A Beginner's Guide to Q Campervan Travel: What to Expect
Not everyone is experienced with travelling in a campervan! There are many things that can change your experience and it’s important to know the details before starting your trip. What makes it more confusing is that each campervan rental company has different policies and ways of doing business. Here is what to expect when you rent a Q Campervan from the beginning to the end of your trip!
Big Blue in the Rocky Mountains! Plenty of solar power and a roof-rack to put SUP’s and surfboards on!
Before your Trip
Booking
When you first book your trip, you will pay 25% of the total reservation amount, and the rest is due 14 days prior to departure. The security deposit (which is the same as your insurance deductible) is due 2 days before your departure. You will get emails prompting you for these key dates. You can verify any drivers you would like free of charge. Q Campervan insurance only covers drivers that are 25+ years old. Q Campervans is closed on Saturdays. Bookings can be made that go through Saturday, but no Pick-up/Drop-offs will be allowed on that day of the week.
MILEAGE: Each rental includes 200km/day. For context, Vancouver to Banff and back is about 1700km total, so a 10 day trip is ideal to avoid additional mileage charges. However, additional km’s can be pre-purchased at $.35/km or be charged after the rental is complete at $.40/km. Please consider this before booking the length of your trip so you aren’t surprised with an additional mileage charge.
PICK-UP/DROP-OFF TIMES: Q Campervans is very flexible with pick-up/drop-off times (within business hours). Quennel (owner of Q Campervans) will message you shortly after booking and arrange a pick-up time at Moody Centre Skytrain Station (if delivery is not purchased) that works well for both parties!
If you are an international renter, there is an International Transaction Fee of 3% that Q Campervan’s payment software, Stripe, charges on each transaction.
PETS: Q Campervans are pet friendly. However, there are pet-related damage fees, so only well-trained pets are allowed. Each rental is sanitized completely to ensure everything is clean.
FUEL: Each rental comes with a full tank of gas/diesel. The vans must be returned with a full tank. The vans get a range of fuel economy from 13L/100km to 18L/100km with typical BC driving. Big Blue is the most fuel efficient given that it is diesel. The rest of the vans take gas/petrol. A full tank costs around $200 and will get you around 700-950 km depending on which van you choose and the type of driving you are doing.
Non-essential add-ons: There are a number of items that we are able to supply to make your trip extra fun! These items include inflatable SUP’s, inflatable kayaks, firewood, and hatchets. When you check out you can add these to the booking.
Enjoy the Washington coast from the comfort of Fred!
Insurance
There are 3 levels of insurance packages. Basic $29.95/day, Preferred $41.95/day, and Peace of Mind $51.95/day . We always recommend getting the Basic coverage plan as it will provide the most cost effective coverage as opposed to the other plans. For more detailed information on insurance click here.
Basic= $29.95/day (RECOMMENDED)
Comprehensive and Collision: up to actual cash value
Liability coverage: CAD$200,000.
Windshield coverage*
Preferred= $41.95/day
Comprehensive and Collision: up to actual cash value
Liability coverage: CAD$200,000
Windshield coverage*
Roadside assistance
Peace of Mind= $51.95/day
Comprehensive and Collision: up to actual cash value
Liability coverage: CAD$200,000.
Windshield coverage*
Roadside assistance
*only covers chips/cracks that are repairable and not in field of vision. All other damages will come out of the security deposit.
Deductibles (same amount as security deposit)
Fred: $800, Big Blue: $900, Lenny $900, Marvin $900, Rocky $900, Jayne $700, Beatrice $800
Roadside assistance is required for each booking (unless otherwise approved) and covers many things like towing, flat tires, battery jumps, lock-outs, and emergency gas. Furthermore, Quennel is almost always available to give technical assistance on the vans and assist you with any concerns you may have related to your trip!
General Policies
Cancelation policy
75% refund up to 7 days before pickup, then 50% refund for less than 7 days before pick-up. The 25% reservation deposit is non-refundable.
Damage
The renter accepts all responsibility for all and any damage during rental period. Which begins after the keys are handed off to the renter, and ends after keys are handed back to Q Campervans.
For more information on all the nitty gritty policies, please refer to the Rental Contract or contact Quennel at campervanq@gmail.com or (+1) 778-858-8863.
No campsite? No problem. All our vans are designed to ensure comfort without needing plug-ins!
What to Bring?
All “essentials” are included in a Q Campervan rental free of charge. Based on this list, you can judge what you may want to bring. Items included:
Kitchenware (Induction cooktop, cutlery, pots, pan, bowls, plates, cups, hot pads, can opener, spatulla, cheese grater, serving bowls, Tupperware, cutting board, knives, dish mat, strainer)
Cleaning supplies (Garbage bin + extra bags, disinfecting wipes, dish-soap, sponges, Dust pan, toilet paper)
Sink (23 litres of fresh water ready for use)
Fridge (42 quart /40 litre)
Heated Blanket
Bedding, linens, 2 towels + 2 facecloths, dish cloths/handcloths
Window covers and curtains
Outdoor shower (runs off of propane which is provided. 20 litre water jug filled to get you started) The shower uses any fresh water source.
