Fly in Retal a good first step? Imoova experience?

[dr_innovation]

Cannot convince the wife we need a B -- we currently have a Sienna setup for camping. I've suggested renting many times but its hard to convince her its needed over the Sienna.

At the rental cost of the major online platforms (Outdoor..y, RVShar..) she would rather put the bikes/boards in the van and stay in a hotel and "day use" in the park.

I've been thinking maybe of a fly-in "Imoova dot com" deal ($1 a day!) where we fly into one city, do a 1-way rental of a moderately short trip as a first experience. But then we cannot take things with us as we fly in/out (and with the cheap airfare probably won't take checked luggage, at least if they include linens.

Anyone experienced with Imoova? they seem to have some Solis's on there which could be a good example class B. Not clear how to tell exactly what you get with them.

Anyone experienced at fly-in B-rental?
Would the experience, with nothing personal and maybe missing critical items, be bad and hence maybe off-putting?

[MsNomer]

No experience, but I think you will do great. You don’t need much—a few clothes, toiletries in your carry-on, stop by the grocery store on the way out of town.

We DIY’ers have fond memories of our first trips in nearly bare vans. The van will sell itself.

[dr_innovation]

Thanks, I hope so.. but looking at your build, you seem to be more of an adventure camper style -- nice build btw.

I don't think I'll get her to consider buying a van without a toilet and using the campground toilet is one of her problems with camping. And B's with a bath jack up the price so more convincing will be needed, which is why I worry about the experience. I guess I could plan on a trip not just for groceries but linens and maybe even some pans, taking an extra bag to bring home after the trip.

[Viperml]

No bed bugs in your own camper van unless they came from you. No drunk people next to you in your own camper van unless you stay next to one.

[MsNomer]

If she’s a germaphobe, the van should be an easy sell. Hotels are nasty slums compared to your own private bed/bath that no one uses but you.

[jjrbus]

It is a great idea and I have suggested it to people. One issue for non RV'ers is unfamiliarity with the systems. The awkwardness and learning curve of the first week or so could be a real turn off for someone who is not impressed with the idea anyway.

Didn't they make a movie about that?

[dr_innovation]

Thanks, not worried about the learning curve. I've already got 100+ hours of video in (including about building my own). But once I know the model I'll study even more before the final exam

Just worried that we'll book at "4-person class-B and they will switch it to a class C or something she would hate, and that we;ll not have kitchen/bedding again making it a downer.

Also worried that the trip without bikes/water-toys would be a let down as there would be less to do at each site (just hiking which can get old after 3-4 days).

[jrobe]

I remember when we were debating a Class B and I was trying to talk my wife into the idea. She was less than enthused in part because of the very high cost. I talked her into a 2 day rental in Denver of the unit I was most interested in. That was the best money we ever spent. After those 2 days, we completely changed the Class B design that we finally decided to buy. I learned more in those 2 days than my wife did. It saved us a lot of mistakes, regret and money.

Spend whatever you need to spend to try one out. They are too expensive to not take advantage of this valuable learning opportunity. If your wife doesn't even want to try one out renting, there is probably a message there.

[dr_innovation]

Originally Posted by jrobe

I remember when we were debating a Class B and I was trying to talk my wife into the idea. She was less than enthused in part because of the very high cost. I talked her into a 2 day rental in Denver of the unit I was most interested in. That was the best money we ever spent. After those 2 days, we completely changed the Class B design that we finally decided to buy. I learned more in those 2 days than my wife did. It saved us a lot of mistakes, regret and money.

Spend whatever you need to spend to try one out. They are too expensive to not take advantage of this valuable learning opportunity. If your wife doesn't even want to try one out renting, there is probably a message there.

Thanks.. Sounds like the rental helped get your wife over the concerns?

yeah, I'm not buying without renting at least once maybe twice depending on fe first experiences. I did grow up with a VW van family, but with 4 kids we were always in the tent. so its not totally new to me but that was decades ago and nothing like modern vans.

just curious about what major lessons you learned and what redesign that led to? Who in Denver did you rent from, a big company or RVshare style? (I"m in the springs).

[jrobe]

In about 2016 we rented a custom Sportsmobile Class B from a private party in Denver. Their website is no longer online. I flew into Denver and combined the rental with a vacation there.

We learned that the rental was too long and too big for us. We ended up buying a Class B on a short chassis that we could park in a single parking spot and get into much tighter spaces. We also bought a Class B with much better driving visibility. I also learned that my wife needed a much nicer and bigger bathroom if she was going to use it regularly. After that rental we had a list of about 10-12 necessities that we hadn't considered much before (including no generator, no dependence on propane, ideal bed size, better battery charging with a 2nd alternator, seating preferences, the need for rear storage boxes, storage considerations, etc.). We ended up having a Sportsmobile custom made for us that fit us perfectly. The rental was invaluable.

