Is this a good buy? 2004 International 3000

[SAge59]

I'm looking at this below....

2004 International 3000
Seats removed, ceiling removed and floors repaired and sealed
T444E Turbo Diesel
Allison 2000 electronic 5 spd Transmission that shifts perfectly
170,000 original miles
Brand New Batteries

Would you pay $6-7K for it?

[o1marc]

No, not even close. The 444 is the lowest on the list of desirable engines, wait I don't think on a desirable list. It's worth half that IMHO.

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by SAge59

I'm looking at this below....

2004 International 3000
Seats removed, ceiling removed and floors repaired and sealed
T444E Turbo Diesel
Allison 2000 electronic 5 spd Transmission that shifts perfectly
170,000 original miles
Brand New Batteries

Would you pay $6-7K for it?

Thats too much money man. It sounds like a $3500 bus to me.

[Johnny Mullet]

I disagree with the T444E being a less desirable engine. I been a diesel tech all my life and it's one of my favorites. I have one in my bus and a large percentage of members here. Yours being an 04 with an Allison 2000 is a great combo for fuel mileage and reliability. If the bus is in great shape and not rusty it's worth $5000 max in my opinion.

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by Johnny Mullet

I disagree with the T444E being a less desirable engine. I been a diesel tech all my life and it's one of my favorites. I have one in my bus and a large percentage of members here. Yours being an 04 with an Allison 2000 is a great combo for fuel mileage and reliability. If the bus is in great shape and not rusty it's worth $5000 max in my opinion.

Yours isn't a 40 foot RE.

[Johnny Mullet]

In that setup it's probably a 250HP version which would be fine. I would check and test drive before buying.

[PNW_Steve]

Originally Posted by Johnny Mullet

In that setup it's probably a 250HP version which would be fine. I would check and test drive before buying.

I would agree. The t444e is a good motor in appropriate applications.

A high HP version coupled with the Allison 2000 would be OK.

Better would b an 8.3 & MD-3060...

[SAge59]

Thank you for the replies. This is very helpful. One also, is that the bus is already stripped (ceiling and floors) the Floor has been sealed, insulated and framed with 3/4 plywood. So ready to start work on.

Regarding the engine and transmission. How many miles do those get?

[PNW_Steve]

Originally Posted by SAge59

Regarding the engine and transmission. How many miles do those get?

That depends on many factors. How was it driven and maintained?

I see plenty of buses still in service with 250k to 300k miles.

IIRC the B50 on the T444e is 350k miles. Meaning that 50% of them will need a rebuild by the time they reach 350k miles.

A little different animal but my first bus had around 30k miles on a fresh inframe and I put another 250k on it with no major repairs.

[Johnny Mullet]

If you are asking about MPG you can expect 8-10 from that rig.

[WIbluebird]

If you look hard enough you can find ones with much better drivetrains for the same kind of money.


Hell, I got my 8.3 cummins/MD 3060 for 4 grand out the door. That's still cheaper than the one you're looking at! Keep shopping.

[Kubla]

https://charlottesville.craigslist.o...944685297.html
Has AC, 3000 series trans, high torque 250 HP t444e 2000 cheaper than the one you posted and almost half the miles

[EastCoastCB]

The main reason I'd pass is that the 444's can be hard to keep cool especially in a full size bus. RE only exacerbates that and a higher hp version isn't going to make it an easier job.

[Vacation]

Good Afternoon Skoolies,
I am having a difficult time trying to buy Insurance on my once school bus. I live in Florida and it seems like no Insurance Company wants to write Coverage for me. I have removed the seats and started the conversion but not sure I want to go any further if I can't buy insurance. Any suggestions?

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by Vacation

Good Afternoon Skoolies,
I am having a difficult time trying to buy Insurance on my once school bus. I live in Florida and it seems like no Insurance Company wants to write Coverage for me. I have removed the seats and started the conversion but not sure I want to go any further if I can't buy insurance. Any suggestions?

Call Knowles Insurance in Leesburg and ask for Kelly Newsome. She'll get you a policy.

[Bon Voyage]

There’s threads out there that talk about insurance; you might search for one of them for help.

[SAge59]

Thanks, everyone for the comments are replies.
I am new at this. What would be the best engine/transmission configuration for a 32-36' long bus with which I can tow a car?

Thank you

[County Bus Service]

Originally Posted by SAge59

I'm looking at this below....

2004 International 3000
Seats removed, ceiling removed and floors repaired and sealed
T444E Turbo Diesel
Allison 2000 electronic 5 spd Transmission that shifts perfectly
170,000 original miles
Brand New Batteries

Would you pay $6-7K for it?

Hello, I have one of the same year BB body currently safetied and plated and on "spare" duty that I'll sell you for $3500 of your US dollars.
Although not the most powerful or fastest engine out there it will be economical and reliable for many years with proper care, IMHO

[Sehnsucht]

Originally Posted by SAge59

Thanks, everyone for the comments are replies.
I am new at this. What would be the best engine/transmission configuration for a 32-36' long bus with which I can tow a car?

Thank you

I would just reiterate what PNW_Steve said in post #7. The T444 well-maintained is reliable and adequate, and by 2004 that was near the end of its production life so the bugs were worked out or at least well known enough that fixes exist. Sure there are bigger, stronger engines out there to be had if you are patient.

As for the price point of the first listing, I do understand your reasoning. Already gutted saves you time and therefore money if you value your time. I do think you can get a stronger bus for the same money though so unless there's an urgency to get underway I would advice taking your time and looking at other options. Especially if you plan to tow, a Cummins 8.3 or a DT530 engine bus with an Allison 3000 / MD3060 transmission is probably going to be the 'gold standard' to shop for even if it means you have to gut the interior yourself. You'll be putting your money into a powertrain that won't fail you down the road over short term convenience of the build. Because I have not found the post yet where a member complained that they wish they'd bought the bus with a smaller engine!