One of the biggest mistakes people who are new to the world of RVs make is going out and buying and brand new motorhome without ever having spent time in one before. It’s easy to fall in love with the idea of RV life, especially with all the travel videos and blogs that emphasize the romance and freedom of owning an RV while showing very few of the drawbacks.
If you’re on the verge of purchasing a motorhome, but you’ve spent limited (or no) time in one before, consider renting an RV first. Renting an RV (or several of them) before buying has several benefits that will greatly increase your knowledge and confidence before walking into a dealership to make your purchase.
1. Learning What You Want (And Don’t Want) In An RV
If you haven’t spent much time actually traveling and living in a motorhome, you may not have a good idea of what you really want from one.
For example, you may discover while renting an RV that you love to cook while on the road. In that case, a bigger and more well-equipped kitchen is probably a bigger necessity than an extra-large living area or an outdoor television.
If you run out of water because the tanks in the motorhome you’ve rented are too small for your family’s needs, you’ll know to ask about tank capacity when it’s time to buy.
2. Learning How An RV Actually Works
Driving, parking, and hooking up an RV can be intimidating. You are literally driving a moving home the size of a bus down the highway. While new RV purchases typically come with an orientation on how to operate the vehicle from the dealership, these sessions are rarely sufficient to make a new buyer feel confident.
Renting an RV gives you a chance to learn the mechanics in advance. Understanding things like how to hook up a motorhome to external power and water, and how to empty your septic tanks, are excellent lessons to learn while renting. These lessons will also further inform your buying decisions when the time comes.
3. Figuring Out Your RV Lifestyle
There’s no right or wrong way to enjoy the RV lifestyle, but there are a lot of different approaches. Renting an RV will allow you to figure out what kind of mobile lifestyle suits you best.
For example, if you and your partner are retiring soon and want to travel across the country in a motorhome for extended periods every year, your living style will likely be very different than a family of four who wants to take their motorhome on weekend camping excursions.
4. Deciding Where To Keep Your RV
Most RV’s are big. Even if you have a lot of property and aren’t worried about space, storing an RV during the off-season can be a challenge. If you live in a smaller home or in a residential neighborhood, parking in your driveway or on the street may not be allowed or safe.
If you rent an RV, you can figure out the answers to some of these concerns. Also, keep in mind that professional RV storage is an option. If you decide you want a larger motorhome, but don’t have the space to keep it at home, you’ll know to factor in the cost of storage before you buy.
5. Saving Money On Your Purchase
If you go into your RV purchase without having learned all the lessons that renting an RV first will teach you, there’s a good chance it’ll cost you more than you expect. Many RV buyers find out too late that the vehicle they’ve purchased doesn’t meet their needs.
When this happens, you’ll have to decide to live with the vehicle you’ve bought or sell it and buy a different model. Or, you may change your mind about owning a motorhome completely. None of those scenarios are good and are the perfect reason to rent first.
Where To Rent An RV
Here in the Greater Sacramento Area, there are plenty of options for RV rentals. If you’re looking for a mid-range motorhome, take a look at: