2003 bluebird bus diesel for sale by owner - Santa Cruz, CA - craigslist (2024)

I've probably also done ~$7k of maintenance on this bus over the 2 years.

After living in this for the past 2 years, our time as nomads has come to an end and we're selling this on to the next adventure team who wants it. We did over 20k miles in it, including up and down the rockies in Colorado/wyoming, the parks in Utah, California, AZ... I wouldn't hesitate to drive across country in the bus tomorrow. The layout is perfect for a couple or a couple with a kid, we lived in it as a couple with twin 1-3 yos.

The MAIN PRINCIPLE guiding our layout was to maximize the use of space for maximum time. This means that during the day, the WHOLE bus is living area (living room, kitchen, play room in the back), and during the night, the WHOLE bus turns into bedroom mode (kids, if exist) bedroom in the back, parent bedroom in the front). This enables putting the kids to bed (at whatever hour they need to) and still have the rest of the bus available for whatever until the adults want to go to sleep. Alternatively, for potential buyers who don't have kids, you can just leave the rear bed set up and you have a more standard layout with always on bed in back.

We have video tours both on youtube and instagram, message me for links if interested.

Other than that this is a high specced, off-grid, electrical only, build with top of the line components and several unique features that we haven't seen on many (or any!) other buses.

Here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=go9NXZmAvnM&t=1s&ab_channel=TinyHouseGiantJourney) is a tour we did
Here (https://www.instagram.com/twins_on_wheels_/) you can see some build content (check skoolie build highlights) from the last year we have been living in it full time with our twin 1-2 yr olds.

Complete specs:

Electrical -
+ 2400w sunpower solar panels sitting on sunpower solar rails - these cover the width of the bus providing both electricity BUT ALSO SHADE for the roof of the bus
+ 10kWh eg4 server rack batteries batteries (200 ah @ 48v - equivalent of 800 ah @ 12v) - the solar + battery is plenty to run the AC 24/7 while powering electrical cooking.
+ All victron electrical components (lynx distributor, multiplus II 3000VA, mppt 150/45)
+ External outlet for powering devices outside
+ 15 amp shore power (never utilized)
+ 2 amp NOCO battery tender for bus batteries (saves the alternator and you'll never have a dead battery even if you don't run the bus for a while)
+ Geeni smart plugs which enable wifi/scheduled control of various appliances - hot water heater, starlink, etc.

HVAC -
+ 12k btu pioneer high efficiency heat pump mini split
+ webasto diesel heater tapped into the main diesel tank (will stop before you go empty of course)
+ webasto radiator coolant heater - for those really (!!) cold days to make the engine start easier and warm up faster

Plumbing -
+ 115 gal (75 + 40) fresh water tanks
+ clearsource ultra water filtration built into the input - so all incoming water is filtered before tank. In addition included - a berkey.
+ 27 gal gray water tank
+ 4 gal electric hot water heater
+ Horse trough bathtub, magnetic shower curtain, thermostatic mixer for shower (gives you exact temperature immediately) which folds up to a bench regularly (when not showering).
+ Aerators on all fixtures for water conservation
+ External spigot teed from the shower so hot/cold water
+ Trellino XL composting toilet

Appliances:
+ 10 cu ft fridge + freezer
+ 2.5 cu ft samsung washing machine
+ Induction stove
+ Instant pot (pot + oven/airfryer model)
+ Roof mounted starlink + always on cellular router

External features:
+ 7.5' x 6' passenger side deck (!!) with side door opening
+ Overland vehicle systems 180 degree awning on top of the deck
+ 2x large aluminum storage boxes 4'x2'x1.5' each (on passenger and drivers side)
+ 7.5'x5' rear 8020 roof rack
+ Drop down external table

Other:
+ All cabinetry made of baltic birch, mostly 11 ply, some 7 ply, all from a lumber store (not home depot)
+ 2x slide out full size beds. One in back, one in front
+ School bus bench with 2x built in 5 point harnesses for kids
+ MAXIMUM STORAGE - this bus has more storage than any other I've seen. There are literally cabinets and closets for days, as this bus held 100% of our belongings for the past year. So yes, TONS of storage is an understatement.

skoolie, school bus, converted school bus, vanlife, sprinter, thomas, conversion, promaster, van