Anyone ever rent an RV?

[Fishman7]

Our family would like to drive across this great nation and see most of the parks, etc and thinking about renting an RV. Anyone ever do it? Advice?

[KFC911]

Depending upon how many weeks and miles you're planning to use it for, and whether you have the means, I would consider buying a used one, taking the trip, then selling it. I'm sure they're dirt cheap in this economy, like boats...people are probably unloading them for virtually nothing. I casually looked into renting one for a weekend music festival several years ago...it was pricey . A long time friend of mine is probably going to lose his job soon (banking IT), and he's already told me he will simply walk away from his 30' sailboat (paid off long ago) to avoid the monthly docking rental (his marina would "win" too as they keep the boat (storage is no issue for them) and sell it). That's probably what I would do...buy, take trip, then sell, or at least weigh the pros & cons vs. ridiculous rental fees.

[Oh Haha]

You need to watch the movie "RV" before the trip.

[Fritz Peyerl]

Wife and I bought a good used RV, spend 2 years on the road through Canada and USA, (still did not see all), than settled down again and sold RV with 35 000 miles
higher than we bought it and lost only $500.00. Total cost of trip was $25 000.00
fuel, living cost replacement equipment which broke on road. Ferry rides to and of Islands in Canada (Vancouver Island and Newfound Land those two ferry rides where almost $1000.00) We towed a car to go to out of way places.
If you have the financial means, health and time, do it, it's an amazing country.

[VincentVega]

A friend did this with his wife for a few months. When he got back he said something about it being cheaper and more comfortable to stay in a nice hotel every night and drive a comfy car. I guess driving a 25+' truck in the right lane all day isnt for everyone.

It sounds like fun, but I'm reminded of his comments every time I think about it.

[Radioactive]

I have done it a couple of ways.

Private party motor home rental (google it). Went from So-Cal to Norcal (Lake Shasta). pros: equipped with most everything TV, DVD, Kitchen stuff and was able to tow a boat. I was there a week so mileage wasn't to big a hit.

Rented from a friend, Lake Shasta again, pros: flat cost no mileage charge, no gen charge.

Borrowed from different friend, Zion, Mt Rushmore and yellowstone. pros: did a couple repairs on it for him. other wise free.

Class A diesel pushers are great for towing but the class c's I thought drove nicer.
Rental units seem to be more striped down than somebody's personal RV.
If you going stay one place very long I would probably go with a class A, roomier.

[sammyg2]

My parents went on a long RV trip all over the country a few years ago, afterward my father told me that they could have rented a stretch limo and had it drive them everywhere, stayed in a 5 star hotels and ate in the best restaurants, and it still would have been cheaper.

RVs do not make sense at all unless you have some emotional stake in them.

[daepp]

Rented one off of craigslist in December. A 2007 Sprinter Winnebago conversion. $125 per day. I just had to insure it. Worked out great.

There's a lot of guys having trouble making payments and are looking for extra revenue. Win-win for everyone.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by daepp

Rented one off of craigslist in December. A 2007 Sprinter Winnebago conversion. $125 per day. I just had to insure it. Worked out great.

There's a lot of guys having trouble making payments and are looking for extra revenue. Win-win for everyone.

I've been looking at the same venue...that is a great deal...how much did insurance run?

Thanks.

[Fritz Peyerl]

If you like to pack and unpack each day and like restaurant food so much, than the car trip, might be cheaper. We like our own cooking, just reach into the closet for some cloth and stop where ever we want, with out looking for a clean hotel. I would say the cost with hotel food and lodging might be a bit cheaper, but the freedom was worth the extra cost.

[Hendog]

We're looking at buying a truck to pull a trailer around. I figure we'll do the RV thing for the next few years. This way we can bring the "zoo" (two labs and a parrot) with us. We'll have the truck year round to do the yard work, get my wife to her part time job, and haul the dogs around, then haul a rented or bought RV trailer in the summer. Life's short, might as well give it whirl.

[aigel]

I did the math and found it cheaper to rent a comfortable car and stay in motels, especially if you plan for a lot of miles in your trip. The rental RV never has a diesel and is very expensive on gas. Also, what nobody has mentioned yet - when you get to the campground, you often pay as much a night for the campground as you would for a cheap Motel. Of course, you can stay at a Wal-Mart every night.

George

[poorsche930]

Originally Posted by aigel

I did the math and found it cheaper to rent a comfortable car and stay in motels, especially if you plan for a lot of miles in your trip. The rental RV never has a diesel and is very expensive on gas. Also, what nobody has mentioned yet - when you get to the campground, you often pay as much a night for the campground as you would for a cheap Motel. Of course, you can stay at a Wal-Mart every night.

George

It's true, a car and motel/hotels are cheaper, more confortable, and less taxing of an ordeal.

A few years ago my friends and I rented an RV to go to Bonaroo. We would have been booted from any hotel, except the one on wheels we drove there.......

[look 171]

We are planning on doing that this May for 3-4weeks. The only thing that I can think of is the parking situtation. Not all hotels will allow RVs. I really don't want to spend more the 3 night straight in a rental RV. I don't think its all that cheap.

[daepp]

National park sites are generally less than #20 per night.

As for insurance, it did not end up costing me anything as my insurance agent was simple able to add it to our existing company policy at no charge.