Before creating the Vanabode travel style I ran a motorcoach website. This page is one of many bus articles I wrote for coach buyers before closing that website.

Bus for Sale Overview

Adding a coach to your tour bus fleet? Looking for a bus conversion candidate or dependable church shuttle? Follow these guidelines to ensure your bus, limo, motorcoach, or recreational bus conversion purchase goes your way. When you are choosing a bus to convert to a recreational vehicle, church transportation, live aboard unit, or tour business, be aware of the advantages and disadvantages of the particular platform you are considering. Read the Seven Commandments for buying a bus first! This buying strategy will save you thousands of dollars and a lifetime of headaches. You may also find the governments list of state transportation websites helpful.

If you haven't seen my bus make and model quick reference chart - browse that next! It identifies many popular major makes and models, complete with a list of advantages and disadvantages.

If you are spending more than $10,000 GET HELP and consult a professional salesman, used bus dealer or broker. They purchase the buses wholesale, can mark them up for a fair profit, and still offer them to you retail for less than you will find on the street.

Whether buying from a school district, municipal government, or used bus dealer, you have a number of issues to consider. First you have to decide which type bus you want (see navigational links on the left that appear on every page) then you decide budget and begin research on the individual units in consideration. Just because a bus is being sold at an auction doesn't mean it's a worn out piece of junk. Usually due to insurance reasons they have been maintained quite well. Many agencies have to sell due to decreased enrollment in a project or funding changes. Sometimes it's simply their policy - no buses over 5 years old or over 200,000 miles, etc.

Trying to save a few bucks on the foundation is unwise. If you need to skimp do so on the cosmetics later. The church kids or tour group aren't going to care if they sit on vinyl or leather, but schedule a big event and have a breakdown due to faulty brakes, and they won't forget it. Your spouse may not mind the firm foam bed mattress you chose, but if the bus won't start, you won't be using the bed at all.

So, you have access to an auction list or an inventory of used buses, or an individual bus in mind. Ask for service records, original paperwork, and recent repair receipts. Everything in the paper trail will help you determine value and avoid potential problems. It will also reward you with some eye opening information.

Bus Parts for the major brands are available for even 30 to 40 year old buses. More obscure brands, those made in foreign countries and imported, and models with short production spans can present major problems however. Parts availability issues are one of the reasons you sometimes see beautiful $20,000 - $40,000 buses sitting idle. These are huge complicated machines depending on the proper functioning of thousands of used parts. Be sure you have at least TWO sources for bus parts lined up BEFORE buying any bus. Didn't know an engine swap could cost $13,000? Surprised that a brake job with rotors and new lines was $2,400? Or that at tire mounted and balanced might cost $400? Receipts and paperwork are very valuable. Carefully look through the paperwork and avoid the purchase of buses with no paper trail at all. Look for weird situations.

BUDGET - Rule of thumb when buying a bus for one tenth the original price. BUDGET for parts an labor on ANY mechanical part for which you don't have a good history, receipt trail, or ability to inspect. In other words if you can't verify it's condition then don't buy the bus unless you can afford to replace it, part by part. That means: AC, brakes, hydraulic lines, engine compression, transmission condition, steering and front end parts, electrical system from the wiring harness to the gauges, alternator and fuse panels, tires, body, and glass, air compressor buildup and recovery times, and many other items your mechanic can advise you about. This is especially true when buying for a committee or group where you have to answer to alot of people long term for the purchase such as when buying a church bus.

It is possible to buy a used school bus for $5,000 that originally sold for over $70,000 or a nearly indestructible stainless steel passenger coach for 10% of the original price. With such a great bargain to begin with, you really shouldn't purchase anything but the best foundation you can afford. You may later choose to spend $10,000 to $30,000 or hundreds of hours of your time on converting or customizing the bus or establishing yourself as a dependable tour operator. Do you really want to build on a shell that has a bad frame? Do you really want to invest so much in a bus that has a bad engine or transmission that you must fight with?

Rust - When buying a used bus remember - rust cannot be stopped. Rust does not rest. Rust MUST be taken seriously no matter how cheap your bus candidate is. If you think you can sheet metal and bondo your way to a permanent fix, think again. If the rust is just a little, it'll grow quickly by the time you're done investing a lot of your time and money. A little rust on the body surface may be acceptable for the price. Do not, however, accept structural rust, heavily flaking frames, rusting-out fenders or hood hinge mounts. Anything that would be a major problem when (not if) it gets twice as bad as it is now, will make you very sorry. Surface rust can be fixed and body panels that are too rusted to fix can be replaced with original manufacturers parts, custom made sheet metal parts from your local sheet metal fabricator or welder or with aftermarket fiberglass panels.

