Best vehicle for stealth camping?

[TravelingZombies]

I've run across a nomad that uses a U.P.S. delivery truck with all of the insignia still on it. Pretty clever in my opinion.

 

[wayne49]

Accessorize the dash with a clipboard. Laid face down to keep customer info confidential.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

I've run across a nomad that uses a U.P.S. delivery truck with all of the insignia still on it. Pretty clever in my opinion.

Wonder how he got it?   UPS has a corporate policy to crush all delivery trucks no longer needed.  Semi tractors are repainted before they leave UPS control.

 

[freedomman44]

https://www.thewaywardhome.com/best-cars-to-live-in/

This lists some of the best vehicles to live in.

Best small car - Toyota Prius
Best SUV - Honda Element
Best minivan - Toyota Sienna
Best budget vehicle - Chevy Astro Van
Best off road car - Jeep Wrangler
Roomy van - Ford Transit
Small cargo van - Ram Promaster City

 

[TooFarGone]

Lots of good comments above but I'll chime in with a me too anyway.   I agree that stealth camping is more of a myth than a reality, unless you're truly just parking during the night-time hours and moving the vehicle somewhere else during the day. If you have in-state license plates on a regular white cargo van that's not old and beat up looking, or even a decent looking minivan, and don't squat in the same place day and night, maybe you'll not alarm the neighbors or the cops. I drive down streets here in my city and easily spot certain vehicles parked in certain areas, and know darn well people are living in them. Some of them are extremely non-stealth, lol, but others are a little closer to passing under the radar. The fewer dents, dings, mismatched doors, and rusty spots, the better. 

And, sorry but you're unlikely to find a reliable vehicle that meets your needs for $3000. Especially if you want a decent-looking vehicle. Right now the used car market in most areas of the country is a seller's dream. I'm the executor of the estate of someone who died last spring. This summer I sold her car which stank of smoke inside and had dings all over. Blue book was $16,400; I had three dealers in a bidding war for it. The winner paid $20,500 and gave me a free ride back to my place so I wouldn't have to pay an Uber fare. I've habitually browsed Craigslist in my city for vans, for three years now. Prices seem to be higher for the old used ones than I remember from a year or two ago. Last year I found via Craiglist, and bought, a 2008 Honda minivan, high mileage but in great shape, for $4500. I'm not seeing particularly desirable vehicles listed in that price range this year. Sigh.

I second the advice to keep building your nest egg. You may score a decent vehicle for $3,000 (and good for you if you do!!), but even if you do you will need a couple of thousand in reserve for emergencies, repairs, and all the big and small bits of carp that life throws at us along the way. Good luck chasing your dream, I don't want to discourage you - it's just that good planning will help keep it from becoming a nightmare.

 

[TravelingZombies]

Wonder how he got it?   UPS has a corporate policy to crush all delivery trucks no longer needed.  Semi tractors are repainted before they leave UPS control.

I have no idea how or where he got it. I've seen him twice. Once in Rapid city South Dakota and again in Gillette WY, both times at a flying j back in June. If I see him again I'll definitely ask.

 

[TravelingZombies]

Wonder how he got it?   UPS has a corporate policy to crush all delivery trucks no longer needed.  Semi tractors are repainted before they leave UPS control.

I have no idea where or how he got it but have run across him twice. Once in Rapid city South Dakota and again in Gillette Wyoming. If I see him again I'll definitely ask.

 

[JDelete]

Just some thoughts that should not be construed as reliable advice.

I think stealth is something mostly unattainable. Maybe the key is not stealth, but having something to be avoided. So, maybe a used box van or something similar with logos on the side: "ACME Bio Hazard Waste Disposal" Call 1-800-DEAD FAST. People might think twice about getting too close to it. I know I sure wouldn't park next to it. Make sure to have a military surplus gas mask hanging inside so it is visible.

 

[user 423]

1-800-DOA FAST would work a little better

 

[highdesertranger]

"Oh what a tangled web we weave, When first we practice to deceive"

Putting logos, signs, phone numbers, business names, etc. on your vehicle is a bad idea and you are bringing another level of scrutiny. Now you will be looked at by the commercial LEO's and commercial vehicle are supposed to stop at scales. If you get pulled over and they figure out you are lying and are not commercial(not hard) you will be in more trouble.

Highdesertranger

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

 "ACME Bio Hazard Waste Disposal"

If I saw a truck with this logo in my town I would be on the phone with the city and state EPA trying to find out what is going on.  
Not exactly stealth.

