Burning Man has a reputation for being tough on RVs. The desert’s heat, dust, and silt already take a toll on vehicles, and this year’s festival piled on thunderstorms, flooding, and even tornado-like winds. It’s no surprise some RV owners and insurers draw a hard line against sending rigs out there.
That’s exactly why one Outdoorsy rental contract spelled it out clearly:
“The RV is strictly prohibited from being taken to music festivals, large gatherings, or similar events (including, without limitation, Coachella, Burning Man, and comparable venues)… The Renter acknowledges that if the RV is taken to Burning Man or similar events… there is NO coverage for damage to the RV itself.”
Risks of renting out your RV – Can you trust the renter?
Ronnie Guinto and his wife, who rent out their 2023 Coachmen Prism through Outdoorsy, asked their renter, Shiban Shakuri, if he was headed to the festival. He replied, “Hi Ronnie, yes confirming I am not going to burning man.”
But once he picked up the keys, Shakuri ditched the AirTag on the keychain and drove the rig straight to the playa. But the owners had a backup tracker hidden in the RV and soon even received a cell phone photo of their Class C parked at Burning Man. Friends of the family were at the festival, and recognized Ronnie’s rig.
When Shakuri returned the RV, Ronnie confronted him: “I really feel disrespected by you.” Shakuri brushed it off, signed the paperwork, and left. But the damage was clear. The awning had been torn in high winds, the roof ladder was ripped from its brackets, and the metal trim was bent out of shape.
“The dishonesty… it’s heartbreaking. I feel like I got scammed,” Ronnie said.
Now, with a lawyer on his side, Ronnie expects he won’t be stuck paying for the repairs himself. “It might have got away with other renters. But Imma get him,” he said. “I think Imma sue him, from all these damages he created, the depreciation, all the time lost.”
A cautionary note for RV owners
Renting your rig can be a good side hustle, but Ronnie’s experience shows it’s not without risk. If you’re considering it, keep these points in mind:
- Read the fine print: Make sure your rental contract clearly bans certain destinations or events, if that matters to you.
- Check your insurance: Confirm what is—and isn’t—covered. Don’t assume festival damage will be included.
- Use tracking tools: GPS trackers or AirTags can help verify where your RV really goes.
- Inspect thoroughly: Document the RV’s condition before and after every trip with photos and videos.
- Be selective with renters: Trust your gut—if a renter seems evasive, it may save you grief to decline the booking.
- Like Ronnie, you might consider “blacking out” dates and not renting your rig when there’s a festival like Burning Man or other function that could lead to a high potential for damage.
Protecting your RV takes a little extra work, but it’s worth it when you consider the cost of repairs—or worse, the depreciation—caused by a single bad rental.
Sources include motorbiscuit.com and KRON 4.
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Thanks, Russ’nTina!!! This story made me laugh. Not at the victim of the blatant dishonesty, but just at the general message /PSA of “BEWARE” that bad stuff can happen at a music festival like Burning Man or Coachella, directed to other potential targets of this dishonesty. Immagonna hope they get satisfaction thru the courts.
Unless it was spelled out in the rental agreement that the renter was responsible for any and all damage, I doubt it would stand up in court. Even the owners insurance probably would not cover the damage unless the insurance company knew he was renting it out and he had a special rental clause listed on the policy.
I estimate that you are correct on all points.
✌️😎
Yup, renter is responsible to all the damage. It’s in my contract.
Good luck, Ronnie! We hope you get this resolved to your satisfaction soon and that the renter is dealt with in such a manner that he never cheats anyone again. Will you keep us posted as to how this turns out? You can write to editor(at)rvtravel.com . I’m sure our readers would like to know. And I’m also sure our readers have learned a valuable lesson by reading your story. So, thank you for sharing it. Have a good night. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
Good luck. You may win the judgement but have fun trying to collect the money. Best to know when festivals are and black those dates out from renting.
Thank you for the news, Russ and Tina! Would be pretty funny if the RV had not been damaged. Funny that the renter expected to not be sued. I wonder if he has deep pockets or relatives/friends who are accomplished lawyers. Still, perfectly demonstrates why we’d never consider renting or loaning our RV; way too risky. Have a great day and safe travels!
Good thing they had supplemental air tags on the RV to prove it was (Burning Man) where it was. I would definitely black out dates on rental RVs when it comes to festivals.
On another note: When I was a kid (6th grade) our family rented a class-a for a 2-week trip. Two things broke. One was me falling and breaking off a knob on floor mounted cabinet (ouch me). The second was a blown exhaust gasket on the engine. We treated the RV kindly, but things break, and do go wrong.
People would be smart not to rent the week of the Burn or Coachella.
Well you got them there with that logic! It is almost a nobrainer.
Even with court judgment, collecting is another story. The legal fees, stress and diminished value will probably exceed the cost of actual damages. I think this is a great lesson as to why renting your RV isn’t as great an idea as the side hustle fantasies suggest. Being a landlord of a property is tough. Being a landlord of one that moves, brutal.
I think renting out your personal RV is even more insane than renting out your personal car on Turo. There’s just too much stuff that breaks too easily in the typical RV when mishandled, be it a motor home or trailer, as most editions of RV Travel will attest. I know people who do rentals as a business with units that are not their personal RVs, and that’s a bit different as they aren’t “their baby” and repairs are expected and part of the game.
As for the lawsuit, they’ll definitely win as the renter clearly violated the contract. (Good move with the redundant trackers) But good luck collecting. People who engage in this level of personal irresponsibility are usually judgement-proof.
If the court awards judgement but it seems you can’t collect, a little research to see if they own a business or property and then add a lien to said property. That’s what you can do here in Massachusettes. Once a lien is added to a business or home it makes it impossible to get a loan or sell until such lien is satisfied. Good luck.
Sorry for your misfortune. Will you rent your rv ever again?
I would never rent out my rig … for the problem stated.