We HATE Our Skoolie! 10 Reasons Why Bus Life SUCKS!

🚌💔 "We Wish We Had Gotten Something Else" - Dive deep into the seldom mentioned REALITIES of skoolie living with us, Matt & Lisa, as we unveil the 10 biggest problems we've faced on the road. From the unexpected hurdles to the moments that made us question our choices, this video is an unfiltered look at the reality behind converting a school bus into a home. 🏡✨
But it's not just about the challenges; it's about the conversation. We're sharing our story to spark a dialogue and connect with those of you who might be considering this lifestyle. Are you dreaming of a skoolie life? Let's talk about what it really entails and why we sometimes wish we had chosen a different path. Join our family's journey across America, subscribe for more honest insights, and share your thoughts in the comments below. Your support fuels our resilience and keeps our wheels turning. 🌟👨‍👩‍👦‍👦🛣️
#skoolie #nomad #rvlife
- Chapters -
0:00 - Intro
0:13 - Reason 10 - The truth about budget skoolie builds
1:10 - Reason 9 - Space is limited
1:32 - Reason 8 - Maintenance costs more
2:16 - Reason 7 - Moisture problems
2:38 - Reason 6 - Skoolies are ovens and freezers
3:23 - Reason 5 - Insurance companies hate you
4:26 - Reason 4 - A bus is not a daily diver
4:46 - A fuel cost comparison
6:36 - Reason 3 - It rides like crap
8:11 - Reason 2 - Skoolie people view life through rose-colored glasses
9:34 - Reason 1 - Campgrounds routinely reject skoolies
10:43 - Some final advice
11:18 - Conclusion
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[@Bohdi1234]

I'll give you one reason why I would never own a factory RV instead of my Custom hand built Skoolie. I sold All kinds of RV's pull behinds to 42' luxury motor coaches for years. All RVs are unsafe at any speed, they disintegrate in accidents if they roll over there is nothing left but the wiped clean frame, the construction is crap built by Goobers. (Except Bluebirds) Skoolies were designed to carry children they will and do survive crashes and even rollovers. I'd rather be alive than scaped off the road with a shovel. Don't believe me search RV crashes and accident on You Tube see for yourself.

[@bubba99009]

You don't have anyone riding in a trailer while you are on the road... so not sure why it would matter how intact it is after you rolled it.... And an accident in a modern pickup is going to be much safer than an accident in any kind of bus.

[@CheapNomads]

You sure seem to be taking my opinions of skoolie life personally. I mean after all they are merely my opinions unless otherwise proven. Nothing more. I do not dispute the clear lack of safety of a more traditional RV vs a skoolie. As you know, most skoolies are around 90% 16 gauge steel. But with that fact, it is important to keep in mind that because of the rigidity of the structure most of the energy from a collision will be transferred to the occupants. Despite the fact that the survival rate is much higher. Yes I do have unflattering opinions of online skoolie people. But again, they are merely my opinions.

[@specterman2000]

If I had the money I would like to buy one of those C buses then bring it to Colorado Custom Coachworks. Now they could turn it into luxury Skoolie you'd love to own.

[@CheapNomads]

If you're going to do a skoolie that would be the way to go, and while it would likely be cheaper to get a used camper there is something to be said about the uniqueness of a skoolie.

[@marshallbaldwin395]

Fortunately for me i am 100 perhr mechanic i didn't get a regular schooly i have what would classed like a grey puppy it is air ride4 bags for each axle no springs at all as long as i keep my foot and don't run more 65 i will 10 t0 11 miles per gallon if put automatic in it that gpes down to 6 per gallon for me it is easy to drive my bus at 35 feet is 5 foot shorter than my truck the thing that i know is that bus of mine will survive accident better than an rv and i have about 300 cubic feet of storagenot counting the space up top inside

[@aarongarcia1101]

School bus are special construction, as he stated in the vid

[@TheNikitis]

