Star RV Motorhome HireReviews 

We rented a campervan from Jucy / StarRV in February 2025, and we’re only writing this review now because we’ve just returned from a long round-the-world trip. Unfortunately, our experience was far below expectations – both in terms of quality, service, and price transparency.

Already at pick-up, it became clear that the agreed price didn’t hold.
We were charged over USD 1,000 in extra fees, a 2.4% card surcharge, and additional costs for AdBlue and a diesel fee per kilometer, none of which had been clearly stated in advance.

The campervan itself was of very poor quality.
We had to spend time almost daily fixing small issues – curtains kept falling down, drawers and handles needed to be re-screwed repeatedly, flyscreens and bathroom door frames came loose, and only one USB port worked (and only while driving).
Several interior parts were loose or defective, and the water gauges didn’t work at all.

The extra equipment offered for rent – such as outdoor chairs, tables, and child seats – was also hugely overpriced. For example, we rented a child seat for USD 40, even though there was a price tag of USD 25 on it, and their camping chairs cost USD 18, while identical ones cost USD 7 at the hardware store.

When we returned the vehicle, we also experienced something very unpleasant.
We handed in leftover supplies such as toilet paper and canned food for the next customers, but when I stepped outside briefly to get more, most of it was gone – even though only staff members were present. It left a very poor impression.

Overall, Jucy / StarRV feels like a highly unprofessional and self-serving company that doesn’t treat its customers with honesty or respect.
The standard of their vehicles does not match the price, and their transparency around fees is seriously lacking.

I cannot recommend Jucy / StarRV and hope others read this before booking.

Final Update 16 Oct: StarRV has now offered compensation, including a partial reimbursement for accommodation and a discount on the campervan hire. While the outcome was less than we had hoped for, the matter has been acknowledged and settled for now. Communication took time, but responses were eventually provided. Overall, a mixed experience — some effort was made to resolve the issue, though there’s room for improvement in service and follow-through.

Update: After my initial review, StarRV/Travvia replied publicly asking me to send feedback to their email. I did exactly that — even copied the same address again in my follow-up reminder — and still received no reply.
At this point it feels like lip service meant only to look good on reviews, not to genuinely resolve customer issues. The silence and lack of accountability are unacceptable, especially for visitors who trusted the company while travelling in New Zealand.

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Booked a Polaris 4 from StarRV but got a completely different van that had loads of issues. It looked nothing like what was advertised. Windows sliding open while driving, ladder falling off, rainwater leaking in, reverse camera not working, and the steering felt unsafe. First gas tank was empty on the night of day 1 and only one set of bed linen was provided for two beds. Because of this we had to spend extra on hotels and gas, which wasn’t cheap.
We put in a complaint on 19 Sept and still haven’t heard back – not even an acknowledgement.
Honestly, the whole thing has been stressful and a real let-down during what was supposed to be a family holiday.
Wouldn’t recommend StarRV to anyone.

Cancelled our booking 2 days before booking and it’s during school holidays so trying to get another car has been a nightmare. Got offered a van from a budget camper place that was half the price but due previous reviews decided not to go with them. Trying to get in contact with them to talk about the cancellation was a nightmare, they kept telling me I had to email and a day out I still hadn’t heard from them. Now waiting on my refund.

I was only after a quotation but money has been deducted from my card and they won't refund.
Further to your reply below, I am in touch with your team but not getting anywhere!!

Not wonderful. I ordered a Polaris 2 several months in advance. I mentioned that we wanted the version with the east/west bed.
We were offered one with a pulldown bed & ladder which we didn't like. The one we wanted was there but had to be cleaned - which took 2 hours!!
Staff were lovely.
The run through on how it all worked was rather rushed.
We didn't notice for a while that there was a stone chip in the centre of the front window. One gas bottle was empty, the other partially ful. The mattress is a bit thin. The RV drives beautifully & has very good comfy seats.
There are items we would expect to be in the RV that we have had to purchase;
bread knife, 1 extra teaspoon, 2 bread plates
2 throw rugs, 2 extra pillows & pillowcases, small rubbish bin & rubbish bags, extra tea towels, dish cloths, floor cloth, dishwash liquid, toilet sanitiser additive.
We also got some basket dividers so items don't clash about in the cupboards, which have no non-slip liner & no lip on the edge
There is NOT ONE hook in the interior for hanging a bathrobe, towels, tea towels, dish clothes et al.

