Need your advice - should I buy this bus for a skoolie conversion?

[dmack27]

Hi everyone,

A school in my local area is selling their two school buses (identical apart from slightly different milage) as they've received funding to buy some brand new ones. Looking to buy for my first skoolie conversion and both buses they're selling are in really good condition, but potentially quite pricey at $9,500 CAD / $7,150 USD

Specs:

2000 GMC Bluebird, 54 passenger capacity, 315,000KM, 7.2 L Cat Diesel Engine 3126, with an automatic transmission (trans type unknown), hydraulic brakes

Recent improvements:
New Rear Tires, new Step Tread, New Alternator and Batteries and new Muffler and Tail Pipe, new transmission in 2016

I've been to see the bus and look over their records and everything is very well kept. No rust, runs fine (we did a test lap), 10km per year (only used once a week to drive the sports team to matches) and it's been serviced 2 times a year for the last 5 years

The question is, is it worth the price tag?

Thank you in advance!

[EastCoastCB]

Sounds like its 2x as expensive as it should be. Maybe 3x.
Just a quick opinion based on the info provided.

[dmack27]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

Sounds like its 2x as expensive as it should be. Maybe 3x.
Just a quick opinion based on the info provided.

Thanks for the advice! What are your thoughts on the milage and engine spec? Would you advise going for it if the price was right? May be able to haggle the price down.

Dan

[musigenesis]

That's super-expensive, and unless you're from the part of Canada next to Arizona, they're probably going to be pretty rusty.

[peteg59]

Assuming its in Canada, I'd find it difficult at best to not see any rust.
Unless it was run only during summer months where no road salt was used.

Agree w/ECCB on price, especially if nothing has been done to it after it was "retired" from service...

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by dmack27

Thanks for the advice! What are your thoughts on the milage and engine spec? Would you advise going for it if the price was right? May be able to haggle the price down.

Dan

Its a good engine and mileage sounds average/decent.
But its probably got a 545 transmission.

[o1marc]

You replace mufflers. tail pipes and step treads because they rusted out. The worst rust is aways hidden under the floor, not always visible from underneath and can still be found in otherwise rust free buses.

[dmack27]

Originally Posted by musigenesis

That's super-expensive, and unless you're from the part of Canada next to Arizona, they're probably going to be pretty rusty.

Hi guys, thanks so much for your advice, super helpful. It's made me realise how important it is to choose a bus which is as rust free as possible. Ultimately, these buses aren't going to exist somewhere like Vancouver where there's a lot of rain, snow and rock salt. The idea of cracking open the bus floor and seeing a whole load of rust is not an appealing one! And if this bus has driven 300k in Vancouver, the odds don't feel in my favour!

It's a hard decision to make as the bus looks awesome! But no one ever lost from not playing a hand of poker right? There are many more buses out there, and I think you need a safer buy when it comes down to something as important as building your home.

So I'm willing to travel further a field. Arizona has popped up a number of times as a great place to buy, but are there any other states which have this ideal climate for buying buses to convert?

And can anyone recommend any reasonably priced sellers / auction sites for these areas specifically?

Thanks again for the advice! You've already saved me from a risky purchase!

Dan

[o1marc]

Awesome that you're listening to sound advice. I know people in Canada may not want to travel to the US for a bus, but it pays huge dividends by doing so, glad you are looking here. Govdeals.com and Publicsurplus.com are 2 favorite sites. Use the search bar above and search "Places to purchase a bus" and it will bring up sveral threads with lists of places to look.

[Sleddgracer]

Originally Posted by peteg59

Assuming its in Canada, I'd find it difficult at best to not see any rust.
Unless it was run only during summer months where no road salt was used.

Agree w/ECCB on price, especially if nothing has been done to it after it was "retired" from service...

lots of rust free buses from the prairie provinces in Canada - and some areas in BC - buses from the north should be good - the winters there are too cold for salt to do much - snow in the north is very dry too - stay away from Ontario buses - pretty iffy from the Maritime provinces too - I don't know how buses from Quebec rate