New to the skoolie idea but I'm digging it!

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by Sean MacTira

One thing I'm not sure of is the logistics and considerations of buying a bus out of state, especially since I won't be driving directly back home with it unless I bought it in CO. I do like the prices at the auctions but not sure if it's worth the risk of buying it and immediately finding it needs $5k of work to get it drivable.

These buses we build are a pretty big investment. IMHO, it pays to spend the $500-$1000 to go check out the bus, If you find a good one for $2500-$3000, you're into it $3000-$4000, same bus from a dealer would cost you $6995.
I bought 2 buses unseen, one I got lucky and they refunded after agreeing it was not as advertised. My bus I bought off Craigslist and flew from Atl. to Butte, Mt for it.
95% of the buses at auction have recently been decommissioned and were running routes when decommed. Ask a lot of pertinant questions on the auction buses to make sure there are no obvious major issues.

[Sean MacTira]

Originally Posted by o1marc

I know you don't want to hear it but a trailer would make life easy, load them both on it and go.

One concern I'd have with that is that I have to consider the overall length of the bus plus what I'm towing. A car is much shorter than a car and motorcycle inside a trailer.

PLUS, I can't buy a bus without the money from the motorcycle unless I get a second job and wait an extra year or two just to pay for it, which will also tie me down into having to stay here in town. I don't really need this much motorcycle for what I'm planning on doing now. I love riding it, especially out here where riding season is year-round but it's extra at this point.

I do have plans to get another bike in the future but it'll be an old panhead, which will be much smaller. I'm hoping to be able to fit it inside the bus somehow but that's a ways off.

[superbusWI]

just as a frame of reference, I bought a bus - converted it - drove it all over the country for a year, and have replaced the starter ($400?) batteries ($750) and am in the middle of replacing the oil pan (dunno - between 0 and 475). my total assuming the last one goes bad is right around $8000. if your smart with your conversion costs, you got plenty o cash in that bike of yours.

as far as buying at a dealership, me personally i'd stay away from it to avoid the markups. i'd guess that 80% of t444e/dt466e (i don't know cummins very well - don't hate me for it guys) busses available straight from the school district with around 150k on them will give you your 5300 miles x10 before any trouble pops up - just go give em a real close once over and test drive 1st, and be sure to read up on what to look for beforehand.

my grandpa owned a series of beer can racing boats and i spent a lot of my youth … sanding … and fixing stuff. busses are WAY less work bud

i just realized now exactly how much labor he got out of those hot fudge sundaes.

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by Sean MacTira

One concern I'd have with that is that I have to consider the overall length of the bus plus what I'm towing. A car is much shorter than a car and motorcycle inside a trailer.

PLUS, I can't buy a bus without the money from the motorcycle unless I get a second job and wait an extra year or two just to pay for it, which will also tie me down into having to stay here in town. I don't really need this much motorcycle for what I'm planning on doing now. I love riding it, especially out here where riding season is year-round but it's extra at this point.

I do have plans to get another bike in the future but it'll be an old panhead, which will be much smaller. I'm hoping to be able to fit it inside the bus somehow but that's a ways off.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMV7xpq13Ec