"Borrow" your camper?

[SKnight]

Nobodies ever asked to actually borrow mine, I have been invited to attend a race with my way paid if I'd bring my camper.

Now, first time I went to a family campout with my wife's family I was invaded before I even unhooked the trailer. Her brother hit the door with a case of beer asking if the fridge was cold, kids invaded because of the novelty and then once the AC was fired up, that was all she wrote. No less than four adults and six kids were in there almost full time.

Learned my lesson there. Now it's not so bad, things stay under better control. But now I have the new one, her mom found out and we're officially requested to bring it.

So, borrow it? No. Forced occupation? Unfortunately that happens.

I'm going to get one of those wood signs made with a great quote I read in this thread.

Entertains 8
Feeds 6
Hosts 4
Sleeps 2

[mlhawke]

My father fortunately felt like it was okay for his daughter to borrow his class C. I learned the systems and took it out many times always returning it better than when I got it. Thus starting my love affair with camping RV style. With that said would I lend my fifth wheel to my son NO! He has never been around trailers and would need much schooling before that was a possibility. All others: www.cruiseamerica.com enjoy!
Loved everybody comments

[Night Stone]

My answer would be NO, but will let them know there are other options, like Cruise America or local dealers that you can rent from. I worked hard to get my first trailer and continue to do so. So they would need to do the same for their own choices and like a few others have said

Entertains 8
Feeds 6
Hosts 4
Sleeps 2 plus my son on his bunk bed

If it makes you comfortable to lend it out, by all means do so. Just remember you would end up having to repair anything that will happen to it whether it is a minor or major problem(s). Because of the last person you loaned it out to (also could have been an ongoing issue before loan out too) does or doesn't repair it. Remember its not their travel trailer and you may not even want them to repair it

[TeresaInCAL]

I tell them politely NO. Tell them there is a HUGE learning curve that comes along with it, and something is always breaking.

Or, sure, but how about you go buy a nice boat, and let me borrow it?

[wrvond]

Please don't ask to borrow my:
wife
truck
gun
toothbrush
underwear
camper.

There are some things just not meant to be shared.

On a related note, I have an enclosed single axle utility trailer, the kind where the back door is also a ramp. My bride loaned it to her sister for a day. I can't say it was returned damaged because it wasn't exactly returned. I received a phone call telling me where I could find it sitting at the side of the road with a flat tire, bent rim, bent axel, and bent frame. One of the fenders was also damaged. No offer to repair any part of it because she says it was like that when she got it. I replaced the axle, wheel, and tire. It still sits crooked and the aluminum sides are wrinkled because of the bent frame. She got in a huff because my wife told her to never ask to borrow anything again.
True, it's just "stuff", but thanks to her, I now have some "stuff" that no longer works right. Since I don't buy "stuff" just to own it, I think it is reasonable for me to guard against damage, which includes uncaring relatives.

[whitmw]

Any ideal what she did to cause that much damage?

[Campster]

For someone to borrow our trailer would mean they would need to also borrow our truck. Our equalizer hitch is fine tuned and set up for it. So another words, it is never going to happen. For me owning a trailer is like owning a Harley, I have never had anyone ask to borrow my Harley and so far the same goes for my trailer and truck. Have too much invested in them both for someone with no experience with them to use. Although everything is insured I'm not sure how liability issues are handled when something like this is borrowed. Are you responsible for a lawsuit by letting someone with no experience pull your trailer and possible harming someone else? I would be too worried the whole time it would be gone....

[army_jedi]

From the opposite perspective, very close Army buddy and his wife practically insisted that my wife and I borroy their 30 foot Rockwood. Best couple-friends for years, both of us Army 1SGs, we know how each other are with taking care of things and meticulous following of checklists, etc.. It took me a while to agree and my conditions were simple: we pick a close place that they had camped at before, he provide me full opening and closing down written checklists, I drive but he rides with me (my truck and I do know how to pull large trailers and boats), he talks me through the set-up and each function (yup, didn't even know that this is a sort-of PDI), and then he comes out to tear down everything. I knew their intention was to get us to like it so much we would want to get one of our own and then camp as couples. Well we used their trailer twice and were hooked. Never an issue, I was always careful, and he knew if I broke something I would replace it immediately. Now we are waiting to pick up our first TT when I get back from my long mid-east vacation in the next few months. I think with like-minded individuals, it is possible to share something as valuable and complex as a TT, but it would be a very small list of people I would consider. On a side note, I think if my father had one and I asked to borrow it, the answer would be laughter.... he remembers 15 yr old me too well and probably doesn't trust 39 yr old me enough yet.. ha ha

[wrvond]

Originally Posted by whitmw

Any ideal what she did to cause that much damage?

I think she dragged it across a small metal bridge over a large creek with one wheel hanging off.

[mark0224]

My brother or sister borrowing it would be ok because I know they would take care of it, My step kids not a snowballs chance in hell. I don't have any trust in them to take care of anything they didn't learn anything from their mother or myself and can't take care of anything they own. Wouldn't even let them sleep in it in our driveway.

[Enjoyingtheride]

...can we use your truck too?

[B47]

My step son had a bumper sticker on his pickup that might be appropriate in some cases here and could be modified to fit your particular situation:

"Yes it's my pickup and No I won't help you move."

[mlangdn]

It would not be a possibility that I could ever loan out my TT or PUP. I kept the PUP after buying the TT just a few weeks ago. I take the whole family, plus grandkids. But with me not there - no way - no way - no way.....

[Weezer]

Originally Posted by Enjoyingtheride

...can we use your truck too?

Hah...I think my resounding NO! would be so convincing they wouldn't bother with that follow up question. /snark

[Brett K]

It depends on who it was. My parents or my mother and father-in-law...I would hook up my new camper to my new truck, hand them the keys, and say have fun. My wife and I grew up camping and I know they miss it. There are others that we would offer to let it sit at a campground for an extra day or so if they wanted to stay a night. There are others....no way! Unfortunately it is the people who would ask that I would say no to. The people I would trust are the ones I would have to convince.

[Malco]

Thats true with anything. The ones that you would trust with your camper would never want to impose on you to ask to borrow it.

[jevanb]

I would let my inlaws since they have a pretty big and very expensive 5er all ready. but that is about it

[oldsmasma]

Absolutely no. Don't borrow and don't lend.

[rbrumm]

Originally Posted by essness

I have one exception to the standard answer of "NO". My brother in law would be welcome to anything and everything I own. He just get's it, and almost always returns everything the right way...........better than it left.

Same here, all of my immediate family (including in-laws) would take care of our trailer like it was theirs. If anything were to happen they would be the first to own up to it and offer to fix it. Guess I am lucky. I have loaned my old one out once, I towed it, set it up and brought it home. I am a little uncertain about letting others tow it.

[mark0224]

Not going to happen here, nobody using ours but us, not our kids or our siblings. Wouldn't let any of my kids drive my truck let alone to my trailer, wouldn't even allow them to use our trailer even if I towed it and set it up. As for siblings GET YOUR OWN, you all have jobs too.