Non-affiliated buses for sale - thread

[deftone]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

Not as old as I'd like but a really nice bus for what you wanna do, other than not being the high headroom model.
Public Surplus: Auction #1773047

I was watching this one but the budget doesnt stretch to $6000 at this time

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by deftone

I got one of my buses from Florida and it was in great condition for a 1999. Not a spot of rust on it anywhere and the motor and transmission ran like new on the 350mile drive home.

I actually just sold it as I want an RE

The bodies hold up here, and it sounds like you got a decent runner. But our schools and buses are among the lowest-funded in the country. The buses here are usually low-hp, with the cheapest everything. They pay next to nothing for driving them, they pay next to nothing to maintain them.
There are probably restaurant workers in other states making more money than the bus mechanics in FL.

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by deftone

I was watching this one but the budget doesnt stretch to $6000 at this time

Apparently its currently worth at least 8 grand to "mrDave".

[Asetechrail]

Well that escalated quickly at the end!
Bus 26 to littlebetty for $6100
Bus 27 to littlebetty for $6305
Bus 37 to mrdave for $10250
Bus 39 to littlebetty for $10150

[Wutm8]

Unreal, I didn't stand a chance

[Asetechrail]

Yeah bidding against resellers doesn't always work. I was out bid on several busses before purchasing mine.

[EastCoastCB]

Man those are almost FL-level prices!
Some similar buses with Cat engines recently went for around 12k each locally.

[cadillackid]

where are those busses located? littlebetty.. ECCB your thoiughts .. maybe BGA betty?

-Christopher

[cadillackid]

rameses: i couldnt find the busses you were mentioning being 5'9's.. International did put 5'9 cummins in some of them IO believe..

the DT-360 is a great reliable motor but I think was only made through like 93 or 94.. its also Not very powerful for a FUl;l-size bus.. it rocks in my 7 row carpenter short bus.. and most DT-360s were paired with AT545 transmissions.. making them doggy in the mountains.. my DT360 is a Reman jasper from 2004 and its 185 HP.. which is at the high end of a DT-360.. most in school busses were the 165-175 HP variants...
my DT-360 runs liek a champ and started up in near zero degree weather without being plugged in.. but it also has from what i can tell only 98,000 miles on it.. (it hjad 85,000 when I got it earlier in 2016).. {yes I drive my busses a lot}
-Christopher

[deftone]

Originally Posted by Asetechrail

Well that escalated quickly at the end!
Bus 26 to littlebetty for $6100
Bus 27 to littlebetty for $6305
Bus 37 to mrdave for $10250
Bus 39 to littlebetty for $10150

Obviously it is dealers bidding these buses up, but how can they sell them at a profit when they are paying these prices? Even a 10% markup is surely too high for the vast majority of buyers?

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by deftone

Obviously it is dealers bidding these buses up, but how can they sell them at a profit when they are paying these prices? Even a 10% markup is surely too high for the vast majority of buyers?

Just my guess here, but I think at least a couple probably went to folks desperate for a bus TODAY.

[oricha1984]

Join the movement of " will not pay more than 2.5k" for an old used bus !

[Rameses]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

rameses: i couldnt find the busses you were mentioning being 5'9's.. International did put 5'9 cummins in some of them IO believe..

-Christopher

https://www.govdeals.com/index.cfm?f...=43&acctid=995


The other two are identical to that one. It's too bad they only give you one picture.

[Stu & Filo. T]

Originally Posted by PNW_Steve

Hey Stu,

Looking good!!

I do have a question for you: Have you used the macerator pump long term?

I started using one occasionally back in the 90's and more recently we lived two years in an RV that I had to pump the tanks weekly. Worked out a fairly slick setup and it played pretty well ..... Most of the time....

The macerator served us well other that the occasional failure to perform...... The biggest problem that I had was FOD. I would stress to people: "If you didn't eat it first then it does not go in the toilet".

I have, on 5 occasions, had the pump stop in the middle of pumping the black tank. Ok.... Tank, hoses & fittings are all full of waste and I need to service the pump......

Occurances: 3 - Feminine products, 1 - large rock and 1 - 9mm shell casing. Each time I had to clear the FOD, replace the impeller and seals.

I have had some other serious issues as well but they were due to limited water supply for flushing the black tank. These were the problems that caused me to yank the RV toilet and replace it with a "composting" toilet. No, nothing composts in the toilet but that is what they call it.


The change has been a significant upgrade for me. My weekly duties are much easier, quicker and sanitary than my black/macerator setup.

Keep up the build pics!!
Take care.

S.

Sorry to the other member this tread has seemed to branch off into 2 conversation but to answer your question, No I have never used a Macerating toilet before, it will only be wife & I so no feminine products into toilet, that's also why I'm flushing my grey tank thru the black to help flush out pump & lines, I also installed a DC valve between black tank & pump & I've tied in another t fitting between black tank pump & valve so I'll be able to clear water rinse shut off valve & clear rinse black tank pump.

[WIbluebird]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

Just my guess here, but I think at least a couple probably went to folks desperate for a bus TODAY.

They could've also been exporters from South America. If those guys want a bus, they will PAY to get it. Although from what I understand they mainly go after the conventionals and FE buses.

Besides this is the slow season for bus auctions, come spring there's gonna be way more buses on the auction sites and selling prices should be a bit more reasonable.

[Wutm8]

Bluebird, do you know when that season starts around? I'm looking somewhat impatiently right now. I know when spring is but I mean is there a date when they start to get rid of buses to pick up new ones

[Wutm8]

In regards to them possibly being exporters from South America you might be right about that. I was at Triple-A buses in Phoenix and he mentioned he had two people coming in to pick up buses to go to South America this week

[deftone]

Originally Posted by Wutm8

Bluebird, do you know when that season starts around? I'm looking somewhat impatiently right now. I know when spring is but I mean is there a date when they start to get rid of buses to pick up new ones

I would imagine when schools let out for summer would be one of the main times of the year that fleets would receive new buses and sell off the old ones

[WIbluebird]

At my terminal we usually get our new buses in early-mid August. The contract with the local school district requires that buses be no older than 6 years (8 years for spare buses).

Our company has over 40 locations so usually our old buses end up at a smaller terminal that doesn't have age clauses on their school contracts.

Most of the time you'll see a huge uptick in the number of Public Surplus/GovDeals listings around late May. Usually it continues into August with most of the good deals gone by September.

[Teak]

Tried to post this before but somehow it didn't post ?

http://austin.craigslist.org/cto/5976948177.html

Is this a good bus price and features wise ? Any cons ? I've seen something similar a week or two ago for 2k less...Any comments appreciated - and if you come to see it, I'd love to tag along and kick the tires