HELPPP!!! Looking for reviews good and bad for a converted Skoolie we want to buy.

Princesslynn03777 · 12-14-2022, 11:42 AM

Hi

We are too busy to build and not very handy honestly. Lol we are looking to buy a converted Skoolie. It's a 2003 Thomas with front engine CAT 3126e w 7.3 diesel Allison MD3060 automatic transmission with less than 70,0000 miles. Anyone have any experience with this bus? Greatly appreciate any feedback. We aren't mechanics, my husband can do basics but we want a good bus of course.

Thanks guys

rossvtaylor · 12-14-2022, 11:58 AM

Where are you located? That's a good drivetrain combination...so my bigger concern would be the quality of the conversion...especially the potentially dangerous systems, like electrical and gases. Let us know where you are and, possibly, you can find someone nearby who you could hire to look things over. I've seen too many "professional" conversions which had serious safety problems. It might be really well done, but it's worth getting some experienced eyes on it.

Princesslynn03777 · 12-14-2022, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rossvtaylor

Where are you located? That's a good drivetrain combination...so my bigger concern would be the quality of the conversion...especially the potentially dangerous systems, like electrical and gases. Let us know where you are and, possibly, you can find someone nearby who you could hire to look things over. I've seen too many "professional" conversions which had serious safety problems. It might be really well done, but it's worth getting some experienced eyes on it.

Hi thanks for replying. I'm in DE, Skoolie in Tampa FL. I reached out to a mechanic there that is going to look it over for $150 an hour before purchasing. Which is a must for me. My uncle who has an RV said it was a pretty good combo too but he's a driver, not a mechanic.

rossvtaylor · 12-14-2022, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Princesslynn03777

Hi thanks for replying. I'm in DE, Skoolie in Tampa FL. I reached out to a mechanic there that is going to look it over for $150 an hour before purchasing. Which is a must for me. My uncle who has an RV said it was a pretty good combo too but he's a driver, not a mechanic.

Getting the drivetrain checked, even if it's a good combo, is a great idea. But you'll also be wise to find someone who can check the electrical installation, such as AC wiring, the inverter, solar, generator...it's important that those are done well and properly protected with fuses/circuit breakers and disconnects. Having the gas (propane, not gasoline) system, any heaters (water or space), stove checked for safety are also important. Check any solar panel brackets to see if the panels are secured properly. Plumbing should be checked too, but isn't generally as safety hazard as much as a possible cause of leak damage. Also, check the exhaust system to see if it was modified to install tanks...I've got a customer bus right now, on which the exhaust system was modified and it now exhausts right beneath the bedroom and it's melted the mud flaps.

If you cannot find someone to check these things in person, at least take and post lots of photos for us to look over.

And...thanks for considering all these things now! So often, we see folks who don't until it's too late.

Princesslynn03777 · 12-14-2022, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rossvtaylor

Getting the drivetrain checked, even if it's a good combo, is a great idea. But you'll also be wise to find someone who can check the electrical installation, such as AC wiring, the inverter, solar, generator...it's important that those are done well and properly protected with fuses/circuit breakers and disconnects. Having the gas (propane, not gasoline) system, any heaters (water or space), stove checked for safety are also important. Check any solar panel brackets to see if the panels are secured properly. Plumbing should be checked too, but isn't generally as safety hazard as much as a possible cause of leak damage. Also, check the exhaust system to see if it was modified to install tanks...I've got a customer bus right now, on which the exhaust system was modified and it now exhausts right beneath the bedroom and it's melted the mud flaps.

If you cannot find someone to check these things in person, at least take and post lots of photos for us to look over.

And...thanks for considering all these things now! So often, we see folks who don't until it's too late.

Thanks so much. If I can find someone here with experience willing to check it out I'm game for that too. Is there a special place/forum I can post to gry to get help locally. I'm willing to pay, I'd rather pay up from then get a clunker.

rossvtaylor · 12-14-2022, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Princesslynn03777

Thanks so much. If I can find someone here with experience willing to check it out I'm game for that too. Is there a special place/forum I can post to gry to get help locally. I'm willing to pay, I'd rather pay up from then get a clunker.

I think you're much more likely to find a knowledgeable skoolie owner/builder here than on Facebook, so I think you've started the ball rolling already. Someone will chime in, I'm sure.

Jolly Roger bus 223 · 12-14-2022, 02:17 PM

maybe reach out to a member here named DEMAC for the electrical side.
he lives in florida but i cant remember where.
there are quite a few florida skoolies here with different skill levels.

Princesslynn03777 · 12-17-2022, 08:48 AM

Thanks. Is there somewhere I can check in the forum for others that maybe willing to assist with checking it out for us?

