possible Bus purchase

[Mr.flat]

I am looking into getting a 2001-2002 novabus. Want to get some feedback on using this as my bus build.

[Oscar1]

Originally Posted by Mr.flat

I am looking into getting a 2001-2002 novabus. Want to get some feedback on using this as my bus build.

Hello and welcome
That's not a lot of information to go on. Nova builds many different styles of commercial transit buses. What are you looking at? What's your end use plan? Rv or home? Do you have a budget? Are you mechanically inclined? Transit buses are worked hard and disposed of when the cost to maintain and frequent breakdowns exceeds the cost/value of replacement. Do you have the financial means to run a bus like that?
Cheers

Oscar

[Mr.flat]

Im sorry it’s a nova bus 72vn from a college bus run, and I wanting to use it as a home

[peteg59]

What Oscar said x 2.
Still lacking more specifics on the bus to be able to answer your question.
Those new Nova Busses look slick but know they also come with a high $$ price tag!
Good luck, and post pics if you can...

[Mr.flat]

Originally Posted by peteg59

What Oscar said x 2.
Still lacking more specifics on the bus to be able to answer your question.
Those new Nova Busses look slick but know they also come with a high $$ price tag!
Good luck, and post pics if you can...

[ATTACH][/ATTACH]

Sorry about that and thank for responding. Its a2001 novabus 72vn Engine – Detroit Series 50, Transmission – ZF, 377,695 Miles

Tried doing a search on info but not much out there.

[peteg59]

It could potentially make a really nice camper/RV if you have the means and desire to see it through.

Should it need attention from a mechanical standpoint, the replacement parts and shops that will actually work on it will be on the expensive side and few and far between.

Don't let that deter you though, it will attract attention wherever it goes and should be durable and reliable.

Where was it used most of its life, if you know?
Only thing that might give pause on a purchase of this bus could potentially be hidden rust, if it came from the nations rust belt...

[musigenesis]

One advantage of buying a conventional school bus is that lots of people have bought them and chopped them up in various ways, so how they're constructed is pretty well-known and you can find lots of examples of how to do or fix various things. One of these is going to be more of a mystery internally (I suppose - maybe they're actually built pretty much the same as school buses just more curved). Seems like this style would be cool if you're planning to keep all the windows.

[rossvtaylor]

That's a nice looking bus, and the Detroit Series 50 is a solid engine. We have two buses with Series 50s in them and parts are easy to find, as are repair options, if needed...which we haven't needed. My only real concern is the ZF transmission. Like Voith, ZF is a German product and well made...but if, or when, you need service it's going to be hard to find mechanics. The Voith and ZF products are almost strictly used in local transit buses, unlike the Allison or Spicers which are also used in over-the-road trucks. So you can find a mechanic at almost any truck repair center for an Allison or Spicer...but for the Voith or ZF they're pretty odd ducks. They are quality products, but I'm thinking ahead to your travels. Having said that...I came pretty close to buying a bus with a Voith recently...and I wouldn't shy away from it, as long as you find a service option.

[Mr.flat]

Originally Posted by rossvtaylor

That's a nice looking bus, and the Detroit Series 50 is a solid engine. We have two buses with Series 50s in them and parts are easy to find, as are repair options, if needed...which we haven't needed. My only real concern is the ZF transmission. Like Voith, ZF is a German product and well made...but if, or when, you need service it's going to be hard to find mechanics. The Voith and ZF products are almost strictly used in local transit buses, unlike the Allison or Spicers which are also used in over-the-road trucks. So you can find a mechanic at almost any truck repair center for an Allison or Spicer...but for the Voith or ZF they're pretty odd ducks. They are quality products, but I'm thinking ahead to your travels. Having said that...I came pretty close to buying a bus with a Voith recently...and I wouldn't shy away from it, as long as you find a service option.

Wow thank you great info.

[HazMatt]

Believe it or not folx, but these ARE school buses! Albeit for the big kids...
I can't say for a sure fire certainty, but I do not believe that this is unit 202's first GovDeal rodeo!
Less'n a year ago, I went to eyeball a couple of the dozen or so of the Texas A&M fleet that were being auctioned off.
One of the FEW things I approve of of my Thomas Built is it accommodates my love of being able to throw open my windows! The Nova's windows have a niggardly narrow articulated pane at the top, maybe several inches high.
That was an immediate deal breaker for me. Those miserly little slats will greatly limit any breeze from helping to vent the accumulating heat under this fiercesome Texas Sun. Requiring an additional engineering control to vent the gawd-awful heat it'll accumulate while just sitting.
I admire the visibility that those much larger windows provide, and they may be of a size that RV windows could be found for replacements... Not any immediate, additional expenses that I particularly cared to entertain.
I was already feeling tentatively towards the Nova's due to their Euro tranny which (someone please correct me if I am misrembering) is not mounted in a bilaterally symmetric manner: which seems to add an additional layer of complication to an already antithetical problem of finding a qualified, willing mechanic, hopefully one who's bill won't include first born male child, should need arise.
And it likely will.
On the plus side, the passenger seat removal will be the only cool breeze in that platform! More so than those most of us in more traditional Skoolie's faced while clearing the decks for action.
The other thing I liked?
The interior vertical height! My hair keeps my current ceiling well free of dust...

