Renting vs buying an RV: Which is right for you?

November 1, 2020 By

So many people are taking to the roadways to travel right now. With COVID cases rising not just in the U.S. but throughout the world, many people don’t want to hop on planes like they once did. Thinking of buying an RV? Read this first!

The safety of a long car drive is probably pretty compelling if you don’t want to be in crowded places with other people, and particularly on a plane or even in a hotel. You might then think you’re going to drive anyway; why not do so in an RV?

Traveling in an RV is the perfect socially distancing means of traveling with your family. 

If you’ve never traveled by RV before, should you rent or should you buy? Even if you have traveled by RV before, but you think you might like to do it again more in the future, is renting or buying better?

Rent First If You’ve Never Traveled by RV

If you’ve never been in an RV, the best advice is to rent one first. 

Traveling by RV can be something that people love. Once they do it, they’re hooked, and they don’t envision every doing it differently. 

At the same time, there are people who romanticize the idea of RV travel, and then when they do it, it doesn’t mean their expectations. 

You certainly don’t want to have started the process of buying an RV just to discover you don’t like it. 

There’s a lot of work that goes into traveling by RV, which many people underestimate. 

If you haven’t traveled by an RV before, luckily, there are rental sites that operate similarly to Airbnb that make it easy to try it out. Go for a short trip initially, because again, there are likely to be many unexpected things that come up that you may or may not like. 

Along with generally getting a feel for it, specific benefits of renting an RV before buying include:

  • You can figure out the configuration you like best. For example, some people like having a kitchen that faces the door, while other people want their sofa facing the door. 
  • You get to drive an RV and understand more about how they handle. 
  • You can start to get a hands-on understanding of how RVs work. 

How Much Does it Cost to Rent an RV?

Of course renting is not an investment the way buying an RV is, but if you already know that you like traveling this way and you’re regularly renting, the costs can add up quickly. 

An RV rental price can depend on a lot of factors but is usually on par with staying in a moderately-priced hotel. 

For example, it can be $100 up to several hundred dollars a night. 

There might also be a lot of extras added on, depending on where you rent from. Extra costs may include extra mile surcharges, and of course you have to pay for gas. 

Maintenance 

If you buy an RV, you have to think about the initial costs of making any big purchase. 

Then, you need to factor in everything else that goes with ownership, such as maintenance costs. 

If You Buy, You Can Rent It Out

In contrast to some of the downsides of buying an RV, there are pros. If you buy an RV, it might be a lucrative investment. Just like you could be considering renting, many other people are as well. When you’re not using your RV, you can rent it out and make some money that will help cover the costs of ownership. 

What to Know About Renting an RV

If you do decide to rent an RV, what should you know in general?

First, renting an RV can be a bit intimidating for a first-timer, so take as many of the unknowns out of it as you can. 

For example, plan your route, budget, and activities you’re interested in along the way. 

Make sure you’re familiar with the types of available RVs so that you pick one that’s going to suit your needs. You need to think about space, and just because you see an RV listing that says it will sleep six, for example, it doesn’t mean this will be comfortable. 

You also need to learn more about the types of campgrounds available and what hookups and amenities they have. 

Overall, if you have no or very limited RV experience, the best recommendation is probably to give yourself at least a few chances to get to know what it’s like with a rental.

Tips for getting your RV summer-ready

May 4, 2018 By

Summer has arrived, and while you might be ready for a family camping trip, or road trip, can the same be said about your RV? If your Class C camper or trailer is still winterized, it’s time to get it summer-ready. You’ll want to begin your preparations a week or more before your first camping trip of the season, to ensure you have time to replace any necessary parts and pack for your trip.

rv-road-trip-tips

Getting your RV summer-ready:

Begin with a basic spring or summer maintenance check, which will ensure your safety while enjoying your RV. Start by checking your batteries and smoke detectors, and checking for any rips or tears in seams. Next, check for leaks to your water system. Run fresh water through the whole system, checking valves, and if desired, sanitize your water pump system with a bleach-water solution after filling your fresh water holding tank with water. Here’s how: turn the water pump on and run water through all hot and cold faucets until you smell the bleach (1/4 cup for every 15 gallons your tank holds). Close the faucets and let sit for twelve hours. Drain and re-fill the tank with potable water, running the water until you no longer smell any bleach.

Check all fluid levels next, then test your hydraulics (if you have them), kitchen appliances, and oil levels. You don’t want any surprises after you’ve left the comforts of home and the conveniences of retail stores.

The day of your camping trip, it’s time to pack up your RV, taking care to secure all loose items. It can be a good idea to place a pad or cushion on the floor of the RV in case items fall (you’ll probably pack a few to sleep on anyway).

Take a walk around your RV, making sure you’ve secured everything on the outside, too, such as bikes and scooters, lawn chairs, or awnings. Check antennas and satellite dishes, and lock all external doors (closing internal doors, too). Empty your black and gray water tanks, and disconnect any cables or cords connected to your RV.

