Already overwhelmed. Need help narrowing it down! - Page 3

TheRainbowBoxer · 05-23-2016, 03:28 PM

My bus has a 5.9 and it towed our Suburban home through the mountains of WV just fine, if a little slow (due to the hills, not the load)... I've towed a travel trailer too and the bus doesn't even notice it back there.

Roadschooldreamer143 · 05-23-2016, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheRainbowBoxer

My bus has a 5.9 and it towed our Suburban home through the mountains of WV just fine, if a little slow (due to the hills, not the load)... I've towed a travel trailer too and the bus doesn't even notice it back there.

Wow! A suburban!! I think I'm convinced. I just don't want to be stuck going 30-40 mph on flat land. As long as she only huffs and puffs through the mountains I'm good. And I don't mind taking it slow up the hills of Seattle and such but I don't want to strain it too much and end up blowin somethin up 😂

jake_blue · 05-23-2016, 03:50 PM

As a comparison, I drove 10-speed Freightliners for the last few years until I got into a Volvo with a 12-speed automatic. Now I'm passing everyone even climbing the hills! That doesn't mean I'm doing 65mph but it's gratifying when I'm toting 75k up the grade at 40mph while they're doing 30. Both models has engines rated at 455hp but the Volvo transmission has plenty of gears to choose from and that's going to make a bigger difference than raw HP.

Brad_SwiftFur · 05-23-2016, 04:24 PM

Many "yard jockey" tractors use the 5.9 engine as well. I've move plenty of heavily loaded (and often very much overloaded) storage trailers with 'em. Of course, I'm sure they are very geared down, many of these yard trucks never exceed 20-30 MPH in a parking lot. I do remember having one that had highway gearing (I'm told it would run 60+) but I never felt comfortable trying it in something that literally has no rear suspension. One hard bump and who knows which way you'll end up going?

jake_blue · 05-23-2016, 04:47 PM

Yeah spotter tractors don't go fast but they do have pretty deep gearing.

karrlot · 05-23-2016, 08:29 PM

I was having the exact same problem as you. I started a list of things I needed to decide. Then I started researching one thing at a time and writing down my top few choices or pros and cons s of each. Of course everything you research leads to more questions so your list keeps getting bigger. Then when I found a bus I could go through my list. Things like How far away, if it was a salted road state, and tire age/recap where things I never would have remembered unless I wrote them down while doing my research.

Roadschooldreamer143 · 05-23-2016, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by karrlot

I was having the exact same problem as you. I started a list of things I needed to decide. Then I started researching one thing at a time and writing down my top few choices or pros and cons s of each. Of course everything you research leads to more questions so your list keeps getting bigger. Then when I found a bus I could go through my list. Things like How far away, if it was a salted road state, and tire age/recap where things I never would have remembered unless I wrote them down while doing my research.

You sound like me. I have lists for everything haha. I have my list of criteria and I'm not budging on a single requirement. We will go as far as we need to for the right total price but would like to keep it to Midwest or closer.

EastCoastCB · 05-23-2016, 08:45 PM

I stayed pretty open minded when bus shopping. Condition, price, specs, it all varies. I'd take a nice bus with a preferable drivetrain but worn out tires over a lesser bus with nice ones.

Yeah tires are pricey, but they're great for peace of mind. Mine got me home from the school I bought the bus from. That's all I care to ask of at least 2 of them. Will probably jsut replace all 6 once the conversion is further along. Maybe buy myself some new tires for xmas.

Brad_SwiftFur · 05-23-2016, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roadschooldreamer143

You sound like me. I have lists for everything haha. I have my list of criteria and I'm not budging on a single requirement. We will go as far as we need to for the right total price but would like to keep it to Midwest or closer.

Might one inquire as to your list of criteria?

cadillackid · 05-23-2016, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roadschooldreamer143

Dang! They got such great reviews! Good to know though! I'm so thankful for this forum! I'm learning so much so fast!

I bought my bus from them... they have a huge mix of busses.. some are definitely way overpriced, others not.. plus their work prices were less than others by a long shot.. I knew I wanted to have a bus painted, service performed etc.. so prisewise i ended up pretty good because their prices were easily half of other dealers for work...

if you just want a bus with no extra work, their prices can be on the high side... though some work they do to all their busses before they send them out the door...

I personally didnt want to deal with auction sirtes as i have no skills in how or when or what to bid and didnt have the time to do so...

I wanted to drive a bus, buy a bus, have any body work I needed completed.. and drive it home..

so a lot depends on your bidget and your skill level and what parts of the conversion you want to put effort on as to where you go looking for a bus..

a lot of BGA business are schools buying busses to run.. (secondary schools), churches, businesses, etc so their main customer is someone who wants a bus "Ready to drive".. this model doesnt necessarily fit the skoolie mentality as many on here buy a bus and dismantle it completely

for me it was perfect.. all the work I dont have the skills or tools to was done for me..

