r/skoolies • u/razzorik • 11d ago
general-discussion Need some realistic help.
Currently I have about $25k saved up for a skoolie or Van. The goals is to get something that I can eventually drive to Alaska.
I dont know were to look for something outside of FB Marketplace.
Is what I have saved up enough? Should I be saving up more?
Currently I do not have a place to park a bus to work on it, so turn key would be ideal.
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u/Affectionate-Ad2232 11d ago
Government auction sites are a good place to start. Just Google it. Be patient, don't swoon over the first hussy you see. Take some time to research engines and decide wether you want gas or diesel, automatic or stick.
How much work do you want to put in yourself? A 5k quote from a custom shop can probably be done for less than 1k if your willing to do it yourself or have friends to help you. If you don't have any tools at all to work on it, harbor freight is your friend. The tool doesn't need to last 50 years, it just needs to get the job done. I had basically no tools to start, besides the paint sprayer which I am going to rent, everything total has been about $600 so far and I have probably everything I need now as far as tools go.
How big of a bus are you thinking? I bought a short bus that can literally park in the visitor area of the apartment complex I live in. If you really have no place to park any size bus, a bus might not be your best option. Call your local large truck repair shops, they usually have large yards and may let you store it there for a fee.
The bus itself should be "cheap" most of the ones I looked at ranged from about 2k-7k, this price is without prior customization being done.
I have budgeted 15k for mine, all self work besides the initial mechanical check through that a shop did and I am currently well within the budget, but I have also put in close to 60 hours of personal labor in the last 3 weeks.
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u/FWEngineer 7d ago
Govenrment auctions are a good source for raw buses, but the OP wants turnkey. FB Marketplace is probably as good as anything for that.
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u/SeaMention123 11d ago
I just got a 7 window c2 w 60k miles on govdeals for 5k, 26’ total. There are certainly solid deals out there but you have to be patient and search weekly. It took me a bit over a yr to find mine
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u/FWEngineer 7d ago
That's an ideal size IMO. My 4-window is good for weekend camping but I'm not sure I'd want to go on a monthlong trip in it.
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u/uIDavailable 11d ago
I just did an Alaska trip. What would be your goal with a "bus", what length?. One thing I wish I did was flat tow a vehicle with the bus because you limit yourself with just the bus. Also big vehicles = big bills, save up money for repairs.
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u/razzorik 11d ago
Im a big guy, 6'1 and about 280, so height is an issue, with a bus the roof can be raised.
As for length ideally it would be less than 29 feet in overall length. Just to allow me to get on national parks.
I was thinking a dirt bike or something similar as a second mode of transportation.
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u/uIDavailable 11d ago
Just saw someone post a roof raise with window delete on the sub in North Dakota I think. Might be good to find a build that already has that stuff done. Depending on what your time and cost is worth. The sub also has a document with what engines and transmissions are good
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u/Single_Ad_5294 11d ago
Piggybacking off this guy. It’s not turnkey but I saw the gutted roof-raised “mechanically” sound post. 6k for a running shell with a roof raise is a great deal.
Cost is always relative to your circumstances. If you want turn key, you’ll be hard pressed to find something with a roof raise for sale. It’s a task almost out of the realm of DIY. I’m over here writing paragraphs to recommend the gutted version of what you’re looking for.
Maybe I bought a shitty bus (I did but it wasn’t that bad. Crappy platform, most issues came from sitting too long, dirt cheap.) but I became a diesel mechanic as a result, and I really underestimated the cost of parts and repairs.
So find the post, set 6k for a raised shell as your benchmark, and decide whether it’s worth it to you to hunch down in a premade or to do your own work and make it suit your needs.
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u/AzironaZack 11d ago
Skoolies are big and expensive to operate. For 25k you can certainly buy a complete Skoolie but you never really know the quality of the work.
For 25k you could also buy a perfectly nice Class C (van chassis) RV with some miles on it. This option can’t really be beat if you want something comfortably livable and ready to go to Alaska.
Have a pre-purchase inspection done by a qualified shop no matter what you buy. Finding someone to work on a bus is its own headache but an RV will be no problem.
Good luck!