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.

Church Bus Sale Buyers Guide

Church bus sale sign caught your eye? If you think your ready to buy one to convert to a recreational vehicle, church transportation bus, live aboard unit or business, you should be aware of some of the advantages and disadvantages of this particular platform. If you haven't read our Seven Commandments for buying a bus - read that first! These commandments of advice will save you thousands of dollars and a lifetime of headaches.

Newer church buses offer huge advantages in price over traditional motorcoaches used by the tour industry, parts are readily available, and they are easy to locate and purchase. However they do have limitations you should be aware of.

When buying a church bus you have a number of issues to consider. First you have to decide which type bus you want (we will discuss this later) then you decide budget and start research on the actual buses you like. Remember, southern used church buses like those from Florida, tend to be in the best shape due to road and weather conditions.

If you can live with the limitations, great. Church buses can be the least expensive way to buy a shell. But if you cannot live with the shortcomings don't try to fudge it because if the bus can't meet your needs, you'll never be happy, at any price. You could end up with a pathetic project sitting in your back yard instead of a great recreational vehicle to enjoy and make memories with.

Just because a church 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.

At this stage 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 aren't going to care if they sit on vinyl or leather, but schedule a big event and have the bus breakdown due to faulty brakes, and they'll never forget it. Your spouse may not mind that the bed mattress you put in is lightweight foam, but if the bus won't start, you won't be using the bed at all.

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 charge 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. If the receipts don't have the bus VIN on them how do you know the receipts are for the bus your looking at.

Rule of thumb when buying a bus for one tenth the original price. BUDGET for parts and 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 its condition then don't buy the bus unless you can afford to replace it, part by part.

It is possible to buy a bus for $5,000 that originally sold for over $70,000. With such a great bargain to begin with, you really shouldn't purchase anything but the best foundation for your project that you can find. You may later choose to spend $10,000 to $30,000 or hundreds of hours of your time on converting or customizing the bus. 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 constantly fight with?

Rust - When buying a used church 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, 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.

Even if you are a welder and expect to correct serious issues with rust I would strongly advise against it. Find a better shell to start with an spend your time, money and patience, on other, more enjoyable bus modifying tasks.

Service Record - 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've got problems - possibly serious ones. If not, he'd be proudly displaying the records. Check how long since the engine rebuild - they last about 60 -100,000 miles, depending on whether they are driven stop and go in the mountains or over long stretches of flat highway.

Leaks - Look for ANY signs of leaks, particularly from Automatic Transmissions. Some Allison transmissions used in buses have wimpy front seals and leak constantly when the transmission gets really hot. Don't buy a bus with a leaky transmission. A replacement Allison can cost $4,000 parts and labor. Leaking brake components or hydraulic systems can be expensive to repair also.

Transmissions - Try for an automatic unless you have a real preference and never intend to resell it. Standard shifts are MUCH harder to sell as conversions because retirees mostly buy motor home conversions and they don't like to shift. Allison makes the best transmission systems in the world.

Body Style - Conventional verses Flat-Front Pusher. Flat-Front pushers are easier to sell and most people like the profile better. They may offer more room for the same length bus also. Check out the visibility difference. The entrance door positions vary as well. The rear pusher buses offer a quieter ride. The conventional flip-front with its more "school bus look" does offer better engine access (which translates into cheaper service). They are easier to steer and cheaper.

Size - When it comes to underpowered church buses which are going to get nothing but heavier as you modify them, longer is NOT always better. Sure it gives you more room, but remember the bus might have been fine originally but now you've added 12,000 pounds of modifications. Weight issues in a church bus should not be ignored, or underestimated. Build it too heavy and it won't steer right, will destroy the engine and transmission, will eat up the tires, smoke the brakes, and flatten the suspension. Now was it really necessary to get the super 72 seater and fill it full of fuzzy dice, furniture and fixings?

Storage Space - Most church bus body styles and frames do not support the installation of adequate storage space for full time live aboard accommodations. However there is plenty of room to build above floor storage in buses to be used for weekend trips, flea market or race Attendance buses. Some newer diesel church buses do have factory built storage underneath like commercial passenger buses and these are especially interesting for conversion candidates.

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