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Camping

Our UK Camping forum has all the information you need on finding the right equipment for your tent or caravan.

Original poster

Would you hire my camper van?

62 replies

james79 · 14/07/2010 08:42

I love camping and have wondered for some time now about setting up my own Camper hire company. I would start with one new Brazilian water cooled Camper van (2007 onwards)and go from there. I've done some research but would like to know what the mumsnet jury think! I am based in East Anglia. What would you be willing to pay for a week in peak time (June, July, Aug) and non-peak times? Or indeeed for a long weekend? Any ideas or advice greatly appreciated...or am I living in cloud cuckoo land??

OP posts:
maxybrown · 16/07/2010 10:31

I think probably it is more likely that SENSIBLE people hire them rather than those on a budget! sure james79 knows where I am coming from!! Those that aren't sensible buy em! hehehe

Do not be fooled into thinking, everyone who has not been here, that they are "cheap" things and for people on a budget I would say they are up there with canal boats - and they are expensive to hire too.

Good luck if you do it though! I imagine the logistics of it could potentially be a nightmare though? Cost wise etc......

MistyB · 16/07/2010 11:41

Lovely Venus!! James - if you need some quotes on freedom and living the dream for your website, I'm sure you will get some great ones from people on here!!

Claire2301 · 16/07/2010 12:22

I'm in Cambridge and would be really interested in hiring one, probably not for a week but definately a three day weekend. Would be happy to pay around £200.

SagacityNell · 16/07/2010 12:36

I would love to hire one but there are 5 of us so bit too small

I noticed on one of those sites that they only let you go 75 miles a day and then charge you for extra miles....why is that?

Would you include extras like an awning and all the camping bits n bobs?

I haven;t really looked into this before but i am at the prices! I can completely understand it but its cheaper for me to pack all my camping stuff up and go in my own car and then decide i don't want to camp at all and go and stay in a B&B!!

Original poster
james79 · 16/07/2010 16:15

Love you venus!!

maxy nail...head...

MistyB-Yes seems this is this place to gather quotes I agree!

SagacityNell-yes I noticed that too, it would probably be due to the age of the camper and not wanting to rack up ridiculous mileage. I'd only be able to go to my sisters and back for that though, 75miles really isn't that far is it? I'd offer unlimited mileage, awning included in price aswell as all camping stuff like chairs, gas, cutlery and crockery, bring your own bedding, free delivery up to a point then you can load at your leisure.

OP posts:
Original poster
james79 · 16/07/2010 16:20

claire-the two companies closest to us charge £450 and £495 for 3 day weekend! (if available during peak seaon as they tend only to book out for a week or more) For one week they charge £645 and £825. Thanks for your feedback...back to number crunching.

OP posts:
Grumpla · 18/07/2010 23:07

Personally I wouldn't even consider paying more than £150 for a weekend. I would probably only hire a campervan if I was thinking of buying one.

However I think a lot of people would be less tight than me especially if it was a cool camper!

If you're looking to attract repeat business I would definitely build up a select database of nearby (very nice) campsites so if people were coming straight from work on Friday they would just have to tootle down the road, getting straight into beer & bbq mode rather than having to drive for ages to set up on first night. I'm sure campsites would be happy to do a deal with you so your customers got a discount too which might help.

Tootiredforgodtyping · 18/07/2010 23:18

I'd definitely hire from cambridge as I'm in norfolk so it would be on the way to whereever I'd wnt to go. I'd like to have secure parking to leave my car while I was away inthe camper van. Please keep us updated...

Original poster
james79 · 19/07/2010 14:57

Thanks so much to everyone for your feedback, will update when I return from my hols!

OP posts:
BikeRunSki · 19/07/2010 15:03

I prinicpla I woudl love to do this, but when I have looked at other camper hire comapanies in the past, the costs have put me off. Again, around £500 for week end. I appreciate where that cost comes from, and if that is waht it costs, then that is what it costs, but it puts it out of my price bracket.

PlumSykes · 20/07/2010 19:01

Have been looking into this a lot this week, as we would love to buy a VW, but would like to rent one a couple of times 1st to see if we actually like it as much as we think we will. The going rate, in summer, looks like around £650-700 per week, plus an extra £75 for the awning. Seems a lot to me-£500 a week sound sbetter.

stripeyknickersspottysocks · 20/07/2010 19:11

I think people would pay more for a 70s VW camper van than one of the new ones. I also hear that the steel they use in the new ones is an awful quality and they get bad rust problems within a few years.

I bought a VW camper last year and had thought about hiring one for the week but the £500 cost put me off and I just bought one. Figured if I didn't like it I could always sell it on for the same price as they don't depreciate.

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