About Squeaky

As a solo woman RVer, what to I travel in? There are a lot of options for different types of RVs and I chose a Class B–vanstyle RV because of the ease of driving, parking and the size is perfect for me and my travel kitty, Tucker. After years of going to RV shows and dreaming of owning an RV, I finally took the plunge in 2018 to buy an RV of my own.

I bought my Class B RV from a private seller on Craigslist. After a few months of looking at vans, I discovered the American Cruiser. Unlike a lot of Class B RVs, the American Cruiser has a rear entry door. I fell in love with this layout, because it allows me to have the dinette and bed both down full-time. A lot of Class B RVs require you to take the bed up to create a seating area.

For me, the dinette is the perfect area to sit and write, so I was immediately attracted to this unique floor plan. The first one I looked at was one of those sketchy Craigslist deals that immediately raised some red flags for me. The person selling it didn’t know much about it and said he was “selling it for my wife’s father.” I didn’t trust the person selling the RV, but I did know that I loved the actual layout.

From there, I started to do a bit more research into American Cruiser and that’s when I learned it was a quality Class B on a Dodge 3500 chassis that was only manufactured for a few years, 1997-2001. It has a high roof, fridge, propane stove, wet bath, microwave, generator and lots of overhead storage. One other unique thing is the American Cruiser has a regular home air conditioner that is mounted below a cabinet, not the traditional roof AC seen on many RVs. The advantage of this is it can run on 20 amp power, unlike roof air conditioners that require 30 amp.

The one thing I don’t like is that the 30 gallon grey and black tank are combined. This means I need to visit a dump station more often than if they were separate, like most RVs. But I’ve learned ways to conserve water and catch grey water before it hits the black tank.

I named my American Cruiser Squeaky because as a 20+ year old RV, she has a few creaks and groans when we drive down the road. As she ages, I’ve had to do a number of repairs, including having the transmission rebuilt. While I love Squeaky, I may eventually decide to get a newer RV or van.

Curious what Squeaky looks like on the inside. Check out this video I did with The Galavan: