what are the pro's & con's of renting an rv?

We have rented twice, both times in AK. The first time I just picked out a company listed in AK magazine the second time the DW did some research. The first rental was a good rig, Rockwood C, brand new but missing a door on the pass through and BBQ and chairs were extra and a bunch of other stuff. The second time the rental was fron Great Alaskan Holidays, and everything was included in the Winnie we got. The DGKs pulled the socket and plate for the power 12vdc outlet out of the wall. I pointed this out to thegal when she was inspecting on our return. They didn't charge us for the repair. They kinda help you get rid of extra food when you return, some went to a young kid doing his Missionary work for his church and some went to the food bank. The second rental was great and we highly recommend them.

The other folks have given quality advice. When DW and I decided to start rving back in the 90's we rented a small C and went to Yellowstone. The rv had NO owners' manual but he rental agent had gone over the basics so I knew how to fuel up, dump, utilities hook up and the rest. Don't sweat these small details and concentrate on having a good trip. Lots of luck....

Want to see the "pro's" look at the pic's of people renting. Look at all the smiles. They don't care about date codes on tires, windows leak etc...
We enjoy talking with people in rentals, (we also own a ex-rental but don't hold it against or for anybody). Many that are renting are visting from other country's and very interesting people.

A good way to get your feet "wet" on an adventure of a lifetime. RVing.....

Go for it and have fun.


Lakeside

Our experience was a few years ago with Cruise America OKC location. We rented a class A gasser. Not in good repair, but with the explanation that is was scheduled for repairs when it returned. (Mostly body damage.)
They assured us that everything was in working order. Upon return they tried to charge us for the repair or replacement of the exhaust fan under the microwave. Of course we hadn't even used it and even if we had tried to use it and it didn't work, we had already signed off on the unit. They know that during orentation there is no way anyone can check out every thing and most first timers don't even know all to look for.
If it hadn't been for a statment made by one of their employees about the on going steering system problem of this unit. I would have had to pay for the repairs. But when I indicated that I knew of the problem and they had sent the unit out knowing it was faulty, they quickly wanted to get us on our way!!!!

I would thoroughly check out the rental company in terms of their performance and the age of their RV fleet. I would also want insurance in case the RV that was supposed to be reserved was double booked - it has happened to me. Check yelp.com and other sources as the reviews on some outfits are more than 50% negative.

It is a great way to sightsee remote parts of North America while minimizing time on the road on the interstates. I have flown up to Canada and rented RV's there and so 13 out of 14 days have been traveling where I wanted to be and not going to and from my house.

Some will fully stock the RV with cooking utensils and bedding and this minimizes what you need to check in with the airlines. I usually have the RV by noon and hit the nearest supermarket for supplies and we are on the road the same day we arrive.

I would size the vehicle for the area to be traveled. In most places I would opt for a Class B (or B+ with a slideout) as they are easier to park and find campsites for in the west. Out in the desert areas a Class C would be fine.

othertonka wrote:
My experience with a rental was on day one, go to pick it up, you get an orientation, drive home, load it up and then it is too late to start out.

The solution to this problem is to get the orientation prior to your day of pick-up. I would also recommend video recording the orientation because you are not going to remember everything they tell you about every system.

Just be aware of the larger dimensions and you should be fine.

Our first RV experience was the rental of a class C (four days in Lake George). We were hooked and spent the next year researching what we wanted in a trailer. We finally ended up purchasing a KZ Spree Escape and have enjoyed our first full camping season with the season opener being a trip to Disney's Fort Wilderness Campground back in March.

Renting can open the world a little for you.

The wife in front of our rented German motorhome in a Paris France campground.




Paris RV park shown above

Fun place to stay.

My experience with a rental was on day one, go to pick it up, you get an orientation, drive home, load it up and then it is too late to start out. so day one rent is shot. Now when you come home you have to unload it, wash and clean it, fill it up with fuel, take it back. Another day you paid rent but did not get to use it. So take that into consideration when renting. Also check that the fuel is full when you pick it up. When I picked my rental up, the gauge was full but came off of full almost as soon as I started driving and the first tank I got horible mileage compared to the rest of the trip, indicating to me that the tank was not really full when they rented it to me. So check before you leave. Watch the miles as the extra miles over what is allowed can add up real fast. Pay attention during orientation on how everything works and be sure that they do work.

Cost, they charge for everything! As I remember when I looked into it Base Cost + Mileage + every 15 min you run generator additional costs and a bunch of others adds up quick. I decided to buy asI could pay for a used one for a year for what it cost to rent. But I was look at a class A for a long trip out west and it was quite a while ago.