What to Consider Before Buying a Skoolie

Skoolies are a well-known sector of van life, and buying a skoolie that has been fully converted can be a good option for those without the skill or time to start from scratch. However, this doesn’t always go well for inexperienced van lifers.

Zora B, the Chevy Collins short bus, my first venture into van life, can be seen as a cautionary tale about buying a fully converted bus instead of doing it yourself because the truth is, not every school bus conversion is the one for you.

Why Did I Buy a Full School Bus Conversion Instead of Starting from Scratch?

At the time, I was living in a Baltimore studio apartment and working a 9 to 5 job. So, I didn’t have the time or space to sit a vehicle in a driveway for a few months while I learned how to build it out. 

I planned to move straight out of my apartment and into the bus. I thought that meant it needed to be “move-in ready.” Now, I know this is untrue. But I was not as experienced with camping at the time. Because of this, the idea of living in a bare vehicle didn’t seem like an option to me. 

The Harsh Reality

So, it couldn’t have been that bad if it was fully converted! Right?

The bus was beautiful when I bought it. There was a kitchen, dining area, and bedroom with cabinet storage and bathroom/shower. It was all decorated in a whimsical style with bright colors and fake plants. What’s not to love?

But during my first few months living in it, I realized that almost everything was broken, installed incorrectly, or set up in a way I wouldn’t have done.

Here are just a few examples:

• The batteries and breakers for the solar system are not accessible. They are stuck behind an immobile wooden wall unless I want to take apart the bed frame. 
• While the solar panels are huge, they haven’t been cleaned in years. They are also on tall posts, making it a treacherous venture to do so. They aren’t very efficient because of the layer of grime they’ve likely acquired.
• There is no insulation, heating, or AC. It’s freezing in the winter and a heat box in the summer.
• The bed is higher up than I would put it. It gets really hot up there, and scrambling in and out of such a high bed quickly loses its romance.
• Almost every appliance was broken and didn’t put up to daily use, including the vent fan, the toilet, and the blackwater tank. The refrigerator and the electronic sink system have held up, though.
• The shower was not properly waterproofed. I noticed that water leaked into the floor the first (and only) time I used it, and when I removed the shower, all of the wood underneath was water-damaged and moldy.

Safety Issues

And then some issues were also significant safety problems since I was living a mobile life. (The previous owners set the bus up to be stationary.)

I imagine they didn’t even think of these things and were just pursuing a certain aesthetic.

• None of the emergency exits were accessible. They had glued the windows and driver’s side door shut and boarded up the ceiling. I would have been trapped if the bus had tipped on its side while driving. I spent hours prying the windows open and paid a mechanic nearly $1000 to open the door without damaging it. He said he’d never seen anyone do something like that.
• Nothing was secured to the wall. Every piece of furniture swayed while driving, and most eventually broke from the stress. 
• None of the cabinets had latches, and many didn’t have doors. The thick, heavily painted wood also didn’t do well when attempting to modify it. So I added some hook and eye latches and most of my items live in bins, stopping them from flying around while I’m driving. 

So, Where Did I Go Wrong?

Let me stress that this was my first private sale, so I was shy about asserting myself. I sat in the driver’s seat but didn’t request a test drive. I asked for the repair records but didn’t insist on having the rig inspected. Also, I agreed to the price without haggling. If I ever do another private sale, I will have no problem pushing for these things. 

Having no experience with van life, I simply didn’t know what red flags to look out for when buying a school bus conversion. I barraged the owners with all the questions I could find online, but most didn’t apply to a converted vehicle.

Basically, I was flying by the seat of my pants and learned many lessons along the way!

I trusted they had lived in the bus for two years as a couple with two dogs, and it had to be pretty livable for that to work. It didn’t occur to me that their lifestyle being different than mine mattered, and the way they built the structures might not stand up to travel.

Some of the logistical issues were very noticeable. Such as the door being glued shut. But they didn’t raise red flags because I didn’t comprehend how different living in a skoolie is from driving a car. If there’s an issue, you can’t return to your lovely warm house and wait for it to get fixed. You’re living with that issue.

The Bright Side

Despite the difficulties, this experience has been good for me. I’ve learned to use power tools and get creative, and my confidence has gone through the roof. I am no longer afraid to buy some tools and get to work on any project I want to do when I used to think, “That’s cool, but I could never do it.”

As a Burner, this is a huge plus, and I have already started working on the first art piece I will bring out to Deep Playa.

I wasn’t taught anything about money, vehicles, or standing up for myself, and I have been figuring these things out on my own. I was bound to make a mistake like this at some point. I’ve learned from it. Now, I will be able to better assess the next RV or camper I decide to buy, as well as look at multiple vehicles and get a second opinion. 

Living in the bus was exactly what I needed at a point in my life when it felt like everything was falling apart. No matter what I decide to do with Zora B, I don’t regret it.

Costs

How Did I Afford the Bus?

Honestly, I didn’t have the money to pay for it outright. I took out a loan for 20k. While I definitely overpaid, I had no clue how much the bus was worth and felt it made sense. I thought I was saving money by not needing to build anything and that the money would even out quickly once I stopped paying rent for an apartment.  It was a lower price than the other fully converted vehicles I had seen in the area. (Since van life is not common in Maryland, my choices were scarce.)

How Much Have I Spent on Renovating the Bus So Far?

I quit my office job for freelance work not long after buying the bus, so I was very scrappy about the money I spent on renovations, only paying for things I didn’t trust myself to do without causing damage, such as fixing the door or dealing with the electrical system. I also invested in tools and materials from resale stores.

I’d say I’ve spent about $3000 on the renovation. That includes some mechanical issues that popped up with the vehicle itself. 

Future Plans

What Did I Learn from All of This?

I learned that vehicle conversions are very personal- what works for someone’s lifestyle won’t work for someone else’s, and what seems like a good idea to one person may seem idiotic to someone else.

Whenever a problem arose, I would think, “Why was it set up this way in the first place?!” and have to remind myself that I am living a different lifestyle than the previous conversion owners intended.  

Future Plans are Very Nebulous

The bus is currently with a friend in Missouri while I do some freelance work in the central US. I’m hoping to sell it, mainly because my travels have involved many long road trips and a lot of off-roading. Zora B simply won’t be able to keep up. Not to mention that without insulation, it is not very helpful when camping in the desert.

However, it needs some love and care to reach full-time-traveler potential or should return to stationary life. 

If I can’t sell it, I will strip it down to the bare bones and start from scratch- adding insulation, building minimalist furniture, removing old solar panels, and fixing the mechanical issues.

I could also ground it and rent it out when I can invest in some land. However, it’s perfectly drivable for now, so I may also try to get a friend to take it out on short road trips.

The other option is to sell it and pay off what I owe the bank. I doubt I will make any money- I would be happy to break even.

Conclusion: Would I Buy A School Bus Conversion Again? 

Honestly, no. I am not the most handy person and am still dipping my toes into learning how to care for a vehicle. A bus is a bit much for me, as something will always break, and you will likely need to fix it yourself. 

I speak to every skoolie owner I see, and they confirm this. Especially as a solo traveler, you must be passionate about skoolies to live in one full-time.

I originally got a Jeep with the goal of putting a hitch on the bus and towing it, but I think my next venture will be to flip the script and live in a small camper that the Jeep can pull. I have a friend currently doing that with a Casita, and I can see myself living her life.

After almost a year of car camping, I have learned that I need even less space than I had in the bus and would appreciate not having to juggle two vehicles.