 

[vgilbert]

I would say a full sized van that you can stand up in, a high top.
I would also agree that $3,000 would not buy anything dependable and 
if you are not a mechanic you will need much more to get started.
For instance, I believe that the mini vans that HOWA buys end up costing around 8-10 thousand by the time the mechanic gets done with them and they are built out.
Also, do not forget about your emergency fund. 
One more note..... tickets to win Bobs van may be worth a try, ya never know.

 

[Calaverasgrande]

A full size van is the best choice.
But make sure to outfit it like a contractors van.
Thule Cargo pods, solar panels and fold out awnings are dead giveaways.
So are 'Been to Wall Drug?' bumperstickers and headlight eyelashes.

I did the station wagon thing for about a year. While working full time as a computer guy!
I kept most of my stuff in a storage unit. Just keeping clothes, some books and a small music setup in the car.
I got a limo tint on all the windows legally allowed. Slight tint on the front windows.
The car was a 97 Subaru Outback. A bit longer and wider in the cargo area than more recent models.
(honestly I can't tell the Legend/Outback and the Forester apart anymore)
When I slept I put down a couple good camping pads from REI. and laid down diagonal across the back.
I'd arrange my backpacks and dirty laundry duffel to make it less evident some guys legs were sticking out.
But you would have had to stand right at the front of the car and shine a flashlight to see that much.
SO I tried to park up against stuff to make it unlikely anyone would find themselves there.

I also would usually spend a few hours chilling in my car one place, then drive to a different spot to crash out. That a nosey neighbor wouldn't notice me reading the collected works of Frank Herbert by flashlight before I arranged my sleep situation.
I'm 6 foot tall btw So it's not impossible.

Another tip, I kept my car very clean and clutter free so it would not stick out when parked in a quiet middle class neighborhood.
In the Bay Area at least, every other hip couple owns a Subaru wagon for camping and skiing trips. They have the "AWD but not macho man truck" market cornered.

 

[TooFarGone]

Those ^^^ were very savvy moves - including keeping the car clean and clutter free.

My hat's off to you for pulling that off in a Subaru Outback. I've owned three, never tried sleeping in them. I experimented to see if I could sleep in my 2012 Outback, not really on a stealth basis but just for travel/camping, and decided it was too challenging. It felt too claustrophobic for me, and there's that lack of room for stuff. I moved "up" to an old minivan. 

The Denver area - and I think Colorado in general - also has lots of Subaru wagons. It wasn't unusual for me to sit at a traffic light in my silver 2012 Outback and see the identical vehicle next to me. I think my personal record was when there were four of us stopped at a traffic light, all silver Outbacks with the same body style, so within a year or two of the same model. I used to joke that if you live in Colorado long enough you're probably legally required to own a Subaru at least once.

 

[user 423]

The Denver area - and I think Colorado in general - also has lots of Subaru wagons.

Eons ago I lived in Nederland and every other car was a Subie.

 

[jacqueg]

Those ^^^ were very savvy moves - including keeping the car clean and clutter free.

My hat's off to you for pulling that off in a Subaru Outback. I've owned three, never tried sleeping in them. I experimented to see if I could sleep in my 2012 Outback, not really on a stealth basis but just for travel/camping, and decided it was too challenging. It felt too claustrophobic for me, and there's that lack of room for stuff. I moved "up" to an old minivan. 

The Denver area - and I think Colorado in general - also has lots of Subaru wagons. It wasn't unusual for me to sit at a traffic light in my silver 2012 Outback and see the identical vehicle next to me. I think my personal record was when there were four of us stopped at a traffic light, all silver Outbacks with the same body style, so within a year or two of the same model. I used to joke that if you live in Colorado long enough you're probably legally required to own a Subaru at least once.

Very smart moves.

Subarus are also everywhere in Oregon and Washington. Probably about the most anonymous/unsurprising vehicle out there if you're trying to not worry anybody.

 

[Calaverasgrande]

Those ^^^ were very savvy moves - including keeping the car clean and clutter free.

My hat's off to you for pulling that off in a Subaru Outback. I've owned three, never tried sleeping in them. I experimented to see if I could sleep in my 2012 Outback, not really on a stealth basis but just for travel/camping, and decided it was too challenging. It felt too claustrophobic for me, and there's that lack of room for stuff. I moved "up" to an old minivan. 

