5 important points that you need to know about motorhome hire
We were talking with a client recently about their planned motorhome hire in Australia, it was the trip of a lifetime for them and they couldn’t wait to start planning their journey – visiting all the places that their friends and family had recommended to them over the years.
Although they were excited – they were also completely overwhelmed by all the hire choices in the market, which at times can feel endless!
Motorhomes, campervans and Hi-top Campers are all good options to see Australia, but it can be tricky to know which one best suits your needs, especially if you are new to the lingo or from a country other than Australia.
As we chatted to our client, it started to become clear that a motorhome hire would suit their needs to a tee! The reason the motorhome was a good choice for their trip was because they would be travelling for 6 weeks and wanted something a little more spacious – a “home away from home” as they say. When we first raised the option of a motorhome hire, our client’s question was similar to one that we often hear:
“So, what is a motorhome exactly?”
In short, motorhomes are purpose-built vehicles and usually on the chassis of a small truck with fibreglass (or similar) sides. Sometimes people are more familiar with the term “RV” and a motorhome is exactly that. Motorhomes can come in a range of sizes but generally tend to have a “cab over” or luton bed above the cab.
The basics – such as eating, sleeping, cooking and driving are all important things to consider when assessing your vehicle hire, here is a summary of what a motorhome offers the gallivanting traveller:
- Sleep – a good night’s rest in a motorhome
Motorhomes have a variety of options when it comes to where and how you sleep.
Sometimes our clients prefer the option of their bed closer to the ground (similar to what you would have at home), while others don’t mind a bed that sits within the top cab of the vehicle (and is reached by a ladder). If where your bed is located is important to you, make sure you let us know and we can show you the benefits of each unique motorhome layout and bedding location.
- Eating – cooking in a motorhome
After a good night’s sleep, most of our clients consider the need to cook … and eat with ease.
Motorhome’s as a general rule have the inclusions of gas stoves, grills, microwaves, fridges/freezers and pressurised hot/cold water. It’s important to remember that not all of these features will work unless they are plugged into a power source (for example at a powered campsite or 240V). The advantage of a motorhome over a traditional (and smaller) camper is that you’ll have slightly more room to move around the vehicle while cooking up a storm.
- Living – layouts in a motorhome
Your Motorhome really does become your home away from home while you are out on the road, particularly if you are going on an extended trip. It’s important to consider your preferences in regards to layout.
How important is it to you to have extra room within the motorhome? Or will you prefer to spend most of your time outside? Do you have any restrictions to getting in and out of the vehicle? Do you need more space in the bathroom?
Just as every traveller and trip is unique, so is every motorhome layout – and we can almost always find a solution to suit your needs.
- Driving – getting around in a motorhome
One of the most common questions about motorhomes are “Are they difficult to drive?”.
It’s a common misconception that a campervan is easier to drive than a motorhome as it is smaller – while that is true to a degree – most people also find the larger motorhomes very easy to drive as well, and the feedback we often receive is that it’s really not that different to driving a car.
A bonus of a Motorhome is that the driver is often sitting up a little higher, which gives a greater range of visibility. Many motorhome hires also have reversing cameras as an additional safety feature.
The next question we are often asked is “do I need a special licence to drive a Motorhome?”
Not at all, they can be driven on a regular car licence. Although most of the motorhome vehicles we have available have no upper age limit, a small selection of vehicles do have these restrictions.
- Temperature check – keeping cool (or warm!) in a motorhome
Depending on the time of year you are travelling, you also need to consider if air-conditioning or heating is important for your trip – travelling Australia in a motorhome during the hotter months of the year in summer (December to February) and even in some locations in spring and autumn still heed the higher temperatures.
A motorhome offers air conditioning however it’s important to remember that in most occasions you need to be connected to 240V for this to take effect in the main cab of the vehicle. On the flip side, if you find yourself traveling throughout winter, you’ll have the same situation with heating in the main living space.
Are you thinking about hiring a Motorhome in Australia but still aren’t sure which option is right for you?
It doesn’t matter if it’s your first trip or you are a seasoned traveller, it’s easy to become quickly overwhelmed with all the choices in the market. The great thing about choice is that it gives you the opportunity to narrow down exactly what is important to you on your trip, and what isn’t.
Taking the opportunity to work with experts who have themselves taken the motorhomes out on the open road and know all the small details, features and benefits – and can share their hands-on experience before you hire, can mean the difference between an average experience and an exceptional one.
Talk to the team at Gallivanting Oz who are the experts in motorhome hire in Australia.
It costs you nothing extra to chat with us, however you do get the benefit of our many years combined industry experience.
At Gallivanting Oz, we use a range of suppliers to ensure we match the best motorhome hire to your needs, we happily share our experience so you can have the best possible trip.
Get in touch if you would like to learn more about motorhome hire in Australia by emailing [email protected] or completing our easy to use quote form.
-
Tags: Campervan Hire
