Question for the Full-timers- How long did your bus last?

[jasonsulliman]

My wife and I are planning to buy our first bus and we probably won't actually buy the bus for 1-2 years (which means 1-5- we all know how that goes!).

We are about to have our first (and most likely only) child and plan on living full-time in our conversion. One question I cannot find any info on is:

How long did your conversion last?

I was a full-timer in an old RV for two years in the Midwest, so I understand maintenance and repairs, but does anyone have experience with 10+ years in the same bus? 15 years? Will the frame eventually rust beyond repair? Is there a point where the repairs become so extensive that it is seriously cost-prohibitive? Does anyone have experience with outliving their conversion and if so, what kind of time can you expect to get out of a well-maintained bus?

Thanks in advance!

[nat_ster]

As long as the salt is washed out of the underside, you are not parked on grass, and don't live somewhere super humid, the rust will slow down to almost no advancement.

A spray down on the underside every 5 years with Oshpo will also make it last nearly forever.

Buses are like 3 ton and bigger trucks. You can just keep changing parts, they last forever.

I will be living in mine for 20 to 40 years. That's why I stripped mine down to the skeleton. I made sure there were no hidden cavity's of rust to bite me in the bum in 10 years.

Nat

[bansil]

Too many variables, the diesel engine can do 400k to 1M miles

Most other parts are good for 500k or so

Maybe kingpins every 250k/500k or?

And following the above ideas the body/frame should be good to go

Tires will be highest problem depending how much you move, time will kill most tires before wearing out

7, 8 or 10 years depending on what camp you are in

Air brake components if kept clean should be good until rubber drys out or rust kills cans so

You can see the variables, they will last longer than any rv on the road, except other buses from wanderlodge to mci, provost , eagle (if it doesnt rust away...wink) GMC etc