The cost of renting an RV depends on a couple of factors, such as the model and age of the RV, the total mileage cost, your campsite rent, fuel cost, and many more. It can take between $50 to $300 per day or more. Larger newer vehicles will be more expensive.
Renting an RV won’t require that much of a splurge if you have the right trick up your sleeve. In this article, I’ll be explaining all the things that you will need to know while renting an RV.
Factors that Determine the Rental Price of An RV
When it comes to renting an RV, a number of factors come into play that can affect the price.
Type and Size
The type and size of the RV are the very first features that affect your rental price. If you opt for a new and large RV, you must pay more than an old and small one.
There are a few models of RVs that you are most likely to encounter while going to rent one. Class A, Travel Trailer, Fifth Wheel, Toy Hauler, Pop-up campers, and the list goes on and on.
Even if two RVs are of the same age, it does not necessarily mean that they will perform the same way. A larger RV with premium amenities will always cost a lot more than other models, no doubt about that.
RV Campground Rates
The total expense for renting an RV doesn’t only depend on the RV itself. It depends on other factors too. One of them is the campground rate. While going on a trip in your RV, you will need a place to park it.
There are local RV campsites where you can park your RV at a fixed rate, it can be either for a night or a week. While residing on the campsite, you will also be needing to utilize their electricity, water, and other facilities if available. This can range from $30 up to $100 per night. Well, it depends on the type of place you are willing to park your RV.
If it is a resort then it will certainly set you back a hefty amount of money. So before renting an RV make sure to look at the RV campsite in your desired destination and the rates they require per night for parking.
Fuel
While hitting the road, fuel cost is inevitable. But it wildly varies on the type of RV that you will be renting. If it’s a motorhome, then you will be needing around 150 gallons each time you refill.
Moreover, the heavy weight of the RV will increase the consumption of fuel for your towing vehicle. Thus, you will have to spend a couple hundred dollars no matter how cheap the price of the fuel is.
Mileage Cost
While most RVs don’t have any mileage cost restrictions, some of the RV rental companies might ask for a mileage fee. Once you cross the mileage limit, you will be charged $0.25 to $1.25 per mile.
Prior to making the trip, ask the company about their mileage cost per mile and make sure to check how many kilometers your route is. This will help you get an estimate of your total mileage costs.
Cleaning Cost
Cleanup costs depend on the state of cleanliness of the RV while returning it. If it’s filled with dirt and debris, there’s a good chance the renting company will charge you with cleaning fees as a penalty. To avoid paying these extra bucks, you might want to keep the RV clean throughout the whole trip.
Some traditional rental companies can charge you up to $50-$100 for the cleaning service. Make sure that you are aware of this expense beforehand. Ask them what their policy is on cleanup costs, before booking the RV.
Taxes
Paying tax is never fun, but you will have to do it anyway if you are planning on renting an RV. As you already know, the percentage of tax liability varies from one country to another.
Some companies tend to include taxes in the total rental price, which you will be able to check upfront.
Insurance
This might not seem essential to you while renting an RV but do keep in mind that it’s better to be safe than sorry. For typical RV rentals, you can get insurance up to $1 million.
You can also take up some extra precautions to be more secure. This way you will have peace of mind about any uncertainties that might come in the way while you are on the road.
Is Renting An RV Better Than Buying One?
There are both pros and cons to renting an RV. In the long run, it actually depends on you whether you should buy one or not. If you are always on the go, then buying an RV will come in handy as you will be frequently needing one. However, if you are an occasional camper, who’s headed for adventures once or twice a year then renting is the way to go.
There are several advantages to renting an RV. First thing first, buying an RV can become a huge burden on your pockets. It requires so much splurge that the price you pay to purchase an RV is equivalent to renting RVs 50 times a year! Yes, you read it right!
Not to mention, purchasing an RV is a lifelong commitment. It’s not every day that you invest in a brand-new RV. When you purchase an RV, you basically commit to only one type of RV model for your entire life. Once you buy it, there’s no going back. However, when you rent one you will be able to choose RVs that best suit your demands, time and time again.
If you end up buying an RV you will have to spend a whole lot of money on maintaining it too. Aside from the huge maintenance cost, you will also have to spend a fair share of your time looking after the RV. But when you rent one, you won’t have to worry about any of these.
Renting an RV only requires a compound charge during the trip. But when you buy one, you will need an enormous space to store it. That being said, if you are not someone who’s always out there camping, renting an RV would be a much better option than buying.
