PRVCA Explore Magazine PRVCA Explore PA 2019 | Page 12

RENT or BUY?
Make the best decision about an RV for your family
By Keith Paradise
Are you considering the
camping and recreational
vehicle lifestyle? You have
many questions to consider.
What will you be using this
vehicle for and where would
you be going with it? Is a
motorhome the best option
for your lifestyle and budget
or is obtaining a pull-behind
travel trailer the better
option? What size vehicle
is the best sized vehicle for
your needs?
Reasons to Consider Renting
a Recreational Vehicle
Try It Before You Buy It: If you’ve never
owned or operated a recreational
vehicle before it is in your best interest
to rent a rig and take it out on a short
journey before purchasing.
Someone looking to rent a vehicle has
multiple options when it comes to who
to rent from as well as the types of rigs
available. For example, national chains
like Cruise America offer Class C motor-
homes in three sizes as well as truck
campers and many local recreational
vehicle dealerships have available
everything from Class C motorhomes
to pop-up campers. Recently, owner
-operated websites like RVshare.com have
been developed which allow current
RV owners to rent out their vehicle to
interested consumers.
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By renting, travelers can not only
familiarize themselves with how a
vehicle rides and handles but also on
the necessary set up needed upon
arrival – such as hooking up utilities and
leveling. Dealerships will not only give
customers an overview of the vehicle
and how its features operate but also
provide a toll-free phone number for
people to call if any issues arise during
their trip.
Supplies: Taking a camping trip entails
more than simply obtaining a vehicle
and filling it with gas. Cookware and
utensils will be necessary for the kitchen
and towels and linens are needed for
the bedrooms and bathrooms. Many
rental services, such as Cruise America
and dealerships, provide cooking kits for
an additional fee. If you rent a vehicle
directly from an RV owner cookware is
many times already included with the
vehicle.
Economic Advantages: According to
research done by the Recreational Vehicle
Industry Association, the average cost
per day of a four-person camping
vacation using a rented Class C motor-
home was found to be roughly 7-percent
less expensive than the average daily
cost of a comparable 4-person vacation
using a combination of hotels and
vehicle travel. A camping vacation is
approximately 33-percent cheaper
when compared to a vacation which
involves air travel and a hotel and is
15-percent cheaper than a trip that
involves airfare along with a condo or
rented home.