How much does a skoolie cost?

[somewhereinusa]

I don't know if this qualifies as a money pit, I'm sure I've missed some things. Here is a summary of my expense spread sheet. I always said I didn't really want to know, but here it is. Should be pretty self explanatory. Original bus purchase is included in cost per mile.



It's not finished yet, but I hope all of the major expenses are over (I keep saying that), unless something breaks.

Dick

[CaptainInsaneo]

That doesn't sound like a whole lot for both a custom motorhome built to your spec AND a very rewarding hobby. I've spent thousands on miniature wargaming to only end up with a box of nicely painted pewter and plastic. I don't even want to know what my dad has wasted fishing.

Would you feel better if you drove it more? If so you should take it to the grocery store and the post office and just use it for daily errands. Start taking your friends to the airport... in other cities.

[turf]

$4/mile
i think thats about right, your numbers are close enough to mine, i started calling it a money pit @year 2 of the conversion. but it is fun

[jake_blue]

Value is purely subjective and in comparison to a class A motorhome I'd say you're still a couple of hundred thousand dollars ahead! It really is just a question of how much you want to use it and what that usage is worth to you.

[somewhereinusa]

Would you feel better if you drove it more? If so you should take it to the grocery store and the post office and just use it for daily errands. Start taking your friends to the airport... in other cities.

I'm not complaining, far from it. I'm glad I have it. Mumsywumsy likes it, she even volunteered, that she had fun on the last trip. I will start using it more, but at the cost of fuel there's only so much I can spend, so building takes precedence over using right now. On the spreadsheet fuel cost per mile isn't likely to change much, but as the miles increase cost per mile figures will go down. Not that it really makes any difference.

I like to play with spread sheets too, I had one on the semi that told me exactly how much it cost me, by mile,day, month, and year to operate, both loaded and unloaded.

[nat_ster]

Great info.

This will really help the newbies out.

Thanks for sharing.

Nat

[Josiahdr]

That is a great spreadsheet!

Definitely going to have to create something like that.

I figure the skoolie will be a lot like a Break Out Another Thousand

[CaptainInsaneo]

Also I would say you should only add half of the fuel cost taking into account MPG skoolie vs mpg of average motorhome.

I have seen your build log there is no damn way you would have touched a motorhome with everything you have in it for that price.

I wasn't being serious I just thought it was a funny image.

[gbstewart]

your in about the right price range that I'm in, but don't forget the $3.5million in labour costs lol
gbstewart

[CaptainInsaneo]

$1.5m please I am sure he would give himself the hommie hookup.

[somewhereinusa]

I do get the discount for knowing the owner.

[USMCRockinRV]

I calculated the manhours I've invested... Turns out ~ I'm 92yrs old [emoji15]

[CaptainInsaneo]

To quote Indiana Jones, "It isn't the years its the miles."

[bansil]

lets see:
(bought when scrap was $12.50 a hundred and it was 25 miles from home, with a full gas tank and excellent tires...win...win)


Bus = $4000
appliances =$1000
Electric =$1000
plumbing = $1000
wood,mattresses, light fixtures etc for build = $1000

just general type numbers and all can be different per build

electric covers all 12ga wiring,conduit, boxes, breakers and panel; set up dual zone to cover all our needs, also includes 2 batteries and some solar (need..urgh..Want more)


wood for me was 1x4 furring strips (very cheap) if I had wood skills that would probably be 4x as much using oak/teak/laminates etc

my plumbing is high due to a home setup, tub and shower, 40 gallon water heater and kitchen sink and 220V/120V switchable for WH

appliances I used: 2 5000 btu window ac units ($50 each on sale at Christmas)
1 apartment sized fridge/freezer; a couple burners to set on counters, a microwave, a keurig; an awesome oven/toaster/rotisserie

and these are estimates (high)

when planning trips I use $5.00 a gallon and 5 mpg to budget cash (real numbers have been 10 mpg and $2.50/$3.65-ish a gallon for diesel

[jake_blue]

Skoolies are by nature like Jeeps and boats... Fun but huge money pits. I think though if you look at the multi-purpose nature, being both a hobby and a functional asset, skoolies probably come out ahead. It can be transportation, lodging, recreation and utilitarian all at the same time. I guess it's all how you look at it.

[REDD]

Originally Posted by bansil

lets see:
(bought when scrap was $12.50 a hundred and it was 25 miles from home, with a full gas tank and excellent tires...win...win)


Bus = $4000
appliances =$1000
Electric =$1000
plumbing = $1000
wood,mattresses, light fixtures etc for build = $1000

just general type numbers and all can be different per build

electric covers all 12ga wiring,conduit, boxes, breakers and panel; set up dual zone to cover all our needs, also includes 2 batteries and some solar (need..urgh..Want more)


wood for me was 1x4 furring strips (very cheap) if I had wood skills that would probably be 4x as much using oak/teak/laminates etc

my plumbing is high due to a home setup, tub and shower, 40 gallon water heater and kitchen sink and 220V/120V switchable for WH

appliances I used: 2 5000 btu window ac units ($50 each on sale at Christmas)
1 apartment sized fridge/freezer; a couple burners to set on counters, a microwave, a keurig; an awesome oven/toaster/rotisserie

and these are estimates (high)

when planning trips I use $5.00 a gallon and 5 mpg to budget cash (real numbers have been 10 mpg and $2.50/$3.65-ish a gallon for diesel

Hey Bansil yours came with a full gas tank of diesel.....hows that workin' for ya? lol.
Mine also came with a full tank of diesel, about $300. worth. Including bus I'm about $4000. ....but I'm not building a home so costs, I'm hopin' don't get to out of hand.

[EastCoastCB]

damn. Scrap is $4 a hundred here.

[bansil]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

damn. Scrap is $4 a hundred here.

dude, my bus is like 3 years old

it is $5.25 here last friday I have more to scrap for my rail buggy build...it doesnt even pay gas now...I will think of it like a retirement account in the back yard

oh and!!!!!!!!!!!!


REDD...


it's a lovely day to bask in Skoolie-aid

[Zephod_beeblebrox2]

Wow $20k on conversion??? I think my conversion is $3k-$3k

[nat_ster]

Originally Posted by Zephod_beeblebrox2

Wow $20k on conversion??? I think my conversion is $3k-$3k

We are talking about real conversions, and real numbers.

Not some cobbled together pile of crap.

Hell a good bus cost 3 to 8 K just for the bus. Then comes the conversion costs.

The bus is always the cheapest part. Everything after cost way more.

Nat