Can’t recommend this company. Would recommend Mad Campers if this is an option instead.
Rented a Polaris 2 from Cairns to Brisbane. Were picked up at the airport, then left at the pick up site for about 45 mins where there was no one to help. After 45 min 1 employee showed up to help, but by then there was already the longest queue. Took us about 2 hours to receive our van, and had a very fast introduction to the van before we were left to ourselves.
We paid to have a laundry change along the way, but no one informed us that this was not possible between Cairns and Brisbane, so we never got this.
Along the way different things were not working on the van.
After the first day the electric step didn’t work anymore. The park sensor on the front end had been damaged and fixed with tape, which meant that every time we turned on the van or were backing up the sensor would be screaming at us.
The fridge could not close properly and opened easily when the van was turning, and one of the gas burners would only turn on once in a while when we tried it.
The engine light started shining after 3 days and when I tried to contact the company (multiple times) no one every got back to us.
Besides this the car was constantly showing new issues in the display board every time we turned it on.
Only upside was the drop off in Brisbane where the lady was sweet and helpful.

When considering all the issues we had with the vehicle from the start, it becomes obvious that it was poorly serviced and poorly presented with clear signs of neglect/lack of maintenance. Vis: the fuel was not topped up, the Adblue was low, the house battery was flat, the engine signaled the requirement for an oil change (se picture), cupboards did not close properly and then add the fact that the water tank was not safely attached all point to a vehicle that was not fit for purpose. So the start of our “experience” was already disappointing. Had we known about the water tank on receipt of the vehicle we would have refused to take it.
I also want to emphasize just how serious the situation was with regard to the water tank. The issue did not just arise during the start of our journey, it had to be developing over time prior to our rental and could have affected others before us. The water tank created a significant safety risk for both my wife and me, as well as for others on the road. If it had come loose with 100l of water in it (it had a single screw holding it up on the one side i.e. 5 screws missing and was close to the ground (see picture) it could have caused us to have an accident and possibly anyone following behind us. Just to clarify, the tools and screws we bought didn’t fix the issue to the point of carrying water — they were only an interim measure so we could keep moving. It was all fine and well to be told to take it to a garage and get it fixed but firstly we were remote when I identified the extent of the issue and secondly the garages we contacted when we got to a suitable settlement wanted us to wait at least 24 hours until they “may” be able to fit us in because they said it needed far better attachments than was currently in the vehicle. We came on holiday, not to sit waiting at workshops for repairs to the vehicle. We also had to empty the water tank to reduce load and ensure its safe travel – this was for the remaining 8 days of the hire. So no showers, toilets flushed with water bottles etc.
In short the unknown state of the water tank caused a great deal of stress and disrupted a holiday we had carefully planned. I reiterate that I feel that overall, the vehicle simply wasn’t up to standard and shouldn’t have been on the road in that condition.

Do NOT rent from this company. Absolutely unacceptable experience.

My partner and I rented a campervan well in advance to pick up in Christchurch and drop off in Queenstown. We paid in full, including all required insurance and extras. What we received was nothing short of a disaster.

First, the driver who picked us up from the airport broke a part of my suitcase. I let that go without complaint. But then at the Christchurch office, we were left waiting over an hour and a half just to receive the vehicle.

When we finally got the campervan, it was in disgraceful condition:
• It was dirty inside.
• The BBQ was mouldy and disgusting.
• Both gas bottles were empty, despite us specifically requesting full ones.

We asked staff to sort this out. They claimed they replaced the bottles, but they clearly didn’t. That night we found ourselves in the middle of nowhere, in freezing temperatures, with no working gas to shower or heat the van.

To make matters worse, the power points didn’t work, so we couldn’t even boil water or use basic appliances. The hang rod was also broken.

We had one of the worst nights imaginable because we trusted that the company had done their job — and they clearly had not.

