Coach Bus Rebuilt Title

[Negsor]

While working a deal on a 90s Florida coach bus, I brought up the issue of title and was told that it has a rebuilt title. When I asked about it I was told that during a hurricane the top two hatches blew off and everything got wet. The insurance company said that they would total loss it and pay off the note for the seller. To get the rebuilt title and pass the title inspection the seller just had the seats and floors dried out for a few days.

This coach was used commercially on multiple trips per week up until April of this year, when COVID caused them to shutter their business temporarily. They are offloading this coach as they have a new one ordered and will be taking delivery in January, when they expect to reopen. The seller seems to have kept up well with maintenance and a diesel mechanic went through the bus 2 months ago and has a list of things that should be repaired/replaced/rebuilt. The transmission and tires only have 13K miles on them.

I will be getting a good deal on the coach and it meets all of my needs, but the rebuilt title and especially the fact that the inside of the coach was exposed to a bunch of water during a hurricane have me spooked about rust and other issues. I haven't inquired about rust under the flooring yet but my guess is that they never pulled up the floor to look for rust... Should I be running for the hills with this new information? Other than rust under the floor, what should I be nervous of? What should I be careful of when inspecting - soggy floors, etc?

[musigenesis]

Check with your insurance company to see if you'll have any difficulty getting insurance with a rebuilt title. I wouldn't buy until I was 100% sure I had coverage lined up for it.

You might have a rusty floor if the plywood got soaked and then never dried out. This seems like a bad choice of bus to begin a skoolie with, even if the price is great.

[CHEESE_WAGON]

I would say hard pass. Too much potential for problems.

[JackE]

Rebuilt titles have never really scared me. It is very wise to do your homework before purchase to make sure it is branded salvage for the reason you are being told, and it isn't a cobbled up mess. My Escalade is on it's 4th branding of salvage title. The last two were entirely cosmetic, zero structural damage. Almost every bus on this site has had at least some rust in the floor. If you can roll around under the bus with a screw driver, poking at the floor and it doesn't poke thru, I would go for it. Definitely check on the insurance before buying, but I wouldn't let the rusty floor be something I worry about too much. If it's a true coach, you should have easy access to the underside of the floor inside the luggage bays. If it's solid inside there, I really don't think you have anything to worry about.

[Negsor]

It's a coach bus with luggage bays so I should have access to inspect the floors underneath by crawling in the luggage bays. Like I said its been in continuous use until their business had to pause due to COIVD a couple of months ago. Good call on the insurance. I can go looking on the site for insurance but if someone wants to help me get a head start on that - where should I be looking for insurance on a 35 foot passenger coach bus in Florida? It already has a lavatory so I think I can satisfy the "plumbing" requirement for RV Title transfer, right?

[JackE]

Originally Posted by Negsor

It's a coach bus with luggage bays so I should have access to inspect the floors underneath by crawling in the luggage bays. Like I said its been in continuous use until their business had to pause due to COIVD a couple of months ago. Good call on the insurance. I can go looking on the site for insurance but if someone wants to help me get a head start on that - where should I be looking for insurance on a 35 foot passenger coach bus in Florida? It already has a lavatory so I think I can satisfy the "plumbing" requirement for RV Title transfer, right?

I would start with your current agent, see if there is anything they can come up with. If you strike out there, search Kelly Newsome on this site. She seems to be the insurance getting guru and is located in Florida.