Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 12-26-2016, 11:22 PM   #1
New Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 2
Hello from Dallas, TX

I'm a new member from Dallas, TX, formerly from Oklahoma.

Just wanted to write my first post. I just purchased a 1999 Blue Bird medium size bus with a handicapped lift in the back and basically has room for 12 seats. It has 180k miles, diesel engine that seems to run great. I just got it insured as an RV and have emptied the seats. Right now I'm trying to decide whether to dive into the very long process of converting the bus into a family-RV/camper, or else resale it for a profit. I got it very cheap from a small school that had it as surplus so if I sell it I know I'll make a profit. However, I have no idea how much it is worth.

We have three small children and like to go camping so we'd make great use of an RV. I'm also a carpenter on the side of my regular job, so I think I could (with a lot of research on this website) figure out how to convert the bus. But I haven't decided yet what I want to do. I know from past experience--with other big projects--that its wise to take your time before you invest time and money on something. I'll be reading lots of forums before I make I decision. If I decide to sell the bus I'll probably see if someone wants to buy it form here.

advice more than welcome! Thanks!

bramitage is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-27-2016, 09:50 AM   #2
Skoolie
 
Justin McCormick's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Texas
Posts: 160
Year: 1997
Chassis: Saf-T-Liner MVP ER
Engine: Cummins 5.9L Diesel Engine
Rated Cap: 83
Welcome! If you have the luxury of time, take it! There is lots to learn and figure out as you work on the bus. Doing it right the first time saves lots of work and cost down the road.
Being in Dallas, do you have space to do the conversion? I have heard so many stories of people starting work on the bus only to be ticketed by the city and are forced to move the bus.
__________________
Follow our bus blog here -
https://www.wildernesswandering.com/
Justin McCormick is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-27-2016, 10:32 AM   #3
Bus Geek
 
Tango's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 8,462
Year: 1946
Coachwork: Chevrolet/Wayne
Chassis: 1- 1/2 ton
Engine: Cummins 4BT
Rated Cap: 15
Welcome --- if it is a "shorty" they are fairly high demand. You say "12 seats"...is that a total of 12 or 12 rows? Some value determinants include specifics regarding...

Overall Condition
Any rust
Overall length
What engine (make/displacement/electronic or non)
What Transmission (make/model)
What rear axle ratio
Tire size & condition

Those are a few things people will want to know to determine a price. Maybe some of the folks here can add to this basic list. Best of luck with it.
Tango is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-27-2016, 04:42 PM   #4
New Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 2
Thanks,

Thanks for the responses. I feel like this forum is a pretty welcoming bunch of folks. I will upload more details on the bus and some pics. It would be really useful for me to get some idea of the present value so I can make an educated decision of whether to dive into the project or not.

Re whether I have room, I do have room--although my wife might dispute that fact. I have a rare .9 acre lot in the heart of East dallas, so I can park the bus mostly out of cite of my neighbors. My understanding is that it is illegal to park a bus at your house, but I haven't yet determined if that definition would cover a bus converted into an RV. Regardless, my understanding is that Dallas does not have code enforcement officers, so the only way I'd get ticketed is if my neighbors call me in. And, I live at the end of the road, so there is probably only 3-5 houses that would notice and I don't think they'd care. Haha, they've put up with other code violations without objection, i.e. truck on blocks for months, numerous large home renovations without permit, etc. So maybe I'll just park it here for awhile without starting to see if I get ticketed.

First thing I have to do is switch the title to my name and get it tagged. I did get it insured - which was a much bigger pain than I anticipated.
bramitage is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 11:00 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.