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03-11-2016, 01:24 AM
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#182
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New Member
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 3
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4 Crowns in San Jose being sold on GovDeals.com
Every one of these needs work (all will have to be towed or hauled)
3 are late 1981 or early '82 models - the other is a 1985 three-axle Super Coach!
Auction listings will go live on 3/15 around 5pm pacific time...
http://www.govdeals.com/ESUHSD
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03-11-2016, 05:47 AM
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#183
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by drinkcoco
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Yes I do- the ghastly price. Although the genset is nice.
I'd still rather buy one unmolested.
You're in CO/ They have much better buses out there than we do here in FL.
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03-27-2016, 03:30 AM
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#184
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 15
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So I've searched the forums, and I only found one mention of the site wesellschoolbuses.com, also known as "BGA buses." It looks like they're more expensive, but will do a lot of services for you like seat removal, re-title, even delivery.
Have any of you used them or have any experience with them?
Is it worth the extra cost?
Is there another company like this that is located closer to the midwest?
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03-27-2016, 07:55 AM
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#185
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
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Pretty much all dealers do those things. The bus dealer here in FL in Hudson does that stuff. But they want 8 grand for a two thousand dollar bus.
I went 1700 miles round trip and paid for everything for myself and two buddies for three days. Bus and return trip cost 2600. Seat removal and retitle don't cost anything. All it takes to retitle as an RV is an affadavit filled out.
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03-27-2016, 11:54 AM
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#186
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Houston, Tx.
Posts: 403
Year: 1999
Coachwork: AmTran
Chassis: International
Engine: DT466E
Rated Cap: 84
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Quote:
Originally Posted by luza
So I've searched the forums, and I only found one mention of the site wesellschoolbuses.com, also known as "BGA buses." It looks like they're more expensive, but will do a lot of services for you like seat removal, re-title, even delivery.
Have any of you used them or have any experience with them?
Is it worth the extra cost?
Is there another company like this that is located closer to the midwest?
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Hey Luza,
I put a bus on layaway about a month ago with BGA. I'm doing everything you mentioned, having them remove the seats for me, re-title it in Florida as an RV, and deliver it to me. So far I am very pleased with their service and attention to my questions when I have called them. It's worth the cost to me to have them do all that for me.
I'm not aware of any companies like that in the Midwest but there are probably some. Good luck in finding what works best for you.
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03-27-2016, 04:59 PM
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#187
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 1,259
Year: 2001
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: All American
Engine: 8.3 Cummins ISC
Rated Cap: 75
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FlyboyHPD
Hey Luza,
I put a bus on layaway about a month ago with BGA. I'm doing everything you mentioned, having them remove the seats for me, re-title it in Florida as an RV, and deliver it to me. So far I am very pleased with their service and attention to my questions when I have called them. It's worth the cost to me to have them do all that for me.
I'm not aware of any companies like that in the Midwest but there are probably some. Good luck in finding what works best for you.
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There's Midwest Transit in Kankakee, IL, their prices are a tad high but they occasionally get some decent Thomas pushers.
And then there's Kerlin Bus Sales in Silver Lake IN. Pretty sure at least a few members on here have bought from them in the past. School districts in Indiana buy lots of RE buses for some reason so they have lots of those in stock.
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03-27-2016, 05:05 PM
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#188
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Billings, MT
Posts: 1,269
Year: 2003
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: HDX
Engine: Cat C7
Rated Cap: 84 passenger
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I bought my Thomas HDX out of Kankakee. It was originally purchased through Kerlin Bus Sales. Paid $8K for a 12 Y/O bus with 128K miles and only light surface rust. All 6 tires are almost brand new. After I paid 2 kids $340 to strip 1400 lbs of seats, I had $700 worth of carpeting with padding and linoleum laid down. 10 sheets of 1"x4'x8' double foil faced rigid foam insulation and I survived Montana winter with the aid of about 8 wool blankets and long underwear.
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03-27-2016, 05:32 PM
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#189
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 1,259
Year: 2001
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: All American
Engine: 8.3 Cummins ISC
Rated Cap: 75
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There's a school district in California selling a couple Crowns on Govdeals. One tandem axle Supercoach and a few single axle ones. They all need work and have been sitting for awhile though.
https://www.govdeals.com/index.cfm?f...32&acctid=8574
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03-27-2016, 08:53 PM
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#191
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Bus Geek
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 18,760
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Carpenter
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DTA360 / MT643
Rated Cap: 7 Row Handicap
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are you guys thinking that BGA in hudson is not a good place to get a bus? I really like them there and all the things they do.. from the pics I see of most of their units they look like they are pretty good busses...
is there something im not seeing?
-Christopher
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03-27-2016, 09:53 PM
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#192
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Willamina, Oregon
Posts: 6,409
Coachwork: 97 Bluebird TC1000 5.9
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Good buses are where you find them. You know what to look for and you've got a good idea of what you want. I think you just need to start looking at lots of buses and trying to find things wrong with them, basically for practice.
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03-27-2016, 11:12 PM
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#193
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 15
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Cool. Thanks for the info, guys. I'll be starting to look seriously at buying a bus in about 6 months, and am trying to find a few places to watch (preferably in the midwest) that I can buy a reliable one from. I'll need to hire out the hardest grunt work like seat removal, etc, and possible gutting/insulation, so a dealer that can do those things would be great, too.
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03-28-2016, 01:24 AM
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#194
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New Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Lehi, Utah
Posts: 6
Year: 1985
Chassis: Crown Supercoach
Engine: Cummins 855 (300 HP)
Rated Cap: 92 Passenger
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Quote:
Originally Posted by busloads
Every one of these needs work (all will have to be towed or hauled)
3 are late 1981 or early '82 models - the other is a 1985 three-axle Super Coach!
Auction listings will go live on 3/15 around 5pm pacific time...
http://www.govdeals.com/ESUHSD
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I'm very interested in buying the '85 - how do you tow such a long bus though?
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03-28-2016, 06:28 AM
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#195
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
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You whoop out your check book and pay up for an expensive tow.
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03-28-2016, 07:12 AM
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#196
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Bus Geek
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 18,760
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Carpenter
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DTA360 / MT643
Rated Cap: 7 Row Handicap
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Quote:
Originally Posted by luza
Cool. Thanks for the info, guys. I'll be starting to look seriously at buying a bus in about 6 months, and am trying to find a few places to watch (preferably in the midwest) that I can buy a reliable one from. I'll need to hire out the hardest grunt work like seat removal, etc, and possible gutting/insulation, so a dealer that can do those things would be great, too.
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there are a lot of dealers that do those sorts of things.. BGA advertises it on their site.. they do everything from painting to seat removal, to A/C...
im still Learning.. I seem to see a sentiment from some on this forum that may not like BGA but havent learned why yet...
each of us has our speicifc abilities, tools, and areas of expertise.. in my case mechanicals dont scare me, but body workl such as painting / rust work etc is an area I have no abilities..
I think poart of the bus seaerch is in finding one that not only meets your expectations of what you plan to do with it in the end, but also in one that its high points match your low-point skill-set.. in my case a solid body with little or no rust is important, whereas things having to do some under-hood work is no big deal..
another point falls into what you plan to do with your bus.. if its main purpose will be to drive it to the lake and lake 20 miles round trip a couple times per month.. or is it to run across the country putting on 1000s of miles and 100s of hours in a short time then things like drivetrain longecity is iether less or more important..
-Christopher
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03-28-2016, 07:22 AM
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#197
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Bus Geek
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 18,760
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Carpenter
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DTA360 / MT643
Rated Cap: 7 Row Handicap
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Robin97396
Good buses are where you find them. You know what to look for and you've got a good idea of what you want. I think you just need to start looking at lots of buses and trying to find things wrong with them, basically for practice.
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one thing is for sure.. Busses are EVERYWHERE.. a quick search through craigslist for 'school bus' brings up at least 10 or more listings in any given metro area.. and of course most of them say 'runs and drives like new...' no different than a used car other than as ive learned and am learning, commerical vehicle shopping is a whole different world...
I got thrust into this previously as sort of a fluke.. and got lucky in that I had a bus that never gave me any trouble.. but then I never did much with it either.. shortly after it came along, my time-flow greatly decreased.. money flow increased but not at a hugh enough rate to sustain a project buy hire..
as I mentioned in my previous post everyone;s skillset is different..and so is everyone;s amount of time and money to put into a project.. having restored and resto-modded many a classic car, it would be a RARE case where a bus conversion would ever financially net-gain, im guessing most here are building busses for a long-term time of ownership as opposed to buold and sell..
I myself am tending toward the dealer route as opposed to a government site or such because many services im incapable of can be done for me by a dealer.. I in turn may pay more but end up with a bus thats ready to drive home and ready for me to begin my conversion..
the trick is finding a reputable dealer that isnt out to "hose" people..
-Christopher
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03-28-2016, 07:32 AM
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#198
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 15
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[QUOTE=the trick is finding a reputable dealer that isnt out to "hose" people..
-Christopher[/QUOTE]
Exactly...that's what I'd love to find in the midwest area.
You guys are great. Thanks for the answers!
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03-28-2016, 07:43 AM
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#199
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
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Here's a nice, AFFORDABLE bus in KY... I've dealt with these nice folks personally before.
Last of the mechanical DT's... its so cheap I may bid for sport.
https://www.govdeals.com/index.cfm?f...ccess#question
Its got AIR RIDE in the rear and an air ride drivers seat!
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03-28-2016, 08:09 AM
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#200
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Virginia
Posts: 548
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Quote:
Originally Posted by WIbluebird
There's Midwest Transit in Kankakee, IL, their prices are a tad high but they occasionally get some decent Thomas pushers.
And then there's Kerlin Bus Sales in Silver Lake IN. Pretty sure at least a few members on here have bought from them in the past. School districts in Indiana buy lots of RE buses for some reason so they have lots of those in stock.
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I looked though the inventory listings of Midwest Transit and Kerlin Bus Sales and they have a large selection of buses at good prices. One think I noticed about both too is that the mileage on the buses looked to be much lower than what I've seen many other places. They both seem to have a selection of all sizes and types too.
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