Should You Rent or Buy an RV?

If you love camping, but not the idea of sleeping on the ground with little temperature control, RV camping is a great option. There is no doubt RV camping is a bit more comfy with a mattress and bedding, a kitchen and heat.

Once you decide that the comfort of RV camping is more your style the next question becomes

"should I rent or buy an RV for my next camping adventure?" The answer to that question is: it depends. There are several things you should consider when trying to determine if you should rent an RV or plunge in and purchase one. For now let's stick to three of the major questions you will want to ask yourself when making this decision.

1.How Often Will You Use It?

This is the first and most important question you should ask.

Purchasing an RV is no inexpensive venture. You want to be sure that you will use the RV enough to justify spending a large sum of money on one.

Another important thought with this question is the climate that you live in and where you like to camp. If you camp in a place that limits your outdoor adventures during times of the year that are prone to harsh weather, you might not get to use it as often as you like.

So the answer to " How often will I use an RV?" is:

-Rent: when you are only planning to take a few sporadic trips or live in an area with seasons that limit your camping options

-Buy: If you plan to camp frequently or take a long cross country road trip this may be your best option.

2. Do You Have a Place to Store It?

RVs take up quite a bit of space. Standard , or mid-size, RVs range in size from 20 to 25 feet and will not fit inside the average home garage and probably not in today's standard home driveways either. If you do have a place to park an RV your home owner's association may have rules that only permit you to park the RV for very short periods of time. Where will you keep the RV for long periods of time when not in use? How much will it cost to store the RV?

The answer to "Do You Have a Place to Store It?" is:

-Rent: if you have to store the RV somewhere other than your home and can't afford the extra cost.

-Buy: if you will use the RV often and have no issues with storing it yourself or paying to store it.

3. How Many People Are Camping?

When you take a camping trip how many people will be going on the trip? Will it be just you, you and a significant other, the whole family, or the family and a few guests? This will help to determine what size of RV you will want to rent or purchase. A small RV is going to be cheaper, but will it fit everyone you plan to transport and vacation with?

The answer to "How Many People Are Camping?" is:

-Rent: If your plans are to travel with a large group and you don't see yourself in a financial position for a larger RV.

-Buy: A compact RV can be very cost effective even if you have some concern about the initial cost or where to store it, especially if you take advantage of a leaseback program with an RV rental company.

For more information on RV camping and RV rentals please feel free to check out NW Adventure Rentals.!