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12-07-2015, 01:08 AM
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#1
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 36
Year: 1994
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: TC/2000
Engine: Cummins 5.9TA
Rated Cap: 72
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Should I Buy This Bus?
Bus For Sale
1994 Blue Bird
Quote:
Large 72 seat diesel bus for sale by local church. The bus was purchased from the Medical Lake School District; we don't use the bus enough to make it worth the space it is taking up on our property.
diesel
odo: 235xxx
manual
asking $1300
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What kind of questions should I ask, what should I look for when I see it... planning on looking at it tomorrow, best deal i've seen in a while from what I can tell from the basic info on the ad and the picture... any advice appreciated.
__________________
"Gradually I came to realize that the process of saving the desert of the human heart and revegetating the actual desert is actually the same thing." -Masanobu Fukuoka
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12-07-2015, 03:56 AM
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#2
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 308
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1 Does it run?
2 maintenance records?
3 Did they make the price a typo?
4 Tire condition?
But $1300 is a hell of a deal from what I can see.
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12-07-2015, 07:09 AM
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#3
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Tomball, TX
Posts: 313
Year: 1988
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: TC/2000
Engine: Cummins 5.9TA
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Go take it for a spin. Check the fluids. Look for rust. See what shape the tires are in. That's a great make/model. If it runs/drives and only needs minor work then it's a great price.
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12-07-2015, 09:17 AM
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#4
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Winlcok, WA
Posts: 2,233
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That is a great price at $1,300.00. Most buses of that size, type, age, and condition will retail close to $10K.
Scrap prices are about the same price.
I don't see how you can go wrong with it.
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12-07-2015, 11:23 AM
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#5
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 36
Year: 1994
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: TC/2000
Engine: Cummins 5.9TA
Rated Cap: 72
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yeah, I don't think the guy knows what he has or just flat out doesn't care... it's been hell communicating with him... i'll let you guys know how it goes, gonna go check it out in an hour.
__________________
"Gradually I came to realize that the process of saving the desert of the human heart and revegetating the actual desert is actually the same thing." -Masanobu Fukuoka
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12-07-2015, 11:31 AM
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#6
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Montana
Posts: 1,626
Year: 1995
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: All-American R/E
Engine: 8.3 Cummins
Rated Cap: 72
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Pretty hard to get hurt on that one!
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12-07-2015, 11:33 AM
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#7
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Moderator
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: NUNYA
Posts: 4,236
Year: 1995
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: 3800
Engine: DT408, AT545
Rated Cap: 23 500 gvw
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They probably bought it when prices were cheaper and they think they are taking you for a ride.
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12-07-2015, 12:00 PM
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#8
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Tomball, TX
Posts: 313
Year: 1988
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: TC/2000
Engine: Cummins 5.9TA
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I think some of these non-profits are more motivated to get rid of it than they are to make money from it. The bus may have been donated, so they don't really know what it costs.
I bought my bus from a women's rehab center. It was donated to them by a church who wanted it gone. The donation paperwork listed the value as $2,500; so that's what his asking price was. I thought it was a good deal, so I didn't even haggle with him. He just needed it gone and cash in hand to fix their van.
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12-07-2015, 12:02 PM
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#9
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 36
Year: 1994
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: TC/2000
Engine: Cummins 5.9TA
Rated Cap: 72
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yeah, I'm guessing it's something like that... I'm not going to haggle him if he just let's me drive it away. I don't have a CDL, hopefully he doesn't care... I'm just plannign to take it down the road.
__________________
"Gradually I came to realize that the process of saving the desert of the human heart and revegetating the actual desert is actually the same thing." -Masanobu Fukuoka
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12-07-2015, 12:04 PM
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#10
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Tomball, TX
Posts: 313
Year: 1988
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: TC/2000
Engine: Cummins 5.9TA
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I didn't have a CDL when I bought mine. I did get insurance though. I figured having insurance and a story about turning it into an RV would've helped me talk my way out of any potential tickets for no CDL or registration/temp tags.
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12-07-2015, 01:34 PM
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#11
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Billings, MT
Posts: 1,269
Year: 2003
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: HDX
Engine: Cat C7
Rated Cap: 84 passenger
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I don't have a Class A anymore. Can't pass the DOT physical. But that doesn't stop me from driving my 03 HDX with air brakes. Then, again, a beast that big isn't a daily driver.
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12-07-2015, 04:23 PM
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#12
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 36
Year: 1994
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: TC/2000
Engine: Cummins 5.9TA
Rated Cap: 72
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I BOUGHT IT! drove it back and parked it without any problems, what a super fun ride I was laughing the whole time. Cummins engine, tires looked freaking brand new, almost no rust on the underside, thank Jeebus. Super stoked right now. turned out to have less miles than listed and is an automatic transmission.