Then, to top it all off:
When we returned the van in Queenstown, there was a minor stone chip on the front windscreen. Staff assured us it was repairable and would only cost $60. Yet a few days later, we were charged over $500 with no warning, no explanation, and no communication.

This is absolutely unacceptable. We feel misled, taken advantage of, and completely disappointed. I would never recommend this company to anyone, and I hope this review serves as a warning to others.

If I could give it a zero I would.
Our trip didn't start well waiting 45 minutes in the freezing cold for shuttle collection but when we saw a fairly new model RV waiting for us things were looking up - or so we thought. The RV blew a major fuse on the first night (in negative temperatures) so we had to return it.
As a replacement they gave us the oldest grottiest piece of crap on the lot. The vehicle had done almost 300,000km and it showed.
There were broken panels all over the outside and some didn't lock. One even fell open as we were driving along the road.
Curtains were falling off the rails, there was no electric heating (and you can't use gas heating at night) so no hot water in the mornings, electrical appliances were not legal and there was no ladder to the top bed.
Because we had to change campers very quickly, because they were in a hurry, we left behind a bag with some personal items in it. It took 4 phone calls and 3 weeks to get it returned.
Then they over charged us for mileage because they didn't take a reading when we picked the vehicle up which was admitted by their manager.
We we complained they played everything down and made out like it was our problem.
The vehicle felt unsafe and I would not recommend them to my worst enemy.

Pick up motor home with unclean cassette,problem with powers,wasting 1 hours of travel to sort things out before we can start our trip,than finding toilet leaking waters,wasting all night to clean and empty the waters to stop the leaking as we in remote area to find any help or equipment to stop the leaking,delaying our travel times and ruining our trip as we can't use the toilet or shower,we have to spend extra money to book in a camp site to use the waters and toilet,luckily the leaking stop,but it's effecting our travel times and end up with late drop off fee and extra day fee.the staff is not helping or finding a solution,all there did is call and yell at costumers,rude costumers service,no responsibility for service thats provide.
I been travel around Australia and hired out plenty of car,motor home,camper van,but I nerver been experiencing with this problem before,but very disappointed with Star rv in perth.
Who ever thinking of renting car from star rv perth make sure you check the vehicle throughly before start your trip.

Everything from the power to the car itself was bad. The power wouldn't work, laddler fell off and almost injured us, the breaks were bad etc.

We had an incredible experience in our Polaris 6! The RV was spotless, had low kilometres, and was packed with fantastic amenities. It felt spacious and well-designed, offering plenty of room to relax and enjoy the journey. Driving the van was a breeze – smooth, responsive, and surprisingly easy to handle for its size. Highly recommend for anyone looking to explore in comfort and style!

False advertizement.

On their website they offer a match pledge. After waiting a week and sending two emails, they haven't replied.

Ordered a polais 2 , 2year old fiat van. 3 or 4 days away we were informed by 3rd party company that for some reason this van had become un available and they offered a much larger 6 birth motorhome ,thinking it would be a similar age and quality we accepted , my mistake . Pick up went well , this is a much older van , after driving out of darwin we noticed the radio system in front in the motorhome and media system in rear did not work or was unable to be tuned .
Then a panel about 2kgs from above the side door fell off scaring the #@#% out of my wife and I.
1st stop no gas to cooker lucky we had power for electric hot plate . Found on 3rd day a gas tap under stove that was turned off . ( when we returned the van the employee stated it should not have been turned off at all ) .
Gas cylinders were only 1/2 full not full .
Fly screens were ripped on 2 of the screens , not good in the wetlands in the territory . Had to tape them to stop invasion fron bugs and mozzie.
Side door had nuts on it to secure it to fly door , problem was the nuts were to big for the bolt fixings , had to tape to secure door .
Fridge did not work properly could not keep milk cold, went off in 3 days frozen stuff did not stay frozen at all well .
Floors were spongee and felt like like you might go through , not good when have a wife with balance problems .
Yes we got a call from star about problems and they wanted us to take it to be assessed and repared but we were in Kakadu on a 10 day trip so we would loose part of our holiday due to the condition of the motorhome / van they had rented to us .

