Street Talk: Renting a motorhome for a ski trip
Malcolm looks into renting a motorhome for a winter ski trip but encounters some obstacles.
Anyone who has been to New Zealand will know that although the recreational vehicle (RV) industry there looks similar to Australia’s, there are quite a few differences. One is that there are a considerable number of European-built caravans and motorhomes.
I’ve long known there are trans-Tasman differences, but an odd one came to light recently. I’ve been considering an Australian winter holiday in the Snowy Mountains, NSW. Since it’s only a short trip, I plan on using a rental motorhome. However, I’ve encountered a slight problem: finding a motorhome with an appropriate external storage capacity to take snow skis and all the other clobber that goes with skiing. I know that’s not an issue for most people, but it generally had me thinking about external storage in RVs.
Caravan tunnel boot storage
Most caravans in this country have either a front or tunnel boot. Some layouts, particularly those with a rear club lounge, often have a rear tunnel boot. In addition, offroad vans, in particular, will frequently have a drawbar storage box. In other words, functional storage that can handle longer items such as golf clubs, smaller surfboards and fishing rods.
Most Australian-built motorhomes, even those with good external bin capacity, don’t have larger-dimensioned bins. Some rental motorhomes I have encountered don’t have much external storage at all. By contrast, quite a few European manufacturers have a garage in the rear of the motorhome. Locally, Sunliner RV is one of the few manufacturers that has this feature in its Habitat range.
A garage offers good storage even in a smaller motorhome
As I discovered on my various trips to New Zealand, garage storage sizes vary in European motorhomes. Some are large enough to sit in and take all kinds of sporting goods, including an e-bike, mountain bike or similar. Some are height adjustable, too — normally the bed sits above and can be moved up or down, depending on requirements.
Garage-style storage offers plenty of storage space
Several NZ motorhome rental companies have motorhomes with this feature on their books, which I have used and appreciated. The garage storage area was suitable for ski gear, travel bags and other gear we didn’t want in the motorhome. In one case, the garage had a heating duct, which meant that our damp snow gear dried out overnight.
Slightly ironically, one of the best rental motorhomes I have come across in Australia for my purpose is a two-berth large van conversion. It’s quite easy to slide the skis in the back door and just leave them on the floor, although some method of strapping them down would have sorted things out.
Winter season special
Another impediment to my proposed ski trip happened when I was making enquiries at a motorhome rental company for a suitable motorhome. The company was advertising ‘winter’ travel specials, but when I enquired, I was advised that they didn’t allow the fitting of snow chains or travel on roads with snow and ice. In NSW, at least, all the ski fields are in Kosciuszko National Park, and they will only let you enter if you carry chains. So that’s not looking good. So much for ‘winter specials’ in Australia!
One of the other differences between the Australian and New Zealand RV scene is that while there are almost no A-class motorhome manufacturers/importers in Australia, there are quite a few European-built ones in New Zealand. Most are built on Fiat Ducato or Mercedes-Benz chassis and are available in lengths starting from 7m (23ft). A couple of years ago, I rented a German-built Sunlight I69L A-class and thoroughly enjoyed my travels.
Despite a strong European presence in New Zealand, there are plenty of Australian brands there, too. That includes Avida, which has just announced a new dealer in Christchurch. There’s already been one in Hamilton (North Island) for some years, so obviously, Avida felt its beneficial to expand its operations. Haere ra (goodbye)!
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