RV rental
Mostly good
Some small issues with the RV including a faulty fridge and no cleaning materials included but other than that fine
bad service and ugly RV
It wasn't clean and didn't have all the minimum things they needed to provide you. For a 30ft RV, it wasn't all that good either. Also, the people there weren't nice.
10 day west coast RV trip
Very happy with our rental experience with El Monte! Picked up and dropped off in different locations which helped us see more than we ever imagined. The RV was perfect, no issues and was big enough for our family to enjoy/relax. The process of picking up/returning was extremely smooth and quick! Thank you for giving us the tools to make our vacation all we dreamed it to be. [...]
Authentik organisation of RV tour through Utah
Authentik's Daphné Gagnon organised an outstanding tour for three RVs of old friends touring around Nevada, Utah and Arizona. Daphné could not have been more helpful in keeping us updated with any changes and the sites she chose were outstanding and met our needs very well. I would certainly recommend them and we too shall use them again when thinking of a tour. They knew the sights that would appeal, the road journeys were not too long and the variety of sights and experiences met our every need. [...]
Small RV for a long road trip
I past 3 weeks with a Jucy RV in western USA. That car is convenient thanks to its optimised size ! We was 3 persons, I guess it is possible at 4 but including 2 kids. The limit was place for our personal luggages. Ready for a new experience with its little RV’s !
Wonderful road trip
Everything with good in our road trip. We would do it the same way if we come again.
(Translated by Google) The rental process as well as the handover and return went perfectly. It was done quickly and easily. No incidents to report during our 5,000 km journey. The negative points I could mention are due to the construction technique of the vehicles: no oven; storage spaces that are much too high and deep, without internal partitions to hold goods; grey and black water level gauges that remain full even after emptying; a dripping shower; USB ports that are only powered when the vehicle is connected to the mains; almost non-existent thermal insulation and a heater that should not be turned on for more than 2 hours, according to the user manual, as it risks draining the battery. It is also unfortunate that no cleaning equipment (broom, brush, dustpan, etc.) is provided, while we are expected to return the vehicle clean. Moreover, the cleanliness upon receipt is very questionable, depending on the goodwill of the previous renters! But this does not prevent having a perfectly successful trip and traveling in a safe and pleasant manner. [...]
(Translated by Google) easy rental
top-notch and very clean campervan
easy handling and presentation
no problems in 14 days of travel
easy return as well with a very pleasant team
In conclusion, perfect!
(Translated by Google) Very recent van. Unlimited mileage offered is their best asset. Courteous staff. Very easy pick-up and return. On the other hand, the rented kitchen and bedding equipment should be improved in terms of quality and quantity. It was very basic and we had to buy some items to live there for almost three weeks. (broom, cleaning product, cloths, dish towels, sharp knife, grater...) [...]
Condition of the campervan
(Translated by Google) The shower tray was not watertight. After each shower, the interior of the cabin had to be mopped up. The renter seemed to be aware of the situation.... In my opinion, the RV was not as new as advertised when booking.
MAGNIFICENT FAMILY ROAD TRIP
(Translated by Google) 3500 km in the American West... Incredible landscapes that will leave a lasting impression on you. Great experience with our camper (comfortable, functional, and also reliable). Alexandra was attentive and advised us well. Thank you again.
(Translated by Google) The organization is very good, the camper was in good condition, the sheets, towels, duvets, pillows, everything was very clean except the floor, which we had to wash several times because it was very dirty.
(Translated by Google) Do not hesitate to rent from Roadbear, everything was new and in good condition. The C28 is recommended for 6 people but it is very practical for 4. The size is impressive but the campsites are perfectly suitable.
(Translated by Google) Beware of Authentik America's VIP insurance that does not cover windshield issues; instead, get insurance directly from Cruise America to avoid paying twice (insurance and then deductible). Also, make sure you are well advised on mileage, which was not the case for us, as American roads can be closed, requiring significant detours that add a lot of kilometers/miles. The RV (C21) for us was very good, functional but poorly insulated, hence cold at night and noisy while driving. The employees at the Cruise America office in San Francisco are very kind and professional. Do not rely on Authentik America to help you if needed. [...]
(Translated by Google) Vehicle rented in October to visit the American West, Maverick model. It had over 350,000 miles on the odometer and it showed. The steering wheel had a lot of play and the cruise control wasn't working. It was not pleasant to drive. First problem on the second day of the rental with a tire pressure light coming on, we had to take it to the garage. We were told that we were driving with the spare tire! It had to be changed. Then on the fifth day, the clutch gave out. We were stranded for an entire day while we waited for another van to be brought to us. As a result, we couldn't reach our final destination and had to shorten the trip. Upon arrival, we had to negotiate for a long time to get a goodwill gesture... for a 7-day rental that's a lot. Extra stress, when it was supposed to be our vacation. So certainly problems can happen, but renting out such rundown vehicles in such regions can be dangerous! I gave two stars instead of one because the assistance staff was always responsive. I would not recommend Escape campervans. [...]