So on some of your points I have to disagree. I have a skoolie with regular windows and do not have the moisture issues you claim, but I also went to the nth degree on my build to seal up every crack, rib, bolt hole in the floor, and have proper ceiling fannage. for in and out flow. You can't really skip on this and if you do at all, you will have the moisture issues you describe. And from my observation, most do skip out on some of the techniques required. I do agree with you on points 8, 5, 4, and 3. If you have maintenance issue that you cannot do yourself. Most of them you can, but if not it does cost far more. On point 5. Insurance Companies do hate you and will not give you insurance however we resolved this relatively easily by going to a insurance broker. We originally applied to State Farm whom I've been a customer with over 2 decades with a perfect driving record, they wouldn't insure me. I went to progressive who states on the site they do not insure converted school buses and was out right denied when calling in. Interesting thing is I went to a broker who got me none other than "Progressive" to ensure my bus. It was binding immediately, and they cannot cancel me until at least 1 year. They may cancel me in another year, but I'll just use a broker again. Brokers can always find you the insurance you need and quickly and it doesn't cost you anything to use them. They take a commission off of the insurer. Use a broker. I had insurance same day, and no questions about modifications mattered or were asked. It was actually easy once I went the broker route. Point 4, You can run your bus on bio-diesel. If you have access to free bio diesel this is a win win. In a SHTF Situation i'll still be growing my own diesel and driving my bus. In an every day situation you are correct, it does cost a little more to run, but no more than a traditional RV would either, they use the same engines and the same diesel in many cases, but in a modern RV you have to also buy DEF and upkeep your DPF filters etc. which can cost $1000's You can still buy skoolies with plenty of miles left that have no emissions maintenance's. So the offset cost of more expensive maintenance balances out with not having to spend on emissions. This fact will change in 5-10 years when all of those emission free buses are no longer available. I also live in a state where diesel is only $3.20 a gallon, so traveling around here isn't bad, but it will be more expensive if I travel far anywhere. Point 3 isn't a deal breaker for many. Design considerations of items in the bus can make all the difference in the world. You should upgrade your shocks. Even standard type shocks can do well under load with a higher quality shock. The $50 shocks that you can buy for a bus aren't going to cut it, but you can get upgraded shocks and they do make a difference. Most skoolie drivers will replace them anyway as the existing ones are shot by the time they own it. If you didn't replace your shocks during your build that's on you. It's another $2k on average to upgrade to air ride, and yes more if going liquid, so you are correct there. Doing the shocks yourself is not hard if you have the proper jacking. On Point 2, I'm one of those Skoolie.net fans who contributes and have built buses. You do have a point in the fact that building a bus is a rose color glass situation, however we often tell people the accurate amount of money it will cost to build up a skoolie, we make no bones about potentially having to do high maintenance costs, we don't hide any of these facts, and we truly do love the form factor of a bus! It's no different than someone wanting an impractical Camaro vs a practical Toyota Corolla. The corolla is far more economical and practical and easier to maintenance, but it's a corolla, you are not going to turn any heads with that car. So a skoolie is absolutely the same thing. People see it and are wow'd by it. Their imaginations go wild with questions. Buses bring the wow factor the same way a souped up Camaro does. I'm going to look far cooler in my skoolie than you would in an RV. So you are right in the fact that skoolies aren't practical always. They can be though, there are different ways to build, and also different shortcuts you can take to make them more practical, and it is a cheap way to entry for many with some downsides for sure. They will at least have a place to lay their head for those who increasingly cannot afford a home and yes they will have to put up with some of these issues, but they can sleep. We often tell people that building a bus is not for you. We daily get people asking what is required and what are the downsides, and there are plenty of posts that go into the downsides. And we usually conclude that if you do not want to accept these downsides then building a bus isn't for you. I remain blameless as a major contributor in that respect. On Point 1, We agree. I've had more luck just showing up to campgrounds, and they are more willing to take your money. Calling ahead they will almost always tell you no for the same imagination reasons you described. This is also slowly getting better as there are more and more skoolies on the road daily and it is a market they are losing out on, but yes, this is currently in a bad state. I do know some skoolie owners who are starting their own camp grounds all over the country as well specifically for skoolies. There are apps being written currently which will lead people to these campgrounds. I know the authors of the apps. So this may be changing over the next 5-10 years to some degree, but yes currently it's not where one would like. I also agree with all of your final points. Thanks for your time in reading my wall of text.

[@CheapNomads]

Wow! Thank you for taking the time to give us that well reasoned response. You pointed out that we do disagree on some points but also recognized that different experiences form different opinions. At this point our family has just decided a bus is not for us but we've also agreed that had we the time and money to have done it better our opinions might be different. On the insurance issue for skoolies, we have a separate video coming out after the July 4th holiday where I go into more detail about our personal experience. Hope you check it out.

[@kimhamilton3383]

If you are smart , and take your time, you can find a older rv that was built well. My 2018 Tiffin allegro gas has been a joy to drive ,and live in in Florida in the winter. By used , do not by any 2021 to 2024 they are covid rvs.

[@CheapNomads]

That's good advice

[@steveg5122]

For a mpg scale, a Kenworth t680 (2020 model) with a 400hp x15 cummins and a 60,000 lb total weight can get 8-9 mpg

[@CheapNomads]

Interesting, but to be fair the engine in our bus is the VT365 International. Not the worst in the world but not well known for its mileage. It’s also half the weight of the Kenworth T680.

[@steveg5122]

@@CheapNomads oh I meant you get about the same mpg with less weight

[@CheapNomads]

Yeah. Kind of a shame. But I think the mileage in our bus could improve with a rear gear swap. Plus it’s governed

[@steveg5122]

@@CheapNomads In my industry, we have worked on trailer aero. I would recommend looking into air flow chevrons for the back, we use them on some trailers to create a bit of turbulence behind it to smooth out the air flow because it prevents the air from getting sucked down directly and it moves the turbulence further behind it making it go down the road smoother. Another thing you could look into is reducing anyplace air can make a 90° turn into, that's why trailers have skirts on them now and why you see trucks with wheel covers on the drive tires.

[@knowone6214]

more trouble then it is worth......give me a half worn out pickup truck with a camper shell and I'm set and money ahead

[@CheapNomads]

I hear ya

[@jerrymerryfield6551]

No such thing as a good RV

[@Bohdi1234]

So much of what this Goober says is nonsense One of the highest end safest factory-built Motor coach is Bluebird. Skoolies are registered and insured as a "CAMPER". If they are turned away it's because the goober that built it knew nothing about plumbing and safe electrical wiring and could possibly short out the entire campground. My Skoolie can be worked on at any truck shop Unlike the patched together factory units my RV systems don't fall part or prematurely fail. Being a certified RV tech is not a big deal it is not the same as being an actual mechanic. RV techs know how to do things like change your fantastic fan, caulk your brand-new leaking roof, or put in a new switch cause your slide out stopped working. If he's a master tech he can maybe change the motor on your slide.

[@CheapNomads]

I disagree with your assertion that campgrounds only turn away skoolies that are built wrong. Campgrounds across the board turn skoolies away routinely without even looking at them. Much less actually inspecting them or even asking for an inspection report. Most campgrounds simply don’t like them. They universally see them as “DIY vehicles” regardless of who built them and that comes from the myriad of facilities I spoke to personally.