Looking to buy in NC

[tiphag]

Howdy folks; long-time lurker, first-time poster.

I’ve been researching these forums and elsewhere for a several months now and I’m nearly ready to purchase a bus, once I find the right one. I figured you fine folks might be able to help out; I’m keeping an eye on the government auction sites and surplus listings myself, but there’s no harm in outsourcing to the professionals.

I’ll be ready to purchase as early as June and I’m willing to wait as late as September. I want to make sure I’m setting myself up for success, so patience and specificity are key for me to finding the exact home that fits my needs.

I’m posting on the newbie forum about my life/logistics for the future; for now, let’s talk about the bus. Here are my druthers:

Dealbreakers:
- $2k-$4K budget
- “Activity bus” clearance (~77” headroom)
- Flat-nose
- Pusher/rear engine
- Towing ability
- Dt466 (Not Dt466E) or Cummings 8.3 preferred
- Willing to consider low-milage, well-maintained CAT or DT466E
- Non-545 transmission
- 3060 preferred
- Under 200,000 miles (or very close to)
- Well-maintained
- Minimal rust
- Willing to travel/wait for the right bus (if I can drive it back sans issues)
- No known mechanical issues

Preferred:
- 35’-38’ exterior (or very close to)
- Within ~400mi from NC area
- Bus recently retired from school district or otherwise consistently maintained

Any and all help will be appreciated; this search will likely be a months-long process for me, so I’ll keep posing questions as they come up, and please feel free to keep posting leads or ideas you think I might be interested in.

Best,
tiphag

[dgorila1]

I assume you’ve already checked the NC State school system sales website? Should be buses coming up after the end of the school year at many school systems.

[tiphag]

Definitely keeping a close eye on the public surplus website; one of the difficulties is that there's no way to tell the interior bus height without contacting them directly.

I've talked to few folks at the districts and the ones that match my specs are all the standard interior heights. I plan to keep an eye on the postings and inquire as new ones become available. Thanks!