Reduced equipment
(Translated by Google) 2 sets of cutlery for 2 people when there were 3 of us!!!
You need to make an appointment the day before to pick up the truck, but we were forgotten. Useless GPS because it wasn't updated.
(Translated by Google) Good value for money. A very nice week in the RV, with the necessary minimum comfort. We had requested a large RV because we were 2 couples, the space was satisfactory but there was only one "real" bed, which didn’t bother us that the other bed was high up and low ceiling (it's part of the experience) but it was practically a wooden plank and that's really not possible when we have to sleep 7 consecutive nights in this bed. A mattress with minimum comfort, I emphasize minimum because it was not the case, should be provided or they should add a mattress topper. The people who welcomed us were pleasant. [...]
(Translated by Google) We rented a Kuga campervan for 22 days from Los Angeles. We were very disappointed. We endured a very unpleasant smell because the water drainage had not been done. We were surprised to discover that after 7 meals (max 3.5 hours of total cooking) there was no more propane. Whereas it should be full as indicated in the contract and by the employee on the day of pick-up. The floor was very dirty (it is not just dust), impossible to walk barefoot. Email exchanges took place with customer service. The first person implied that we were lying (despite evidence) and that it was normal to make 7 meals with a full propane tank. These email exchanges were a real battle that spoiled part of our trip. For your information, we refilled the propane tank on 09/19, which lasted our entire trip (until October 3), more than 14 meals and it was not empty! Fortunately, a second more understanding customer service person offered us financial compensation and apologized. And other unpleasant findings were made such as torn curtains, a broken driver-side sun visor, a broken sleeping bag zipper, unusable wipers. It is unacceptable for the price. A lack of professionalism and great negligence, with additional abusive clauses against the customer in the contract (e.g., if the van is returned without propane, a $50 fee is applied even though a tank costs $35 at the agency and a refill around $16, or even a $200 fee if the van is not washed). These clauses are not even respected by the agencies! The vehicle's age and lack of maintenance are not worth the price! Be aware that the vehicle consumes a lot. [...]
(Translated by Google) The vehicle was amazing, all comfort, expandable bedroom and living room, a real studio. Very easy to drive, fully equipped and automatic.
(Translated by Google) The equipment provided and the new complementary kits purchased are of good quality, functional, and robust.
Putting all the dishware and bedding kits in bins intended for donations to associations is an excellent idea.
The missing star in the review is due to the jolts passengers experience in the cabin, which can be violent and not recommended for those with fragile backs. The cause is the condition of the roads and the stiffness of the suspension, which otherwise improves road handling. Slightly better steering precision than during a previous rental in 2011.
A negative point that does not concern El Monte but Authentik: the address of El Monte in the Authentik documents was incorrect! Needs correction.
[...]
Super campervan
(Translated by Google) The RV is spacious and well-equipped. There are some damages to the refrigerator (broken door handle) and the upper bed safety net (hook torn off). El Monte is great. They are welcoming and without unpleasant surprises.
(Translated by Google) We rented a 25ft RV for 14 days.
Overall, the trip went well. The vehicle is spacious, properly equipped, with sufficient storage.
However, we also encountered some problems with the vehicle during our stay:
- Cleaning was done summarily -> toilets and floor not very clean + candies and an old contract from several months ago found in the RV.
- Gray water leak in the cargo hold that leaked onto our fabric suitcases = bad smell in the suitcases.
- Problem with the black water level sensor -> apparently, a product needed to be added to the tank but this was never specified at check-in and the product is not part of the kits offered at the time of booking or picking up the vehicle.
- Black water valve poorly closed by the employee during the demo at check-in. As a result, during the first drain, my husband did not have time to connect the hose and ended up covered in black water.
- A squirrel managed to find a hole from outside the RV during the night, though entirely closed (windows and doors), to get into the cupboards under the sink and ate our stored provisions.
We mentioned these mishaps to the person at check-out who did not note anything and to cut it short, offered us a gesture equivalent to one day of rental.
Also note that the RV consumes a lot, about 25L/100km. For us, over $500 in gas in 15 days.
[...]