Very friendly staff. But disappointing we are on our trip and I done everything to get hot water. But no hot water. I noticed new thread of gas bottle is different to one attached. I called up customer service and he told me if old one is empty find a place to fill it.

Hired Polaris 6 berth from Melbourne branch for 10 nights. First day on unpowered site noticed 2 gas bottles one completely empty, one full. Fridge had an awful smell and kept error out called the phone number provided and they made us reset worked but then switched off, reset multiple times but still error, food went off and fridge smelt. Hot water heated for few seconds then would also error, reset same thing. Gas was connected as stove worked. Operator said nearest place for us to go to is Melbourne we were now in South Australia also no technician could come out to us as was public holiday. We moved to another site with power, fridge worked but aircon kept blowing cold air and it was cold so we needed heater, followed all videos but no luck so it was really cold. Only thing worked was fridge and shower using power. Sent email and no response.

The problems started from the outset with miscommunication of the airport pick-up location with two Star RV operatives communicating different pick up points. This caused some unnecessary delay (after a long flight), which was then compounded by the camper not being ready when we arrived. In spite of bothering to complete the pre-arrival check in online, I had to repeat the paperwork at the run-down Jucy/Star RV premises.

The staff we pleasant throughout. However, the camper was not properly prepared for us. The water wasn't filled (or barely partially filled – in spite of me having asked about it). I understand it's inefficient for the vans to travel with full water tanks, but having asked whether it was full I was told that "It should be" by the representative, this caused frustration later in the day when we needed it.

The worst part of the experience was the fact that the toilet cassette was not properly emptied before our rental. I know this because of the smell, and because what came out of it when I emptied it and cleaned it was NOT what we had used it for.

Overall, the van was okay, but basic.

The service from Yana was brilliant, and the quality of the motorhome, everything was working and explained to us well. We saw really bad reviews so we were skeptical, but it turns out that wasn't the case whatsoever, we had a great experience. We rented from Hobart, Australia.

We picked it up on Thursday, March 6th in Sydney, and on Friday morning, we noticed that the water heater was not working. We spent over an hour on the phone on Friday, March 7th with a man . We were shocked by this person’s attitude. They put us on hold for several long minutes, hung up twice, and insisted that we fix the issue ourselves. According to them, it was as simple as pressing a button on the water heater to reset it. When we told them there were no buttons, they didn’t believe us and kept insisting. We had to send a photo of the water heater for them to realize it was not the model they were expecting. In the end, they didn’t know this model and put us on hold again before hanging up!
We didn’t expect to encounter someone asking us to repair the motorhome when we had paid nearly $10,000 for this rental!
We called back and spoke to another person,who told us she would arrange a repair and send us the details by email. Amy knew where we were and where we were heading.

At 2 pm on Friday, we received an email directing us to a garage more than 2 hours away. The garage closed at 4 pm, so it was impossible to get there in time to have the water heater fixed. We sent emails explaining the situation but received no response.

On Saturday morning, we called again, and the person we spoke to told us it was the weekend and that we would have to wait until Monday. In the meantime, we had to book campsites just to be able to shower and have hot water.

On Monday morning, we called Jucy again to try and resolve this issue. Jucy directed us to a repairer and told us that if any repairs were needed, we would have to pay the costs upfront. I find it outrageous that we might have to pay a large amount of money for repairs that were not included in our budget.

In the end, we didn’t have to pay for a water heater, as the mechanic found it was beyond repair and also discovered a leak. So the situation had worsened: we had no hot water, couldn’t use the toilets, or wash dishes because water was leaking everywhere!! The mechanic told us they didn’t have a replacement water heater. The mechanic sent their report and photos to Jucy (we received their email).

We called Jucy again and sent emails to explain all of this and to request a replacement motorhome in Brisbane. It was unacceptable to continue with this vehicle, which was falling apart and no longer functional. We had paid $10,000, and on top of that, we had to pay for campsites every night, spend our time on the phone or writing emails, and waste time looking for a mechanic to fix a vehicle we had just picked up.

