FAQs
We answer your questions
Included within the hire price is your chosen VW Campervan or motorhome, comprehensive insurance for the first driver (additional drivers £5 per day), mains hook up lead, cooking equipment, crockery, cutlery and outdoor chairs so you can enjoy the sunshine. All you need to bring are towels, bedding, clothes and food. (Bedding packs and towels are available to hire)
The van will come full of fuel but you must refill it when you return at the end of your holiday
Great news, all of our vans now have unlimited mileage !
Collections take place at our industrial unit in Okehampton near Exeter. Times vary but usually start about 2:00 p.m with the last collection at 4:00 p.m latest. We will contact you a few days before collection to arrange a more exact time which will depend upon how busy we are. If you plan to be in the area earlier in the day do let us know as we might just be able to get your van ready ahead of schedule. Final collections are (strictly) at 4pm. If you can’t reach us by this time, do get in touch to arrange a collection the following day.
Out of hours collections (extra £35) can sometimes be arranged at weekends, depending on staff availability.
Please remember to bring all of the required documentation with you including 2 forms of proof of address, DVLA check code or National insurance number and a driving license for each and every driver.
Our vans are equipped with everything that you will need for life on the road. This includes crockery, cutlery, cooking equipment and outdoor chairs. We think we have thought of everything! You only need to bring your own bedding and towels (we can supply bedding and towels for a small additional cost), and all the toys and books you think you will need.
You might like to bring along a few useful little home comforts as well, such as kitchen roll, a small bottle of cooking oil, washing up liquid, tea towels, salt and pepper, cleaning cloths, plastic shopping bags for rubbish, cling film, phone charger, baby wipes (for sticky BBQ fingers!), a pack of cards and torches.
We love packing our clothes in soft bags as they can easily squash in anywhere, supermarket long-life bags work well and you can have one each plus one for the laundry!
Prior to collection of your campervan or motorhome you will be asked to provide the following documents and we will send you an email explaining exactly how to do this.
- Your driving license front and back (showing your current name and address). This must be valid and in date.
- Two current forms of address identification (ie bank statement or utility bill).Passports are not acceptable as they do not show your address.
- For UK drivers only we will also need to run a DVLA check on your license for which we will need your National Insurance Number. If you would rather not supply this, you can generate a ‘check code’ on the DVLA website and inform us of the unique reference number you are provided with.
- A credit or debit card for the security deposit.
We won’t be able to hand over the keys to your campervan without this information, so please ensure you have this paperwork organised in advance of your trip.
For those of you fab eco-warriors who have switched to paper-free billing, we are happy to accept online versions and PDF’s.
There are a huge variety of campsites to be found, ranging from basic farmers’ field set-ups to all-singing five star holiday parks. Tariffs vary according to the type of campsite, the location and the season.
During low season it is not essential to book campsites in advance, but do check that they are open all season round. During the summer and over Bank Holidays or school holidays it is wise to book ahead as the more popular sites can get very busy. however you can usually find a friendly farm campsite or a smaller site and just rock up last minute. Our Campsite List is a great tool if you have specific destinations in mind or need a bit of inspiration, all of our happy campers’ best recommendations are included!
It is useful (but not essential) to book a pitch with mains hook-up which will allow the plug socket inside your van to work in the same way as a plug at home. This could be used for charging laptops, phones or plugging in a hairdryer. A mains hook-up pitch will cost you a few extra pounds each night.
Take a look at our great Travel Guides page for plenty of ideas on planning your routes and adventures.
Yes! Unlike other campervan hire companies, we have no set collection or return days so that you can collect and return one of our campervans or motorhomes on any day of the week! Total flexibilty for you.. we know life is busy! There is a minimum hire period of 2 nights but do get in touch if you are only able to get away for 1 night and we will do our best to accomodate you.
All of our campervans and motorhomes work independently without being plugged in to mains electricity, although we would recommend hooking up to the campsite supply if you are travelling in one of our vintage vehicles or if you wish to use the three pin plug socket in each van.
Once hooked up to the mains at your campsite you will be able to use the 3 pin domestic plug socket in your van to power mains devices such as hairdryers, laptop computers and the small mains powered fan heater supplied with the classic vintage vans.
The VW Californias, Compact Motorhomes and Larger Motorhomes all have an extremely versatile and efficient on board heating system, without the need to be connected to mains electricity.
The van’s battery will recharge as you drive around and all vans have 12v cigarette style sockets for charging mobile phones and ipads etc as you are driving.
A van with sleeping capacity inside for each member of your party will be the best choice. If the weather is against you then it is a lovely feeling to simply shut the door and settle down together in a cosy berth inside your campervan. We can however also supply a drive up awning which can be slept in. These are suitable for two members of your party although we would only recommend this during the warmer months of the year.
All our motorhomes include running hot water, a toilet, shower and central heating so are a perfect choice for families and couples alike.
Our new VW Californias, Compact and Larger motorhomes can travel in comfort to most European countries and throughout the UK, whereas our classic VW Splitscreens and Bay window campers must stay within Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset please.
