When your weighing up your holiday options cost is a big factor in the choice you make, and motorhome hire holidays are no different. You may have already checked a number of motorhome hire providers and be wondering how much should you be paying, and how to ensure you get value for money. Read our guide to find out more about how much you should be paying to hire a motorhome.
What time of year are you hiring?
Hiring a motorhome in winter will be significantly cheaper than hiring during the summer months, much in the same way as flights and accommodation fluctuate. At Motorhome Escapes our pricing is tiered largely in line with this logic, peaking in July and August, and reaching its lowest levels during the period November through March, with Christmas and New Year seeing a slight rise.
Many would argue that Spring (April & May) and Autumn (September & October) offer great value for money as the weather usually isn’t too chilly, and the roads and attractions are much quieter. If you’re hoping for some sunshine, or slightly warmer weather, but don’t want to pay peak prices, then June is the ideal month to book your motorhome hire.
How old is the motorhome you’ll be hiring?
The age of the motorhome you hire should, of course, be considered when hiring, always ask your motorhome hire provider how old the vehicle your receiving will be. Some companies do supply older vehicles, and they are often well looked after, however, you should expect to pay less for a vehicle that is a bit worn out and tired.
The benefits of hiring a vehicle that is brand new, or at most a year or two old is that everything has been used less, from the seats, beds, cooking appliances and of course the vehicle itself, which will be much less prone to engine problems. A new vehicle will also feature all the latest and best technology, making your life a lot easier when you’re on the road and camped up for the night. For a newer vehicle you may pay a little more, but the peace of mind of having hired a modern, comfortable, and reliable vehicle goes a long way.
At Motorhome Escapes we provide every customer with a modern vehicle with all of the features you’d expect. As well as the peace of mind driving a modern vehicle brings, we also provide 24×7 roadside cover, something that some companies don’t even provide, ensuring that in the unlikely event of a problem with your vehicle, there will be help with you very quickly.
What condition is the motorhome in?
This consideration is closely related to the age of the motorhome you hire, however, new and near-new vehicles can be damaged on their first ever hire. You want to be sure the company you hire from looks after their vehicles from their first hire to the last, checking the vehicle thoroughly every time it is returned and ensuring every customer gets a hire vehicle that’s in fantastic condition.
You can be confident that any vehicle you hire from Motorhome Escapes will be in prime condition when you pick it up. Our vehicles are kept fully serviced, from the engine through to the habitation service covering the internals such as the boilers, cookers, and gas systems etc. Annual gas inspections are a must for your peace of mind.
What’s included?
An often overlooked consideration when hiring a motorhome is what’s actually included. It can be very easy to assume that everything you expect will be part of the hire, but that’s not always the case.
Does the price include insurance?
When hiring a motorhome it is extremely important to be certain you have appropriate insurance so that you are not left liable for a huge sum if you have an unfortunate scrape. With Motorhome Escapes the hire price includes comprehensive insurance for one named driver between the age of 25 and 70 years old. If you have more than 3 endorsements there may be extra loading, you should contact us for confirmation. You can add extra drivers to the policy at the cost of £10 per night. There is also a security excess of £1,000 for EU drivers and £1,200 for non-EU drivers. Those from non-standard countries, those who have over 6 points on their license, and anyone over 70 years old may be subject to an additional loading.
What about the booking deposit?
Factor the booking deposit into you considerations when hiring a motorhome as some hire companies can demand excessive amounts up front. At Motorhome Escapes we require a booking deposit of £200 for each 7 night hire period (for example 7 nights deposit is £200, and 14 nights deposit is £400), and £300 for bookings of 8 to 10 nights.
How much do optional extras cost?
As we previously mentioned, you should ensure the motorhome you hire includes everything you’d expect to come as standard with your hire. However, there may be a few non-standard items you want to add to your hire, such as booster seats for children or bikes for adults and kids, generators, satnavs (GPS), and barbecues. Ensure you find out the price of each optional extra in advance so you not faced with unexpected charges that are above what you would have expected to pay.
Can you arrange airport transfers?
An often overlooked consideration when hiring a motorhome is how are you going to pick it up? If you’re driving then there’s no problem, but you may be one of the many visitors to Scotland that arrive by plane. If this is the case then you should consider both how far your motorhome pick-up point will be from the airport, and how you’re going to get there.
Motorhome Escapes are the closest motorhome hire company to Edinburgh Airport (5 minutes by car), with taxi the cheapest and most convenient way to reach us at a cost of around £20-£25. If you’re flying into Glasgow Airport then journey is slightly longer, taking 35 minutes by car, and costing around £70 by taxi. We offer a ‘meet and greet’ service at the airport arrivals hall, this can be easily arranged and built into your quote. When you return your motorhome hire we can assist you in returning to the airport or a hotel by arranging at taxi with a cheap and trusted local taxi company.
Advice and guidance
Something that you may not have considered is the benefits of hiring from a knowledgeable and helpful business. At Motorhome Escapes we want you to have the very best experience possible when out on the road in your motorhome. When you pick up your motorhome you’ll be provided with documents detailing sample driving routes that include places to visit along the way, camping locations, and recommended places to eat, all based on our own experiences out on the road in Scotland. We load all of these locations into sat navs (GPS units) that are available to hire.
Want to find out more?
We’re happy to chat if you have any questions about the cost of hiring a motorhome, or just want to find out more about motorhomes in general. Contact us today and take the first step towards your motorhome escape, or take a look at our range of motorhomes for hire.
