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Old 11-07-2019, 08:09 AM   #1
Mini-Skoolie
 
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Optimum place in conversion to sell

I recently got on an auction site looking for a bus, and accidently ended up with 2 buses. I'm going to convert one of them for myself, but I want to sell the other one.

For value, I'm looking for opinions on what point in the conversion process would be good to sell.

1.) Sell without doing anything to the bus and letting others do it all.
2.) Remove all the seats and subfloor
3.) Do a roof raise and take all windows out. Then the person buying the bus can plan for their own layout and add what windows they want?
4.) Do all the above and paint the bus as well

I'm probably not willing to do a total conversion, because everyones taste is different and I don't really have the time. But what would be the most value to the skoolie community versus money put into the project and eventual selling price.

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Old 11-07-2019, 09:04 AM   #2
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Based on the vast amount of feedback on this forum, there is nothing you can do that will offer a return on investment. No one here is willing to pay you squat for time or materials invested. Sorry.

Best I can suggest is decide which one you want to sell and check what comparable models have sold for - then at least you can recoup some of the money you spend on two.
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Old 11-07-2019, 09:06 AM   #3
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I'd sell one as is. Some folks like me value them more when they're as is.
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Old 11-07-2019, 11:09 AM   #4
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Taking out the seats would be the best, least expense to you modification, to a bus you plan on flipping. You could add the cost of materials in removing the seats but as already stated, folks really don't want to spend much on a surplus bus.

If you do pull the seats, I would keep them around in case a purist wanting an unmolested bus wants them for originality purposes.

Good luck...
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Old 11-07-2019, 11:12 AM   #5
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In flipping buses I've found about half the prospective buyers want the seats in it.
Offer to pull the seats if buyer wants and already factor it into the price. win-win.
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Old 11-07-2019, 11:44 AM   #6
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Originally Posted by EastCoastCB View Post
In flipping buses I've found about half the prospective buyers want the seats in it.
Offer to pull the seats if buyer wants and already factor it into the price. win-win.
That would be about the best I think you could hope for. Personally, I would actually pay a bit higher price for seats-removed because that's a step I don't have to mess with but it would still have to be a bus I'm actually passionate about and not just one I'm settling for be a use of price/location/timing/etc. However I also recognize that I'm a bit of a unicorn in this regard!
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Old 11-07-2019, 11:49 AM   #7
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Offer it for sale as it is, and give pricing options for each of the other steps. Doing work on spec I have found does not work well.
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Old 11-07-2019, 11:58 AM   #8
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I’m immediately suspicious of anything partially done
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Old 11-07-2019, 12:55 PM   #9
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Offer it for sale as it is, and give pricing options for each of the other steps.

Yup, I second that. That's a good idea IMO. We paid someone to do the demo work and have no regrets about it. He offered a sort of al a carte menu of demo services and when I started thinking about how many hours I'd have to sit at a desk vs. busting my knuckles to just get to a point where I'd have a blank canvas....the decision practically made itself.
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Old 11-07-2019, 01:01 PM   #10
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Oh yeah! This guy I was going to buy a bus from sold it to someone else and also sold the entire conversion. It can happen!
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Old 11-07-2019, 01:28 PM   #11
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The folks on this forum know where to get good buses at (mostly) reasonable prices.

That knowledge is not so prevalent among some of the Facebook groups, eBay and Craigslist shoppers.

If you want to flip buses, this forum is probably not the best place to offer them for sale. You may find deeper pockets on the other venues.

I agree with the previous posters who suggested offering it as it sits and offer "additional services" such as demo, window delete and roof raise for an additional fees.
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Old 11-07-2019, 05:15 PM   #12
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im one of those thats wants busses with seats in them.. I wouldnt take them out unless you are going to try and market it at tiny home shows.. or exclusiuvely to a conversion crowd.. I MIGHT buiy a bus without seats but I just recently have refused 2 busses i woulodve bought because they didnt have seats and one didnt have interior panels or seats which was a real deal killer..


the older the bus more likeliehood you have of a bus enthusiast wanting it ..

-Christopher
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Old 11-07-2019, 05:44 PM   #13
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im one of those thats wants busses with seats in them.. I wouldnt take them out unless you are going to try and market it at tiny home shows.. or exclusiuvely to a conversion crowd.. I MIGHT buiy a bus without seats but I just recently have refused 2 busses i woulodve bought because they didnt have seats and one didnt have interior panels or seats which was a real deal killer..


the older the bus more likeliehood you have of a bus enthusiast wanting it ..

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What is the ratio of school bus enthusiasts to skooliers?
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Old 11-07-2019, 06:39 PM   #14
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I think I like the sell as is, but offer additional services approach. If they just want the bus, saves me some work. The buses I have are identical, so if something doesn't work on one, I could always use the other for a parts bus. Sell the motor, etc. No idea on scrap value of a bus for the unused pieces. I really haven't decided yet, but love getting ideas on this forum.

The buses get delivered Saturday, so the fun will begin.
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Old 11-07-2019, 06:54 PM   #15
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I think I like the sell as is, but offer additional services approach. If they just want the bus, saves me some work.
I think that's a good approach, with the caveat that you're realistic about valuing your time. A lot of people seem to get burned out after the demo work and end up selling their already gutted bus. It'd suck to get burned out by gutting someone else's bus and end up not finishing your own.
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Old 11-09-2019, 03:36 AM   #16
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Quote:
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I think that's a good approach, with the caveat that you're realistic about valuing your time. A lot of people seem to get burned out after the demo work and end up selling their already gutted bus. It'd suck to get burned out by gutting someone else's bus and end up not finishing your own.
That would really suck! A lot!
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Old 11-09-2019, 10:23 AM   #17
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I’m immediately suspicious of anything partially done


Yep. And anything completely done I'm immediately suspicious of unless I know who did it.
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Old 11-14-2019, 02:47 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EastCoastCB View Post
In flipping buses I've found about half the prospective buyers want the seats in it.
Offer to pull the seats if buyer wants and already factor it into the price. win-win.
Best answer.
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Old 11-16-2019, 09:27 AM   #19
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I bought a GMC Thomas gasser for 2000 put about 700 into it.

Pulled seats, painted it green (tractor implement paint), 1” XPS insulation in the floor, bamboo flooring, installed an Orley wood stove, tiled the floor around the wood stove, installed a sink (RV bathtub) and a counter. We lived in it for 3 years, my daughter was born in it. Then we decided to sell it to buy a diesel International DT360a.

We sold the gasser for 5000.

I think it depends on your area. Here in southern Oregon there are lots of off grid type folks who are not willing to drive several hours to purchase a bus.
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Old 11-16-2019, 09:50 AM   #20
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What details can you provide about the bus you want to sell.
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