Newbies renting brand spanking new RV....help!

lovetoskifloridian wrote:
Hi everyone! We finally found ourselves a brand new 30 foot RV to rent ONE WAY from Chicago to Florida, (I was afraid to rent a used one because I am very...umm...particular). I have been reading your forum and others until my eyes bleed but feel like a direct question to you wonderfully kind people would help me greatly.

Are you renting a motor home or travel trailer?

Just take enough food for about 5 days. That will fit nicely in your fridge/freezer and feed your family everyday if you choose to cook in the RV. Then stop at Walmart for anything else you find you will need as you are traveling.

Regarding your route. Google maps most likely will have you taking the route thru Chattanooga. My personal advice would be to avoid Chattanooga at all costs if you are not familiar with driving an RV and/or steep grades.

I am a seasoned Rv'er and I take a different route to Florida just to avoid that steep grade. I think it's a 7% grade straight down!! Others from California will chime in and say to you that it is not steep and go for it. "I" found it to be a problem to avoid! :W

Have a safe trip RV'ing and have fun! :C

.

I see you already have trailer experience. I was going to suggest to camp out in your driveway for a couple of nights - This was the best way for to us to figure out what we might be needing...

We always like to spot the closest WALMARTS and LOWES when we travel and stop somewhere. These two stores always have what we might be needing...

I'm on the other side of the spectrum of driving something brand new. Being used means to me that someone else has found all the flaws already...

Your Chinese 'BOMB' tires will be the first thing to go hehe... I lost my first one bringing my brand new trailer home from the dealership.


Roy Ken

Excellent advice given above. While we have towed our travel trailer to FL several times (from Chicago) one year we rented a 31' class Cfrom Camping World and drove to Orlando and back during winter break. A stop to Walmart bought us all we needed for the trip. We tend to pack heavy and since we have TT experience we knew what to buy. Just in case you forget something there are numerous Walmarts and Camping Worlds along the way. That year we stayed at several of FL state parks and experienced a new style of camping compared to Yogi Bear. One stop we were at a manataa refuge another we literally were on the beach (Flagler city). One year we flew to FL and rented a 31' Class C (El Monte) so like you we had our suitcases to start with but again a quick stop at Walmart got us what we needed and we stayed at Disney RV Campground.

With the El Monte rental the MH wouldn't start at the end of the night at Disney World but a call to their roadside assistance directed me to a loose nut somewhere in the electrical system. In the Camping World MH the slide got stuck out at a truck stop but it was extremely cold and their roadside helped me then also (breaker?). Try to get a grasp of the systems during the orientation or and read their rental handbook if the have one.

Realize that the fuel economy probably won't be as good as the rental salesperson says especially if you are going over 60 mph. I think they told me 9-10 mpg but speeding there in the cold going through the mountains it was more like 6-7 mpg.

Your family will enjoy this, while I'm writing this makes me want to do it again lol

You might want to check with whomever you're renting from, what to do if there's problems with the motorhome? A brand new unit is un-tested and hopefully whatever goes wrong will be minor enough that you can ignore it until you turn it in. But, if not, who do you call?

See if they'll start the refer for you a day before you get there. It takes a while for them to cool down. The cold travels from the freezer (on top) to the bottom of the refer. It doesn't have cooling coils down the side and back like a household refer, so don't pack it so tight that the cold can't travel downwards.

Make sure they give you a good walk around to explain everything. And both of you should participate because there will be a lot to absorb and each of you will forget parts of what you're told.

NO, don't cook going down the road. If the (new) driver taps the brakes there goes the hot food all over the place and it may land on you or one of the kids. Nothing like spending the vacation in a burn hospital..... You can reheat solids in the microwave if the generator is running, but don't do liquids.

Use paper plates and plastic silver wear.

Use the gas buddy app on your phone to save on fuel costs.

Travel time will definitely be longer than what Google says. The kids are going to need to get out and run around some. And the driver will need rest breaks, especially if they're nervous to start with. There's an app called Rest Stops for breaks. Get the mirrors adjusted correctly.

Who do you call if you get a flat? Is there a spare and can you change it yourself? Take an air gauge to check the tire pressure - make sure the pressure is right before you take off. Check them at least once a day. If you get a flat on one of the rear duals and you don't catch it, it will cause all sorts of expensive damage when the tread comes off of the tire. There's lots of electrical lines, water lines and holding tanks near the rear wheels that are usually damaged if the tread comes off of the tire.

Find out if the refer runs off of three way power - 12 volt, 110 volt and propane. The important thing is to know if it will switch between propane and 110 volt automatically when you go from driving down the road on propane to plugging it in at an RV park.

Often the AC and the furnace run off of the same thermostat - make sure they show you how to operate it.

The hot water heater will run on propane and 110 volts. Usually if it's hot in the morning when you leave, it will stay at least warm enough to wash hands and faces all day. If it doesn't you can run it on propane while driving. If the main body of the MH gets too hot, you can run the generator and therefore run the roof air conditioner also while driving.

If you're going to travel with eight bags, make some of them duffle bags so they will fold up and use less space in the MH. Check if they'll provide hangers in the closet or if you have to take them.

As for bedding, you might consider only taking some sheets and then buying some cheap sleeping bags at Wal-Mart in Chicago.

Take a good map or road atlas with you, I'd also take a GPS. A lot of people like the GPS on their phones. I can't stand them because they're too small for me. Know how to use whatever you're taking.

And the most important thing - since it's a new RV, make sure they give you a sewer hose and show you how to use the valves. Remember, empty the black tank first, then the gray tank so that the gray water flushes the sewage out of the line. And a water hose.

Have fun.

Bill

I'm the last guy to ask this question. since I take every thing but the kitchen sink when I RV. unless you are going to eat in restaurants you will need at least one frying pan and other cooking devices. paper plates and plastic forks, etc. bedding and towels bath soap, napkins, every day stuff. you just do a mental of what is in your house and what you think you can't live without and buy it and use it. have fun on your trip.

Camping in an RV is not the same, comfort wise, as a tent. I just want to reassure you haha. I am sure there are lots of tent campers who would disagree but I say nay nay.