Campervan hire recommendations

[LongTimeLurker]

Me & my other half have borrowed his parents campervan for the last 3 years and stayed in West CV. We can't borrow it for 2019 (assuming, dangerously, that we are lucky on T-day) and would like to hire one instead but most of the ones I can see online are extortionate winnebagos. Just wondered if anyone had a good experience hiring a van, especially from/near London. 

[Sawdusty surfer]

Try googling Quirky Campers.

 

[semmtexx]

Hi there. We've hired a van from these people. 

http://www.dgmotorhomes.co.uk/

Debbie (the owner) is great. They really go out of there way to help. The prices have been reasonable in the past. They have a selection of sizes/prices you can choose from. In the past I used  to phone up about a month before glasto and ask for a provisional hire, they were happy to do this (but I had hired from them before). I think on the basis they knew if you didn't get tickets they would have no worries hiring it out to someone else. I've hired from them about 6 times. We've not hired from them for a few years now though as we've now got a campervan ourselves. 

They are based in Chatteris, near Cambridge. I believe they run some kind of drop off service but never tried myself. 

As I say it's a few years since we used them but I really can't rate them high enough. 

Edited September 16, 2018 by semmtexx

[LongTimeLurker]

Thanks so much @Sawdusty Surfer and @semmtexx

[semmtexx]

1 hour ago, LongTimeLurker said:

Thanks so much @Sawdusty Surfer and @semmtexx

Welcome mate. ?

[Penrhos]

We used "https://www.motorholme.co.uk" - I wouldn't recommend them, as they were expensive and had trouble getting deposit back.

 

[Brave Sir Robin]

On 9/19/2018 at 1:59 PM, Penrhos said:

We used "https://www.motorholme.co.uk" - I wouldn't recommend them, as they were expensive and had trouble getting deposit back.

We’ve used them before and have similar views. They have a very big selection of motorhomes as they work with individual owners all over the country. But they are expensive & a pain to deal with.

[mandolin]

39 minutes ago, Brave Sir Robin said:

We’ve used them before and have similar views. They have a very big selection of motorhomes as they work with individual owners all over the country. But they are expensive & a pain to deal with.

Us too.  I’m sure the individual owners are lovely people but the system is unpleasant to deal with and left us feeling shafted - though a number of strongly worded emails got it sorted out eventually.  We would not consider using them again under any circumstances.  

[Chris-TT]

**Warning**

I've spent the last few days researching Campervans, and there is one company that keeps appearing all over Google ads and on Facebook too. The adverts vary, but it sometimes says something along the lines of 'Glastonbury Campervans from £199'

 

 

They go under several URLs such as but not limited to:

https://www.nationalmotorhomes.co.uk

https://www.motorholme.co.uk

https://www.festivalmotorhomeshire.co.uk

 

The main thing to look out for is their headoffice address which is: Fairways, Toft Road, Bourn, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB23 2TT

 

They are running a scam where once you have booked you will slowly be informed of everything that you would think is included that isn't. For example: No roadside breakdown cover, only half a bottle of gas, no tools to refill the water tank. The list goes on.

This unfortunately isn't the main problem. When the date comes closer to pick up, you will need to leave a £1250+ admin fee deposit! Not a pre-authorised amount, they actually take the cash. They then take 28 'working' days after the return of the campervan to process a refund.

If you read the reviews you will see, lots of people have had hundreds in deductions taken off there deposits claiming that they sent the van back dirty or some other bogus reason when they're adamant it was signed back in perfect condition. Some have been waiting over six months and still haven't had there deposit refunded.

 

Cheekily they are currently offering customers who visit there website and don't book a £10 Amazon voucher to leave a positive review, hence why there are so many dubious 5 star reviews, that are just praising how good the website is.

 

You can see the reviews here: https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/www.nationalmotorhomes.co.uk

 

Please tell your friends and family if they're currently looking, a few of mine nearly booked but luckily I managed to get the word around in time!

[eFestivals]

7 hours ago, Chris-TT said:

**Warning**

reminds me of this rather famous thread:-

It got so out of control that efestivals was named on a radio 4 programme as having started false rumours about them  

(there was slaggings of them on other websites before anything here).

I'm wondering if there's a connection?

I'm currently re-reading that thread to remind myself of issues and names.

 

Edited October 4, 2018 by eFestivals

[eFestivals]

44 minutes ago, eFestivals said:

I'm wondering if there's a connection?

from a quick google, it appears not.  I'm glad about that.

But I have just discovered something else, that deserves it's own thread......

