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Old 08-26-2020, 07:01 PM   #1
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Aug 2020
Posts: 28
Bus purchase help

Looking to make my purchase of a bus by the end of this year. I’d like to use it to travel across the U.S. hitting as many National and State parks as I can. I’ve been looking at 4 different ones, but I don’t know the first thing about what to look for besides rust, get a Diesel engine and to stay away from Allison and Maxx force buses. Here’s some of the info from the 4 buses. Please let me know whether or not I should stay away from one of these please and thank you. I never realized how stressful it was looking for a bus.

Bus #1
2006 Ic3000
$8000
Dt466
121,000 miles
30 ft
2 brand new front tires

Bus #2
2002 International
$8.995
127,000 miles
IC3800
Diesel
35 ft

Bus #3
2006 International 3000
50,592 miles
$7,900
22 ft
VT365 V8 Diesel

Bus #4
2007 GMC Blue Bird
Cat C7 Diesel
$7,500
77,000 miles
30 ft

HELP ME PLS!

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Old 08-26-2020, 07:24 PM   #2
Bus Geek
 
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Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Dawsonville, Ga.
Posts: 10,482
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Genesis
Chassis: International
Engine: DT466/3060
Rated Cap: 77
Did we really need to post this 3 times?
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Old 08-26-2020, 07:28 PM   #3
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Aug 2020
Posts: 28
I’m new to this site and still trying to figure out the correct place to post and if my posts are posting. If I posted it to many times for you then ignore my posts. I was just asking for some help. Thanks for your input.
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Old 08-26-2020, 07:55 PM   #4
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: Suburbs of Winterset, OH
Posts: 802
Year: 2005
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: FS65
Engine: Mercedes 6.4L
Rated Cap: just the 2 of us
those prices seem pretty steep. I think most of us purchased our buses for much less. I paid $2500 for mine, then another $1800 for the paint job.
Even if you have to travel across the country for a rust free bus, your expenses and the purchase price would be about half the prices you listed.
Hopefully some of the more experienced people on here will chime in....
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Old 08-27-2020, 04:22 PM   #5
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Aug 2020
Posts: 28
What kind of bus did you purchase and where did you have the best of luck finding a bus?
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Old 08-27-2020, 05:11 PM   #6
Bus Geek
 
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Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Dawsonville, Ga.
Posts: 10,482
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Genesis
Chassis: International
Engine: DT466/3060
Rated Cap: 77
I've bought 6 buses in the last 18 months. Priced from $2500, $3500, $900, $900($1500), $1500, $1500. Between Govdeals.com and Craigslist. Took the biggest chance on my personal bus, getting it off Craigslist from Butte Montana, sight unseen. Best bus of the bunch, my keeper and the most I've paid for a bus, so it jades me some when I see higher prices.
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Old 08-27-2020, 05:49 PM   #7
Bus Crazy
 
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 1,349
Year: 1990
Coachwork: Thomas 4 window w/lift
Chassis: G30~Chevy cutaway
Engine: 5.7/350 Chevy Vortec
Rated Cap: Just me and my "stuff"?
If you must purchase one of the 4 on your list, #2 is likely your best bet.
Mainly due to it's engine is not restricted by EPA mandated emissions controls on 2004>up diesel engines.
(Probably why it is priced the highest out of all?)

As others have said, look around, due plenty of research to find the right candidate, and thoroughly check it out before buying a "Pig in a Poke" that will bankrupt you in trying to get it right/safe for over the road travel.

Good luck to you, and post pics of what you find...
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Old 08-28-2020, 07:36 PM   #8
New Member
 
Join Date: May 2020
Location: Northern, California
Posts: 5
I am looking to buy a bus (already converted) it has a

Dt466 and the tranny is a Mt643... Do not know much about them, cant seem to find how to start a new thread on this website lol but either way if some one could chime in I would appreciate it
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Old 08-28-2020, 08:10 PM   #9
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: Suburbs of Winterset, OH
Posts: 802
Year: 2005
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: FS65
Engine: Mercedes 6.4L
Rated Cap: just the 2 of us
Quote:
Originally Posted by RoadRanger20 View Post
What kind of bus did you purchase and where did you have the best of luck finding a bus?
I actually found a 6 window on Craigs list in Maryland not far from my old stomping grounds. So instead of driving out to see it, I tracked down a guy I used to work with who had a school bus business on the side, offered him a couple hundred bucks to check out the Craigs list bus. He said he would but
offered to sell me one of his buses that he had to retire. So that's the bus I bought.
The bus info is in the tab next to each post...if the person posting has filled out their user info.
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