New to stealth camping

ResQChief9 · Mar 24, 2020

Hello everybody. I'm a newbie. In reading your posts and watching many many YouTube videos, y'all have convinced me that I need to save money and live cheap. I spend 4 to 5 nights away from home and currently rent a room for $650/month while away. Reading your posts gave me the ambition to get out there and do it- stealth camp. Truth be told, I own a 40' diesel pusher (Tuscany) that I use frequently when camping with my family but it would cost more than my present room to park it at a campground each month. So, as a volunteer Fire/Rescue person, when my Rescue Squad put my ambulance up for auction …. I decided to bid (sealed bid) and I'll be darned if I didn't win the damn thing. So now the task with putting to use what y'all have taught me. Looking forward to a good exchange of ideas.
ResQChief9

rvwandering · Mar 24, 2020

Welcome to the CRVL forums ResQChief9! Congratulations on winning the auction! Keep us updated on your build.

To help you learn the ins and outs of these forums, this "Tips, Tricks and Rules" post lists some helpful information to get you started.

Most of our rules boil down to two simple over-riding principles: 1) What you post should provide good information (like your introductory post), and 2) Any response to someone else's post should make them feel glad they are part of this forum community.

We look forward to hearing more from you.

nature lover · Mar 24, 2020

ResQChief9 Welcome to the forum and to the home on wheels world. I have never been shy to state my opinion so you don't have to do what I say there are a lot of differing opinions on the forum, mine is one of many. I have never done the stealth thing. I never needed to live in a city - I try to avoid them as much as possible. But it is my opinion that real stealth vehicle living is more in the mind of the van dweller than the people around him/her. Since I have been a part of the van dwelling community for decades I can spot a stealth van without much trouble. I remember meeting a young man parked in the lot for a local nature center and disappointing him by asking him how long he had been a van dweller. To someone who hangs out on these web sites and has done it themselves it is easy to see. I would think that there must be some police and others who have the same trained eye. But don't let me discourage you - if you want it go for it. An old Ambulance will stick out more than the normal white work van on most streets. I think that one of the best ways to be good at "stealth" is to remember there are always some who notice.

eDJ_ · Mar 24, 2020

Welcome to the CRVL Forums

This place is a treasure of information. Something for everyone with any kind of rig.
Any convenience from build out to solar installation. And if you don't see something you
are curious about....by all means ask. There will be someone here who can get you on track
with it.

DannyB1954 · Mar 24, 2020

In some States it is difficult to change a commercial vehicle into an RV and get insurance. The upside is in some States it is relatively easy. I would check in your State before investing time and money into the convert. Insurance companies shy away from DIY RV's. The rates may be high when you do find a carrier.
The first thing is go to your Department of Motor Vehicles and see what they require to get an RV title. When you call Auto insurance companies and the VIN comes back as a Commercial Vehicle they can say we don't insure those. In my case I also called Commercial insurance carriers. Because I was not a business, they would not give me a policy.
A good group for info would be the school buss convert community.

ResQChief9 · Mar 25, 2020

nature lover said:
ResQChief9 Welcome to the forum and to the home on wheels world. I have never been shy to state my opinion so you don't have to do what I say there are a lot of differing opinions on the forum, mine is one of many. I have never done the stealth thing. I never needed to live in a city - I try to avoid them as much as possible. But it is my opinion that real stealth vehicle living is more in the mind of the van dweller than the people around him/her. Since I have been a part of the van dwelling community for decades I can spot a stealth van without much trouble. I remember meeting a young man parked in the lot for a local nature center and disappointing him by asking him how long he had been a van dweller. To someone who hangs out on these web sites and has done it themselves it is easy to see. I would think that there must be some police and others who have the same trained eye. But don't let me discourage you - if you want it go for it. An old Ambulance will stick out more than the normal white work van on most streets. I think that one of the best ways to be good at "stealth" is to remember there are always some who notice.

Thanks Nature Lover. All good points and I respect your insight. I guess my mind is thinking more along the lines of where I park with my ambulance will be inline with medicine. I'm thinking that parking at hospitals, medical centers, doctors offices, etc would be more where I would park. Or maybe the local Ford dealership service area. I agree that parking an ambulance on any street would most likely draw attention. Again, thanks and very nice to meet you.