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Old 03-03-2018, 04:52 PM   #1
Skoolie
 
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Location: Elizabeth WV
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Year: 1998
Coachwork: Thomas
Engine: 466
If you were a new guy looking to buy a bus?

Givin the choice would you buy a bus with the at545 or just go with the standard transmission.. Seems all the buses I find have the 545 except the standard shift buses. I don't really mind driving a standard but a auto would make things alot easier on this old man... But if I have to ride the brakes off every mountain it might not be worth it...

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Old 03-03-2018, 05:01 PM   #2
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Year: 1999
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What do you mean "the standard transmission"? Nothing more standard than a 545. I believe the AT545 gets an undeserved bad rap. While it was not designed for high speed mountain crossings it is in literally millions of school buses and other vehicles mated to a Cummins 5.9 with absolutely no issues over 100's of millions of miles. Common sense tells you to pick what suits your needs best. If you plan on short local trips once a month or so, the 5.9/545 may be just fine. If you plan, like me, all trips being no less than 500 miles and more often over 900miles, the you might want to shy away from the 545 and opt for something with a 643 or better, usually backed by a bigger motor.
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Old 03-03-2018, 05:30 PM   #3
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I'd get a manual over an AT545 if it was an option, every day of the week... But manual transmissions are not so common, and AT545 is extremely common.
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Old 03-03-2018, 06:06 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by brokedown View Post
I'd get a manual over an AT545 if it was an option, every day of the week... But manual transmissions are not so common, and AT545 is extremely common.
Me too.

I'd choose the manual over the AT545, and any other Auto over the manual.
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Old 03-03-2018, 07:39 PM   #5
Skoolie
 
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Year: 1998
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I've found 3 buses that are manual one is are local school district. There getting rid of it because it's the last manual in the fleet and the newer drivers can't drive it because you have to take your test on a manual to drive a manual... The only thing I don't like about it is it's a 96 and has the weird wheels on it that are not 10 bolt. Not sure if those are the wheels with a split ring or not...
My friend is a bus mechanic for the school and he say's it's a great bus...I really didn't think that buying the right bus was going to be so hard...
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Old 03-03-2018, 07:54 PM   #6
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Buy a crown!!
Styling and mechanicals are top shelf.
I own one sight unseen (picking up in 42 days)
But from what I’ve read
It’s the best you can get
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Old 03-03-2018, 10:13 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jonb8 View Post
I've found 3 buses that are manual one is are local school district. There getting rid of it because it's the last manual in the fleet and the newer drivers can't drive it because you have to take your test on a manual to drive a manual... The only thing I don't like about it is it's a 96 and has the weird wheels on it that are not 10 bolt. Not sure if those are the wheels with a split ring or not...
My friend is a bus mechanic for the school and he say's it's a great bus...I really didn't think that buying the right bus was going to be so hard...
Being able to afford a good bus is my issue...

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