If you’re renting an RV, there’s a pretty good chance that it won’t be your dream RV. But most longtime RVers will agree that it’s a great way for you to test the waters and see if the lifestyle is good for you.
Renting an RV can also be a great way to see what size and style RV is right for you and your traveling companion(s). More on that here.
Have you ever rented an RV? If so, have you done so more than once or just one time? After you vote, please leave a comment telling us why you rented one and about your experience. If you’ve never rented one, would you like to?
We rented a Class C for our honeymoon and then a pull behind to test if we wanted to buy a motorhome or trailer. Decided on motorhome so he wouldn’t have to keep stopping for me.
Rented a locally owned pop-up a couple of times before we purchased our first truck camper.
We rented twice to destination vacation travel with grandkids. Much cheaper than flying and way more fun!
Renting and RV is certainly the thing anyone who might be considering purchasing an RV should do PRIOR to making that purchase. So many folks don’t realize what is involved with owning an RV or using it. I hear it all the time as to “I don’t like dealing with the black tank” or “I did not know it could be challenging to drive”, etc. Renting one allows you to experience being in and using an RV prior to making that big purchase. “Renting and RV PRIOR to making that purchase” is just good advice. #roughingitsmoothly
When considering whether to try an RV for road trips, we rented a Class B and headed out for 12 days. We made all the newby mistakes, but loved it. That was 2008. We’ve been RVing ever since.
We rented twice in Alaska. It was our introduction to RVing (although we had tent camped every summer for decades). We discovered that we enjoyed it and now live in our class A FT as we mosey about this wonderful country. As mentioned for those considering buying an RV it’s an excellent way to try out the lifestyle before committing.
Borrowed, yes. Rented, no.
Rented a popup tent trailer in 1967 and 1968, for a week each time.
That’s how we got started RVing. We rented a couple of different RV’s to make sure it was a lifestyle we wanted to be a part of.
Part of our due-diligence before buying an RV was renting RVs. The first was a Fleetwood Bounder and we did it through some middle-man outfit. We actually rented from an individual. We drove it from Knoxville, Tennessee to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee and lived in it at a campground for 4 nights. A few years later we rented a Coachmen Mirada from a St. Louis, Missouri RV dealer and drove it to Branson, Missouri and spent five nights in it. Between these, going to RV shows, talking to people, RVing with DW’s parents (including dumping the black tank), and hours of on-line research, we bought our first RV a few years later, in 2016. Thank you, RV Travel and safe travels! 🙂
I never rented one, but I did rent my RV out once on RVEasy. The rental site was fine, but the people who rented my RV were a disaster! Nice family, but did not care one lick about the instructions I gave them. Damage to the basement door, awnings, and a poop mountain greeted me after one week! NEVER again! FYI, RVEasy did pay for the repairs, but not transportation costs to the repair facility.
First year we competed in the Reno Air Races, 1981, we rented an older Dodge motorhome with the Chrysler 440 in it. Parked it right in the pits and had a blast.
Never rented but we did borrow our in-laws’ unit for a cross-country trip.
We flew to Alaska and rented an RV to tour as much as we could for our 25th wedding anniversary over 25 years ago. Since we weren’t retired we figured it was a great way to see Alaska on the limited time we had. The company we rented from appreciated that we were experienced RVers. I have recommended this hundreds of times since.
Rental RVs included in two European RV tours. Rented RVs twice for self-guided tours in England, Scotland and Ireland. And once for a self-guided tour of New Zealand (both islands). Much cheaper than shipping ours to those places. 😊
I was lucky to be bitten by the “RV bug” while still living “at home”. My dad bought a small (19′ motorhome and we (dad, sister, brother, me) and we took a number of trips all over northern California, Oregon and Washington that summer and into the next year. I was hooked. It was decades before I could do anything about it. My husband & I started with a Datsun pickup with a bare shell over the back, then we took the back seats out of a Suburban, added curtains and camped in it with an infant. Then a pickup camper on a Nissan (yes, new enough for the new name), then a tent camper (old style, tent on a trailer), then an “educational” Class A motorhome, then 2 others.
We rented an RV one year – that experience helped us make decisions on our first (and so far only) purchase in 2015