Have you ever loaned your RV to a friend or family member, or better yet, would you? Some people have the mentality “What’s mine is yours!” while others would be fine if they never had to share anything again. Which are you?
If you don’t use your RV often, or keep it in storage for a season or two, why not loan it to someone you know and trust? Well, OK, sure, a few things could go wrong…
Please leave a comment below the poll telling us why you would or wouldn’t loan your RV out. And, of course, vote in the poll too. Thanks!
Go ahead and loan it to a friend, neighbor or relative! But first check with your insurance company! Chances are, the person or persons you let use your RV WILL NOT be covered under YOUR policy and you could be on the HOOK for damages and any costs associated with an accident!
Good point! My insurance covers full replacement value. If someone else’s insurance had to cover damage it would only cover depreciated value, if at all.
I have never, and would never, loan my camper to a friend or relative. My in-laws, after they retired, bought their first camper; a small c-class. They made many trips to Florida to visit friends and relatives they missed while working. A grandson and his family asked to borrow it for a weekend, and even though they had been advised not to loaned it out. The camper ended up totaled and never replaced. My father-in-law quit camping and traveling all together and passed away a few years later from never leaving the couch. Mother-in-law is still going strong, still driving at 92 (so I’m warning everyone to not to be on the same road), and am glad that the camper is gone. She has one speed: put it vehicle in drive and the pedal down until it won’t go any further. She has been told if she has an accident she loses her license and will have to use public transportation, because we are still working and can’t take her.
I regret I loaned my Coleman Popup to the son of our friends. It cost me $1200.00 to repair the damage.Never again.
A friends home burned and wasn’t livable so we took our camper to the local campground and set it up for her and her 2 sons. They stayed in it for 2 weeks and took great care of it. It all depends on the situation on why you would loan out your camper.
I have loaned far too many things over the years that came back damaged, broken, completely destroyed or lost. I have had to travel hours to retrieve tools, tents and other things that people borrowed but wouldn’t return. There are only a few people that I would trust with tools and nobody I would loan my tt to, I’m glad I learned my lesson before making that mistake.
Loaned it to our niece and she treated like a pig pen when we pointed it out to her, she said her mother would clean it. Never again. Son included.
My grandson was playing in a soccer tournament. His coach signed the team up late and most of the motels in that area were reserved. I found a campground close by and reserved a site. I towed my fifth wheel to the campground and set it up. My son stayed there with his family during the tournament. I sat at home, a nervous wreck.
I once towed y 5th wheel to a lake COE campground for my two aunts to use for two weeks. Both were widows and very experienced campers. When I went back to get it the 5th wheel was cleaner than when I left it and I later found an envelope with $100.00 and a sweet note. Another time I took it to a dog show for my cousin to use. She was also an experienced camper and hers was in a dealership “waiting on parts”. Once again very clean and no mishaps
So. All in all my experience was selective with a good result.
I’d put them up in a hotel 1st so not simply no but Hell No.
When we had our fiver and pickup I loaned it to my son and his family. Then I did the same for the motorhome and toad. Isn’t that what a father does for his children?
Loaned it during Sandy for generator use
We offered our RV to friends when this virus stuff got so serious here in Tennessee, probably sometime in April. The husband is an Emergency Room doctor and we thought that he needed a place to live apart from his wife. He ultimately thanked us, but declined the offer. Aside from that we have never offered, let alone actually loaned our RV.
Voted no, but only because no one ever asked. As for our kids, we feel we are so blessed. When we bought it, one of the first things we did was make extra sets of keys. They have never asked to use it, but they know they are welcome if they want. If they did use it, we know it would come home cleaner than it was when it was new, and full gas and propane tanks. Like I said, we are so blessed with awesome kids, awesome spouses, awesome grandkids.
Our son-in-law put in battery in backwards in our loaned out camper and burned it to the ground
Omg
We use it as a “guest cottage”, but only on our property. We see enough mistakes just this way. The thought of letting someone unaccustomed to driving something 32 get long … just nope.
