Rookie Considering Purchase

[JAC34]

I expected mostly negative responses to this as I understand it’s a HUGE risk. But, I just rented one myself and the amount of protection the owner has is more than enough to cover any issues as well as the security deposit.

I had to pay for a robust insurance policy through RV share that is all mandatory. Additionally, I had to provide a 2k security deposit on my credit card.

At $359/night plus all the fees, insurance, mileage overage fees, generator use overage fees and tank emptying fees, the owner is very well covered financially. That is what got me interested in this idea. With my credit card in their hand, I very much treated it like my own and even went above and beyond to return it as perfect as I found it.

Anything that gets ruined, which I doubt would be much beyond minor issues, would easily be covered by security deposits and claims from the insurance requirements. They also provide roadside assistance through outdoorsy so the owner doesn’t have to deal with any emergencies.

Will easily cover my costs while also enjoying it when we can and won’t feel guilty when it’s sitting idle. Going through a rental mgmt company will also save me all the time of turning it over and I can use it whenever I want.

I am going to give it a try and will provide my feedback after some rentals in case anyone else is considering this option.

Thanks for all the things to consider, very helpful!!

[Ga Migrator]

My wife and I are a year into ownership. I believe you must decide upfront what you objectives are before considering what buy or rent. We are probably enjoying our last hooray at 77 years old and have travel to many out of country places in country places, but by airplane and saw only what was at the destinations. We decided that we wanted to see the USA from selected back roads to unique spots that we would otherwise never see. We did not think extended camping was our cup of tea. In other words, we would be on the move with maybe 3 to 5 days in anyone spot. We did our research and settled a Winnebago Navion 24D. We just completed a 3,000 mile trip into the far northeast with longest stay in Stowe, Vt. Our rig is not for you. There is two of us and if I was younger with a family it would need to be something starting at 30 plus feet. Renting to find out what like is mildly helpful but you really don't get know your rig and it oddities and amenities until you have traveled in it for quite while.

GA Navigators
2021 Winnebago Navion
With Ford Feista tow

[JAC34]

Anyone have experience with MicrobeRepel or ExteriorShield? These are applications the dealer is offering to prep the coach at pick up.

Additionally, they are offering a Multi Seal product for the tires to help with slow leaks, flats, etc.

Are these legit and helpful or just a gimmick from the dealer?

[SJ-Chris]

Originally Posted by JAC34

I expected mostly negative responses to this as I understand it’s a HUGE risk. But, I just rented one myself and the amount of protection the owner has is more than enough to cover any issues as well as the security deposit.

I had to pay for a robust insurance policy through RV share that is all mandatory. Additionally, I had to provide a 2k security deposit on my credit card.

At $359/night plus all the fees, insurance, mileage overage fees, generator use overage fees and tank emptying fees, the owner is very well covered financially. That is what got me interested in this idea. With my credit card in their hand, I very much treated it like my own and even went above and beyond to return it as perfect as I found it.

Anything that gets ruined, which I doubt would be much beyond minor issues, would easily be covered by security deposits and claims from the insurance requirements. They also provide roadside assistance through outdoorsy so the owner doesn’t have to deal with any emergencies.

Will easily cover my costs while also enjoying it when we can and won’t feel guilty when it’s sitting idle. Going through a rental mgmt company will also save me all the time of turning it over and I can use it whenever I want.

I am going to give it a try and will provide my feedback after some rentals in case anyone else is considering this option.

Thanks for all the things to consider, very helpful!!

[I stumbled across this post as I was searching for something else and it made me curious to see if there was an update from the original poster. Disclaimer: I do rent out a few RVs, but I do it in a way that is NOTHING like what anyone here would consider "typical".]





Just curious....did you end up buying one and renting it? If so, care to share an honest assessment of how it has worked out? As I said, just curious...


From your above post, I would have cautioned you about your rental rate expectations... Most people want to spend $100-$200/night on an RV rental. During much of the year, renters can rent from a large outfit like Cruise America for ~$120-170/night. You won't have many people renting for $300-$400/night.