"far from the camper we hoped for"
(Translated by Google)
(Translated by Google) On July 12, 2024, we went to the Cruise America dealership in Tampa, Florida, where we had rented a C25 motorhome (which, by the way, did not look like a Cruise America dealership!). We arrived a bit early (at 11 am instead of 12 pm), no problem there. The lady on site told us that our vehicles (we were two families, each with a motorhome) were not ready, so we waited on site.
At 12:10, the lady came to get us to fill out the paperwork, sign them, etc. She gave us the damage report to fill out regarding the vehicles and told us that minor scratches did not need to be noted. We preferred to note them because we did not want these minor damages to be reported against us when we returned the camper.
Once the exterior inspection was done, she gave us the keys, and we could leave. We quickly checked to make sure we had the necessary sheets, then saw that there were no dish bags, but the dishes were already stored in the cabinets and drawers.
We left and went to a store several miles away to do our shopping. Before shopping, we did a quick check of the fridge to see its size, etc., and noticed mold and dirt in the fridge (disgusting). We also saw that there were a lot of animal hairs everywhere (table, benches, beds, bathroom, stove). (It was certain that the vehicle had not been vacuumed, but we might have guessed when we saw a man cleaning the windshield with paper towels!!). The dishes already stored had actually not been washed again; we found orange glasses with dirt/dust, although originally, and once clean, the glasses were transparent blue!
We decided to buy a universal disinfectant product and cleaned everything (fridge, drawers, cabinets, table, toilet, beds) before storing our groceries and belongings because returning to the dealership would have wasted a lot of time. We brushed off the hairs, etc. Due to our lack of experience in renting motorhomes (unlike the other family we were with), we did not notice that there was no brush and dustpan, so we did what we could with the broom available! During our thorough cleaning, we also noticed small travelers such as cockroaches and little black insects wandering in the cabinet next to the fridge and on the floor in the grooves... Fortunately, they only went into the closet next to the fridge, not into the other cabinets.
We then noticed that the black water indicated it was already full even though we hadn't even used the toilet yet! In short, it turned out to be just a sensor issue; the black water was indeed empty.
On the 2nd day, we decided to cook. Unfortunately, while using the kitchen sink, we noticed a water leak on the floor. My husband dismantled the drawers and saw that some pipe clamps had come off, so he put them back and there was no more leakage (we reported this when we returned the motorhome in Denver and later in Seattle - see the rest of the story).
After 1 week, the propane was empty! (Although we didn’t cook every day and the display showed the propane was 2/3 full when we picked it up on July 12, 2024). There was definitely a problem with the display sensor. In short, in the end, we reported this to the Seattle dealership which reimbursed us for the propane that was filled much too early!
The 2nd week of our vacation went well. In the 3rd week, while driving normally at the authorized speed towards Denver, the left rear outer tire burst. When the tire tread came off after the explosion, it tore off part of the gray water tank and likely punctured the second left rear tire (the RV had dual rear wheels). Luckily, when the tire exploded, my husband was able to pull over right away and we assessed the damage and heard the 2nd tire deflating.
We tried to call Cruise America but due to lack of signal, we got cut off before we could speak to anyone. Fortunately, someone stopped to help us, he had the necessary tools, we put on the spare tire and drove 15-20 miles with just one rear left tire. We arrived in Lusk (Wyoming) and unable to use the gray water as it would have spilled on the road, we went to sleep in a motel.
The next morning at 8 am, we called Cruise America informing them there was a tire shop in the village, they said they would call us back. 1.5 hours later, they called back asking again what happened and the name of the shop, we told them and were told we would get a call for the shop or a tow. After waiting for another hour, we decided to go to the village tire shop to see if they received a call from Cruise America, they confirmed no call but unfortunately didn't have the tires we needed in stock. We waited another hour and then the agency called informing us that a tow truck would arrive at 2 pm. We occupied ourselves and at 2 pm, the tow truck arrived. Unfortunately, due to incorrect vehicle details given, he didn't have the right tires and had driven almost 2 hours from Nebraska to get to us! We told him to take the wheels back to change the tires in their shop and return. He asked his boss who had to call Cruise America! Cruise America called for our agreement (although we had already given it to the mechanic). In the end, after 30 minutes, the mechanic left with the 2 wheels and we had an appointment at 6 pm to change the tires on the vehicle. During one of the calls with Cruise America, we asked if the motel would be reimbursed should the RV not be repaired the same day since we couldn't use the gray water, they confirmed that it would not be covered.
At 6 pm, the mechanic arrived with the wheels, changed them, and we asked him to quickly check the condition of the other tires. He indicated that the right rear tires were dry and could explode like the left ones, and the front ones were worn and should be swapped from left to right.
At 7 pm, we could finally leave as we had an appointment in Denver at 8 am to repair the gray water tank and had a 3.5-hour drive!
