!  I'd love to see Montana myself.

That's quite the bill!!  I'd buy one for that as well.  A motel will probably be cheaper for what we want to do but the experience would be nice as well.  I'll go visit this RV place tomorrow and see what I can find out.  Good luck on you RV search.

Renting them is pretty expensive.

That's why I figured that if I planned on going on a half dozen trips over the next two or three years, ($5000 X 6= $30,000 ) it would be worth looking into buying a used one.

Plus, that would give me a place to stuff the Mother-in-law if she comes for a visit. 


If you do rent one, be aware that the rentals come with an added feature:

A GIANT "Rent me" sign plastered down both sides and across the back. 

[HPP]

That's what I did a few year back, bought a $5k, older unit to see if we'd use it regularly. Fixed a few things in it along the way, and discovered the family like using it enough to put 4-5 trips a year on it. After a few years, we sold it and picked up one made in this century that was still at the lower end of the price scale so we didn't have to carry a mini-mortgage on our mini-home. We still use it pretty regularly and its paid off, so its all worked out good.

[Old Moparz]

The rental cost we had many years ago was reasonable at the time, maybe $500 or so for the week. I can't imagine the price now. 

The maintenance involved with the RV is not much different than having another car. You do have to include additional items like winterizing, cleaning vents & grates, rodent proofing, canopies, awnings, leveling jacks, etc. They are easy once you have a routine, but since it sits parked more than it may be used the lack of use can be a problem. This is another reason why we decided to go with a trailer over the motor-home. If you already have a vehicle set up to tow, the trailer can be a lot less expensive. 

There are places that rent trailers, too, like this one for $630/week.
http://www.rent-n-travel.com/trailers.html

[Mytur Binsdirti]

One of my dreams is to rent something like a Class C camper & drive around the country, just Submit & I,  for 6 months or so. For me, it would be a one-time deal, so I wouldn't want to buy one.

[HPP]

The last two units I bought had almost exactly that trip logged on them. I was very fortunate to pick up coaches that previous owners had maintained meticulous records on, so I was able to trace almost all of their history. My Current class C did a round about trip from Colorado down to the gulf cost and then up to Virginia. My previous class A was purchased in Washington state and spent the first 3 years of its life making a lap around the country.

If you found a decent Dodge cabbed version from the 70s, you could buy one for less than you could rent, and since we are all here, any of usprobably have enough mopar parts lying around to keep one running on a cross country trek.

[pipeliner]

I don't have a class C but I have a 37ft Forrest River Cardinal 5th wheel with 4 slides, plumbed for a washer and dryer and had a built in Onan 4000 generator. I use it for work and traveling. We absolutely love it. I pull it with my old 7.3 Powerstroke and it pulls it great for an 8 ton camper.

[wingcar]

Last month I drove my Class-C on a cross-country road trip that added 7000 miles to the odometer.  From our home base here in the Southwest we drove to Indiana, then North Carolina, up to a town North of Detroit, then over to a town North of Chicago.  (Wanted to visit family members that are getting up in age).  Returned by way of I-80 then down through Colorado, New Mexico and finally back home.  Only had one issue...a bad tire on the rear that needed to be replaced.  It was comfortable and we knew we had a place to sleep no matter where the day ended for us.

If you intend to use an RV more than once or twice a year it could be a good buy, but renting first would give you an idea of what's involved and whether it's something you really like.  It's a big investment to make only to discover that you are not into it.   By renting you can also get a better idea as to what you want/need in a particular model.  The first A-Class I purchased had some major shortcomings that I never thought about when looking for my first RV.  Only took one trip to learn that I didn't want to live with these shortcoming and so I traded it in for the C-Class.  Lucky for me I got most of my money back in the long run as it could have been a very costly learning experience.  Renting an RV is not cheap, but even a weekend trip will give you the opportunity to see what you can live with or without.   Like others have already said, do your homework ask owners, etc.  The salesman is not the best source as they want to sell the unit no matter whether its best fit for you.

Sorry about being long winded.............

[bakerhillpins]

NE is high on our list, we just love it there.  Thanks for the offer, I'll definitely get in touch if we're coming your way.

What do you mean if it ever gets moving again??  What happened?

Hijack...   Cool, would love to have you and maybe even show you a few of the local sights. 

I have been chasing a braking problem all summer. Each step along the path has been fraught with little time wasters/delays mixed in with the rest of my life and it's been over 2.5 months. So much for this summer's cruising season.    What are you gonna do.