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Old 10-27-2018, 04:49 AM   #1
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Vermont
Posts: 13
Year: 2002
Coachwork: International
Engine: T444E
Rated Cap: 72
Mobile Kitchen, tacos anyone?

Hello everyone,

I am new to this site but I have been seeing some posts when googling info on buses. I hope that I am posting in the right place, I am not technologically proficient, but I am working on that!

I retired from bus driving a while ago, 2004 to be exact, and since then I have returned to my passion... Cooking! I am now a cook/food trailer owner but in the interest of being more mobile I have decided to purchase a bus to do just that. This brings me here.

While I was a driver, I was just that, a driver. My mechanical abilities are limited however I can change oil and simple things like that, but the basic understanding of what a motor is and what it can do escapes me. This is what has brought me here to this place where I have been reading a plethora of information from talented people full of much knowledge.

I am heading to the south to find the vessel which will ultimately get me through the next phase in my l life, semi retirement! Do any of us really retire? I think I might just die from boredom, so here is how I plan to do it...

My ideal bus (dreaming big here folks) is a clean, 11-12 row, seats already removed, conventional diesel with air brakes. A flat floor, 74-77" height, with a lift and belly box(s), reasonable miles, with many miles still on the tires (I do need to get it back home), no rust and already painted white. Oh yeah, and great fuel mileage! Now, will I get all of these features on a very low $5,000 budget? Probably not, but I will remain optimistic.

I have driven Internationals mostly and I like them. I also have a mechanic who will service my bus, thankfully.

So, as I head south to find my perfect bus for the job, I was just wondering if anyone has done this and what suggestions you might like to share.

Thank you for your time and patience!

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Old 10-27-2018, 06:20 AM   #2
Bus Geek
 
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Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
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Originally Posted by Dot D View Post
Hello everyone,

I am new to this site but I have been seeing some posts when googling info on buses. I hope that I am posting in the right place, I am not technologically proficient, but I am working on that!

I retired from bus driving a while ago, 2004 to be exact, and since then I have returned to my passion... Cooking! I am now a cook/food trailer owner but in the interest of being more mobile I have decided to purchase a bus to do just that. This brings me here.

While I was a driver, I was just that, a driver. My mechanical abilities are limited however I can change oil and simple things like that, but the basic understanding of what a motor is and what it can do escapes me. This is what has brought me here to this place where I have been reading a plethora of information from talented people full of much knowledge.

I am heading to the south to find the vessel which will ultimately get me through the next phase in my l life, semi retirement! Do any of us really retire? I think I might just die from boredom, so here is how I plan to do it...

My ideal bus (dreaming big here folks) is a clean, 11-12 row, seats already removed, conventional diesel with air brakes. A flat floor, 74-77" height, with a lift and belly box(s), reasonable miles, with many miles still on the tires (I do need to get it back home), no rust and already painted white. Oh yeah, and great fuel mileage! Now, will I get all of these features on a very low $5,000 budget? Probably not, but I will remain optimistic.

I have driven Internationals mostly and I like them. I also have a mechanic who will service my bus, thankfully.

So, as I head south to find my perfect bus for the job, I was just wondering if anyone has done this and what suggestions you might like to share.

Thank you for your time and patience!
You should be able to find a nice bus for a lot less than 5 grand unless you are shopping in FL.
What's your location?
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Old 10-27-2018, 07:03 AM   #3
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Vermont
Posts: 13
Year: 2002
Coachwork: International
Engine: T444E
Rated Cap: 72
I am located in Vermont and I am heading to Florida for another reason, checking out buses while there. The buses I have looked at are quite expensive, where would you suggest?
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Old 10-27-2018, 07:38 AM   #4
Bus Geek
 
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Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
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Originally Posted by Dot D View Post
I am located in Vermont and I am heading to Florida for another reason, checking out buses while there. The buses I have looked at are quite expensive, where would you suggest?
Pretty much anywhere but FL. I get my buses from all over the country.

In FL the buses are the highest price for very mediocre offerings. Our buses are among the most mechanically neglected in the country. We have exporters and dealers who command unholy prices. BGA is THE most expensive place you can go to buy a used bus. They have three websites but they're really just one company.

My current bus has 64k miles and 3300 hours. I bought it online through an auction in GA. Cost me a total of $1625.
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Old 10-27-2018, 08:18 AM   #5
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Vermont
Posts: 13
Year: 2002
Coachwork: International
Engine: T444E
Rated Cap: 72
wow, that's where I've been looking, I thought they were pretty pricey. It would help if I could spend less on the bus. It would afford me more money to put more into the actual kitchen.

You mention auctions, I've seen a couple of them online but could not get to them to check out the bus beforehand and I have never participated in an auction.
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Old 10-27-2018, 08:27 AM   #6
Bus Geek
 
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Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
Try GovDeals. its like ebay but its all govt surplus stuff from local, state, and federal govt's. Sites like that are selling the exact buses that dealers including BGA bid on and buy to resell. Folks have lost out on auctions only to see the bus they were bidding on relisted at BGA or another dealer for 3x times the price sometimes even more than that.
Generally the schools listing buses on auction sites are much more honest than a CL or ebay seller. Since you've driven buses before you'll appreciate that they usually have a way to call the maintenance yard and talk to someone about the buses before the auction ends. They usually will provide maintenance records, but not always.
I got a bus sight unseen for $1760 in colorado. Came with all brand new tires on it! They spent more on those tires than I spent buying the whole bus.
If I were to buy from a dealer I'd head out west and get a totally rust free top of the line bus.
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Old 10-27-2018, 09:37 AM   #7
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Vermont
Posts: 13
Year: 2002
Coachwork: International
Engine: T444E
Rated Cap: 72
Thank you so much for your help, I will keep looking.
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