The next day, we went to the Denver dealership where they were expecting us, which was much different from the one in Tampa, this was a REAL dealership!! The gentleman asked if we had insurance, we explained we hadn't had an accident and that the gray water tank was damaged in the explosion of the tire which was in bad condition. We were driving normally, it just exploded without hitting anything but the road! Eventually, we found our papers and informed them that we had insurance through your agency (Authentik USA) but we found it scandalous that they asked this given the state of the tires, it was fortunate we didn't lose control of the vehicle as it could have ended badly for our family.
In short, the Denver dealership confirmed they would exchange the motorhome as it would take 2 days to repair the tank.
We told them about the tire issues, the water leak my husband had fixed, and that we had insects! We showed them a video.
After transferring our personal belongings, sheets, and dishes from the Tampa rental to the new motorhome, we left with the "new" one which was much cleaner as there was a real cleaning service at this dealership.
The rest of the trip went well, we reunited with the other family after 5 days apart and finished our month-long journey in Seattle (Everett) where we were expected as scheduled.
When we returned the motorhome, we had a very understanding gentleman (unlike the other family). We showed him a glass we kept as found in Tampa, he was apologetic, we explained everything that happened in Tampa, and he was sorry. We gave him the propane receipt which he reimbursed us for (we didn't ask for reimbursement for the motel night and meal expenses as we couldn't cook since we couldn't wash dishes) and told him we lost 14 hours on our trip due to the tire explosion and the second tire puncture. He refunded $100 to our credit card and gave us a $200 voucher for a future rental which we would receive by email.
Today, a month after returning the motorhome and back home, we've received nothing, no voucher, no email! And anyway, based on my childhood experience with the El Monte RV agency which was much more reliable, if we return to the USA and rent a motorhome again, we will certainly go to a different rental agency.
I took no photos of the dishes or hairs as I had other things on my mind at the start of the vacation but we have photos of the water leak and insects if needed.
Nothing to say against Authentik USA, the booking process went well. But the Tampa dealership should be closely monitored!!
[...]
(Translated by Google) 4th RV experience on the American continent, I strongly advise against this company which seemed okay at first. We were honest upon our return in saying that there was a pressure issue with one of the tires (we had it inflated during the trip), pressure that was already lower at the start but we did not report it as it was not significant.
The person at the reception tells me that I must pay 350 dollars for the tire... it will be inspected by an independent garage and they will contact me. Two weeks after our return, still no news, so I sent an email to El Monte's reservation contact because the email she had given me was wrong... And of course after 3 days I finally got a response saying there was a screw in the tire and therefore they would not refund the 350 dollars.
We drove 5600kms so indeed it might be us who drove over a nail (not even sure since it's a slow puncture that might have been earlier) ... however, it's not our fault and it is unacceptable that it is not included in the GOLD package we took. Regarding this, it is completely unacceptable for the planet and CSR approach because they provide a new dishware and linen pack with each new rental including pan, pots... I dare to hope that it goes to associations afterwards and not to the trash... In short, the customer experience is extremely poor.
[...]
(Translated by Google) Driving a 9.20 m long and 3 m wide "truck" is an experience in itself! Everything is designed for the RV in the USA, another way to travel where you are close to nature, very original!!! The company is professional, offers options (e.g., camping chairs for 45 euros, we took them and have no regrets). The training is a bit basic at the start, but the guide provided inside is well done and answers questions. A small malfunction with the gauges (gas level) caused us a problem, and we were refunded for half a day's rental upon return (appreciated commercial gesture). [...]
(Translated by Google) Camper van as described, easy handling. Available hotline. Easy return.
(Translated by Google) We rented a motorhome through Authentik.
But the Authentik service goes far beyond that!
The guide with suggested itineraries and places to visit is very well made. It was more helpful for organizing and experiencing our trip than the tourist guidebook we had bought.
The recommendations on campsites from the site were also very useful.
The support, whether beforehand with recommendations of things to do before leaving, or throughout the trip in case of problems, is exceptional and very responsive.
In summary, if we travel to the America region again, we will use their services without hesitation.
[...]
(Translated by Google) Everything was great, we just lacked a bit of information about the vehicle at the time of booking (size of the trunks, dimensions of the bench beds (a bit tight for teenagers, ideal for young children)! But the rest was impeccable!
Functional motorhome, but...
(Translated by Google) We enjoyed renting the Cruise America C30 motorhome. Functional, no breakdowns. However, our opinion remains mixed. The price is quite high for an older model (over 175,000 km on the clock), with a somewhat outdated interior, damaged accessories not replaced, and sheets that didn't fit the beds. The cleaning was not done well. Next time, we will try another company. [...]