Fine Print
The Nitty Gritty
Rental Terms and Conditions
Renting any vehicle entails pages of disclaimers, contracts, insurance checks, and legalese. Renting from Peace Vans is, unfortunately, no different. Alas, we have attempted to simplify the most important parts of our policies into easily digestible language to avoid confusion or surprises.
Vehicle Use
Peace Vans has a very strict no 'hard core' off-road use. You are encouraged to explore the plethora of forest service roads and similar unimproved roads. Still, please do not aggressively pursue off-road adventures, heavily washboard roads, or overgrown trails that may leave you stranded and with a large repair bill. Remember that these are not 4-wheel drive vehicles, and getting stuck on muddy shoulders, soft grasses, and loose gravel is straightforward. You can purchase roadside assistance through our third-party insurance, or you can bring your own AAA, etc.
Be very careful when executing tight turnarounds on less-improved roads. These vans can quickly get stuck. Getting stuck not due to mechanical issues will be your responsibility to address.
We will give you an orientation of your van at checkout, and you'll have the opportunity to ask questions and learn the basics about driving your vehicle.
Our vans are automatic transmissions.
Our VW vans are great vehicles to drive, but they require more attentiveness. We'll ask you to keep your eye on a few gauges and remind you that this is about the journey as much as the destination. These vans will go slow over mountain passes and steep grades—even with new engines, expect a maximum speed of 65mph and drop to 50-50mph over a pass or at elevation.
Our vans are best suited for WA/OR/ID, but we can let them travel further afield, check with us first. Our Mercedes Metris campers are best for traveling far distances. We do offer limited one-way rentals between Seattle and California. Don't even ask about Burning Man :) - as long-time event attendees ourselves, we will know if you are even thinking of going.
Pick-up and Drop-off
Vans are generally available for pick up after 1:00 pm on the starting day of your rental and due back by 1:00 pm on the last day of your rental. Please check with us in advance if you need changes to this, and we will do our best to accommodate.
The drop-off times must be adhered to because our next series of renters are waiting for your van. There is a $200 charge for late drop-offs. Similarly, we are unable to accommodate early pick-ups unless previously arranged.
Please plan your arrival back if you’re flying out of Sea-Tac. Peace Vans is not responsible for any costs incurred due to changing travel plans or any issues, including vehicle breakdowns.
Please don't return your rental trashed. We detail each van between rentals, but a filthy van will incur an additional $150 cleaning fee.
Deposits, Cancellations, and Refunds
Your initial reservation is secured with a 50% deposit. Full payment is due 30 days before your pick-up date or at reservation time, whichever is less. Price is automatically collected 30 days out from your reservation.
Cancellations must be made via written request and received within 30 days of pick-up for a refund. Cancellations made before 30 days will be fully refunded minus a $250 charge.
Cancellations made less than 30 days from pick-up cannot be refunded.
If you must cancel a reservation within 30 days, we can offer you a credit to be used within one year.
A $1500 security deposit is required against damage, unreasonable use, or excessive cleaning requirements. The security deposit is generally released within three days after returning the vehicle. This is automatically charged to your credit card for reservations three days before pick up. Any damages to your van or Peace Vans property will be deducted from your security deposit.
Peace Vans reserves the right to cancel a reservation at any time (including at pick-up) based on natural disasters, changes in business conditions, unforeseen natural occurrences, or other situations that would make renting a van unsafe. This includes but is not limited to a renter showing up intoxicated or unable to operate the vehicle safely. If Peace Vans initiates the cancellation, a full refund will be issued.
While we will do our best to place you in the van you have reserved, the nature of renting vintage vehicles is such that we have to make a last-minute substitution from time to time. All of our vans are "equal" in quality, and if we cannot provide you with the van of your choice, we cannot offer any discount or refund.
Insurance
All drivers must be 25 years old or older.
Our rentals require insurance and must be obtained through our partner, Outdoorsy. The policy provides complete coverage for collision and the statutory minimum coverage in each state for liability—you can, and are encouraged, to purchase additional Liability coverage up to $1M at checkout (we make no money on this). There is a $1,500 maximum deductible. There is a 7-10% charge for this insurance. Unfortunately, your credit card and automotive policies will not adequately cover a vintage camper van rental.
In the event of an accident, you must contact us immediately so we can assist.
You must pass a quick DMV check to rent with us. Recent DUIs or excessive speeding tickets in the past year might disqualify you. If you fail to meet the DMV requirements, you will receive a 100% refund, including any fees. This will happen within 72 hours of your reservation.
Non-US residents are okay to rent with us.
Breakdowns and Delays
Peace Vans rentals are kept in top-notch condition by the dedicated professionals on our staff. In the unlikely event that your rental breaks down, several options exist:
We require you to use our third-party insurance system for 24-hour roadside assistance or bring your 24-hour roadside assistance, such as AAA. It is limited to accessible roads and areas. If you choose to explore more remote areas, this is at your own risk, and you are responsible for costs associated with assistance. Peace Vans will bear the cost of roadside assistance if an issue is deemed to be mechanical that was not caused by neglect. Your responsibility is to understand our orientation and alert us if anything seems off.
If an issue does occur outside of cell phone service, be prepared, as it will take some time to react and help. You will likely have to get a ride/walk to cell-accessible areas and proceed.
If you are within a general service area, we maintain a strong network of trained, local mechanics who can undertake the often simple repairs to get you back on the road.
If the issue is not deemed a simple repair, Peace Vans will attempt to provide a backup vehicle.
If a backup vehicle is unavailable and your vehicle is not repairable in a reasonable time window (generally speaking - 24 hours), Peace Vans will refund the remaining days’ rental fees. Peace Vans will not be responsible for additional costs associated with adjusting your plans, and our liability is limited to refunding any remaining rental days.
If you are outside of the prescribed area or are deemed to be on a non-approved road, the renter shall bear all costs associated with towing and repair. Peace Vans is the sole determinant of non-approved roads or other unapproved vehicle use. Shoulders and unimproved campsites are generally non-approved and "use at your own risk."
Each of our vans has a unique combination of additional camping equipment - both fixed within the vehicle and supplied as part of our service. If one of these systems fails or can not easily be prepared, we reserve the right not to repair it during your rental or offer a replacement van.
True Fine Print
Peace Vans is not responsible for any damages, inconveniences, or costs caused by late arrivals, regardless of the reason. Furthermore, Peace Vans is not responsible for any loss, injury, or damage to person or property from any equipment rented from Peace Vans, including, but not limited to, the vehicle rental.
Upon receipt of your deposit, all terms and conditions stated herein are binding.
An additional contract is required in conjunction with these terms and conditions.
Miscellaneous
We have one dog friendly van if renters want to bring along a furry friend. If the van is unavailable, then you can’t bring your dog. There is a pet fee of $150 that is nonrefundable. Only one dog allowed.
We are excited to provide travel planning assistance but can not be held responsible for making arrangements or guaranteeing the quality of our tips - things change fast.
Remember, campsites and ferries book up quickly - please plan. Peace Vans is not responsible for lodging, parking, camping, or similar aspects of your trip.
International cards & transactions have a 3% transaction fee through our reservation system. We suggest using US based cc/accounts for payments/deposits/etc.
We offer various discounts on our rentals, but at no time can the total discount amount exceed 15%. You cannot combine multiple discounts to get a discount greater than 15%.