There is something about being “home” wherever you park that is really alluring. Campervans and van life have exploded in recent years. But not many times can you hear about all the problems vanlife brings. Many of these problems are connected to owning a van. So having your own van is a must if you are a full time van traveler. If you are not then renting can also be a good option. An even if you go and buy one, renting and trying out different van models is a good idea. This way you can try out which van setup fits you better, what are the things that you need and what you don’t need in your van. For a full overview of all the things to consider when buying a van check out our beginners guide to vans.
Now if you are from USA and you are looking to rent a van then Campervan Rental in Colorado comes into the picture. This article will cover all the pros and cons of buying a RV vs. renting one.
Table of Contents
Buying A campervan
PRO’S
Convenience
The biggest plus of having your own camper van is the convenience. Your RV is available for you round the year whenever you feel like using it. Yes, up to a certain number of camper van usage days it is cheaper to rent it. But once you have your own van days will quickly stack up. While if you have to arrange a rent every time you feel like going on a short trip… believe me, you won’t do it.
Ready To Go
The second most important benefit of having your own van is that it is ready and waiting for you. Cabinets are stacked with food and spices, sheets are on the bed, soap is in the shower (if you have one), all the correct chargers are in the van, so is your jacket, umbrella, your coffee maker etc… Your van is like a little house that has most of the things that you need already inside. While when you rent, they usually keep the things to a minimum. So you have to plan ahead and bring lots of items that are otherwise usually already in the van. With your own van you just bring some clean clothes and you are ready to go.
Customization
Customizing the van. If the van is yours you can do all sorts of upgrades and customize the van in a way that best fits your needs. Do you travel with mountain bikes? Surfboards? Do you stay in the wild or on camping grounds with electricity available? All these things and other can influence how you customize your van. Making it much more useful than it was in the beginning.
Sleeping in Your Own Bed
Lots of people don’t like the idea of sleeping in a bed where lots of other people have slept. It’s just different to sleep in your own bed.
There are many cons of buying campervans as well.
CON’S
Depreciation of the Vehicle
Owning a campervan means paying the depreciation of the vehicle. The vehicle will decline its costs by about 40% in the first two years of ownership. You can buy secondhand campervans if you want to save money on depreciation, once a camper van is a few years old, it will loose it’s value much more slowly. Another thing to consider here is that the camper van is not only a vehicle. It also has a living part where the equipment can be really expensive. This is why the value of an old camper van is not determined only on the condition of the vehicle but also on everything else inside the camper van. This is why some old camper vans can hold their value pretty well.
Register and Storage
If you do not have a big parking place next to your house you will probably have to rent a parking space or some storage where you will keep your van when you won’t be using it. Your RV also needs to be registered. The insurance varies widely depending on whether it is towable or motorized. The towable RVs are convenient since there is an option to disconnect the vehicle from the trailers. But for a real travel experience you should go with a real camper van. Even though the registration is more expensive.
Repairs
There is always something that needs to be fixed in a camper van. Especially in an older used one. No wonder, while you are driving around on dirt roads, over potholes… it’s like a constant earthquake in your house. So things get loose, things break down… and you need to fix them. Get some good tools and read a few guides on how things in camper vans work. And it is great if you are someone who enjoys fixing and improving things. Also, repairs are not cheap. Camper van equipment can be quite pricey.
Renting a Campervan
PRO’S
Everything is Take Care Of
You absolutely have no worry when you plan on renting a campervan. Everything inside the van is clean, filled up and ready to go. The water, the gas for the stove and/or heating. And everything is working or at least should be working. If something breaks down you just call the rental and the will solve it for you.
Different Van For Different Occasions
You can rent a different van for different occasions. You would rent a different van for 2 people going skiing than for 6 people going on the summer vacations to the sea. If you own a van you are stuck with what you have. If you rent you can choose what fits you best for the trip that you have planned and for the number of people going with you.
Can Be Cheaper
Renting is a great option when you don’t use the campervan all the time. For a 14 day vacations once a year renting will for sure beat the cost of owning a van. There are all sorts of costs connected to owning a camper van. Check the cons of buying a van. On the other hand, there are also costs to be kept in mind while renting. Lots of RV rental charge money per kilometer. It can be anything from 40c/km to 60c/km. So if you get a bad package costs can stack up.
Flying to a Destination
Renting is also very convenient if you are flying to a destination and then rent a campervan there for exploring. Camper vans unfortunately do not fly. So if most of your trips include flying then maybe buying a van is not the best idea.
CON’S
Check the pro’s of buying a van and turn them upside down. You will get an idea.
Conclusion
These are the pro’s and con’s of buying and renting a van. It is up to you to decide which are more important to you.