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The corona pandemic has given the caravanning industry a boom.
However, the purchase price for a new motorhome is in the range of tens of thousands of euros.
And even a good second-hand vehicle is not a bargain.
Borrowing, whether privately via sharing or commercially as a classic vehicle rental, is then the ideal opportunity to test whether you really enjoy a motorhome holiday without making an overly large investment, says Thomas Schmies, marketing expert at German Caravaning Institute (DCI).
After two weeks at the latest, you will know whether you are a camper - or not.
A vacation in a mobile home is something completely different from a package holiday in a 5-star hotel: "If you are traveling with a mobile home, you will not usually find any radishes carved in the shape of roses on the breakfast buffet, unless you carve it yourself" he points out.
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Constantin Hack also considers renting or sharing to be a good alternative to a perhaps hasty purchase.
The procedure is similar in both cases, according to the caravanning and technology expert at Auto Club Europa (ACE).
Nevertheless, there are two pairs of boots: "When you rent a motorhome on a commercial basis from appropriate providers, such as McRent or Rent and Travel, just as you know it from a car," says the ACE expert.
"With sharing, on the other hand, you borrow from a private person who makes your own motorhome available to others for a fee."
More individuality with private camper rental companies
With both variants, the aspects that also apply when renting a car must be observed.
For example, adequate insurance cover, careful handling of the rental vehicle, return with a full tank and more, depending on the provider's provisions.
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“Sharing is still a very new form of lending for motorhomes, and it has been enjoying increasing popularity for the past three or four years,” says Thomas Schmies.
On online platforms such as Yescapa or PaulCamper, you can also find individually prepared motorhomes that are not off the shelf.
It is precisely this aspect that is why some interested parties prefer sharing to renting, according to Constantin Hack.
"Often these vehicles are literally more colorful and sometimes even more charming than those of the classic rental companies, whose mobile homes usually have the typical white uniform look."
In addition, the ACE expert believes that some interested parties also appreciate the more personal contact.
If someone wants to rent out their own vehicle, they would usually make sure that everything is in tip-top condition.
"If that is not the case, the tenant knows that he should keep his hands off this offer."
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Schmies also advises you to rely on first impressions and your own gut feeling.
"If you don't look after the furnishings of your motorhome, you may also be negligent in terms of technology and safety."
Calculate additional costs for the camper rental price
According to Hack, sharing mobiles sometimes have basic equipment on board, such as cutlery, towels or even basic food such as coffee, tea, sugar or salt.
He also sees a price advantage, albeit a small one, compared to renting.
While commercial landlords would start at around 70 euros per day for a smaller motorhome, PaulCamper and Co. might find a standard mobile home for 50 or 60 euros.
In both cases, however, this only applies to the off-season.
Regardless of which type of loan you prefer, you may have to factor in additional costs, for example for the final cleaning of the vehicle.
A particularly important point: the insurance of the vehicle.
“The tenant absolutely needs fully comprehensive insurance in his own interest,” says Thomas Schmies.
He advises a deductible, which can also be booked for a car.
However, this could be significantly higher than in the case of a car. “It can also cost 1000 euros, according to the expert.
"And for some people the fun stops there and they then choose the option with no excess - which in turn makes the insurance more expensive per se."
Between us: Many families may have had enough of it in the pandemic, but in a motorhome at least the horizon of experience is expanded to include the respective destination
Source: dpa-tmn
ACE expert Hack also advises fully comprehensive insurance: A motorhome drives differently than a car due to its dimensions, and it can happen so quickly that you might touch a branch with the roof or hit a wall or another vehicle when reversing .
"Then it gets really expensive."
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And further: "Many parts are custom-made and cannot be exchanged using a classic plug-'n'-play system like in a car." For example, even minor accidents would mean that a custom-made cupboard, kitchenette or the bathroom will be damaged.
Owner needs camper insurance for rental
Hack also expressly points out when it comes to technology issues that sharing insurance can only be enjoyed in the event of damage if the owner has registered his motorhome as a self-drive rental vehicle.
"It is imperative that you have that confirmed in the rental agreement."
Both experts emphasize that an introduction to the special features of a motorhome is also important.
"There are some things that you need to know, but as a beginner you can hardly know," says Schmies from the DIC.
His ACE colleague specifies: With tenants, questions could arise such as: Where do I fill up with water, what do I need to know about gas, or where can I get a new gas bottle when the old one is empty?
It is annoying when you are already on the road and have to spend precious time looking for answers.
“You almost always get a guide made available,” says Hack.
Private landlords are also very keen.
Some upload detailed tutorials to YouTube or provide the tenant with a manual with individually compiled information.
Camping boom in Germany
Many campsites are fully booked by the end of summer.
If you arrive spontaneously, you need a lot of luck to find a parking space.
Because of the corona pandemic, Germans prefer to spend their holidays at home.
Source: WORLD / Peter Haentjes