-Christopher

jake_blue · 05-23-2016, 09:46 PM

Great point cadillackid. If you know your limitations or want a more turnkey solution then don't expect it to also come with a rock bottom price tag.

cadillackid · 05-23-2016, 10:01 PM

the other thinbg to think about is dont pay for features you'll never use... dont worry about the engine / transmission much if your desire is to tiny-home in the bus, parked on trhe same property most of the time and moved rarely.. whether it has a 8.3 or 5.9 doesnt matter much if you only plasn to drive it a few miles each year..

Dont pay extra for air-conditioning unless you are planning to use your bus like a bus and have the engine running most of the time its occupied.. dealers and individuals will ratchet up the price for A/C's busses.. and chances are in your conversion, the engine driven A/C will get removed.. (you Can carefully remove and engine driven system and sell it as a complete kit if you do happen to get a bus that has one..

Air ride is a great feature if you will spend a lot of time driving your bus.. but it doesnt do anything for you if you are parked at a campground 6 months of the year and the air tanks are flat..

think of your main purpioses for the bus and whether you think those purposes will change in the future for this bus.. and then buy accordingly.. putting importasnce on the features you will get the most use out of ..

-Christopher

boojiewoojie · 05-23-2016, 10:30 PM

Hey jake blue, Whitestown is where I bought my bus. Tom Buhle. They were very helpful.

jake_blue · 05-23-2016, 10:40 PM

Yup, I'm dealing with Tom right now on my bus. I told him what I was looking for and he knew about a month in advance he'd have one coming in. I took a look at it a few weeks ago and I'll test drive it next week and assuming no major shortcomings take it home to begin my adventure!

boojiewoojie · 05-23-2016, 10:49 PM

Whoa! Show me the Hobbs meter on that RE3000 and if it's decent I'll go get it!! That's a clean bus. No rust. Too bad it's too old to put on a route...

Hey, it looks like they have 3 for sale. And one shows the hobbs meter. 12070 hours. Ouch. That's a lot of hours.

The only RE3000 I've seen with a DT530 was one in Cleveland Ohio. It had been posted on Craigslist by a private school for $1000. Yes, $1000. 99k miles and only about 3500 (I think) hours on the meter. The guy that bought it put it on eBay and I was the losing bid at $5000.

boojiewoojie · 05-23-2016, 10:54 PM

Yeah, he was very helpful with me. Between the time we negotiated on the bus and actually picking it up the turbo went out on it. They replaced it and knocked $1000 off the bus.

Roadschooldreamer143 · 05-24-2016, 07:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brad_SwiftFur

Might one inquire as to your list of criteria?

You absolutely might! It's a nasty list...so far I have found many that come one or two things away from perfection.

Price range is currently sitting at $4k but that continues to go up the longer it takes to find our bus.

Deal breakers:

Air ride is a must, well be driving a lot!

Good tires, I don't want to have to replace them for a while!

At least 30' of interior space. As long as possible, 4 kids total and need the space. So 12+ rows and that's the bare min. I would like 14 or so.

Strong enough engine and transmission to tow a CRV/minivan.
So something like the DT466/530 or the Cummins 8.3 with the MT643 or MD3060 is what I've been told was good and from everything I've read here and elsewhere I tend to agree. Plus if we went with the Cummins, I know Cummins specific mechanics in Texas so I feel confident we would have a reliable mechanic centrally located if need be.

Rear engine as well.

Need it to be as tall as possible but 6'3 is the shortest we will go.

Ac would be nice but not necessary.

Roadschooldreamer143 · 05-24-2016, 07:53 AM

for me it was perfect.. all the work I dont have the skills or tools to was done for me..

-Christopher[/QUOTE]

That's kind of how I see it. I will keep my eyes on their page for good deals but there are a few of their extra services in interested in as well including delivery!

cadillackid · 05-24-2016, 07:54 AM

remember A/C already installed is most likely going to be an engine driven system that wont operate when the bus is parked and the engine off.. just something to think about as far as A/C...

if you are going to park overnight in it you'll likely want to install a generator and some electric A/C units.

-Christopher

Roadschooldreamer143 · 05-24-2016, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cadillackid

remember A/C already installed is most likely going to be an engine driven system that wont operate when the bus is parked and the engine off.. just something to think about as far as A/C...

if you are going to park overnight in it you'll likely want to install a generator and some electric A/C units.

-Christopher

AC would be nice when driving and we plan to do a lot of that during the warm months when are kids are out of school. It will be parked through the winter and when our full time kids are finally in school well be parked the whole school year except on breaks when we'll take it on a shorter trip. Its definitely not a necessity but would be nice to have in the summer.

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