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Old 01-06-2015, 10:48 PM   #61
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The International seller got back to me and said the bus won't be available until the end of May (currently in service). That doesn't work because I wanted to have used the bus for my move by then. Blech.

In the meantime, I'd already booked tickets to go down to Phoenix. The intent was to decide on a bus, buy one, so the paperwork was all squared away, and then have a driver go down and pick it up for me.

Well that failed miserably. The International is out, as I described above. And the original Thomas I drove was dripping oil all over the seller's parking lot. Turns out there's a leak in the high pressure side of the HEUI system, and it sounds like a leak in a power steering line too. Seller wants another $550 to fix those items, and $200 on top of that to put in a block heater so my driver can start the damn thing on his trek back to the midwest.

At this point, I'm just not that interested in the Thomas. The Cat's expensive to maintain, and I fear this is just the first of many, many bills. It doesn't have features I want (some I can add, like cruise. others are harder, like underbelly storage). I think I'm back to square one in my bus hunt with a backup plan of taking the International in May, and pushing my move back a month. I suppose that also opens up the prospect of hitting up some auctions this spring.

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Old 01-07-2015, 06:12 AM   #62
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Right on.
I thought you needed a bus MUCH sooner.
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Old 01-07-2015, 10:15 AM   #63
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Yeah, I don't need it sooner, but I very much wanted it. Everything seems to take a while at my house, and I figured getting the bus ready for my move would take a while so I was trying to give myself a bit of a buffer.
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Old 01-07-2015, 10:18 AM   #64
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Right on. Well it only takes a weekend to pull out seats. I'll help you if needed!
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Old 01-20-2015, 05:57 AM   #65
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http://orlando.craigslist.org/cto/4834376788.html
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Old 01-20-2015, 09:58 AM   #66
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EastCoastCB View Post
That's tempting. Truth be told, I'm scared by the Cat 3116. But it has a lot of the features I want. Rust free, high headroom, 40' long. Could probably get it for ~$4k. MD3060 would be nice.

I think I might hold off for the RE IC 300 available in May. Another $1200 gets me a DT530, MD3060, rear air suspension, and some underbody storage.
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Old 01-20-2015, 10:30 AM   #67
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That's cool. Just sharing the buses I find when looking...
I can't buy them, so SOMEONE should!
I'm not a huge fan of Cat's but I'd take a mechanical 3116 over just about anything computer controlled.
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Old 01-20-2015, 04:09 PM   #68
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Have to second that notion. ANY two wire motor over the compumonsters!
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Old 01-20-2015, 04:23 PM   #69
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If it helps, I elected to buy a bus with a 250 hp cummins 8.3 6cta over a slightly "nicer" (and cheaper) bus with a cat motor. There's a lot going for the 6cta that are 1998 and older - 12 valve motor with a poppet injection system and mechanical driven p7100 pump.

I would have liked a 300 hp motor, but 250 is fine! (for now)

It's sort of the same argument of carburators vs. fuel injection for gasoline engines IMO. Electronic diesel engines have benefits, but they also have drawbacks.


Quote:
Originally Posted by selfdetermined View Post
That's tempting. Truth be told, I'm scared by the Cat 3116. But it has a lot of the features I want. Rust free, high headroom, 40' long. Could probably get it for ~$4k. MD3060 would be nice.

I think I might hold off for the RE IC 300 available in May. Another $1200 gets me a DT530, MD3060, rear air suspension, and some underbody storage.
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Old 01-20-2015, 04:24 PM   #70
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I think the RE international looks great and has a modern looking "face".


Quote:
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I may have found my bus. Just got the spec sheet on the International. Turns out it's a 2001 with the DT530 (275hp/800lb*ft model), 3060 close ratio transmission (would prefer a straight 3060, or 3060R but I'll get over that), 410 gear ratio, tilt/telescope steering wheel, air ride seat, rear air ride suspension, 105 gallon tank, 78" headroom, 84 passenger, cruise control, 114" pass through luggage, 90k and 84k btu heaters.

10,700 hrs and 192k miles. A bit more hours than I'd like, but I'll deal with that. Looks like the biggest drawback is that the Internationals are ugly as sin. Now that's a first world problem if I've ever heard one.
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Old 01-20-2015, 04:57 PM   #71
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If I had your budget, I'd be going this route...
http://tampa.craigslist.org/hil/rvs/4824506860.html

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Old 01-20-2015, 05:00 PM   #72
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Quote:
Originally Posted by aaronsb View Post
If it helps, I elected to buy a bus with a 250 hp cummins 8.3 6cta over a slightly "nicer" (and cheaper) bus with a cat motor. There's a lot going for the 6cta that are 1998 and older - 12 valve motor with a poppet injection system and mechanical driven p7100 pump.

I would have liked a 300 hp motor, but 250 is fine! (for now)

It's sort of the same argument of carburators vs. fuel injection for gasoline engines IMO. Electronic diesel engines have benefits, but they also have drawbacks.
I agree, sort of.
But my pockets aren't going to be deep enough to mess with the "new" stuff anytime soon.
My bus is as easy to fix as any old tractor. Diagnosing and affording the parts on the newer stuff would be outside my realm.
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Old 01-22-2015, 06:37 AM   #73
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http://www.ebay.com/itm/1993-THOMAS-...06056&pt=Buses
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Old 01-22-2015, 09:37 AM   #74
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If I had your budget, I'd be going this route...
http://tampa.craigslist.org/hil/rvs/4824506860.html

The thought had definitely crossed my mind to go the coach route. Everything I've heard though is that they're just plain expensive. To buy (ok, that one isn't), to maintain, to improve. Just expensive. And worse fuel economy. But more storage and a *much* more comfortable ride.
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Old 01-22-2015, 10:19 AM   #75
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A coach isn't gonna cost any more t maintain or operate than the kind of skoolie you are looking for. These buses are built with a MUCH longer service life in mind than school buses, too.
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Old 01-22-2015, 10:25 AM   #76
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https://www.govdeals.com/index.cfm?f...=2&acctid=6769
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Old 01-22-2015, 02:02 PM   #77
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This looks promising: http://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/auc...ew?auc=1293173
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Old 01-22-2015, 02:05 PM   #78
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If you're willing to spend what that will go for...
I'd imagine at least 8 or 10 grand, at least
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Old 01-22-2015, 07:00 PM   #79
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08 Blue Bird gets my vote, nice looking bus, hope the price stays close to where it is
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Old 01-22-2015, 10:02 PM   #80
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A coach isn't gonna cost any more t maintain or operate than the kind of skoolie you are looking for. These buses are built with a MUCH longer service life in mind than school buses, too.
From what I've read, coaches will be a much more comfortable ride and have more space which makes for a better conversion. But that larger vehicle weighs more, and requires a bigger engine - thus gets poorer fuel economy. From what I've found, you're looking at 6-8 *maybe* 9 mpg, depending on engine/trans. With 6th unlocked on an MD3060, 10-11mpg's possible. On several thousand mile journeys, those extra mpgs matter.

I'm also under the impression that a Detroit 6V92 is going to be several thousand (as high as $10k) more for a full rebuild.

Then there's the tag axle. More maintenance costs there.

Again, not trying to be a downer. I certainly see the benefits a coach provides. But they come at a cost. I'm still on the fence about whether or not that cost is worth it. The extra space is mighty appealing.
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