__________________
"Gradually I came to realize that the process of saving the desert of the human heart and revegetating the actual desert is actually the same thing." -Masanobu Fukuoka
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12-07-2015, 04:26 PM
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#13
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Montana
Posts: 1,626
Year: 1995
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: All-American R/E
Engine: 8.3 Cummins
Rated Cap: 72
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Sweet! I see it has sanders too. What Cummins is it?
I just saw that was in Spokane. Had I known that, I would have gone and got it myself!!
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12-07-2015, 04:35 PM
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#14
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 36
Year: 1994
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: TC/2000
Engine: Cummins 5.9TA
Rated Cap: 72
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yeah there were a lot of other people interested but by Jeebus's will I was the first to bite. Not sure what cummin's gonna go and look through all the paperwork now, he gave me all the maintence records from the school.
edit: 5.9 cummins, the school district paid $75k for it brand new.
__________________
"Gradually I came to realize that the process of saving the desert of the human heart and revegetating the actual desert is actually the same thing." -Masanobu Fukuoka
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12-07-2015, 04:53 PM
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#15
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Tomball, TX
Posts: 313
Year: 1988
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: TC/2000
Engine: Cummins 5.9TA
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Nice, give it a name and start a build thread with tons of pics.
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12-07-2015, 04:55 PM
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#16
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 36
Year: 1994
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: TC/2000
Engine: Cummins 5.9TA
Rated Cap: 72
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keep your eye out, I will definitely do that. going to need lots of help on the conversion. I've been lurking and scouring the forum here and videos on youtube, gonna get some tools soon and get started. Gotta go to the dmv and do whatever tomorrow, wonder if I need insurance before registering.
__________________
"Gradually I came to realize that the process of saving the desert of the human heart and revegetating the actual desert is actually the same thing." -Masanobu Fukuoka
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12-07-2015, 09:19 PM
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#17
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Tomball, TX
Posts: 313
Year: 1988
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: TC/2000
Engine: Cummins 5.9TA
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Here in Texas I needed insurance, a weight certificate, and inspection to get some temp tags and the title. I think I may have been able to get just the title with a weight certificate. I'm running on temp tags until I get the title switched. The lady at the tax office told me that a new weight certificate with a higher weight on it is all I really need to switch the title to RV (even though I'm supposed to have pictures and an inspection). I've bought two 72 hour tags so far ($25 each). I'll probably buy one or two more before I'm far enough along in my conversion that I'll pass an insurance company's inspection for RV insurance. That's when I'll change the title.
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12-14-2015, 12:56 PM
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#18
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 51
Year: 666
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Quote:
Originally Posted by austin1989us
Here in Texas I needed insurance, a weight certificate, and inspection to get some temp tags and the title. I think I may have been able to get just the title with a weight certificate. I'm running on temp tags until I get the title switched. The lady at the tax office told me that a new weight certificate with a higher weight on it is all I really need to switch the title to RV (even though I'm supposed to have pictures and an inspection). I've bought two 72 hour tags so far ($25 each). I'll probably buy one or two more before I'm far enough along in my conversion that I'll pass an insurance company's inspection for RV insurance. That's when I'll change the title.
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Who are you thinking of for Insurance?
Last time I had a private bus I went through a Farmer's agent and he somehow found coverage. I never got to the point of titling it as a motorhome... doesn't make much difference to Texas from a fee standpoint.
I called a couple of insurance companies and they are all not interested unless it was "built from the factory as a motorhome." Even when I pointed out that no motorhome was built that way they still won't touch a conversion.
Meanwhile, they will insure a 25 year old motorhome, sight unseen just because it's a motorhome.... WTH. Geico gave me a line of bull about narrow wheel base. I asked if they had ever seen a stick and staple survive a roll over? lol.
__________________
Bus #3- 1985 Auwerter (Neoplan) Cityliner N116/2 Motorhome
See "My garage" in profile for past vehicles and pictures.
My bus blog: https://www.autobus.us
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12-14-2015, 01:06 PM
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#19
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Tomball, TX
Posts: 313
Year: 1988
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: TC/2000
Engine: Cummins 5.9TA
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hotpuppy
Who are you thinking of for Insurance?
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I'd heard some people here saying they've gone through Good Sam to get their insurance. I'm not too sure the details, but I'm pretty sure there's some sort of inspection or maybe you just have to send in pictures. I think they were through National General.
Look around a little bit on this forum. There are dozens of insurance threads.
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12-14-2015, 03:20 PM
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#20
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 51
Year: 666
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Quote:
Originally Posted by austin1989us
I'd heard some people here saying they've gone through Good Sam to get their insurance. I'm not too sure the details, but I'm pretty sure there's some sort of inspection or maybe you just have to send in pictures. I think they were through National General.
Look around a little bit on this forum. There are dozens of insurance threads.
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Good to know. I'm searching for my next albatross, ahemm, bus.
__________________
Bus #3- 1985 Auwerter (Neoplan) Cityliner N116/2 Motorhome
See "My garage" in profile for past vehicles and pictures.
My bus blog: https://www.autobus.us
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