Pricing information starting to trickle in!

One of the big questions we have for this is how much is it actually going to cost to get an RV, tour from Boston to Portland and back (gas, daily rental, etc)... and of course what does it cost to wrap one of these things? Paul did some digging, and from the looks of things it actually could turn out to be a pretty economical advertising vehicle (pun intended ha!) for some lucky brand out there. This next bit might get a little bit boring (read: detailed - although we do have even more information), but we did want to show the level at which we are thinking about this. Our entire goal starting this early was to have a really solid understanding of what this would entail... here goes!

If we were to use cruiseamerica and their affiliates, we would be looking at something along the following lines:

The Basics:

• No special licenses are required, which is a big plus. All drivers must appear in person with license at a Cruise America office. There are offices throughout the country if all of us don’t originate in MA.
• Given that we are 5 people and 2 dogs, a 30ft RV is recommended as it sleeps 7 and has extra space http://www.cruiseamerica.com/rent/our_vehicles/large_rv.aspx
• We're looking at regular gas, with an average of 10-12 mpg

Mileage Fees

• No set mileage/day, but we do pay for all miles used which are currently priced at $0.32 / mile... however you CAN get promotions for $0.16 / mile - typically when you book early. And that's what we're hoping to do.

Daily Rate

• Again - the earlier we book, the more we could potentially save off typical price. Summer rates are approximately $189/day, but current promotions have rate at $149/day
• A $500 deposit would lock in the rental, and would give us an agent willing to work with us on giving us the best current promotion. Deposit is refundable as long as 4+ days in advance.

Other Fees

• Returned vehicle cleaning fee starts at $50, can be a couple hundred depending on the amount of pet cleaning that needs to be done. Cleaning charges include shower, bathroom, stove, carpets, beds
• Generator on-board can be used if power cord can’t be hooked up. Approximately $3/hour
• Extra fees to empty sewage tank - I think we could take care of that at an RV site!

So, on to the rental estimate given all the info above and the specific assumptions below... it comes out to about $5,500

• $149/day x 16 dAys (July 10 – 24)
• $500 deposit
• 8000 miles at $0.32/mile (If $0.16/mile the rate is $4300)

And the fuel estimate.... $2,900

• According to AAA the current national average is $2.93/gallon
• Assume summer months have higher rates - lets assume $3.50 / gallon
• 8000 miles traveled with 55 gallon tank at 10 miles/gallon means about 15 fill-ups
• 15 fill-ups at $3.50/gallon equals $2900

That means a TOTAL RV Rental + Fuel cost of = $8400