Colorado RV Emissions, Taxes, and Insurance

[georgia.arlyne.brown]

Originally Posted by turf

if you can pick which county you register it in.....neither... get outside of the front range counties and emissions..... that's only required in 7 counties in Colorado.

heed the warnings on jake brakes, retarders or what have you. i have driven my bluebird up and down i-70 and it is scarier than anything i have ever done.

the at454 transmission that is so common on these buses does not lock up like a normal transmission. you freewheel down the mountain and its a white knuckle death ride the first time you try it.

the stress put on the transmission while coming down the mountain make all kinds of noises you never want to hear, the first time i did it, i thought i'd be buying a new tranny.

getting up the hill is painfully slow, coming down the hill is wildly out of control. neither is fun.

my bus plates run ~$150/ year
my liability ins ~$40/ year

i just put a comprehensive policy on the bus and thats about $1200/ year

Thanks for the info!

[georgia.arlyne.brown]

Originally Posted by charles_m

I done it a bunch of times in Colorado. The e test is going to be between 75 and 100. You will also need a vin verification if it has an out of state title. If it is not yet titled as a motorhome, you will need to make sure it meets the criteria for qualifing as a motorhome ( bed, sink, etc) then sign an statement of fact on it and possibly have it inspected, to makae sure it really isnt a school bus anymore. My average yearly registration is about 180 on an old bus. Insurance through gmac. Good luck with your bus! Come visit me at my bus yard!

Thanks man! How is your current bus coming along? I'd LOVE to come by and take a look.

[charles_m]

Yeah! Im close to being done with the first version of it! Just give me a call or text. Im at 3039311904

[georgia.arlyne.brown]

Well, no go. Didn't accept our offer. Back to the drawing board.

[Destroymix]

Originally Posted by georgia.arlyne.brown

Well, no go. Didn't accept our offer. Back to the drawing board.

You'll find one! I wonder when our local counties have auctions? Oh I just thought of something!! I know someone at McGee co and he comes to my shop and also goes to the cherry creek school bus facility. I could ask him to ask her if she knows of any are going to go away! However they would be "newer" internationals. I see a lot of those high top freight liners replacing the traditional style.

Did you see the RE on Craigslist for $8000?

[Polarweasel]

Originally Posted by Destroymix

You'll find one! I wonder when our local counties have auctions? Oh I just thought of something!! I know someone at McGee co and he comes to my shop and also goes to the cherry creek school bus facility. I could ask him to ask her if she knows of any are going to go away! However they would be "newer" internationals. I see a lot of those high top freight liners replacing the traditional style.

Please post up here if you get any info. I'd love to buy in-state without paying an exorbitant sum at a local dealer!

[charles_m]

I have a 98 international with around 150k on it. It has a T444e and at545 and hydraulic brakes. The engine had an intermittent low power condition that eventually became an all-the-time deal. Not sure what it might be. It was teal strong and did 65 easily on the flats. It is reliable but has low power. Id sell it for 1800. Im in Commerce City. It's not the most desirable setup but its a nice bus, great body. New turbo.
i also might be able to get you setup with another bus we have on hand if the deal is fair.

[Kubla]

having just bought a school bus, but having years of experience as a truck driver, you really should listen to the people with experience driving in the mountains, and avoid the non-lockup AT545 at all costs if you plan on driving in the moutains, my short bus has already hit 220 degrees in good old flat ohio on a short hill here in Cincinnati by having the double wammy of the AT545 and the split radiator, mine has air brakes so not to worried about going down hills, but going up hills both the engine and the transmission are dumping heat into a very marginal small radiator which was not intended for sustained highway travel.

If I had studied more of the threads on this forum before buying, I would not have bought the one I have, so now I am spending more money "fixing" a running bus, next step getting the MT643 lock up transmission installed, better fuel economy and much less heat dumped into the radiator

[Polarweasel]

Originally Posted by charles_m

i also might be able to get you setup with another bus we have on hand if the deal is fair.

Sorry I haven't been in touch. Things have gone to hell in a handbasket here lately, but slowly improving. I'd be interested to hear more about this one. A lockup transmission is a must for us, and a retarder is definitely desirable as well, since I do plan on crossing the Rockies pretty often.

[nat_ster]

Originally Posted by Polarweasel

Sorry I haven't been in touch. Things have gone to hell in a handbasket here lately, but slowly improving. I'd be interested to hear more about this one. A lockup transmission is a must for us, and a retarder is definitely desirable as well, since I do plan on crossing the Rockies pretty often.

IMO

You need nothing short of a rear engine Cummins 8.3 and minimum MT 643 transmission. Find a 8.3 with a MD3060 double overdrive transmission if you can.

I have never seen a 5.9 Cummins bus with a exhaust brake. Only rear engine DT 466's and 8.3 Cummins.

On the flat lands go as slow as you want. But in the mountains, slow traffic not allowing traffic to flow can cost lives. Best to not be that guy blocking the road.

However, I live in a shed. Do what you must to get by.

Nat

[georgia.arlyne.brown]

Yes, my husband is a truck driver too. Goes into the mountains often and we are well aware of the braking needs. I'm not sure how this turned into a lecture on braking. Threads do seem to go off topic don't they.

[georgia.arlyne.brown]

Originally Posted by charles_m

I have a 98 international with around 150k on it. It has a T444e and at545 and hydraulic brakes. The engine had an intermittent low power condition that eventually became an all-the-time deal. Not sure what it might be. It was teal strong and did 65 easily on the flats. It is reliable but has low power. Id sell it for 1800. Im in Commerce City. It's not the most desirable setup but its a nice bus, great body. New turbo.
i also might be able to get you setup with another bus we have on hand if the deal is fair.

I'll text you today! Maybe we could come by this weekend? Cheers!

[georgia.arlyne.brown]

Originally Posted by Destroymix

You'll find one! I wonder when our local counties have auctions? Oh I just thought of something!! I know someone at McGee co and he comes to my shop and also goes to the cherry creek school bus facility. I could ask him to ask her if she knows of any are going to go away! However they would be "newer" internationals. I see a lot of those high top freight liners replacing the traditional style.

Did you see the RE on Craigslist for $8000?

I didn't see the the one you mention, can you post a link?

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by georgia.arlyne.brown

Yes, my husband is a truck driver too. Goes into the mountains often and we are well aware of the braking needs. I'm not sure how this turned into a lecture on braking. Threads do seem to go off topic don't they.

At least the discussion is still buses...
but...

[charles_m]

Hahaha!
That's so awesome. Give me a call or something this weekend. Ill be at the bus yard a lot the next week. I do have a front engine 1986 Bluebird that had a new 5.9 put into it about 4 years ago. Has a mt643 and a driveline retarder which is pretty rare.only about 40k on the 5.9 but it needs work. Lol my place is a bit like a bus graveyard right now as we phase in a new set of buses and phase out our old ones.

[nat_ster]

Originally Posted by charles_m

Hahaha!
That's so awesome. Give me a call or something this weekend. Ill be at the bus yard a lot the next week. I do have a front engine 1986 Bluebird that had a new 5.9 put into it about 4 years ago. Has a mt643 and a driveline retarder which is pretty rare.only about 40k on the 5.9 but it needs work. Lol my place is a bit like a bus graveyard right now as we phase in a new set of buses and phase out our old ones.

Sounds like my kind of home to me.

Nat