If you are renting it out, you also should always know every year the dates for Burning Man.... If you don't know why, well...hope you don't mind never-ending Playa dust.


Hope it is working out well for you!
Chris

[VentanaOdyssey]

Just my 2 cents based on your OP.
1. Don't rent it out.
2. Buy used.
3. Class A would be much easier to set up and more comfortable to drive plus it is nice to be able to use the kitchen and bathroom while driving.
4. Buy a reliable brand.
5. Based on your OP gas RV is the way to go.

[Max Headroom]

Originally Posted by JAC34

Hello all,

I am completely new to this and just starting my research. I've always loved the idea of RVing and recently rented a Class A motorhome with the family for a weekend.

I'm now considering a purchase but I am thoroughly lost on travel trailer vs motorhome, although I really prefer the motorhome concept.

We have 2 children ages 7 & 10 and realistically won't have a ton of time to do trips between their sports activities and life itself.

So, given I just rented one myself, I'm considering a purchase but will definitely rent it on RVshare, etc to A-not waste it sitting in a lot, B-recoup some of the expense.

I don't even know where to start but looked at a few class A and C motorhomes. I don't own a truck so if I went travel trailer, I would have to get a pick up and don't want anything bigger than an 1/2 ton.

Few questions to start:
1. If you're considering renting it, what would be most rentable?
2. If you go with a motorhome, class A or C for family of 4? I didn't mind driving the class A rental, but thinking many people may be scared to drive them compared to C
3. Top 3 quality brands that won't give me too much of a headache maintianing

I realize I will get many mixed opinions here but I really need a starting point!!

Thanks in advance for your knowledge

I'm not a seasoned vet like some folks here, but I have owned 2 class A coaches. A 40' DP, and my current coach a 30' gasser



My take on this

Never rent or loan out your coach. Never, ever, ever.
Now go back and read that first sentence again.


This (and other) RV forums are chock full of loaner horror stories.


Renting coaches is a business where the coach itself is going to be considered a somewhat disposable item, where the cost is amortized over a fleet of them, rented out at exorbitant prices.
No matter how attractive these rental managing (time share) places make it sound for you to rent your coach, it's a disaster waiting to happen, and there is no fleet of coaches to amortize the cost over. But they don't care, it's your coach, and they have zero skin in the game, and it's all profit for them.

Even the best quality RV is a fragile item, with many expensive things that can get damaged from misuse, not understanding how things work, etc. There is damage that can be done, that you don't see. Example: Overheating engines and/or transmissions can suck the life right out of them, but as long as it doesn't totally fail during the rental, you wont know. But you can easily lose 20% (or more) of life expectancy from an overheat event that doesn't disable the coach.
And who pays for months of downtime waiting for some unobtainium part to show up at a salvage yard?
And what about legal battles over who's fault something is?
Driving a large coach is not for everyone, and if you rent it enough times it will come back with damage to a part that is hard to repair or replace. Specifically end caps and baggage compartment doors. If the coach you buy is a DP, double down on what I said, as there are a lot more things to go wrong that are pricey. Hey, hit a discarded tire tread laying in the road, and next thing you know you're looking at 3 to10K worth of damage to the CAC and/or radiator. That's just one small example.

Based on what you said, do yourself a huge favor and buy an older, less expensive class A gasser, and forget about renting. Just spend a lot less up front so you don't need that rental income. And don't sweat the time the coach is just sitting. Trust me it won't sit as much as you think once you own it.
Part of the fun of owning the coach is having your stuff already in it, so you can just get in and go. Last Independence Day, fireworks started scaring my dogs, so I loaded up a few groceries, and we were off to a nice quiet state park an hour later. Why in the world would you want to wait in line to use your coach? And then have to load/unload all your stuff?

[JAC34]

So, yes, I decided on a used 2022 Entegra Esteem 31F class C MH. It was only a yr old with 3500 miles.

Bought it in Dec 2022 and first rental was in April. It’s been rented out non-stop since. I used it for 2 personal trips so far this year and have 2 more planned this year. I have bookings through most of August, Sept, and a few in Oct.

