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You tube Fulltimers getting squeezed

wanderingaimles
Explorer
Explorer
Apparently the folks who jumped on the full time bandwagon, van dwelling as well as schoolie conversions are getting squeezed. vanlife
I haven't really looked at any of the videos recently, this article came up on my google feed, but thought it was interesting.
Fuel cost and inflation are apparently parking some for weeks at a time.
66 REPLIES 66

Pbutler97
Explorer
Explorer
JaxDad wrote:
Pbutler97 wrote:
Ok. I sure would like to see a regulation by some government entity be it local, state, federal where that certification is required.


OK, just to randomly pick one, Nebraska. Clicky. Which actually says itโ€™s not even legal to โ€˜sell, or display for saleโ€™ an RV that doesnโ€™t meet standards under NFPA 1192.


Ok, you found one, I stand corrected. Even though it appears to specifically apply to dealers and dealerships, and does not address anything regarding insurance or campgrounds/parks.

When Joe Nebraska goes to Ohio and buys an RV are Nebraska RV goons waiting for him at the border? I doubt it. I think Joe goes home, buys insurance if he wants or needs it and proceeds to go camping without hassle, all in Nebraska.

I wonder what happens when someone trades in something that does not have an RVDIA compliance sticker or was built by one of the 2% of manufacturers that are not members of RVIA? 2% is a small number, but maybe not so small when you condisder that between Thor, Forest River, and Winnebago they have @ 95% market share.

How about providing a list of all the states that have such regulation? Frankly I don't have time to research it nor do I really care, but I bet it's a small minority. A small minority like campgrounds or parks such as the single one in Florida you listed, that at least by your claim bar RV's without RVIA decals. I have never heard of and will never visit Jetty Park wherever it is. I am sure there are others but I suspect they use that as a tool to eject those they don't want there to begin with.

I am looking forward to being questioned by a state or ACOE park ranger next year about my certification status even though it's never happened in 25 years of camping.

Now, back to the real world, where no one worries about if their RV has a 2" high oval sticker certified by a trade group. BTW, that would be like having the Carpenters District Council doing the structural framing inspections on your new home. Good luck.

magicbus
Explorer
Explorer
Thatโ€™s just my point, RVIA isnโ€™t tied to the VIN and thatโ€™s why you can register a school bus conversion and the states and insurance companies have no concern because the bus chassis is already certified. So LYAO all you want, but in reality nobody is going to stop a schoolie from getting registered or insured. Trying to find someone who wants to let you park it on their property is a different story.

Dave
Current: 2018 Winnebago Era A
Previous: Selene 49 Trawler
Previous: Country Coach Allure 36

JaxDad
Explorer III
Explorer III
magicbus wrote:
JaxDad wrote:
magicbus wrote:
Who here ever had to provide RVIA information to register or insure their RV? Not me.

Dave


Me neither. They donโ€™t ask when I register my car / truck / SUVโ€™s either even though theyโ€™re legally required to be certified as being built to the FMVSS.


Why? Because they know that Ford / GM / Chrysler /XYZ Auto company build only units built to code and certified as such.

The same as they know every Winnebago (or your favourite flavour of commercial RV) is also built to standards and certified as such.
Well you can believe that it you want to, thatโ€™s fine. But they wouldnโ€™t ask for FMVSS or RVIA, or anything else because they would run the VIN, and guess what, it would come back as certified by whoever self-certifies school bus chassis. Same as mine comes back certified by whoever certifies Sprinter chassisโ€ฆ and it ainโ€™t Winnebago.

Dave
.

And they would have the RVIA status tied to the VIN โ€ฆ.. HOW??

LMAO.

magicbus
Explorer
Explorer
JaxDad wrote:
magicbus wrote:
Who here ever had to provide RVIA information to register or insure their RV? Not me.

Dave


Me neither. They donโ€™t ask when I register my car / truck / SUVโ€™s either even though theyโ€™re legally required to be certified as being built to the FMVSS.


Why? Because they know that Ford / GM / Chrysler /XYZ Auto company build only units built to code and certified as such.

The same as they know every Winnebago (or your favourite flavour of commercial RV) is also built to standards and certified as such.
Well you can believe that it you want to, thatโ€™s fine. But they wouldnโ€™t ask for FMVSS or RVIA, or anything else because they would run the VIN, and guess what, it would come back as certified by whoever self-certifies school bus chassis. Same as mine comes back certified by whoever certifies Sprinter chassisโ€ฆ and it ainโ€™t Winnebago.

