Renting out your own t5/t6 camper.
Discussion
Hi all, I have a t5 that is equipped with the rnr bed and drive away awning etc that we use for camping. I'm thinking of getting a newer fully converted van. Now here's the question.
I know a few websites, offer services to hire out your camper vans, but is it a viable proposition to hire out for say 1/4 of He year to cover costs. I wouldn't be looKing to try to make any profit, but if it pretty much covers costs, I can make the man-maths work. 😄 any suggestions from anyone here?
I know a few websites, offer services to hire out your camper vans, but is it a viable proposition to hire out for say 1/4 of He year to cover costs. I wouldn't be looKing to try to make any profit, but if it pretty much covers costs, I can make the man-maths work. 😄 any suggestions from anyone here?
Have you hired a car before and if so how did you treat it?
How sturdy are the mechanical parts and also the internals of your new camper - How expensive are they to replace when they become worn/broken through wear and tear generally and through the negligence of people who don't know better or don't give a toss as its not theirs?
I once worked for a car rental company and saw vehicles come back in conditions I couldn't have made up.
The owner then invited me to let him rent out my then six month old hot hatch as it would be a popular vehicle. My response was along the lines of him having to prise the keys from the hands of my cold decaying corpse.
Some examples;
A plasterer hired a new Polo for three weeks (not a van, even though we had them) - The entire interior had to be removed and replaced, dash and all, as it was caked in plaster dust.
Another Polo came back from a hire with a canvas showing flat spot on otherwise brand new tyres on each of the rear wheels. Not sure how many yards/miles with the handbrake on that would have taken to do.
Japanese tourist drove a Land Rover along a stone wall misjudging the width of the car - New bumper, wing, n/s doors and lots of work on the rear quarter.
Elderly gent handed back a Vectra and the drivers seat was soaking, as was his crotch of the trousers he was wearing.
We also had to really check over the cars/vans coming back in - Lost count of the times a relatively new car/van was found to have been fitted with some old, usually knackered parts at some point whilst out on hire - Shock absorbers, exhausts, etc. We even had a Primera find itself with a very old looking gearbox given its relatively low age and mileage!
How sturdy are the mechanical parts and also the internals of your new camper - How expensive are they to replace when they become worn/broken through wear and tear generally and through the negligence of people who don't know better or don't give a toss as its not theirs?
I once worked for a car rental company and saw vehicles come back in conditions I couldn't have made up.
The owner then invited me to let him rent out my then six month old hot hatch as it would be a popular vehicle. My response was along the lines of him having to prise the keys from the hands of my cold decaying corpse.
Some examples;
A plasterer hired a new Polo for three weeks (not a van, even though we had them) - The entire interior had to be removed and replaced, dash and all, as it was caked in plaster dust.
Another Polo came back from a hire with a canvas showing flat spot on otherwise brand new tyres on each of the rear wheels. Not sure how many yards/miles with the handbrake on that would have taken to do.
Japanese tourist drove a Land Rover along a stone wall misjudging the width of the car - New bumper, wing, n/s doors and lots of work on the rear quarter.
Elderly gent handed back a Vectra and the drivers seat was soaking, as was his crotch of the trousers he was wearing.
We also had to really check over the cars/vans coming back in - Lost count of the times a relatively new car/van was found to have been fitted with some old, usually knackered parts at some point whilst out on hire - Shock absorbers, exhausts, etc. We even had a Primera find itself with a very old looking gearbox given its relatively low age and mileage!
oblio said:
Well...that's answered that question then! 
Quite possibly! It wouldn't be me certainly. I wouldn't have ever thought of people hiring vehicles just to steal the new parts from them, nor would I have comprehended just how negligent folk can be, had I not seen it with my own eyes.I looked at Caravan Hire this year and found that 3 weeks was going to cost over £2k that means if you hire out you caravan for 30 weeks its paid for!! Buy another one, keep it as yours!
We bought a second caravan for £10k and its great I wouldn't hire it out as we like to come home on a Friday and take it away with no planning.
We bought a second caravan for £10k and its great I wouldn't hire it out as we like to come home on a Friday and take it away with no planning.
Not as strange as you may think and not limited to individuals.
A few years back I was involved in providing technicians and engineers on a contract basis to the car industry. Normal practice was that a manufacturer would come up with a new bit of kit, say a different radiator and cooling system. Then they needed to test it. So they'd hire the right model from Avis or Hertz, fit the new bits and test them, often to destruction by say running the engine at high revs for a couple of hours or half a day to check performance of the new bits. Then they'd collate the test data, replace original parts and return the car to the hire company. Whether the hire company's knew or even cared was never discussed AFAIK.
A few years back I was involved in providing technicians and engineers on a contract basis to the car industry. Normal practice was that a manufacturer would come up with a new bit of kit, say a different radiator and cooling system. Then they needed to test it. So they'd hire the right model from Avis or Hertz, fit the new bits and test them, often to destruction by say running the engine at high revs for a couple of hours or half a day to check performance of the new bits. Then they'd collate the test data, replace original parts and return the car to the hire company. Whether the hire company's knew or even cared was never discussed AFAIK.
chasingracecars said:
I looked at Caravan Hire this year and found that 3 weeks was going to cost over £2k that means if you hire out you caravan for 30 weeks its paid for!! Buy another one, keep it as yours!
We bought a second caravan for £10k and its great I wouldn't hire it out as we like to come home on a Friday and take it away with no planning.
Hmm, that sounds interesting. Mrs Vroom is trying to talk me round to getting a caravan, and your idea sounds a bearable and do-able way of affording a 'van that isn't a two decade old retirement home on wheels. Would you mind elaborating? Feel free to PM me if you'd rather not say publicly. Thanks We bought a second caravan for £10k and its great I wouldn't hire it out as we like to come home on a Friday and take it away with no planning.
Vroom101 said:
Hmm, that sounds interesting. Mrs Vroom is trying to talk me round to getting a caravan, and your idea sounds a bearable and do-able way of affording a 'van that isn't a two decade old retirement home on wheels. Would you mind elaborating? Feel free to PM me if you'd rather not say publicly. Thanks
If you would consider doing this with a motorhome, then drop me a PM.Gassing Station | Tents, Caravans & Motorhomes | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff