The best tips before renting a campervan
Road trips are back with good weather! Enjoy a few days of vacation to escape the routine and change your lifestyle, experience the freedom provided by a campervan, discover stunning scenery from the road, spend the night in a different place every day to change view as you wake up every morning.
This made you want to go on a trip, right? With our friends from Camper Bynu, a campervan and motorhome rental company in La Cellera de Ter (Girona area), we have thought about newbies. We asked them a few questions and here they will answer us to solve any doubt that may arise when renting a motorhome: insurance, equipment, maintenance… Take a look at these tips before renting a campervan and you will be ready to enjoy a worry-free journey.
- Who can rent a campervan?
To rent a campervan or a motorhome, a B driving license is enough: no need to get another one. However, check with the rental company before planning your trip: most companies require a minimum age for the main driver (25 years old most of the time) and a minimum of years for their driver's license (5 years most of the time).
- Do I need to take insurance?
The motorhome rental company handles this issue. This is usually an all risks insurance policy with a deductible. Camper Bynu for example, has a € 700 deductible that they block from the credit card you will use. It will obviously be returned to you if all goes well.
- What do I do with my own car?
You have to think about it! Once you pick up your rented campervan, if you don’t live next door, what will you do with your own vehicle? Many rental companies offer you a closed car park. Check with them if this is a service that needs to be paid for separately so you don’t have any surprises at checkout. In Camper Bynu, you can leave your car in a closed car park with CCTV and alarm, to go on holiday without worrying.
- Which campervan model should I choose?
The ideal way to choose a campervan is for the company to advise you according to your needs. To begin with, it is important to know the number of travelers to find a suitable model. You can also ask for the year of their models, in order to avoid any problem related to the age of the campervans. Aside from that, you may want to take a look at how space is organized in the vehicle: do you find it easy to move from one area to another? If you go with children, or with a pet, do you think there will be an area where they can be comfortable during the trip and for sleeping? Does the kitchen have to stay inside the campervan or is it removable to cook outside? Some details may make a difference, depending on what you need. Related to the organization of space comes the size: if you are a newbie, you might be interested to know a little bit more about the measures of the campervan, or to see it in person before the rental to get an idea of both the space you will have inside, and its maneuverability when driving.
- What maintenance does a campervan need?
Not much. Since your campervan is for rent, you don't have to worry about any roadworthiness test. But you do have to be aware of an important issue throughout your journey: water. You will need to fill your drinking water tank to be able to cook and not run dry, but you will also need to empty the gray (kitchen and shower) and black (WC) waters in places designed for this purpose. In most campsites and motorhome areas there are dedicated facilities for this. You will also need to consider the issue of batteries, so that you do not run out of power. Talk to your campervan rental company and they will explain how your model works, the number of batteries you have, if there is any solar panel, etc.
- Is the campervan fully equipped?
Today, the campervans you can rent carry a lot of equipment. There are some vans that are very simple, designed for driving and sleeping only, but if you rent a bigger campervan or a motorhome, you will enter a whole new world. Water, heating, air conditioning, WC and indoor shower, fridge with freezer, integrated kitchen with 2 burners, vacuum cleaner, outdoor awning, USB ports, even a TV… Like a real home. In fact, more than one would confess that their own house seems a bit boring after experiencing a modern campervan… That’s right, we are talking here about a real house on wheels, which garden changes every day, who could ask for more? At Camper Bynu they give you a list of material for each campervan on their website so you can get ready.
- Where can I spend the night with a campervan?
Simply put, in permitted areas. That is, motorhome areas, campsites, and public parking lots that allow it. If you want to go on a road trip through Catalonia, you can find information about Sènia Campings & Resorts on this website. Our campsites have plots of different sizes (the Standard ones generally have enough space for standard campers), and are located in privileged destinations in Catalonia.
So now that you know everything you need about renting a campervan, it's time to prove it! Enjoy!