[MsNomer]

To minimize hassles on the road, I recommend a permanent bed. This way, she can experience how incredibly wonderful it is to say “time for bed”, then just hop right in.

[Davydd]

There are many campers -- tent campers, small trailers like tear drops, small spartan truck campers, mini-vans, and even some Class Bs, etc. that don't have toilets, showers or complete bathrooms. Those campers are way more than Class Bs. It makes it difficult to boon dock at many places, and of course, you would have to use campground facilities at a minimum a vault toilet outhouse. I guess you adapt to what you got or can afford. We tent camped over 35 years before buying our first Class B.

I agree on the permanent bed concept. My first two vans had convertible sofas so have experienced both. I am also an advocate of not needing to convert anything to use inside or such things as slideouts (rare in a Class B). I did concede turning the cab seats around to use and can do so without stepping out of the van. Security is a big criteria for boon docking if at a Walmart setting, on the street or remote wilderness. We have driven away in the middle of the night twice because we had deemed it not safe.

[RogerY]

I rent my Airstream Interstate on a couple of the platforms. If you want to try an Airstream Class B and you're willing to take a trip to Southern California, I'll set you up, just send a DM.

[dr_innovation]

Originally Posted by RogerY

I rent my Airstream Interstate on a couple of the platforms. If you want to try an Airstream Class B and you're willing to take a trip to Southern California, I'll set you up, just send a DM.

Thanks, but at least for the first few trips, i think we'll want to try smaller (17-19ft) as she has commented the 24s seem way too big.

Also something like imoova is way cheaper to do our first testing. I have no problem with the van owner getting reasonably paid, but I find the platform fees and insurance requirements excessive, especially for a 2-3 day test drive -- what seems like $200/night, already more than any hotel we would normally stay at, quicky become $500 which is way way more and harder to get her to see any value in even trying.

[booster]

It is appears that the Imoova is a vehicle transport company, not an RV rental place primarily. $1 a day makes it look like is a some kind of a way to find "free" drivers to deliver vehicles between dealers maybe.


Beyond that, a one day rental may not be great choice anyway. A lot of people seem to get overwhelmed the first time out on the first day. Especially if you have a skeptic in in the mix, it may only be the confusion and chaos that get remembered.


Personally, a three day or more rental that actually goes to a very nice and easy to use camping area might be better idea, as much for the selling of the idea of a B, and also for the learning curve. Having the time in one place can increase the pleasurable part of the trip and reduce the stressful parts.



We bought our Roadtrek 15 years ago late in the fall, figuring that it would sit in the garage until spring. Lots of time to learn about it that way. As it turned out we got a beautiful weekend right away and decided to go for a one nighter. So it was a 5 hour drive after figuring out how to fill the water tank(s), a lesson at how to get checked in at the state park gate in the early evening, a bunch of time getting the cord out through the mouse hole. Couldn't sit outside because no chairs, the van got filthy because of no mat, and lots of leaves, no grill to cook with even if we knew how to get connected to the propane, etc. Then drive home the next day. Didn't learn much except that we didn't know what we were doing.


But, we both were committed to the idea of a B, so it was not fatal to us. After a long winter of collecting what we needed, garage and driveway practice, and tons of reading, we were much better in the spring and would never consider stopping until we have to.


I certainly don't think the one day trip would have put us off getting one, if it were before the purchase, but it probably would have made us rent one for longer to be certain, and neither of us was skeptic.


I think if you are going to grimace at a $200 a day rental price, you might be put off by what it will cost you to own a class b if you base it on a per night of camping basis. It will all depend on how many days a year you use it. As a rough calculation maybe choose 30 days of camping a year and figure it against your purchase price based depreciation in those years and see how it comes out. Plus, that is going to probably be only half of the actual cost of ownership.


Very many of cost comparing to hotel folks, including us, quickly learned that buying a B is not going to be a money saver for the great majority of people over a car and hotels.

[Sensfan]

As do you, family members wanted to try out Class B's, so two summers ago they flew to Calgary and picked up their rented 2010 Roadtrek SS-Ideal, a really cool Class B van with rear slide-out. IIRC, the SS-Ideal performed flawlessly, the rental cost was reasonable; and, the owner met them upon arrival at CYYC to spend an hour briefing them on his van's functions.
They spent one week travelling north/south through the Canadian Rockies and fell in love with the lifestyle. This summer they bought a solid, well equipped van retrofitted for boon-docking, a 2002 Leisure Travel Class B.