Once you’ve secured everything for travel, it’s time for final safety checks to your headlamps, trailer brakes, tires, and mirrors. It will be hard enough backing into narrow campsites without worrying about your mirror placements!

Lastly, stock your RV with gear you’ll use all summer (the stuff that stays in your RV). These items include travel-friendly magnetic board games, flashlights and lanterns for outdoors (don’t forget batteries), pantry staples like flour, sugar, coffee and spices, and dishware (consider silicone cups, tumblers and wine glasses that won’t crash to the floor while driving…we love silipint’s bright designs.

family RV camping

Upon arrival at the campground:

When you arrive at your campground, it’s a good idea to park near the entry booth (taking care not to block others) and first check out your campsite on foot. This way, you can double check that the needed amenities are ready to use, including any hook-ups or water, and you can make a plan for approaching the site in the RV (backing up or driving through).

Check for any low-hanging branches or rocks in the way, then be sure to stabilize your RV once you’re settled in your spot. At many campgrounds, a campground attendant or camp host is happy to assist with this process if the campground is not busy. Connect your water and power, ensuring they are in working order, then switch your refrigerator from portable power to plugged in power. Set up your campsite with any chairs or awnings, and take a stroll around the campground to meet your neighbors.
The small space afforded by most RVs can make camping challenging, especially if you like to camp in comfort, but it’s possible to save space while still bringing (most of) what you want. Focus on elevated space saving measures: hang items from magnets or hooks, install hanging trash receptacles and organizers, and add dividers or lightweight shelving to your top cabinets.

Dividing storage areas into smaller spaces can help you stay organized and find gear faster; divide bigger cabinets and shelves with office file folder baskets, tension curtain rods, or simple wooden slats.

Keep as much bigger gear outdoors as possible, including your grill, bikes, chairs, and larger kitchen items. Enjoy the great outdoors while keeping your RV neat and organized.


Source: Fix.com Blog

Renting an RV: Tips for RV summer travel

July 5, 2017 By

As a parent, I understand it can be appealing to rent an RV for a family road trip. Your schedule is your own (and so is your bathroom!), and you’re not confined to airports, flight delays, or even hotel reservations. On a whim, you can detour to visit something new, or delay a day to remain somewhere special. Before you take the plunge and rent an RV for a family road trip, however, read the following tips gleaned from hard-earned experience.

rv-road-trip-tips

Weigh the costs to have an affordable RV experience:

Consider what is typical for you while on vacation: do you seek a relaxed experience? Are you content exploring a single destination for longer stretches of time, and do you want the flexibility of making your own meals? Would you rather have your own space (which is mobile!) than nightly hotel rooms that are less flexible? The amount of vacation money you’ll save by renting an RV depends on your road trip style.

Ways to save money with an RV:

  • Stay in one place longer to save on fuel.
  • Plan to cook in your RV or over a campfire.
  • RV reasonably close to home.
  • Skip hotel rooms (more on this below).

If, for example, you normally spend a decent chunk of your vacation budget on hotel rooms, the $30-$45 per night on an RV camping space will be a deal. Of course, if you’re accustomed to renting tent sites, you’ll need to budget for the upgrade necessary for an RV space. As a beginning guide, use this Vacation Value Generator from Go RVing to directly compare vacation prices.

Embrace the RV vacation lifestyle during your road trip:

Repeat after me: you’re not in a hurry. You’re not in a hurry. You’re not in a hurry… The beauty of RV vacations is the slower pace. Plan a route that takes you along scenic byways and off the interstate. Create an itinerary that ensures less mileage and more pit stops. In most cases, it’s more affordable to rent and return your RV at the same city. In other words, travel in a loop instead of in Point A to Point B style.

Consider driving or flying to your destination, then renting an RV:

This combination seemed perfect for us. We knew we wanted to fly from our hometown to our primary destination (in this case, Chicago). From there, we wanted to take it slow, so we planned an RV road trip around the Great Lakes. We didn’t need to rent a car, and skipped all hotel and dining costs while in the region. After our Great Lakes tour, it made since for us to fly to our next destination. The moral of the story? Don’t be afraid to think outside the box and create the transportation combination that works for your family.

Eat on the road so you don’t feel deprived of restaurant dining:

If the thought of preparing all meals while RVing doesn’t appeal, try these ‘tricks’ to feel less deprived of restaurant food:

  • stop at farmer’s markets and roadside stands en route
  • eat a big breakfast out (the cheapest meal of the day) and skip lunch entirely
  • let the kids cook: in an RV, it’s somehow fun to plan and create meals
  • cook over a campfire (we love this Guide to Campfire Cooking)

guide to summer RV camping

Get more tips on RV rental affordability at GoRVing.com. As I disclose whenever applicable, this post was written in partnership with Go RVing. I found the information on GoRVing.com to be useful for planning an RV trip, and hope you will, too.

Photo credit: Trekaroo/mcfam

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