Other Costs That You Should Take Into Account
When renting an RV make sure to make a budget for all the extra costs that come with it. To avoid surprises at the last moment, it’s essential to be aware of all the hidden costs to understand the net amount of money the rental company will charge you. Besides the costs mentioned above, you may also have to pay for things such as:
Delivery Fee
Some rental companies have the option to get the RV delivered directly to the campsite. The cost tends to vary from $100 to $200.
If you would like to show up at your campsite to your RV that is all set up to use, spending these extra bucks will be absolutely worth it.
Generator cost
A generator is a must-have to supply electricity to the RV. Different companies have different policies regarding the generator cost.
Some provide unlimited usage without any charge, while others offer the very first few hours of generator use for free per day. Once you cross the limit set by the company, you will have to pay up to $3 per hour to keep the generator running.
Propane fee
If you are planning on camping in winter, you will need propane as your primary heat source. You can also use it to heat water and cook on a stove. Even during summer, propane comes in handy to run refrigerators and air coolers.
Before renting the RV, make sure to check whether the cost of propane is listed on the rental or not. If it’s not on the list, you will have to spend around $50 bucks to rent propane for a few days.
Kitchen kit fees
What’s the point of going on vacation if you cannot gorge on delectable dishes? But eating out will be a mere dream if you are planning on camping in the countryside. With a kitchen kit, you will be able to cook food all by yourself no matter where you are.
From spoons to bbq equipment, a kitchen kit includes everything you might need when you’re out in the wild. If you don’t want to carry around your whole kitchen with you, splurging money to rent a kitchen kit would be a smart idea.
Water Cost
Having a freshwater supply is inevitable for an RV. If you happen to be a camper, then you already know how much of a struggle it is to find a freshwater source during camping.
Luckily, many rental companies these days offer many helpful amenities, including water tanks that you refill once in a while. You will have to spend around $2 each time you refill the tank.
How to Calculate RV Rental Price?
After going through the list of factors that determine the rental price of an RV, you might be confused regarding how the total cost will come out to be. Well, sweat no more! There is a simple formula for calculating the total cost of renting an RV that you might want to utilize before stepping outside to rent one. The formula needs to be calculated in three steps.
First, the nightly rate. As you probably understand by now, there is a rate for renting the RV per night or week. If you are renting it at a rate per night, then you simply need to multiply the number of nights you will be renting the RV for and multiply it with the per night rate.
As for the second step, you will need to find out the mileage cost. The renting companies typically have a fixed mileage cost. You might want to open up Google maps to find out the distance or total miles for which you will be needing to pay the cost. Multiply the mileage cost with the total miles. Now you should have a rough estimate of the total mileage cost and nightly rental cost.
Last but not the least, you will have to figure out the possible total fuel cost throughout the journey. It will depend on the type of RV that you are planning on renting. The amount of fuel it will consume to go a certain distance depends on the type of RV you will rent. You might want to know the model and age of the RV and search it up on the net.
Afterward, figure out its fuel consumption for each kilometer and multiply it by the total distance of your journey. Sum up all three of the final values and voila! The estimation you will get might not be totally accurate, but it is surely helpful enough to assist you in planning your budget!
However, if you are not up for a nerdy calculation, there’s another easy way to get this done. With the aid of the internet, you will be able to find a lot of calculators which will take up the trouble of doing all the calculations for you.
Tips to Cut Down On RV Rental Price
By now, you campers must be well aware of the fact that renting RVs can turn out to be quite expensive and a burden on your wallet. To avoid that there are certain things that you can do while renting an RV. Below we are jotting down some of the factors that can play significant roles in cutting down the total RV rental price
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Look out for offers
In this era of social media, supermarkets are not the only place that offers discounts every now and then. Some RV rental companies also provide discounts sometimes, especially during the off-season.
You just have to keep your eyes wide open on their social media pages and look out for all the possible places that you rent an RV from. With tons of them available in the market, you are most likely to find one which will offer a great deal of discounts!
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Rent it Online
Apart from the traditional renting agencies, many new rental companies are online-based. From budget-friendly to high-end, some of them do provide numerous options to choose from.
They will also allow you to customize your whole trip, based on your preference. If you want to cut down on the cost, you can uncheck a few facilities that might seem to be unnecessary or over the top for you. This way you will only be paying for things that you need and thus, save up on quite a few bucks.
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Go touring at Off-season
Campers tend to rent their RV at the peak of the most suitable season. This, in turn, becomes a solid chance for the renters to put a heavy renting price tag on the RVs. In order to avoid paying more, we recommend that you plan the trip during the off-season.
Moreover, if you are on a budget, why not save up some extra bucks on the camping site? After fixing your desired destination, pick up a campsite where you will like to park your RV. Then look for the period of time when the site will be rented at a low price. It might be off-season but make sure that the season is still enjoyable enough to invest in an RV.
