Campervan Hire

When Things Go Wrong

During Your Trip

We never plan it, but sometimes things just come out of the blue and we need to deal with them. Here's a list of common things that can go wrong, and some tips on how to get your holiday back on the right side (or left side in our case) of the road.

What can go wrong in your campervan

Although campervan companies have quality vehicles including brand new models straight from the factory floor; like all vehicles, things can go wrong or malfunction during your rental.

The average life span of a campervan is 20 years and during this time will travel in excess of 200,000+ kilometres as it tours around Australia. Rental campervans will have much higher kilometres travelled as they are consistently on the road travelling, compared to a privately own vehicle that ventures out during holiday periods.

The age of the campervan can be an important factor when selecting a vehicle, as the Australian conditions can be demanding. While all campervans are well maintained throughout their rental lifespan in the fleet, older vehicles have an increased risk of utility failures and require regular maintenance. As you would expect, vehicles with fewer years on the road and less kilometres travelled as well as newer model brands, should be more reliable and more economical.

Many of the campervan companies on sell their vehicles to customers or to other campervan companies once they reach a particular age. By doing this they can manage their fleet and offer the customer a quality vehicle which is reliable and can operate consistently journey after journey.

The campervan ages can vary between models. Here is a brand summary guide.

Brands

Age

Maui Elite Motorhomes

less than 1 year

Maui Motorhomes

0-2 years

Apollo Campervans

0-4 years

Let's Go Motorhomes

0-6 years

Cruisin Motorhomes

0-4 years

Britz

0-2 years

Star RV

0-6 years

Mighty Campers

4+ years

Cheapa Campa

4+ years

Go Cheap

4-7 years

Hippie

6+ years

Jucy

2-20+ years

Bargain Car Rentals

5-10 years

Spaceships

5-10 years

Awesome Campers

6-20+ years

Campervan Village

6-20+ years

Camperman

6-20+ years

Travellers Autobarn

10-20 years

Tasmania Campers

14-20+ years

Lucky Campers

15-20+ years

Common Issues

Engine Issues

Long days of driving in the Australian summer can lead to both minor and major engine problems. To mitigate the risk, our vehicle companies provide regular maintenance and oil changes to their vehicles.

Battery

Given the usage of power in the vehicles whilst travelling, problems with the vehicle battery can happen throughout the hire and may compound with other utility issues.

Parking

As you are unfamiliar with the size and height of your new vehicle, parking can create some nervous moments. It is important to remember the height of your campervan or motorhome. Do not attempt to drive into undercover parking areas at a shopping centre. When parking at a camp ground, have one of your passengers outside of the vehicle as a spotter to guide you into a camp space, while watching for overhanging branches or obstacles on the ground.

Windscreen

With plenty of travel time on highways and country roads, your windscreen may get chips and cracks throughout the journey. Most of the ‘all inclusive’ liability options cover windscreen damage.

Flat Tyre

Flat tyres can occur even when staying on sealed roads but are more likely when travelling to your camp site on rough or uneven surfaces. Drive slow through parks to your campsite and look for anything that may damage your tyres.

Air Conditioning

Air-conditioning issues can lead to or be caused by problems with the vehicle’s batteries or the power connection. Check you are firmly plugged into a powered site.

Awnings

Vehicles that come with an attached awning are rare and the reason for that is they are one of the most common parts to be damaged. High winds, falling branches and forgetting to pack up the awning before driving are the biggest culprits.

When on the road – what to do

If you have any concerns with your campervan’s performance and handling, it is important you contact your campervan provider straight away to let them know so they can log the matter. Your campervan provider are the specialists in vehicle maintenance and will be able to offer you the advice and guidance you need about your vehicle.

With any electrical fault, contact your campervan provider and they will talk you through the fix, offer a solution to get you back on the road or suggest where you can take the vehicle to be assessed.

If one of the vehicle features is not working or you can’t seem to switch it on, simply contact your campervan provider to give them the opportunity to help you or resolve the issue. Do not keep it a secret.

What often happens is that the traveller chooses not to contact the campervan team at the time concerning an issue or something not working. They then spend their entire holiday without it, only to find out when returning the vehicle that it was a simple fix and possibly something that had to be done differently to solve the problem. So save the embarrassment and contact your campervan provider’s helpline for assistance.

From the toilet and emptying the waste cassette, to the fridge temperature or a window leak, contact your campervan provider and their support team. All contact details will be on the rental agreement you received at the branch when collecting your vehicle.

The on road care team may be able to troubleshoot the problem for you over the phone or may source a repair and direct you to a local repairer.

Do l need to change a flat tyre?

No. If you have a flat tyre, once you call the on-road team and they will arrange assistance to come to you.

What do l do if l am involved in an accident?

The first contact needs to be with your campervan provider to report the accident – you must do this within 24 hours of the accident occurring. The number for roadside assistance is provided at time of pick-up and can also be found on the vehicle keys. They will be able to offer help and guide you from there.

All required steps are listed on the rental agreement you signed at pick-up. See below for some guidelines.

  • Record the Time/Date/Location
  • Collect the names, addresses, telephone numbers, and drivers’ licences of any third parties, contact details of any witnesses, registration numbers of all vehicles involved
  • Take as many photos as is reasonable to show the damages, positioning of vehicles, any street signs as necessary, and registrations involved
  • Record the name of the other party’s insurance company
  • You must not accept blame or insist that any other party is at fault
  • Notify the nearest police station within 24 hours of the accident

Run out of fuel

It is important to plan your itinerary and journey, be prepared and avoid running out of fuel. There are a number of travel apps which will locate petrol stations for you. At the time of collection, the staff at the branch will let you know which fuel your vehicle runs on and there is usually a sticker on the fuel inlet.

Roadside Assistance usually does not cover when you run out of fuel. Some providers offer extra roadside assistance which covers lock out, jump start, flat tyre change using the spare tyre located in the vehicle & up to 20 litres fuel delivery. Check with DriveNow if you want to add this option or your supplier at the time of pick-up.

Weather

The weather can have an impact on your campervan rental. You may need to adjust your itinerary or change your travel plans if there has been inclement weather in the region and roads have been damaged or roads closed due to floods or bushfires.

Accidents Involving Wildlife

If you have an accident involving any wildlife while driving, when safe, pull over to the side of the road to check on the animal’s condition. If required, contact an animal care group or the RSPCA. If there is damage to your vehicle, please call the on-road care team of your campervan provider straight away.

Many animals are most active at dawn and dusk, for this reason some vehicle providers have restrictions on travelling at these times and at night when outside of towns. Please check the rental agreement with your vehicle provider and plan your travel accordingly.

Other Things to Consider

During Your Trip

When Hiring a Campervan Hire