Top tips for planning your motorhome rental adventure
Malcolm Street shares some essential tips to get you started on your motorhome rental adventure.
Motorhome touring is a great way to travel
In Australia, there are a number of motorhome rental operators. The same applies to places like New Zealand, North America, Britain and any number of countries in Europe. It makes a fly/drive holiday a desirable proposition. In addition to the commercial rental companies, there are organisations like Camplify, from which privately owned motorhomes can be hired.
Numerous rental motorhome companies operate in Australia. Maui RV Rentals, Britz Campervans, Mighty Campers, Apollo Campervans, Cheapa Campa (all owned by Tourism Holdings Ltd), Let’s Go Motorhomes, Star RV, JUCY, and Cruisin’ Motorhomes all have operations in here.
In New Zealand, a nice, accessible destination, most of those rental operators are there too, but others like Wilderness Motorhome Rentals and McRent rent out luxury German-built motorhomes. The motive power is much the same as in Australia — Fiat Ducato, Mercedes Benz Sprinter and a more significant presence of Ford Transit.
In Australia, all the rental firms have depots in capital cities, usually close to an airport. For one-way trips to popular places, major centres like Broome (Western Australia), Alice Springs (Northern Territory), and Cairns (Queensland) also have rental motorhome depots.
Vehicle planning
Before any trip, research is fundamental. All the rental companies have websites with plenty of detail about the various campervans and motorhomes. It’s essential to check out the inclusive features. Most Australian and New Zealand companies have standard items, including kitchen utensils, bedding and towels. However, for some North American rentals, the ‘kitchen kit’ and ‘linen kit’ — important things you cannot do without — are extras!
If you live near one of the rental depots and have never rented a motorhome before, it’s not a bad idea to look at rental prospects. Be aware that some operators have several different names in their stable, like Maui/Britz/Mighty. The motorhomes are all similar but vary in age and rental cost.
Don’t be phased by left-hand-drive motorhomes in North America and Europe. It takes a few days to adjust, but it can be a great driving experience. A great way to get more confident is to hire a car-sized vehicle for a couple of days to get used to left-hand drive. Motorhomes in North America are generally larger than in Australia, but so too are the roads and camping spots!
Which layout
It might sound a bit cautious but take into account personal comfort levels. A two-berth campervan might look like a good bargain; for some, the simple outdoor lifestyle is a great attraction. However, making the bed every night after a long day on the road is a chore to many and not having an onboard loo is an inconvenience at nighttime. There might be a few stresses if a couple or a family find living in a confined space difficult, especially if the weather conditions could be more pleasant.
Larger motorhomes cost more, and our requirements are all different, but one of my travelling preferences is for a fixed double bed or single beds that don’t have to be made up every night.
Most rental motorhomes and campervans are built with a flexible layout, meaning seats that can be folded down into beds. A two-berth campervan will have seating for two which either folds down into a bed or makes up two single beds. Four berths will have seating for four and beds for four. A six-berth will have two dinette/lounge areas and the bed will be in the Luton peak. Most rental motorhomes don’t have a fixed double bed at floor level. There are exceptions to this, of course. For instance, Let's Go uses Jayco layouts, some of which have a fixed double bed, as do some Cruisin’ layouts. Wilderness and McRent in NZ also offer motorhomes with fixed double beds.
An alternative to commercial motorhome rental operators is platforms that are the equivalent of Airbnb in the hotel/motel world. Camplify is one of the biggest, offering privately owned motorhomes and caravans for rental. The advantage of this is that a wide range of retail motorhomes are available, many of which are different from the more conventional rental motorhomes you’ll find elsewhere. Location could be an advantage in some cases and not in others.
Destination planning
When planning any trip, it’s always a good idea to have a touring route in mind and the time of year. Off-season rates are often cheaper than peak times (i.e., summer months, school holidays and public holidays), and most companies offer early bird rates. One-way hires are more expensive than returning to the original depot but can often be more convenient. However, it’s prudent to check on the one-way cost both ways. One-way hires can sometimes be cheaper if reversing a popular route, say Broome to Perth rather than the reverse, similar to Christchurch to Auckland. It pays to check. Be aware that motorhome rental companies often restrict where you can take the vehicle. Usually sealed roads, although short drives to camping grounds are generally acceptable. And don't forget to check that your destination is RV-friendly; many national parks only accept tents and small campers. Caravan parks, holiday parks and the like shouldn't pose an issue, but a handy tip is to plan in advance to make sure they have enougb space, especially if you are travelling in a larger vehicle.
A cheap deal
If you are a bit flexible in choosing a time of travel, then undertaking a relocation drive can be extremely cheap. Motorhome rental companies often have motorhomes in one place and need them in another. For as little as $1.00 per day, you can be the delivery driver for, say Brisbane to Alice Springs or Calgary to Montreal in Canada. Of course, there are conditions and time limits, but it's worth checking out. Head here for further details.
Insurance
As part of this process, it’s a good idea to understand the insurance excess details and various waiver costs. It might look expensive, but the alternative might be even more costly. Some travel insurance covers the same thing and it’s a good idea to check which is the cheaper. Another option is to take out the excess insurance with a company like RentCover. Get a quote — it may well be cheaper than that offered by the motorhome rental company.
Packing
Rental motorhomes often have less storage space than their retail counterparts, so it is a good idea to travel with soft-sided bags where possible. They are much easier to store away in the under-seat storage when not being used. And when it comes to choosing your clothes for the trip, lightweight layers work better in cooler temperatures than single heavier items.
Storage in rental motorhomes often consists of large open spaces rather than smaller shelved areas. Packing cubes of different sizes, like those made for organising suitcases when flying, are also suitable for motorhomes with high overhead lockers. Wine boxes laid on their sides also make good temporary shelving.
These days, when we all have numerous devices that require charging, a multi-outlet power board is a handy and functional item to have onboard. Rental motorhomes have power points but are only sometimes in convenient places.
I like to carry a set of micro screwdrivers and a Leatherman multitool. These are great for minor repairs on the road — everything from reading glasses to loose screws in the motorhome.
Departure day
With a rental motorhome pickup, preparation can often be done beforehand, which can save time on the day. Paperwork like your licence (and passport) details can often be done online. Some companies have videos about various aspects of motorhome operation — items like the fridge, water pump and gas system — to ensure you’re up to speed and ready to go once you’ve got the keys in hand.
If doing a fly/drive holiday, it’s often a good idea to fly into your destination the night before and do an early morning pickup. In recent years, most rental companies have fine-tuned their methods and typically adjust them to fit the user's experience. Camplify operates similarly and has quite an extensive checklist that's important for a motorhome that you are unfamiliar with.
Something else to do before departure day is to order food and drink supplies online. A supermarket is usually the first place to visit after collecting your motorhome, so being able to do a ‘click and collect’ order can save considerable time.
After all that, it's time to grab the motorhome keys and hit the road for an enjoyable trip.
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