DeMac · 12-17-2022, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Princesslynn03777

Hi DeMac are you in FL, someone just referred me to you to check out a skoolie conversion we want to purchase. Sorry, I'm not sure how to send direct messages yet.

------------------
Tampa is a couple hours away from my home. I haven't been there in decades.

Do you not intend to travel to Tampa, in order to transport it back to Delaware?
Possibly, place a small deposit $$$ & hold >90% of your cash until you test drive the candidate to a mechanic, pay a little to save alot.

Buying used or handmade items, sight-unseen, is very risky for the buyer. All bets, winnings & odds favor the seller, only.

You asked about financing a bus, in another thread. Owning and operating a retired diesel is much more expensive than the purchace price.

Save your credit for long-mile towing, hotels and month-long repairs. Seruously, go nowhere, without a minimum of $5000 expendable in reserve.

We are close to I75 & I can inspect, repair or add any Electrical work on you rig, here. You are welcome to come stay here for a while. We have full hook-ups, a couple concrete pads, picnic pavillion & 20 acres of woodland and pasture. Bring your horse(s), we have stables available, too.

Open Offer: To any other skoolies or traveling horse owners, near World Equestrian Center Ocala, you're welcome contact me via Direct Message.

Princesslynn03777 · 12-17-2022, 10:34 AM

Hi thanks for responding. We don't want to purchase until we get it looked over and was seeing if there was someone in the area that we could pay to check it out before we came to North Port Florida. We were thinking of getting one built out but want to be on the road in March. I'm in DE, looking for a full conversion 30-40ft. Bathroom, solar, kitchen, bedroom, tanks etc.

DeMac · 12-17-2022, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Princesslynn03777

Hi thanks for responding. We don't want to purchase until we get it looked over and was seeing if there was someone in the area that we could pay to check it out before we came to North Port Florida. We were thinking of getting one built out but want to be on the road in March. I'm in DE, looking for a full conversion 30-40ft. Bathroom, solar, kitchen, bedroom, tanks etc.

----------‐----------

Contact Courtney & Cassidy at Nomadic_Homes_llc

Courtney has stayed here twice and I've personnally seen the high quality of her work. She also inspected my bus and helped us with the layout. We redesigned our entire interior, thanks to her insight & real world experience.

Courtney & her sister Cassidy are located in Clearwater, FL (West of Tampa). Good, honest folks. Detail oriented, like me. I will forward this thread to them.

Princesslynn03777 · 12-17-2022, 11:57 AM

Thank you so much. Hope to hear from her soon.

Sehnsucht · 12-17-2022, 02:17 PM

Might touch base with EastCoastCB here on the forum, he's a Florida skoolie guru and may be able to give you some assistance.

BamaBus · 12-17-2022, 08:06 PM

Is this the one on FB (North Port Fl.) for $48,000? If so, you can buy the bus but I want his dog! Watched his videos to see if there was anything to add to the description. I wonder if he flat towed his truck cross-country? Are the new retread tires on the front?

rossvtaylor is correct. You are buying a moving house and you wouldn't buy a house without an inspection of the home mechanicals. If anything breaks, repairs could be difficult and expensive on a items installed in a non-standard method. You will have something to break or not work. If you do then you will have someone makes repairs. So why not start from scratch?

TrueNorth · 12-18-2022, 07:33 AM

I had a 2002 and it was great, and it had considerably more miles than your bus does. The mileage is VERY low for that year model, so see if you can find out what the engine hours are. Diesel bus engines with low miles, often have high idle run times. That's not a deal breaker, it just means the engine has more wear than the odometer tells you. I will say that front engines are considerably noisier! You'll want to add extra noise/heat insulation on the engine cowling that is next to the driver seat, because it's going to make it nearly impossible to talk at normal volume while driving. But mechanically mine was great!

Princesslynn03777 · 12-18-2022, 08:38 AM

Thanks I'm going to reach out to them also!!

Princesslynn03777 · 12-18-2022, 08:40 AM

Thanks will try to contact them also.

Princesslynn03777 · 12-18-2022, 08:42 AM

Hi yes. He did flat tow and those are new retreads. We did consider a new build but we want to be on the road beginning of March and didn't think it was possible. Are there builders here, if so how do I get to that forum?

Princesslynn03777 · 12-18-2022, 08:44 AM

Thanks we didn't think of that!!! How many additional miles did you put on yours?

TrueNorth · 12-18-2022, 12:32 PM

I only had the chance to put a couple thousand miles on ours in the great state of Alaska before we had to sell it due to relocating (and not being able to drive through Canada.) I had about 212000 when I got it, and I think it was around 218000 when we sold it. Lots of fun!

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