We can include a drive up awning for an additional charge of £35. They give you extra space and can easily accommodate a table and chairs, providing a seating area during bad weather or cool nights. They can also be used to store bulky possessions in at night when you are sleeping in the van and non-valuables, such as bedding, toys and surfboards could be left in them in the daytime when you are out and about. They do take a little while to put up and take down, although you will certainly speed up with practice! For this reason we only recommend them if you are staying at least 2-3 nights in one location.
The roll out awnings are a brilliant alternative option for the VW Californias and V-Line 669’s, being extremely quick and simple to set up and making an ideal outdoor covered seating space without sides. They are just £25 per hire and are good in light rain as well as providing a shady spot in the sunshine. They not so good in the wind and must be wound back in if conditions are gusty.
You can drive one of our vans if you are between 21 and 79 years old. We can also pass insurance for drivers over 79 subject to an increased excess and insurers approval. If you fall into this age bracket and you are keen to hire, do get in touch. You will need to have held a full UK license for more than two years and it must show your current address. We are allowed to pass six points over two offences otherwise we can refer you to our insurers who can often pass you with an increased excess, If you are under 23 you must have a clean licence for at least the last two years.
You can have up to six points as long as it is split between two offences on your license and there is a small extra insurance charge of £3.00 per day to cover this. If you are concerned about any other endorsements or if you have had more than two accidents in the past three years do get in touch & we can often help. We are happy to refer you to our insurers whatever your circumstance.
We will be in touch about your collection slot before your hire commences. Slots are usually between 2:00pm and 4:00 pm latest. Please do try to reach us at your allocated time, as it takes some time to introduce you to your van, and show you how it all works.
If you are due to be in the area early on your collection day, do let us know. We might just have your van ready slightly sooner than planned. Equally, if it is likely that you will be later than your allocated collection slot, please be aware that we have a 4.00pm cut-off point and that we will do our best to arrange collection the following working day.
Campervans and motorhomes are collected from our industrial unit in Okehampton, Devon. On arrival, we will complete your paperwork and introduce you to your van. We can also store your car here for the duration of your hire free of charge and there is plenty of space for parking inside the workshop. Your van needs to be returned here to our industrial unit at the end of the hire.
Yes, please do call us on 01837 659599 and we can set your booking up for you by phone.
We can arrange attractive bespoke gift vouchers for birthdays, weddings, anniversaries or just as a great surprise for your partner, loved one or dog! Gift vouchers start at £50 and a weekend’s hire including the choice of any one of our vans is a very popular gift. Just contact us on 01837 659599 or [email protected] to discuss your gift voucher. We will send a lovely printed voucher pack in the post either to you or directly to the lucky recipient.
The classic vans are different to drive than your modern car which is part of their enduring appeal. We will give you clear instruction and advice on driving technique and can even take you for a quick lesson if you require. After a few miles most people start to find the driving of a classic campervan rather rewarding and very much a part of your holiday. Just slow down and relax…
Check out our campsite list here and our suggested itineraries section here. They have been created by gathering together the experiences of 22 years of feedback from our happy customers. It is a fantastic resource and just keeps getting better! Those in green are open all year round and many of them recognise our campervans by name!
We would advise that you book your campsites in advance during the peak season and school holidays, particularly if you would like electric hook up.
We ask that you only carry as many people in the van as there are seatbelts and that you use suitable car seats/booster seats for the children in your party. Please see: www.childcarseats.org.uk to get an understanding of the law in this area.
Your campervan or motorhome will be due back by 10:00 am on the last day of your hire. This allows us time to service and check the van ready for the next customers. We provide a list of super places to camp nearby in order to avoid a last minute dash back to the workshop, as this generally isn’t a great end to your holiday! A base close by will ensure a leisurely breakfast and a relaxing final leg of your journey.
These sites can also be used as a base for your first night. If you arrive to collect your van later than planned, use a campsite near us for your first night. You can be settled and cooking your first meal on Dartmoor before the sun goes down rather than struggling with your awning in the dark after driving to Penzance! Campervan life is all about slowing down and taking it easy after all.
If you would like to return your van earlier than planned please let us know when you collect your van. You can often drop it back out of hours at any time if you are happy to leave your own car parked in the parking area outside our workshop and take you car keys with you. If you take advantage of this option it will not mean a pro rata reduction in your hire charge and the van will still be your responsibility until we check it back in the next morning.
The VW Californias and Motorhomes have an extremely versatile and efficient on board heating system without the need to be connected to mains electricity, wonderful to stay toasty anywhere!
All of our classic campers vans come supplied with mains powered 240v fan heaters. In order to use these you must be plugged into the campsite’s mains electricity supply, just ask for an electrical hook up when you book your pitch. We do not recommend plug in fan heaters are left on overnight.
Yes, all of our vehicles are strictly non-smoking. There will be the cost of a professional valet depending upon van size if the van is returned smelling of smoke.
There are regular bus and train services from Exeter to Okehampton and our Industrial Unit can be found a short 10 minute walk from the town centre. Let us know in advance if you would like us to pop down and pick you up from the station!
Yes, of course you can, we love doggie visitors! Click here for further details about holidaying with your beloved pooch.