Let’s be honest here. When we’re daydreaming about an RV, it’s about buying the perfect model for our style of camping. You know, the one that can take us where we want to go. The one we can build our RV life with. But finding the perfect RV model is a process. It’s one part attraction. It’s certainly another part online research. However, one thing many buyers miss out on is experience. (And by that, we do mean more than simply collecting the lessons learned from your RV buying experience.) In many cases, you can even date your dream RV. Just book the model you’re daydreaming about. Effectively, you can rent the RV to buy the same model later if you like it. That way, you know you’re a match.
Where should you start? Really, your best move has everything to do with where you are in your buyer journey. Looking for your first RV? Or want to see how an RV will gel with you on the road? Rent first. Ultimately, it’s a great way to save money because it helps you be certain that the model you invest so much in is truly the one you want.
Your RV Date Coach: Ways to Rent an RV to Buy Later
First-Time Buyer: Compare and Contrast
If you are considering an RV at all, one of the ways to see what fits is to rent a couple of them. You might be inspired by a local RV show or the listings here on RV Trader, and narrow down your shortlist to a few makes, models, or even specific floorplans. Then you could arrange to rent those RVs to see how well the reality of experiencing them aligns with your imagination.
Another thing to note is that if a floorplan is at all popular, it’s going to be picked up and built by more than one RV company. I have been very surprised by how different companies construct the “same” floor plan. For example, there was one where the bedroom was so small it was a challenge to get into the bathroom, but another RV — same floor plan, different builder — didn’t have this issue at all.
This is also true of the driving experience of motorized RVs. If you’re shopping a Class B and trying to decide the best base between the Sprinter, Transit, or ProMaster, you might rent one of each and see if one really stands out to you.
Thrill Seekers: Field Test Your RV
Sometimes it actually is about the destination and not the journey. You can get a jumpstart on your getaway by arranging for a rental at your destination, and spend your time exploring instead of waiting to get there. I mean, this makes sense, right? If you want to know if an RV is good at boondocking, dry camping, glamping, or overlanding then … take it boondocking, dry camping, glamping, or overlanding.
This is especially true if you’re traveling abroad and driving there isn’t an option. Many of our friends have rented RVs in Germany, Italy, Australia, and other countries around the world. YouTube travel creator Robert Morales, aka Traveling Robert, recently shared a whole series on renting a camper van in Spain.
Plussing Up: Introduce Friends and Family
Say you already have the perfect RV for all of your adventures. But you’d like to have a larger rig special gatherings where you’ll have family or friends along. However, you may not be sure that they’re into that kind of thing yet. Rather than buying a behemoth Class A or gargantuan fifth wheel RV, rent one and test it out on the team. If everyone loves it, my guess is that they’ll tell you loud and clear. But either way, it’s safer to rent an RV to buy the same model later. Because you can always change your mind.
When I was working at a dealership, a lot of people would buy RVs with the idea that children and grandchildren would be part of the adventure, ending up with a larger RV than they might otherwise consider. Then later, more often than not, I would get these larger RVs in trade for something that was actually a better fit. Better for their plans. Better down narrow access roads. And better in their driveways when they get home.
Currently, I’m writing this story at an RV rally where the organizers have brought in two rental RVs for their friends to attend the rally as well. It’s just makes another great use case. If you’re an RVer and have friends who want to join you, an RV rental allows them to come along for the journey, but also gives them both privacy and the freedom to explore on their own.
So Where Do You Rent RVs?
There are a lot of choices when it comes to finding rentals. You’ll quite frequently find Class C RVs from larger rental companies with their very distinctive graphics at RV parks. But you’ll also find companies that specialize in one category, such as pickup campers. Others may be more localized, serving a particular geographic area. And there are dealerships that will rent out their used RV inventory.
Then there are web-based companies that put RV owners in touch with renters. Companies like Outdoorsy, RVshare, and RVezy all match renters to buyers in a similar fashion to other platforms like Turo or AirBnB.
RV Rentals: An Option for Everyone
Even if you already own an RV, renting one is an easy solution and a worthwhile option. You can extend your getaway, try out a new rig, or accommodate a larger group of people than you might normally camp with. Without the need to make a long-term commitment, you can focus on the adventure instead of the numbers. And then when you find the right one? You guessed it. You can experience the thrill of buying the perfect RV.
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