Renting An RV

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October 9, 2014

 

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Renting an RV is one of the best ways to try out the RV Lifestyle without having to shell out the investment required to purchase a vehicle for camping. Several styles and floor plans of RVs are available to rent from the company-owned fleets of Camping World.

Smaller rental companies that do not own their own rental fleets utilize privately owned vehicles for their rentals and you will likely find a larger variety of floor plans but few identical RVs so that finding a specific floor plan may be more difficult than when renting from companies with their own fleets.

You will also find that the availability of certain types of RVs may not be available in rental fleets, such as  vacation trailers and fifth-wheels. Most of the types readily available fall into the Class A and Class C motorhome style (a class A, or bus type, is built from the chassis up, while a Class C starts with a cutaway van chassis and usually has sleeping quarters in an extension above the driver and passenger area). Whether you intend to ultimately purchase your own RV or continue renting for special occasions and vacations, renting an RV gives you the opportunity to try a variety of sizes and floor plans until you find the one that best fits your needs. Here are some additional tips on how to choose your rental RV.

  • Consider the number of people you will be transporting and sleeping, and whether they are couples sleeping together or kids/singles requiring only a single berth.
  • Read the rules and restrictions thoroughly to make sure that your intended use of the RV is not restricted. These restrictions will likely limit number of passengers, prohibit off-road use (read their definition carefully – does it prohibit all use off paved roads, such as on dirt or gravel roads, beaches, etc.). Some may prohibit Death Valley in summer due to the extreme heat. The ramifications of these restrictions are that if you have a breakdown or equipment failure by not following the restrictions (A/C fails due to extreme heat) you could be responsible for the full cost of repair or replacement.
  • When doing the walk-through with the rental agent, pay close attention to how all the systems and appliances work, take notes, and try the various features yourself (also insures that they are working). You don’t want to be out in some remote campground and forget how to light the stove or furnace, or how to dump a full holding tank. Ask for a manual of operations if available.
  • Have the rental agent indicate all damage to the vehicle. You don’t want to pay when you return for pre-existing damage that went unnoticed.
  • Remember that you are driving a vehicle larger than most you have driven. Have a passenger get out and spot you when pulling into campsites and tight parking spaces and especially when backing up.

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