This review is meant to be very comprehensive so you can make the best decision for yourself.The good:
1) The host was very nice and answered my call at 10pm when we were having some trouble with the electric and worked with us to try to fix it.
2) The car ran nicely and we had no issues with the drive. It was very easy to drive. It got great gas mileage as well.
3) The mattress was by far the best part of the rental and the most comfortable mattress we've slept on in a camper van.
4) The large fan provided was a life saver.
5) The solar electric and separate battery was super nice to have to charge our electronics, especially since we were working remotely.The bad:
1) The trip started off rocky for us because the posting for the van said the pick-up was 7 minutes from MIA airport, but it was actually 20 minutes west of MIA airport. All in all, not a huge deal, but it started us off annoyed before even picking the van up and nervous about what else wasn't going to be as advertised. The owner should definitely fix this in the posting.
2) The pillows were pretty bad so we bought new ones to use on the trip. I think that's an easy cheap upgrade they should make.
3) The swamp cooler is really helpful, but it costs about $5 per day to fill it with ice and then it only lasts about 3 hours at night. The 2 extra fans provided, especially the big ones, were life-saving. Even in December, Miami is HOT (and we were coming from Dallas so we know hot). I would absolutely not rent this van in any other season in Miami. I think it would be unbearably hot.
4) The van overall is old and not in great shape. The radio doesn't work and there's a plastic bag over the stick shift so it doesn't get black gue all over you. I think they could provide some small fixes for this, like an aux cord, and just fix the stick shift.
5) The window covers are quite a job every night to cover the windows. I would suggest the owner put a sticker on each window covering with a corresponding sticker on the window (so covering A goes to window A, etc.). Also, they don't stay very well. I think a magnet curtain like we've had in most other camper vans is an easy upgrade they should make.
6) Althought this is not the fault of the owner - the biggest issue for us was the height of the van, which we didn't really consider before renting it. You cannot sit up in the bed at all or you'll hit your head on the ceiling. We both hit our heads on the ceiling several times. This alone would cause us to never rent a short van like this again. Just something to keep in mind. Some people I've in these shorter vans, so it's definitely doable, but not for us.
7) They put touch lights in the van which are SUPER helpful, but - they don't put batteries in them. This was pretty ridiculous to me since for them, it's an $8 cost that would last several renters. Instead, we had to buy our own batteries to be able to turn the lights on for a few minutes each night. So silly.
8) The owner said the cooler would last with ice for 10 days and this was absolutely not the case. We put ice in it every night and the ice would be melted by the next day. This was even with keeping the cooler in the shade.Between the cooler and the swamp cooler, we spent about $10 a day on ice. We also spent $10 on batteries for the lights. We spent $30 on pillows (in our opinion the ones in the van we unusable). I think the overall price of the van should be less considering its condition and they should spend the $40-$50 bucks to make some small but powerful improvements.
Ayman’s answer
Hi Chloe,We value our client’s opinions and feedback as we continue to provide the best customer service to all of our travelers. We are sorry to hear that you feel this way.During our 30 min key exchange (drop-off), I was very happy to hear how much you guys enjoyed the van and how you had expressed that you had no issues and everything in the van worked great. You did not express any problems; so, this review is to my surprise.In regards to the pick up location, our website clearly states it is the Doral location- which is actually closer to the airport than our storage location. When you picked up the van I further explained why the pick up location is designated there. You did mention the possibility of drop off at our storage location, and I agreed and went further by offering to drop you guys at your hotel to save you any Uber charges. I offered to do so multiple times, however you declined. I even waived off your toll charges and didn't charge for the missing white bed sheets.Yes, we always get asked where we purchase our mattresses from, and we share the seller's information. Also, we always make sure to provide at least 2 electric power alternatives to make sure that traveler’s electronics are always charged when working remotely or in need to charge a drone or a camera.The swamp cooler needs ice to operate as indicated by the manufacturer, and it is a normal process for the ice to be replaced.The hot weather in Miami is all year round as travelers come here to enjoy the tropical vibe and beaches. As noted in our listing, there are 3 sources of cooling in the campervan to use: dashboard AC, box fans, and the swamp cooler.The van was built a year ago and is always serviced and maintained. The radio and the aux input both work. As for the gear shift rubber, I explained why the bag is there to prevent any residue on one’s hands.The insulation window covers are placed by pushing them against the windows. They do not need any magnets to hold against the window and provide better insulation than a curtain.The campervan is a low roof as noted in the listing.There are 3 sources of light in the campervan: the built in factory lights, the swamp cooler flashlight, and the power bank flashlight. I clearly explained to you why we do not provide batteries for the tap lights, and I mentioned it is an option if you would like to use them. I further mentioned you could purchase just one battery pack to utilize one tap light if you would like.We offer a high end RTIC cooler in the campervan and adding ice is a standard procedure when needed.We offer our campervans with unlimited miles within the state of Florida at a base rental rate of $89/night. We are the most affordable and competitive in the market. We always make sure the vans are maintained at all times to provide a pleasant, comfortable ride to all of our renters.We value your opinion. Thank you for your business.