Are you someone in the Austin area looking to rent your first RV, as in literally your first RV ever?
If so, there’s something important you need to know: renting an entire RV is not at all the same thing as renting an ordinary car. Everything from the rates to the special deposits to the parking and more are all going to be different.
Needless to say, renting an RV for the first time is going to be an adventure, and there are different things that you will need to keep in mind.
Here are the top five tips for renting your very first RV in Austin:
Tip #1 – Don’t Overpay Your Daily Fee
You’re going to pay more for renting an RV than you are for a car no matter what, but that doesn’t mean you have to pay more than you need to.
According to Outdoorsy, the cost for an average RV rental is $174 a day, so you shouldn’t need to pay anymore than that.
The only times the typical price may be higher than that figure is during what is called ‘peak season,’ or when everybody is traveling and the demand is higher. Peak season is typically during the warm summer months of July and August.
Something else to keep in mind is that it’s possible for an RV renter to charge per mile you travel in the RV, in addition to your daily fee.
Tip #2 – Choose The Right RV For Your Use
There are many different types of RVs, and each with their own unique purpose. The largest type of RV is called a Class A motorhome, and it provides the most room and storage space.
Another option is a Class C, which is simply the van of a cab attached to a motorhome. Class C motorhomes have less space and storage area than a Class A, but they still usually have a kitchen, restroom, living room, and bedroom.
Finally, you could also go with a travel trailer, that you would need to hook up to the back of a truck.
Tip #3 – You’ll Need To Pay Special Deposits
Renting an RV means you’re going to need to pay some special deposits that you wouldn’t have to with a car. For example, when you call or e-mail the rental place to reserve an RV to rend, you’ll need to pay an upfront fee to keep the RV reserved. This fee is added onto the overall cost of the rental.
You’ll also have to pay a security deposit, much like you would need to when renting an apartment. As with paying security deposits when renting apartments, this security deposit is fully refundable assuming that you return the RV undamaged once your trip has concluded.
Tip #4 – Save Up For Gas
As you can tell, there are multiple expenses that come with renting an RV, but there’s one more you need to be aware of too: gasoline.
The gas mileage of vehicles in general has certainly improved within recent years, with several SUV’s even scoring around thirty miles per gallon or more on the highway.
However, the same cannot be said about RV’s, where you are unlikely to get much better than ten miles a gallon. Since fuel will be such a significant expense, you will need to remember to incorporate it into your overall budget.
Tip #5 – Practice Driving Before You Leave
If this is truly your first time renting an RV, you don’t want your actual trip to be the first time driving it. You need to get a feel for it beforehand so you’ll have an easier job to do when the time comes to leave.
A good idea will be to rent it a day ahead of time before you’re scheduled to disembark on your trip, and besides packing and preparing for the trip, you can also spend part of that day driving your rented RV to get plenty of practice with it.
Making turns on tight corners, going through tunnels, driving up hills, and parking in parking lots are the specific areas that you will want to spend your time practicing on.
Renting Your First RV
While there are going to be other things to keep in mind when renting your first RV, these are some the most important to remember when you first stop by the renter’s office.