RV rentals (Colleyville: RV park, sales, hotel)

[loves2read]

My husband is planning to retire after Christmas--he has taken an interest in RV travel as a way to spend part of his new leisure time--we have daughter who lives in FL and he thinks that driving ourselves would be good way to visit and then stay in RV park while we are there instead of hotel...he wants to buy a 5th wheel and a large p/u truck to pull it so we would have the truck to use for driving around outside the park...
I am not so much against it as just think if he buys one, he will use it a couple of times and then we will wind up selling it at a loss within a couple of years...
(he bought a boat years ago and that was the senario except we kept it parked in the garage for several years w/o using it...)

I want to rent one and try it out a couple of times--I think if he did that, he would get the bug out of his system pretty quickly....

I have looked on line and most RV rentals sites don't have 5th wheel trailers--and the ones that do, don't have the pick ups to use to pull them...
Is there any place to rent a pickup AND a trailer together?
Does anyone have personal experience with actually renting an RV or owning one--any RV showrooms you would recommend?

[damiana9]

Renting an RV can be pretty pricey, but definately cheaper than buying one and then having to sell at a loss- we had to do that a few years back. They are very expensive to run- gas is pretty pricey these days! I dont know of anywhere that you could rent a 5th wheel and a truck together, but you could always get a class A and tow your car behind. I do think you are right- for a first time user, it would be smart to rent first and see if it is even something you guys would enjoy- we loved it but it was definately a different way of life that isn't for everyone.

[flyerone]

Rent a motorhome to see if you like the general idea, each kind of RV has their good points, but they are generally the same. I would much rather sleep in my RV than a hotel, it feels like Im sleeping in my own bed. We dont fulltime but I would love to take off for a year and just live in the trailer. Renting can be pricey but give it a try, even if its only for a week. Living in close proximity can make or break a relationship.

[loves2read]

we have been married for 35 years--I doubt that a week in an RV will do that much damage...

[subslug]

Consider renting the RV at your destination the first time and then you won't have the huge fuel expense getting to the location. Some RV places will even set the RV up in the park of your choice so when you arrive you're good to go.

A towed RV is useless while it's being pulled down the highway, it's just adding to your fuel costs. RVs are fun once they're at the park and set up, getting them there isn't as much fun. You can jump on a plane over at Southwest and fly to Florida for a lot less than you can tow an RV there.....or just drive your everyday car there. Then you have some wheels while you're enjoying the already set up RV.

An RV is a lot like a boat, the happiest days are the day you buy one and then again on the day you sell one.

[loves2read]

yes--renting one at the destination is something to consider--but doing that basically refutes the concept of buying an rv trailer and towing it with a dooley truck for travel/recreation purporses--
the purpose of renting one is to see how cumbersom they are to drive and to manipulate so we can have something close to a real-life experience a couple of times...and my husband wants to go more places than just to our daughter's in FL--we like to take driving vacations and do the smaller roads...

[subslug]

Agreed, and in my scenario you'll miss out on one of the biggest tasks that go along with RVs......getting them where you're going.

You'd be better off renting it and towing it for the full on experience.

[marillyn2244]

I recommend renting a Class C motorhome. We have had it all and that would be the easiest for backing and driving just to get a feel for RVing. 5ers are more difficult to back and are the cause of more than a few disgruntled partners according to the people on the road. Once you invest in walkie-talkies, those problems soon go away. Leveling for the slides can also be a big deal. Check out RV.net for info regarding any phase of RVing. The Professional Sales RV place on John McCain in Colleyville used to rent C's; maybe they still do.

[zjagwah]

Skip the 5th Wheel Idea entirely and get a smaller motor home with slide out rooms instead -half of the RVing experience is the "getting there" part - do you want to be riding that thousand miles trip in a truck! or do you want to sit in a nice platform seat with a panoramic view? You want a snack - go get it - you want a nap go take it. get my point? Tow a small vehicle instead of some big monolith!

Originally Posted by loves2read

My husband is planning to retire after Christmas--he has taken an interest in RV travel as a way to spend part of his new leisure time--we have daughter who lives in FL and he thinks that driving ourselves would be good way to visit and then stay in RV park while we are there instead of hotel...he wants to buy a 5th wheel and a large p/u truck to pull it so we would have the truck to use for driving around outside the park...
I am not so much against it as just think if he buys one, he will use it a couple of times and then we will wind up selling it at a loss within a couple of years...
(he bought a boat years ago and that was the senario except we kept it parked in the garage for several years w/o using it...)

I want to rent one and try it out a couple of times--I think if he did that, he would get the bug out of his system pretty quickly....

I have looked on line and most RV rentals sites don't have 5th wheel trailers--and the ones that do, don't have the pick ups to use to pull them...
Is there any place to rent a pickup AND a trailer together?
Does anyone have personal experience with actually renting an RV or owning one--any RV showrooms you would recommend?

[ChristieP]

My father-in law did this exact thingbecause he hates paying for a hotel room. Instead, he bought a $45,000 diesel 1-ton truck and a $25,000 5th wheel trailer. (You could get a lot of hotel rooms for that much $, especially now that diesel is $4.40 a gallon!) He and mom-in-law tow the trailer all over the state and they do have a good time with it. Fortunately, he is good at driving with and backing up trailers, so the parking isn't a problem. They do enjoy staying in their RV.

I agree with everyone that renting a motorhome would be a good introduction to RVing! It is certainly not for everyone!