I ended up renting through a 3rd party and through July have just about covered my payments for the entire year.

Of course there has been some minor damage to it but I also did some myself! All have been accidents that happen and nothing major. All things have been covered through the renters insurance so nothing out of my pocket.

Having a mgmt company handle it has been totally worth their fee. They handle the bookings, cleanings, listing, renter calls, and any maintenance needed like oil changes, etc. I also did some of that myself when I took it out just to learn how to maintain things.

Already considering a second unit to have and put into rental use as well. Looking at some class As and possibly a super C.

If anyone stumbles across this thread and considering renting their own, happy to answer any questions.

You just have to be comfortable with some things going wrong. But, if you own an RV, you know something always goes wrong, that’s part of ownership!

[Gary P.]

Originally Posted by JAC34

Hello all,



I am completely new to this and just starting my research. I've always loved the idea of RVing and recently rented a Class A motorhome with the family for a weekend.



I'm now considering a purchase but I am thoroughly lost on travel trailer vs motorhome, although I really prefer the motorhome concept.



We have 2 children ages 7 & 10 and realistically won't have a ton of time to do trips between their sports activities and life itself.



So, given I just rented one myself, I'm considering a purchase but will definitely rent it on RVshare, etc to A-not waste it sitting in a lot, B-recoup some of the expense.



I don't even know where to start but looked at a few class A and C motorhomes. I don't own a truck so if I went travel trailer, I would have to get a pick up and don't want anything bigger than an 1/2 ton.



Few questions to start:

1. If you're considering renting it, what would be most rentable?

2. If you go with a motorhome, class A or C for family of 4? I didn't mind driving the class A rental, but thinking many people may be scared to drive them compared to C

3. Top 3 quality brands that won't give me too much of a headache maintianing



I realize I will get many mixed opinions here but I really need a starting point!!



Thanks in advance for your knowledge

Well you got lots of advice. All I’ll add is, if I’d known everything I’ve learned about RVs since I bought ours, I probably would not have ever bought one.
Don’t get me wrong, we love traveling in our trailer, but I’ve been repeatedly disappointed in the quality of our trailer. It’s as if the manufacturer ( or the workers ) did not really care at all if the trailer was constructed well. I’ve repaired many things that just weren’t done correctly by the mfg.
If you haven’t already, you will hear stories about owners of brand new, highly rated brand RVs arriving with severe construction issues that led to expensive damage. Uncrimped water lines that flooded the unit where it couldn’t be seen until severe damage happened or poorly installed sealants underneath that allowed water to cause floor delamination by water entering underneath as you drive down the road. Who would expect that in a new unit?
The kinds of things you can’t see unless you examine every inch of the unit and QC every system, something no one does, including the companies that build them.
So if you go forward, be super diligent in your examination of any unit you consider. Be suspicious of everything.

[twogypsies]

Originally Posted by Gary P.

Well you got lots of advice.

Read the post above yours from the OP. He already bought and has been successful.

[PKI]

Since the OP has purchased their RV, this post is for the newbies who are still looking.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6TlFTEbiAQ&t=382s

These folks have towed a bumper pull, a fifth wheel, and are back to a bumper pull Airstream, but they purchased the WanderBird and did a Route 66 trip before putting the rig on display at the Motorhome Hall of Fame. Look at the layout, it might work for you. Look at their prior and current right as well.

Pros - no slides and a vintage coach with simple systems.

Cons - Cat engine is not high HP and it is an older coach with all the maintenance that involves including prior owner make do fixes. Note - old systems.

We towed a 23ft Airstream with our existing BMW X5. That is a bit small for a family of 4, but at the same time we picked ours up, a couple with three kids purchased an alternate version of the 23 that has a bunk over the main bed.

What should you do? Research, research, research.

We drove a rental Class C to pick up our Class A. It got us from here to there and had a lot of room for our gear. But it was noisy and a tight fit. Brother may upgrade from a trailer and truck to a Class C and trailer so he can take his Harley.

You have to do enough research to figure out what works for you. RVers are all different from each other. Find out who you are.