  

[StePotts]

11 hours ago, Chris-TT said:

**Warning**

I've spent the last few days researching Campervans, and there is one company that keeps appearing all over Google ads and on Facebook too. The adverts vary, but it sometimes says something along the lines of 'Glastonbury Campervans from £199'

 

 

They go under several URLs such as but not limited to:

https://www.nationalmotorhomes.co.uk

https://www.motorholme.co.uk

https://www.festivalmotorhomeshire.co.uk

 

The main thing to look out for is their headoffice address which is: Fairways, Toft Road, Bourn, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB23 2TT

 

They are running a scam where once you have booked you will slowly be informed of everything that you would think is included that isn't. For example: No roadside breakdown cover, only half a bottle of gas, no tools to refill the water tank. The list goes on.

This unfortunately isn't the main problem. When the date comes closer to pick up, you will need to leave a £1250+ admin fee deposit! Not a pre-authorised amount, they actually take the cash. They then take 28 'working' days after the return of the campervan to process a refund.

If you read the reviews you will see, lots of people have had hundreds in deductions taken off there deposits claiming that they sent the van back dirty or some other bogus reason when they're adamant it was signed back in perfect condition. Some have been waiting over six months and still haven't had there deposit refunded.

 

Cheekily they are currently offering customers who visit there website and don't book a £10 Amazon voucher to leave a positive review, hence why there are so many dubious 5 star reviews, that are just praising how good the website is.

 

You can see the reviews here: https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/www.nationalmotorhomes.co.uk

 

Please tell your friends and family if they're currently looking, a few of mine nearly booked but luckily I managed to get the word around in time!

I have one to add to this, https://www.unbeatablehire.com/ . They have the same sort of reviews, I was quoted £459 for a week but they apparently add on lots of hidden extras and charge your card for them without permission. Also seems that the campervans are not in good condition.

 

I used https://easicampervanhire.com/glastonbury-festival-camper-van-hire/ last year, they were great. Campervan was pretty much brand new, water butt included and filled before we picked it up along with all the mod cons. Only £1100 for the week, which we split between 4. 

[StoneCircle]

3 hours ago, eFestivals said:

 

But I have just discovered something else, that deserves it's own thread......

  

Do tell!!

Edited October 4, 2018 by StoneCircle

[StoneCircle]

16 minutes ago, StoneCircle said:

Do tell!!

Found it, and they got what they deserved eventually!

???

Edited October 4, 2018 by StoneCircle

[Skoo]

Been looking at campervan hire, cheapest I've found is £600+

Might have to look into something else. Really fancy that extra day of festival and driving straight in and out.

[H.M.V]

14 hours ago, Skoo said:

Been looking at campervan hire, cheapest I've found is £600+

Might have to look into something else. Really fancy that extra day of festival and driving straight in and out.

We decided to buy a caravan. Couldn't justify the cost of hire when we could buy one that we can use whenever we like for not much more money. 

[slash's hat]

E-mailed a few places yesterday to hire 4 berth caravan. First reply £1200! Sod that. Hoping firm I used before hasn't jacked their prices up.

Might be cheaper to just buy one if that quotes anything to go by!

[Penrhos]

We've had quotes from £1200 - £1600 for a four-birth campervan for 25-06-2019 - 02-07-2019.

Makes my rusty old T2 that cost £10,000 that's done 3 Glasto's, 3 V-Fests and a couple of other festivals seem a bargain, might spend a few hundred getting it through another MOT for next year's festival.

 

[H.M.V]

You could buy a caravan for that money and do plenty of other fests in it.  That's why we bought one. 

[michaladaisy]

I think we’ve decided to buy a van and sell it on after the festival. We’ve also had quotes at around £1200 and can’t really justify that amount.

[Funkyfairy!]

16 hours ago, michaladaisy said:

I think we’ve decided to buy a van and sell it on after the festival. We’ve also had quotes at around £1200 and can’t really justify that amount.

Yes thats a standard rate for Glastonbury unfortuntely- the van palces say its becuase it goes oever a two week period and they rent Saturday -saturday.

[Pear_Cider]

On 10/8/2018 at 7:55 PM, michaladaisy said:

I think we’ve decided to buy a van and sell it on after the festival. We’ve also had quotes at around £1200 and can’t really justify that amount.

This is what I decided to do a few years ago after a few years of beg, borrowing, stealing and hiring ( well, not stealing!). I bought one for a grand (was originally only going to spend about £600 but thought if I spent  a bit more it would be easier to sell on after). In short, I loved it so I kept it. Next year will be it's 5th Glastonbury!! It's definitely worth the investment