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Save up on the mileage cost
Cutting up mileage costs might not seem that big a deal but it can play an important role in deducting the cost of the rental RVs. Most people don’t pay that much attention to the mileage cost at the beginning of the tour, but it’s always better to keep track of the distance you will be traveling.
In addition, keeping an eye on the generator would also be a smart move. You need to observe how much fuel it consumes, keeping in mind that you can always cut off unnecessary mileage costs. And, on top of that, you will have spare time at your hand that you can now invest amidst the wilderness.
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Set the route
Before going on the trip, you should take out the map and find out the route that you will need to take to reach your destination. Do make sure that the route that you are taking is safe and well-known to you.
Getting lost while you are in a rented RV is the last thing you would want to do! Avoid taking any unnecessary turns or paths on the way. This will help you cut down on the fuel cost. As you travel a limited distance, you also spend relatively less fuel, which is equivalent to a large amount of money added to your pocket.
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Carry less weight
The weight that you put on the RV will cause the vehicle to use more force to move it. That’s why it will need much more fuel to generate energy. You can outweigh the loss of excess fuel by carrying only the things that will be absolutely necessary during your trip.
Try not to add any extra load on the RV as it can slow the whole vehicle down. This will not only come in handy to enable the fuel to last for a longer period of time, but it will save up your time on the roads too!
Things You Need to Know Before Renting An RV
Before heading for renting an RV there are a few things that you need to keep in mind for making your trip well-planned and last moment hassle-free. We compiled them down for your ease.
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Plan ahead of time
While planning on going on a vacation, it’s always important that you make a plan of the cost and the activities way ahead of time. Start off by choosing a model, get to know the rough estimate of the price, and note them down to get your budget ready.
Next, you might want to draw the plan of the activities and meals so that you can pack them up beforehand on your RV.
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Fix the destination
Renting an RV will enable you with the privilege of being able to go anywhere! Make sure to use the opportunity wisely.
Choose a location that best suits your requirements. Take into account the suggestions of the people accompanying you in your journey.
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Number of embers
The number of people you can fit in an RV is limited according to the size of the RV. Each RV is built for holding the capacity of a certain number of people.
So, before heading off to rent an RV you should count the total number of people who will be spending their time in it! Remember, having a spare room is fine but congested space won’t provide you with a blissful experience.
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Have a look at the RV before booking it
When choosing the RV, have a closer look at the ambiance and the features it claims to provide. Make sure that there’s enough space for you all to sleep in.
Also, notice if it has enough storage space for keeping all your things nice and safe. Check if it has all the cooking facilities that you need to prepare your own meal at the parking site. Channel your inner Sherlock and closely inspect all the factors by taking a tour of the inside of the RV.
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Go for a new RV
There are many types of RVs that you will encounter while renting one. As mentioned earlier, some of these will be old and some will be brand new.
If it fits your budget, try to aim for the new ones. Why, you ask? Well, their engines tend to be in a better state than the old ones, therefore, will help save you tons of time and fuel cost on the road.
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Customize the RV as per your need
Depending on the type of comfort you want, the choice of customizing an RV is available nowadays. If you are looking for a luxurious vacation then you should go for the higher-ranked RVs which are typically more expensive.
On the other hand, if you are not that into a luxury experience, and planning to save up on the cost, then consider cutting down a few things off the list. It will be good enough to provide you a good time during the vacation, but the service won’t be as top-notch as the high-end RVs.
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Spend fuel wisely
When you are out on the road towards your holiday destination, it’s obvious that you’ll have to load up the fuel multiple times. Fuel expense will depend upon the condition of your RV too. So make sure to rent one that’s new and has built-in fuel saving features.
Moreover, during the peak camping seasons like summer, the price of the fuels tends to get really high. There’s no way you can avoid the burdening of this extra cost. So, you might want to plan the trip in the off-season if you’re planning on going far.
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Keep the insurance
RV insurance is no less important than your health insurance. Things can go south when you are on the road. Therefore, to prepare against all the odds, we suggest that you get insurance while renting the RV.
They are provided by the rental companies at a fair price tag. So before you head off to an unknown adventure do get your insurance done!
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Make sure that you know how to drive an RV
You might be comfortable driving the car to your workspace every morning but driving an RV and taking it to the parking lot with accuracy can be tough. Especially if it’s your first time renting one.
Just to be extra safe, try your hand at driving the RV before hitting the road. But if driving an RV is not your cup of tea, you can always hire a professional or switch the driving seat with your friend who knows how to do it right.
RV rental is getting more and more popular these days for all the right reasons. Saying that the RV rental price varies would be an understatement, but a little bit of research before renting one should help you plan your budget.