Dave
Current: 2018 Winnebago Era A
Previous: Selene 49 Trawler
Previous: Country Coach Allure 36

JaxDad
Explorer III
Explorer III
magicbus wrote:
Who here ever had to provide RVIA information to register or insure their RV? Not me.

Dave


Me neither. They donโ€™t ask when I register my car / truck / SUVโ€™s either even though theyโ€™re legally required to be certified as being built to the FMVSS.


Why? Because they know that Ford / GM / Chrysler /XYZ Auto company build only units built to code and certified as such.

The same as they know every Winnebago (or your favourite flavour of commercial RV) is also built to standards and certified as such.

JaxDad
Explorer III
Explorer III
nickthehunter wrote:
JaxDad wrote:
Pbutler97 wrote:
Ok. I sure would like to see a regulation by some government entity be it local, state, federal where that certification is required.


OK, just to randomly pick one, Nebraska. Clicky. Which actually says itโ€™s not even legal to โ€˜sell, or display for saleโ€™ an RV that doesnโ€™t meet standards under NFPA 1192.
These arenโ€™t Recreational Vehicles, theyโ€™re stripped out school buses, otherwise well known to NASCAR fans as School Bus Conversions; readily insurable and driven down the road legally (without a RVIA sticker even in Greenwood Nebraska). Undeniably - Sometimes also known to be seen in campgrounds all around the country.


So youโ€™re saying people are doing these conversions and leaving them registered as commercial vehicles or busses?

Regardless, a person can click their heels and wish all the happy thoughts they want, but the State, Nebraska in this case, clearly define what a Recreational Vehicle is, they say โ€œRecreational vehicle means a motor vehicle designed for living quarters.โ€.

BTW, where did you get the idea anybody they couldnโ€™t be driven down the road legally?

magicbus
Explorer
Explorer
Who here ever had to provide RVIA information to register or insure their RV? Not me. Massachusetts did ask if I had a kitchen and when I said yes they required me to have a CAMPER license plate. My insurance company simply asked me if I had an RV. I'm not sure why they cared, I never really looked to see how much different the coverage was from my cars since it costs almost the same.

BTW, the Nebraska link provided specifically relates to "Any deal or manufacturer" and says nothing about private conversions.

That said, the biggest problem for schoolie conversions will be parks age-restricting vehicles. Heck, there are parks that won't even let in a Class B.

Dave
Current: 2018 Winnebago Era A
Previous: Selene 49 Trawler
Previous: Country Coach Allure 36

nickthehunter
Nomad II
Nomad II
JaxDad wrote:
Pbutler97 wrote:
Ok. I sure would like to see a regulation by some government entity be it local, state, federal where that certification is required.


OK, just to randomly pick one, Nebraska. Clicky. Which actually says itโ€™s not even legal to โ€˜sell, or display for saleโ€™ an RV that doesnโ€™t meet standards under NFPA 1192.
These arenโ€™t Recreational Vehicles, theyโ€™re stripped out school buses, otherwise well known to NASCAR fans as School Bus Conversions; readily insurable and driven down the road legally (without a RVIA sticker even in Greenwood Nebraska). Undeniably - Sometimes also known to be seen in campgrounds all around the country.

JaxDad
Explorer III
Explorer III
Pbutler97 wrote:
Ok. I sure would like to see a regulation by some government entity be it local, state, federal where that certification is required.


OK, just to randomly pick one, Nebraska. Clicky. Which actually says itโ€™s not even legal to โ€˜sell, or display for saleโ€™ an RV that doesnโ€™t meet standards under NFPA 1192.

wapiticountry
Explorer
Explorer
Grit dog wrote:
JaxDad wrote:
Grit dog wrote:
In short, too many bleeding hearts whos heart strings get tugged at while watching tweakers or almost tweakers live the van life that actually support them and then give them a little hope that their money for nothing scheme actually will work indefinitely.
But they are a fad not a productive part of society.


I think you need to do a little research on how much money social media mavens and โ€˜influencersโ€™ can (and do) make, in cold, hard CASH before you make yourself look a little silly in front of folks younger than us.

A friends son is one of those โ€˜almost tweakersโ€™ who has a YouTube channel with well north of a million subscribers.

He clears US$10k ++ per month.



I stand corrected if youโ€™re insinuating that there are a lot, or even a few, #vanlifers and #skoolies that are making $100k+ a year doing this. Or even a median income plus all their expenses.
Iโ€™m not talking about Jake Paul and all the other YooToob โ€œinfluencersโ€ here.