[Zechs36]

Originally Posted by rossvtaylor

The Voith and ZF products are almost strictly used in local transit buses, unlike the Allison or Spicers which are also used in over-the-road trucks.

Greyhound driver here- we actually have buses that use the ZF transmissions that we use for OTR runs every day. I had one recently that I drove from Richmond to NYC. They aren't bad as long as you don't mind the bus jerking like an 18-wheeler changing gears, but they're a bitch if you're starting up a hill. You have to hold the brake and press the gas simultaneously to make sure it won't roll back in to whatever is behind you. Just some food for thought.

[rossvtaylor]

Originally Posted by Zechs36

Greyhound driver here- we actually have buses that use the ZF transmissions that we use for OTR runs every day. I had one recently that I drove from Richmond to NYC. They aren't bad as long as you don't mind the bus jerking like an 18-wheeler changing gears, but they're a bitch if you're starting up a hill. You have to hold the brake and press the gas simultaneously to make sure it won't roll back in to whatever is behind you. Just some food for thought.

That's good to know...and thanks! I thought those were pretty limited to the transit buses. I'm always learning something. Sometimes twice.

[Zechs36]

Anytime! We mainly had them in our older MCI DL-3 models, but we also have some in our Prevost X3-45s (again, older models). Our more current buses all run Allison 6 speed transmissions.

[Simplicity]

I know nothing about the bus in question, the engines or the tranny.

I'm going to play a bit of the devil's advocate here.

"My" common sense tells me:

1) When you buy something that is somewhat unique, you run into unique issues and costs, and generally not in a good way.

2) While it is kind of cool looking, I personally want something that's more functionally reliable, common and "reasonable" to find assistance and at a (context here) affordable cost. If I can have that and the cool factor, even better.

Using the home analogy, this isn't a standard stick built home with retail name brand products inside. You're talking earthship specialty kind of stuff.

If the OP has the deep pockets, desire and time to live with and in such a project, woo hoo! If not, then, even though there isn't the cool factor, something more conventional might be the way to go.

Best of luck.

[Mr.flat]

I know nothing about the bus in question, the engines or the tranny.

I'm going to play a bit of the devil's advocate here.

"My" common sense tells me:

1) When you buy something that is somewhat unique, you run into unique issues and costs, and generally not in a good way.

2) While it is kind of cool looking, I personally want something that's more functionally reliable, common and "reasonable" to find assistance and at a (context here) affordable cost. If I can have that and the cool factor, even better.

Using the home analogy, this isn't a standard stick built home with retail name brand products inside. You're talking earthship specialty kind of stuff.

If the OP has the deep pockets, desire and time to live with and in such a project, woo hoo! If not, then, even though there isn't the cool factor, something more conventional might be the way to go.

Best of luck.

Yeah this bus idea is going to be a struggle and pricy but if I go slow and take my time, I think it would come out pretty nice.

My idea for power would be Nissan Leaf battery (48V) thanks to beginning from the morning for detail W/ victron Quattro inverter and other victron parts that are listed with beginning from the morning build.

for solar I found LR6-72PH-365M for $100 piece which I got Six, Totaling of 2220W. Think that's too much?

Wanting to make this my full time bus.

[CHEESE_WAGON]

Originally Posted by Mr.flat

Yeah this bus idea is going to be a struggle and pricy but if I go slow and take my time, I think it would come out pretty nice.

My idea for power would be Nissan Leaf battery (48V) thanks to beginning from the morning for detail W/ victron Quattro inverter and other victron parts that are listed with beginning from the morning build.

for solar I found LR6-72PH-365M for $100 piece which I got Six, Totaling of 2220W. Think that's too much?

Wanting to make this my full time bus.

Can't speak for price vs quality (always a consideration), but look up Broccoli Bus. They have built their electrical system around the Leaf battery or a variant of it, and could yield some good info. I believe they are a member here as well.

[Mr.flat]

Originally Posted by Zechs36

Greyhound driver here- we actually have buses that use the ZF transmissions that we use for OTR runs every day. I had one recently that I drove from Richmond to NYC. They aren't bad as long as you don't mind the bus jerking like an 18-wheeler changing gears, but they're a bitch if you're starting up a hill. You have to hold the brake and press the gas simultaneously to make sure it won't roll back in to whatever is behind you. Just some food for thought.

Damn if go with this I should name it beef jerky with that comment and you think it would have that same hill issue with a Detroit series 50?