New Renters Information
So...you want to rent a motor home and are not sure what is required in driving, operating and setting it up. These are some of the pointers you will receive at your initial familiarization tour when you pick up your motor home. First, you will need to choose the coach that is right for you and your needs; Class C or Class A. Class C's are lower to the ground and are generally easier to drive. They usually sleep more people and are more simple to operate. Check the Class pages for more information.
Mileage Charges
Yes, we have mileage charges over the 100 free miles per day of rental. The rate is $0.32 per mile up to 250 miles, which are then $.45. Over 400 per day are charged at $.59. That means if you rent a coach for 5 days and drive 1,000 miles, 500 of which are free, you will incur an additional $160 in mileage charges for the extra 500 miles driven. We will estimate the miles before you leave so you won’t have any surprises.
Rental Kits
When you arrive the motor home will not have pots, pans, kitchen or cleaning supplies, bedding or towels. Have no fear, we rent complete kits so all you have to do is get in and go. We even rent bikes, racks, camping gear and more for your convenience.
Hooking up the Motor Home
You pull into a campground with full hook ups, park in your space, and now what? You will be supplied with power, water and sewer hook up hoses. First you hook in the power cable. There are 3 types or amp hook up types. They all have different style plugs so you cannot hook your 50-amp plug into a 20-amp outlet. The bigger the motor home, the greater the power needed. Small Class C's have either 20 or 30 amp hook ups while Class A's usually hook up to 50 amp plugs. Then there are the dump tank hook ups. You do not run your hose and leave the holding tank open. You use your holding tank until it is getting full and then you dump it. If you leave it open, sewer gas will build up in the holding tanks creating not only an unpleasant odor, but a gas hazard as well.
Black Tank and Gray Tank
The black tank is for solid and liquid human waste and the gray tank holds sink and shower water. When you dump your tanks, dump the black first, then the gray. This way you will use the sink water to “clean out” the dump hose of human waste. Remember to re-close the tank valves and add more black tank treatment chemicals.
City Water Hook Up
When you hook up to a city water supply use only the white hose provided. This hose is only for hooking up to a clean water supply. When hooked up to a city water supply you will no longer need the water pump; the city water will supply the pressure needed to run the water. We do not recommend drinking from this water but it is fine for cleaning and bathing.
Phone and Cable Hook Ups
Most campgrounds offer cable and phone hook ups for an additional charge. You will find hook up points where your power and water hook ups are located.
Entertainment Systems
Now that you are hooked up, you will find that the TV will work. Most coaches with TV’s with raising antennas. On the roof of the coach you will find a crank to raise the antenna into the viewing position. We recommend that you hook your key to this crank, should you drive away with it up, it will be broken by the wind and they are very costly to replace.
Leveling your Motor Home
Some units come equipped with automatic levelers. You will be instructed on their use at the orientation. You should only park in areas that are at a reasonable flat level, not only for your comfort, but to ensure the motor home operates at its best.
Driving the Motor Home
If you can operate a car, you can drive an RV. Motor homes are a bit wider than a car, which means the lanes will seem narrow, and they are much longer. They are also much taller and this is the greatest cause of accidents. You will need to pay attention to low tree branches and limited space driveways. When you turn a corner you need to be aware that your back end will swing out to the left, as you turn right. The sharper your turn, the farther out it will swing. Forgetting something before you start to move causes most accidents or loss to the motor home.
Before you put it in drive checklist:
1. All hook ups removed and stored in storage places
2. All exterior storage bins closed and locked or latched shut
3. Awning in and secured
4. Slide outs in and locked
5. Levelers up and secured
6. Antenna down and locked
7. Change refrigerator from electric to gas
8. Secure all cabinet doors
9. Secure all loose items around cabin
When driving your RV down the road be cautious of sudden stops as you will find that RV’s do not stop as fast as a car. Be sure you have enough room when passing; you are much longer than you think. Avoid driving in high wind situations, you are now a high profile vehicle that can be blown over by high winds. You are required to follow all laws governing driving.
Running off Battery Power
When you are driving your RV you will be operating off of the house battery power. These batteries are recharging while the engine is running. In most motor homes they are located under the entrance steps. They are also recharging while the unit is hooked up to external power. They are designed to allow up to 2 days of operation without re-charging or the use of the generator. These batteries will keep the refrigerator running, the water pump running and the lights operating while you drive, but will not run high voltage items like the microwave or the A/C. Running the generator will recharge the batteries, but very slowly, and only when there is extra power. Running off the house batteries will not drain the engine battery, but running the in-dash radio will.
Have other questions contact us or check out our FAQ’S page for more hints.