On Monday evening, I received two emails: one asking how the visit to the mechanic had gone, even though we had already sent a summary, called, and the mechanic had sent an email; and the second email informing me that there was no possibility of exchanging the vehicle in Brisbane because no vehicles were available, and asking again how the mechanic appointment had gone and where we were, to set up another appointment at a mechanic. It felt like they expected us to spend our vacation going from garage to garage to repair a vehicle we had just received!

On Tuesday morning (March 11), we went to the Brisbane agency, determined to get another vehicle, as continuing under these conditions was impossible, or at least to get a full refund and end this nightmare that had started on Thursday, March 6, and book with another company. The agency was very professional: they provided us with another vehicle, even repaired issues on this second vehicle, and agreed to reimburse the campsites we had to pay for during this ordeal.

However, the manager refused to give us a compensation for this awful experience. She told us to contact jucy for that

I requested compensation for all the inconveniences caused (and there were many), the stress, frustration, the time lost calling you, writing emails that often went unanswered because, of course, the case was not handled by a single person but by multiple people who were not informed, the time wasted changing vehicles, and having to repack everything (with a 2-year-old child,).It is extremely frustrating and exhausting to deal with such an assistance service. It feels like we are talking into a void, not being listened to, and since the rental has been paid, you seem to think you can treat customers poorly and leave them in a terrible situation. This has truly ruined the start of our vacation . I am still waiting for their answer ..they made us an offer( compensation of 15% for the 4 days impacted , but price without insurance and they told us to contact our insurance for more. I told them it is not satisafactory to us. Star rv rents vehicles and it is supposed to ensure certain features. It is solely star rv’s responsibility to ensure this failure, not a travel insurance. Rental contract is not fulfilled at all!!!

I will try to be as objective as possible and will share mostly factual details based on my experience.
Pros:
1. I was able to arrange childcare on-site, as I had forgotten to do this during the booking process.
2. The motorhome itself is spacious, and for six people (including two kids), it was quite comfortable.
3. The motorhome was fresh and modern, with a spacious fridge, which was a great bonus for our family.
4. The stress-free insurance was a must for me and definitely helped avoid unnecessary worry after a small incident during reverse parking.
Cons:
1. Significant delays during pick-up (1.5 hours):
* The delay was caused by a severe issue with the motorhome’s awning. During pick-up, I asked the staff to demonstrate how to use the awning, and this uncovered a few surprises. First, when they slightly rolled the awning down, a large spider appeared, which made me question whether it had been checked after the previous rental. Second, when they rolled it back up, the right pole was unstable and clearly unsafe for driving. I had to point this out before any improvements were made.
* Additional issues included the middle table being stuck due to a broken unscrewing handle, and the grey water sensor fluctuating between 50% and 100%.
2. Unprofessional staff:
* Initially, I was impressed as they promised to onboard me with the vehicle and answer all my questions. However, once I started pointing out issues, one staff member struggled to respond and had to seek help from another team member.
* The vehicle had to be taken back to the garage to fix the awning and table handle, which added over an hour to the delay. Their solution for the awning was to make the rolling mechanism tighter, claiming it was now safe to drive despite the shaking pole. The table handle was not repaired, but they showed me a workaround to make it functional.
* During the trip, when we used the awning properly and secured the poles with clips, the issue was resolved. This suggests the problem wasn’t with the awning itself but with how it was set up by the staff.
3. Lack of a proper checklist to prepare the vehicle:
* During pick-up, I had to point out issue after issue to the staff, which clearly indicated that they were not aware of these problems beforehand.
4. Instructions did not match the vehicle setup:
* The setup for the middle and rear beds was different from what was outlined in the instructions. Unfortunately, I had to figure this out myself after a long drive, late at night.
5. Unempowered staff unable to handle issues caused by the provider:
* When I asked if I could return the vehicle 1.5 hours later due to the delays caused by their issues, the staff could not offer a solution or extend the return time. Instead, they simply suggested sending feedback.
6. Limited rear camera view:
* The rear camera had a very limited view, and I was unable to see the entire back of the vehicle or the cars behind me as you would in a standard car. This made reversing and monitoring traffic much more challenging.