Son borrowed our travel trailer for a few weeks when he moved to another state before he found a place to live. Loaned a 5th wheel and travel trailer to medical personnel during covid so they could keep their families safe while living in driveway. Took good care of them and called when they couldn’t figure something out.
I have. Will not do it again.
No but I gave the daughter my old class C when we went to a fiver
We tell everybody our motorhome entertains 6, dines 4 and sleeps 2…’nuff said!
FAR too many things can go wrong with an RV. Couple that with the fact that RV repairs are often very expensive (and sometimes dangerous) as well as time consuming and, I can NOT imagine loaning or renting out my expensive motorhome to anybody. There ARE business entities that do rent (often basic) RVs. I would direct people who asked to borrow or rent my RV to one of those businesses.
We have not loaned our 5th-wheel out but for a few years we borrowed one. And it was nasty! They loved us borrowing it because they received it back very clean.
Never have, never will.
NO WAY There’s enough to get back in order after just a few days as a guest cottage.
Once to in-laws. Left meat in fridge and left items at camp. Had a check list, but it was ignored. Never again.
Loaned to our son for hunting camp. Came back with dirty carpet and generator broken which took over a year to fix! Loaned to a friend for six weeks and came back with heater circuits broken and hot water heater broken. Never again!
A year into owning my class B I’m still learning. Would never loan it out.
Anyone who could properly manage an RV probably already has one of their own.
and we never will. nobody will take care of our MH nearly as well as we do. One sure way to destroy a familial or friend’s relationship is to loan money, go into business with them or loan them valuable property.
Yes, loaned it to relatives, He is a great mechanic and she’s my wife’s cousin. They and their friends, a couple that owns a body shop used it for a week. It came back in perfect shape. No need for their professional services, but great to loan it to them.
I’ve seen how some family members do not take care of their vehicles or a previous RV they had. Ain’t about to loan them our travel trailer – not even for just one night.
State Farm will not cover an RV if loaned unless the borrower is previously named as a user of the vehicle.
That sure would be a deal breaker!
Thanks for that info. I didn’t think of that.
Son has RV out right NOW, in Kentucky. Rent NEVER loan, sure if I know you not a
I D ten T.
No. I paid my retirement for it. They didn’t.
Loaned to both family and a friend. No regrets. I am thankful!
Did, and NEVER WILL AGAIN!!! I’m still paying for that “favor”.
Yes. After spending 4 days detailing the entire inside of a newly inherited, neglected Motorhome we let our son & daughter in law take it for a long weekend. Big mistake. Should have known better by the way they already live. It was returned full of dog hair and filthy. When confronted they blamed each other. These are 35 yr old college educated professionals. Professional slobs is what they are. Never again.
I don’t want to have to clear out personal items or worry that something will be broken, so I won’t loan my rv again. I loaned my Class C to one of my daughters and her boyfriend for a weekend. It came back with bugs layered on the front cabover window and on the whole front end. Since I thought a family member would be considerate and clean it before returning it, that cured me of ever loaning my rv again.
I think most people would let a close family member use their camper, but no one else. Let’s face it, every camper has unique characteristics and quirks. As the owner, I know these and how to work with them. Explaining the operation to someone for a weekend does not sound like a workable situation. And having to correct issues is not something we like to do. Don’t want to sound mean, but sometimes protecting your investment has to take point!
It’s just this simple NO, NEVER, NO WAY EVER!
Once, Never again!!!!
Same here!
This is like you inviting the relatives over for the weekend and let them sleep in your bed. Are you going to do that?
I wouldn’t even consider such a bizarre question. There are so many things that could go wrong that could cost a huge amount of money.
I rented my pickup truck and trailer to some neighbors that I only knew fairly well. This was after they agreed to two hours of training and a test drive. I’m very glad I did it they had a wonderful time. I also wrote up some checklists for them which they obviously followed period it was very clean when it came back. I would definitely consider doing it again for someone I knew well.
Loaned to a friend who needed a place to live while working away from home .
no problem
loaned to son a few times for weekends, no problem.
this an 18 foot travel trailer..