Seems like everyone has a friend whose cousin used to use a gardener whose wife went to a hairdresser who knew someone who was making a fortune as an influencer, a crypto mogul, a professional gamer or an internet sports bettor. With all the ways to get rich without doing anything why are there so many homeless and kids living in their parentโ€™s basement.

dedmiston
Moderator
Moderator
How on earth does this thread keep getting bumped? It was only moderately interesting when it was first created last June.

At least we've finally established though that RVIA certification means that the rig is certified to have wheels, some tanks, a stove, and either a hitch or an engine. Nowhere do they use the word "quality", just "standard".

2014 RAM 3500 Diesel 4x4 Dually long bed. B&W RVK3600 hitch โ€ข 2015 Crossroads Elevation Homestead Toy Hauler ("The Taj Mahauler") โ€ข <\br >Toys:

  • 18 Can Am Maverick x3
  • 05 Yamaha WR450
  • 07 Honda CRF250X
  • 05 Honda CRF230
  • 06 Honda CRF230

Grit_dog
Navigator
Navigator
^No, but you probably didn't show up in an old school bus with rusty wheels, an obligatory gray water tank delete kit (hose hanging down under the "kitchen") and a 2 stroke Detroit with bad injectors burping as much blue smoke out the back as the front was making noise!
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5โ€ turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

Pbutler97
Explorer
Explorer
JaxDad wrote:
Pbutler97 wrote:
JaxDad wrote:
LMHS wrote:
The big deal is getting the lousy thing titled as a motorhome and getting insured. There is basically only one outfit that will insure a skoolie. A few others will but they often get the policies cancelled at some point (usually at the worst time).

โ€ฆโ€ฆ.

As for long term winter parking, try mobile home parks. And a lot of private campgrounds/rv/mh parks do not want a skoolie in their parks for long term stays.


I suspect both of those issues are because of the same issue, you touched on it in your post, unless these units are built to, and certified as complying with required standards, itโ€™s usually illegal to insure them or allow them in a park.


What required standards? DOT standards? State Motor vehicle standards?

If you're referring to this,


It's basically self certification. 1 out of a 1000 might see an inspection by the RVIA, and thats probably a low total number, probably more like 1 in 10000. Its a joke. Ask any buyer who discovered crushed HVAC ducts filled with debris, leaking pex fittings on supply lines or drain connections left loose, or bad wiring or better yet or wires pinched between frame and floor.

Where are these parks that are not allowing RV's/Campers in without someone approving some imaginary standard? Do they have a standard officer at the front gate?


Self-certification is a joke?

Donโ€™t tell pilots, architects, engineers, lawyers or doctors that, all professions with โ€˜self-certificationโ€™ of very strict regulations.

Next time you open the door to get in your vehicle pause for a moment and look down at the white label that says the manufacturer โ€˜self-certifiesโ€™ that it complies with the FMVSS.

Is it legally required? You betcha! Does anyone stop you to check itโ€™s there? Not very likely.

But to answer your question, yes, read that label, it clearly says the unit itโ€™s affixed to conforms to certain life safety standards. In most cases the requirement for a certified unit is not the park, but the States life safety requirements. Almost every State has these requirements.

I can point you however one particular park where it is absolutely both in their written policies, and enforced as such, I know because I watched someone get turfed because of it.

Jetty Park at Cape Canaveral Florida. Clicky, clicky.


Read item 24.4.


Ok. I sure would like to see a regulation by some government entity be it local, state, federal where that certification is required.

The RVIA is a trade group where the folks doing the spot inspections, 2000 per year per the RVIA, out of 500,000+ or so RV's built, are basically paid by the Industry they're inspecting. BTW, 2000 of 500,000 is @ 0.4% of all units produced. That should make you all warm and fuzzy. It goes a long way to explain why a new RV might have an electrical short where a wire was pinched in the build, the plumbing leaks, and the heat ducts are crushed or blocked with debris and rubbish. But it's indeed certified.

I've been to a lot of different RV parks and campgrounds over 25 years and have yet to have anyone ask or check if my RV was certified. I've also never seen anyone refused a campsite or ejected for lack of one either. I bought trailers in the past that did not even come with that decal certifying an imaginary inspection and requirement.

fj12ryder
Explorer III
Explorer III
pianotuna wrote:
free radical wrote:


Then there are people with real talent,

https://youtu.be/LwpbK4kwo9E


Is this a test to see who actually clicks on a link??
I hope not, cause I failed. LOL I hate click-bait. One, of many, things I hate about Facebook. And don't watch YouTube videos, except if I need to research something. "Influencers" don't interest me, and why do I think of the Kardashians whenever that term comes up. ๐Ÿ™‚
Howard and Peggy

"Don't Panic"