Yeah they shortened the length of the back and made it taller around 2000 or so?
The old mid 90s wagon was probably the longest widest cargo area.
Also had a Tercel Wagon and the oddball Civic wagon that looks more like a steam iron than a Civic. Both of those would be possible to car camp in. The Civic wagon could almost fit a 4x8 of plywood if you slammed the seat forward. I would drive it to the beach and me and my dog would lay down in back after a couple hours walk.
The Tercel is very narrow and had pretty high wheel humps. But might be doable for a shorter person.

I wonder about teh Sienna and Odyssey mini vans.
I looked in to those but they don't seem to have a flat floor.
I forget which is which, but one I checked out the way back seat folds flat into the floor, but then the floor is a few inches taller in back than in the middle. The other I checked out had a kind of prop shaft tunnel happening down the middle.
At one point I really wanted a mini van for gas and parking reasons.
But went with the Transit SWB Med Roof so I could have elbow room.

 

[TooFarGone]

I wonder about the Sienna and Odyssey mini vans.
I looked in to those but they don't seem to have a flat floor.

Yep - that's an understatement! I have a 2008 Odyssey. The floor is anything but flat. I've had the third row seats permanently removed, which opens up a nice sized well area at the very back of the vehicle. I'm not going to live in my minivan full time, so I'm not going to start ripping anything else out in order to maximize the space, flatten the floor etc. (This guy did that before he moved into an Odyssey of the same general body style as mine - he has this YouTube channel all about it - https://www.youtube.com/user/lostindwoods). I'm just having to work with and around the wonky floor situation for short and I hope longer-term trips and camping. 

Not that I'm in a hot hurry to change vehicles, but my current thinking is that if I really take to life on the road, my next vehicle will be a cargo van, probably the "mini" size (Transit Connect, Promaster City). Because - flat floors. Among other things. Including the possibility of having a bulkhead behind the seats, to protect myself from being injured by flying objects from the rear in case of a crash or even a really hard stop. For some reason I keep thinking, when I'm looking at van build videos etc., "how is all that stuff fastened down for driving?"  And I suspect that in many cases, it's not very well fastened down. Eeek.

 

[winterwanderer]

I bought a maroon 2005 Nissan Quest, it is great for stealth. Ripped out the middle row captain's chairs and flipped the third row seat into its floorwell for a flat and spacious platform. No need for curtains or shades (which are 100% not-stealth). Everything is so low that the rear appears empty to the casual passerby. A dark towel placed on the front row headrests discreetly blocks the small gap between the front seats. Park under a light and the interior will be in shadow.

BTW, any white van with a high top or covered windows is the opposite of stealth. Everyone knows it's a **** van (as in, I bet a creepy balding middle-aged guy is inside, keep your kids away). Fake "Maintenance" or "Service" decals will only deepen their suspicions.

 

[user 27148]

Just because there are many obvious people out there doesn't mean that stealth is impossible. That you don't notice them means that it is possible.

I live stealthily and am never harassed. Part of that is keeping a clean and maintained-looking vehicle without the inside showing to the outside. Another part is deception, not that I would use "ACME Bio Hazard Waste Disposal." But I do have a bright orange work vest on my passenger seat and an otherwise immaculate cab. My box truck looks like a well-maintained fleet vehicle. As mentioned by someone else, don't park in the same place too often either, but I will add that it's also better to park away from eyeballs (stay away from residential areas). There is plenty of parking in industrial parks where you will go completely unnoticed.

I will add that during the day I park at the beach and sometimes local parks (when I'm not working). I will open my back door to the ocean or park grass, play tunes (mostly easy-going jazz), and cook while enjoying life like everyone else out in the commons (in public). At that time I'm not stealthy, I'm just living my life where stealthiness is not needed. Every time, I get many people who ask about my truck and want to know all of the details, because it's very well done, attractive, and I create a good vibe. **STILL** that makes the vehicle known and is not smart if you don't want to be spotted elsewhere (outside of ex's, that is not a problem for me).

I think the whole point of stealth is:
1. Not to be bothered for ANY legal reason
2. Not to be harassed for any reason

Best tip; don't be annoying, which being annoying gives a person a reason, right or wrong, to complain about you.

Now, what constitutes being annoying can be some real BS (not valid, but used anyway), like:
1. Having a run-down vehicle in the same spot all of the time
2. Parking in residential areas
3. Having stuff/junk/personal possessions showing through your windows (where you park for the night)
4. Having stuff/junk/personal possessions hanging on the outside of your vehicle (where you park for the night)
5. Having stuff/junk/personal possessions on the ground around your vehicle (where you park for the night)
6. Staying where you parked at night and just hanging outside of your vehicle tinkering, recycling, having coffee, or any other meth-head or homeless activities.

Best wishes on your adventure, regardless!