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

Keep in mind for a Class C that the rear will be wider than the front - easy to clip a tree or whatever. Have fun!

We rented for 3 years before taking the plunge.

Pro's:
1. You get to experience RVing before making a huge investment.
2. Learn RVing ins and outs on someone else's rig.
3. After your trip, you give it back. The problems you experienced during the trip are no longer yours to deal with.

Con's:
1. Renting is EXPENSIVE! They charge for everything.
2. You USUALLY are not allowed to tow with a rental unit. Some places block off the hitch or pull it out completely.
3. Who knows how other renters lived in that RV?

All I can say is don't rent from an individual unless there is some kind of road-side assistance. I always rented from the big companies, just in case stuff hit the fan while on the trip.

Just me $0.02. Hope it helps.

-Ron in SoCal

Thanks everyone. this has helped out a lot in my research.

We used to rent for several years before buying and rented a variety of Class C's from 24 to 32 feet.

Pros

Get RV experience without a huge investment. 1 week total cost comparable to renting a decent vacation home + driving your car somewhere. But mobile instead
Get to try out various models
No need to store or maintain RV or think about when not using
Not insuring RV when not being used
Always got to take the dog
Worked well when we wanted to RV 1 or 2 times/year. Later when we wanted to go more we bought

Cons

Auto insurance policy no longer covered RV, had to buy daily insurance from RV rental place

How well maintained are the RVs? Other renters make a lot of mistakes and are careless so there may be hidden damage. We had rigs where the brake light came on when pressed, toilet leaked on floor (previous renter drove over something and tore off black tank, not correctly repaired).
With our own rig we know exactly how it is maintained.

Have to schedule in advance for peak season

Have to eat cleaning charges since no desire to clean when getting back from trip. Usually did a quick clean on interior but exterior cleaned only 1-2 times.

Need a 10 day rental to allow for pickup and return days, loading and unloading, to yield 7-8 days of travel

loading/unloading quickly is a chore

How are water hose (bought own) and sewer hose?

Don't know exactly which motorhome or what condition you will get when rental time arrives, rental place may substitute another unit...got a 32 foot one time when we wanted a 26 foot.

Con - I found that most dont allow dogs in the RV. (so make sure you vaccuum it out good if you bring a dog...).

The costs of renting an RV were the main reason we bought one!
By the time we added up the daily rental fees, and the mileage fees, insurance, and the fuel costs, it just wasn't worth it.

It might have been foolish, but we instead bought a used Sprinter Class B and have never looked back. Still lovin' it!

Best of luck to you whatever you decide.

Lots of good stuff already said!

Our 1st rv trip was in a 25ft C from Cruise America. We learned SO much on that trip that, as was said, we were hooked! The unit we rented was nearly brand new with 15K miles on it. It pays to ask, don't settle for a tired horse. They tried to put us in a older, warn out unit, but we refused!
You will learn your own pros and cons as you go. That was part of the fun! It wasn't cheap to rent, lots of extras and add-ons especially if you don't have your own gear!

A great way to get a taste of RVing. The add ons add up but you can bring your own or start with a trip to Walmart.

Between picking it up & stocking it the first day is a write off as is the last day packing up & returning it making a one week rental pretty much a waste of time & money.

Pick the rental company carefully & read up on all the details first.

Pro/Con, you decide: There is an extremely high likelihood that your rental experience will be followed closely by a buying experience.

Con - You will need deep pockets as renting an RV is very expensive!
Con - You get it empty and have to return it clean and empty. That's a lot of work.
Pro - You use it and then hand it back when done.
Pro - Great way to figure out if RV'ing is for you.

I would try to negotiate the rental so that you can pick it up late in the day before you leave and not be charged for that day. That way you can fill it up in the evening and head out the next morning - day one of the rental. Can't hurt to ask.