2 camping chairs
Porti-potti (tank filled with water and scent/disintegration pods included)
Straps for roof rack
Extension cord to cook outside/charge the van at campsites
BONUS: contact in advance about stock of bear spray, bug spray, fire starter/lighters, salt+pepper, oils, tea, etc.
Pick-up/Delivery
If you purchased delivery, the campervan you booked will be brought to you. If the van isn’t delivered, then all other pick-ups will occur at Moody Centre Skytrain Station in Port Moody, BC. The station connects all the way to downtown Vancouver and YVR airport through both the West-Coast Express and Skytrain. If you would like to leave your car with us, please indicate this upon booking. There is a small Park and Ride lot to the left of the station where you will meet with Quennel.
There are a few things that occur at pick-up. They occur in this order:
Pictures of licences and the van itself for insurance purposes.
Signatures for an inventory list, departure form and rental contract (if not signed online).
Full walk-through of the entire van (driving the van, operating instructions)
Answering any questions + providing advice.
Test drive (always offered, not required)
Marvin is perfect for a luxurious road-trip!
During your trip
Driving and weather
Q Campervans are quite easy to drive. You may have difficulty finding parking in larger cities like downtown Vancouver or Victoria, but everywhere else should be quite easy to navigate. All Q Campervans have winter tires but are not 4-wheel drive. Fred has a back-up camera for those more nervous about operating a larger vehicle.
Off-roading is not allowed. Short gravel roads to campsites and various locations are okay, but extended off-road travel can lead to many problems.
Many places in BC and Alberta have long steep hill climbs and descents . It is always advised to use overdrive or gear down to not only help the transmission and engine stay cool, but also to prevent the brakes from heating up too much.
Weather can be extremely variable. For example, it was snowing in Banff briefly during June, but then extremely hot soon after. Make sure to research the area you are going to and look at what the weather typically is for that time of year. Vancouver and Vancouver Island are considered “Rain-Forests” so always plan for the possibility of rain
Ferries, Campsites, Park Passes
When booking ferry reservations, it is important to ensure that you let them know the dimensions of the vans. It is also important to show up at least 30 minutes prior to the sailing departure.
Henry, Fred, Big Blue, Lenny, Rocky, Jayne= 20 ft long, 7’3 tall
Marvin= 20 ft long, 9’3 tall
For all vans not listed, please contact Quennel for dimensions.
For campsites, it may depend on the location, but all Q Campervans should be able to easily fit in any vehicle accommodating campsite! If you choose to free-camp make sure you feel safe and are respectful to your surroundings; both people and nature. To view my blog post about free-camping/booking a campsite click here.
One thing about Q Campervans is they are very self-sufficient. Hook-ups at campsites are not really necessary. As long as you get some sun and drive the van, they will never run out of power.
Park passes may be required in National and Provincial Parks. Make sure to plan for this in advance. Day passes or Discovery passes are required for National Parks. Provincial park passes in BC are also required at Joffre Lakes, Garibaldi, and Golden Ears. Valid park passes may already be in the campervan you are renting.
Fred parked on the beaches of Tofino! What a view to wake up to!
Roadside Assistance
In the unfortunate event that your van requires assistance or needs a tow for mechanical issues, roadside assistance takes care of that stress. It is required for bookings. As previously mentioned, it will cover a wide variety of things like towing, flat tires, battery jumps, emergency gas, and lock-outs. Make sure to also call Quennel at (+1) 778-858-8863 to ensure that you are safe and taken care of! It is extremely important to Q Campervans that everything goes smooth, even break-down situations.
Another reason as to why off-roading is not allowed is because roadside assistance may not be able to help you/you are more difficult to access if the van breaks down. Furthermore, cell service may be more severely limited.
Accidents/Breakdowns
Roadside assistance is required to ensure that each rental has adequate help to get out of sticky situations. If roadside assistance cannot aid you, it is your responsiblity to cover any other costs. This is why off-roading isn’t allowed. Q Campervans will do our best to help you, so please also contact us in the event of a problem.
If you are in an accident of any kind, it is crucial that documentation of all related parties and pictures of what happened is sent to campervanq@gmail.com. Furthermore, the renter must report the accident to the appropriate insurance agencies/authorities and file a claim under their driver licence. The renter is responsible for all damages to themselves, the rental, and their own belongings. Any tickets, parking charges, tolls, and any other driving related charges are the responsibility of the renter.
Q Campervans makes sure each rental is CLEAN when you pick them up! Fred is shiny!
After your trip
When you bring your Q Campervan back to Moody Centre Skytrain Station at the arranged time for drop-off (unless delivery is purchased), a few things will happen.
Short conversation about the trip. Feedback, concerns, suggestions, etc…
Quennel will fill out a return form. This is where the mileage is checked, any damages declared, and any additional charges added. A signature will be required.
Security deposit will be returned usually within 24-48 hours and any additional charges will be subtracted from that amount.
Goodbyes! Quennel may ask if you took any videos/photos. Also, if you have time, for a review!
Thank you for reading and being interested in Q Campervans!
-Quennel Anderson