Service Records - If it's been in fleet use, it has one. If you're buying from a middle man and he can't produce it, you may have problems, possibly serious ones. If not, he'd be proudly displaying the records. Check how long since the engine rebuild - they last about 75 -125,000 miles, depending on whether they are driven stop and go in the mountains or over long stretches of flat highway. NOTE: If the VIN number on the service records or receipts does not match the vehicle you are purchasing then obviously that paperwork is meaningless. Ask for service records, original paperwork, and recent repair receipts. Everything in the paper trail will help you determine value and avoid potential problems. It will also reward you with some eye opening information. Carefully look through the paperwork and avoid the purchase of buses with no paper trail at all. Look for weird situations. Finding a receipt for an AC chharge might be good, if its recent. Come across receipts for an AC charge done three times in the last year and you have a problem.

Leaks - Look for ANY signs of leaks, particularly from Automatic Transmissions. Some Allison transmissions used in buses have weak front seals and leak when the transmission gets really hot. Don't buy a bus with a leaky transmission. A replacement Allison can cost $5,000 parts and labor. Leaking brake components or hydraulic systems can be expensive to repair also.

Engines - get the biggest engine you can afford, especially if you are adding conversion weight to the vehicle. There is NO substitute for size (raw cubic inches) I don't care what the ads say. My car has a 440 in it why would you buy a 65 passenger bus with a 318?

Oil Analysis - Ask seller to provide you the records showing that the engine and transmission oil have been analyzed on a regular basis. If they have not done this then the price should reflect this. Irregardless of records you should pull your own oil analysis which can detect: fuel dilution of lubrication oil, dirt contamination in the oil, antifreeze in the oil, excessive wear of internal components (by finding excessive traces of metal), wrong type or grade of lubricants. Some wear is normal, but abnormal levels can give an early warning of impending problems and help prevent a major breakdown later.

Early detection will reduce repair bills, reduce catastrophic failures, increase machine life, reduce nonscheduled downtime. For example early detection with oil analysis can allow for corrective action such as repairing an air intake leak before major damage occurs. One of the major advantages of an oil analysis program is being able to anticipate problems and schedule repair work to avoid downtime during a critical time of use.

Transmissions - try for an automatic unless you have a real preference. Older standard shifts are MUCH harder to sell because many older coaches are purchased as conversion candidates. Retirees mostly buy motor home conversions and they don't like to shift. Allison makes the best transmission systems.

Suspension Sytems - All bus suspension systems are engineered uniquely for every chassis. Engineers review the axles used when in the initial design phase, they study ride heights and frame and width variables so each suspension, either mechanical, air or independent, and each one ends up being a one of a kind custom solution. There is no way around it. The suspension system should be inspected and be in proper working condition, should be built by a quality company, and you should make sure you can find replacement parts easily because bus suspension systems are expensive to repair.

Financing a tour bus - this makes and breaks most tour operations, not the choice of bus make. However many companies offer better financing for certain preferred builders and even certain models, especially those that have the lowest depreciation. The purchase of any bus used for business should not be done without a thorough evaluation of the finance options that are attached to it. Some banks won't finance a commercial bus until it has passed a DOT inspection.

Bus Insurance - this can be a real "dream breaker". How will you tell the church board that you you got a great deal on the bus for them and fixed it up real nice, but...well nobody will insure it cause it's too old, or the brakes are after market, or there was a recall on it. Tour operators and Limo companies - if you cannot insure your coach at a good rate you will never be able to turn the kind of profit needed to deal with depreciation, attrition, maintenance, and sales operations. Bus converters how would you like to finish your bus conversion with $50,000 in renovations only to learn it's uninsurable with normal companies due to "gross vehicle weight issues".

Do NOT underestimate this part of the process. Get an insurance quote in writing from at least TWO major carriers before signing to purchase a vehicle of any type. Insurance cost is important when comparing two different vehicles also. If the older vehicle costs twice as much annually in insurance costs would it be worth it to buy the newer one?

The "why are you selling" question - ALWAYS ask this question. Look the seller straight in the eye, do not look away, and say these exact words "why are you selling this bus?" Then WAIT! Do not look away, do not say another word until you are satisfied with the sellers answer. Watch the sellers reaction when they hear your question. Even someone who does not practice this technique can often spot a "seller" who is hesitant and may be covering something up, offers a wierd answer, is caught off guard, slips up and tells you something they did not intend to, etc.

It is very important NOT to misinterpret the sellers answer, however. Some sellers are embarrassed that they don't have the ability to finish repairs, or depressed they don't have time to use it, or broke, or whatever. Just because they may seem sad does not mean they are selling you a problem.

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