Old bus, new looks, incredibly low mileage
Now here’s something a little special… meet Skye, a gorgeous fully renovated bus! Her previous owners lovingly restored her 2.5 years ago. We have been proud owners since, but we are not taking her out as much as we should and she is getting bored… so we are reluctantly putting her up for sale for the next caregivers to love.
Purchased for $47,500 NZD in 2021, we will accept offers circa $38,500 NZD. She hasn’t changed much in that time, (nor has she done a heap of mileage), but we have made some improvements to her body. Here’s the lowdown…
All about the vehicle
Skye is a 1983 Nissan Civilian 3.3L – diesel, manual – with only 98,000 kilometres on the clock! Yep, you read that right. This bus was imported from Japan after her previous life as a passenger bus, but the owner didn’t use the bus much at all. So despite being nearly 40 years old, Skye is young on the road!
She’s 6.2m long and has a Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) of 4750kg which requires a Certificate of Fitness (COF) rather than a standard WOF but it can be driven on a standard car licence.
Skye has the following paperwork…
- Rego until Feb 2025
- COF until Sept 2024
- Warrant of Electrical Fitness (WoEF) until 2025
- Certified Self Contained (CSC) for 2 people until Dec 2027 (currently with a blue warrant but Skye should sail through the new green warrant given her fixed toilet)
Let’s head inside…
Up front in the cab there are two belted seats and a fold down seat that could be the perfect spot for your furry friend! In fact, our Border Terrier jumps at the tinkle of the keys – she LOVES going in the bus! Skye has a reversing camera, JVC stereo with a new speaker and two sets of keys. Being a bus, you can step straight through to the main living area – always a bonus. Skye has an interior height of 1.8m, vinyl flooring and a freshly painted interior. There are tinted windows with fly screens and new black-out curtains for total privacy and the two roof vents keep Skye well ventilated.
Preparing and enjoying food
In the kitchen there’s a two burner gas hob with small grill, 14L gas boiler for hot water, a good sized sink with draining board, a 60 litre compressor fridge (with freezer compartment), as well heaps of storage areas in the overhead cupboards and pantry. The kitchenware and accessories are all part of the deal too. For safety there’s a smoke detector, a carbon monoxide/propane gas alarm and two fire extinguishers.
For dining, there’s a table (on a leg so not fixed) and seating for three which has been newly upholstered. Skye comes with all the lovely decor too.
Onboard conveniences!
And Skye also has the much-coveted fixed shower and toilet cubicle… with Thetford cassette loo and sink.
And so to bed…
The fixed bed is 120cm wide x 180cm long, across the back of the bus and comes with the bedding. There are also reading lights.
The power system
Skye has two new 120Ah deep-cycle AGM (sealed lead-acid) leisure batteries which power the 24V electrics (for the LED lights, fridge, water pump, boiler etc.) The batteries recharge through the (new) 390W solar panel and via the engine alternator. For 240V (mains) power there are multiple sockets inside linked to an external hook-up and 15m lead for connecting to campsite power. Plus there’s a (new) 1000W inverter connected to the 24V system so you’re all set for any device whether you’re off-grid or not!
Added extras!
Skye also comes wth a roof rack, awning, double kayak (with all accessories), 22L dometic cooler, foldable BBQ, two yoga mats, tools and a telescopic ladder!
Is it self-contained?
Skye is certified self-contained (CSC) for two people and has a very generous 120L fresh water tank which means refilling less often. She has a 12V electric water pump to supply both hot and cold water to the kitchen and bathroom sinks. There’s a 120L waste water tank which is underslung (like the freshwater tank).
Recoup your costs by renting out your campervan with Quirky Campers
We’d love this bus to be part of the Quirky Campers NZ collection for hire. You could be recouping your costs when you’re not using it and potentially break even in about 3 years… all while you have your very own bach on wheels!
Read about renting out your campervan.
Find out more about buying Skye
If you’re interested in owning this lovely bus, contact Skye’s owner Toni directly at toni.anns@yahoo.co.nz or on 021 0489 868 – please either text or leave a message. We are in the North Shore of Auckland for viewings – preferrably weekends.
