Help! Newbie family

[joshjohnson17]

So we are so close so doing this but so green to what how to go about choosing the bus. We want a long bus and one that will be ok at highway speeds. Not sure what we should be looking for, standard or auto, anything to avoid no matter what, rear or front engine, max we should spend, average cost of retrofitting the bus (just basics). Any advice helps! Our budget is around 10-15k all in with more money next year if needed. Live in Vermont before heading down south for work and would like to buy and retrofit a bus in the next month. Based god on me wanting a long bus that can do highway speeds and has a good engine, what should I be looking for (bus driver friend said avoid freight liner at all cost and said I should just get an RV!!!🙁) Thanks for the advice guys and girls!!!

[Carytowncat]

Friends dont let friends buy rvs.


Welcome! How exciting and terrifying. the terror only lasted me the few first months 6ish, and faded slowly enough that it's not as painful as bandaid glue.

Everything i have read and one test drive suggests the dt466 inline 6 cylinder diesel motor is perhaps one of the best motors ever made.

Not entirely sure of all your needs and prefrences but buses have a magical way of finding us when the time is right. Maybe that's where they got the idea for the song...hmmm...


Good luck!

[cowlitzcoach]

There are as many reasons to purchase a particular bus as there are buses on the road.

Generally speaking the Type 'D' rear engine buses that have luggage compartments will have the big HP engines and highway gearing.

Generally speaking the Type 'C (conventional bus with hood out in front of the windshield that looks like a medium duty truck) is the most common bus so it will be the least expensive. Generally speaking they will have engines with less HP and will many times have top speeds of only 55-60 MPH.

If you shop around you can find good buses with all of your "have-to's" for under $5K.

Whatever you choose, just make sure there is no rust. Any real rust is a deal killer.