Auction prices trending upward?

[PNW_Steve]

Hey Everyone,

Even though I have my bus I still follow the auctions pretty regularly.

Is it my imagination, or are "desirable" buses selling for quite a bit more than a couple of years ago?

Take a look at this one: https://www.govdeals.com/index.cfm?fa=Main.Item&itemid=6502&acctid=8445

I lived right down the road from there and have looked at Arlington buses. The ones I looked at were pretty rough.

It seams to me that I am seeing many more buses go at auction for $5k-$8k that I would have called $3k-$4k buses.

What have you all noticed?

 

[o1marc]

That is kinda steep for that bus. Worth a premium if the mileage is correct. I can't say much about the rise in prices as I just started following about a year ago. But I suspect the Skoolie Nation is growing in popularity and that buses go faster when offered than before the Mini Home explosion. I think the SOB's will pay whatever it takes to get the buses. I have personally bought 3 buses in the last 7 months. $2400, $900, and $3500. The $3500 one is twice the other 2 put together. I think mine is twice the bus this 04 is and I would not have paid $7k for it.

 

[brokedown-SKO]

I've seen a mixed bag. Summer is over which means the clearance sales are over too.. And I have absolutely seen some really boring buses with really exaggerated starting bid prices.

I agree that the bus you've linked is not something that warrants the price it currently has, but that's the market in action. if someone thinks it's worth thousands of dollars more than I think it's worth, well more power to them. On the flip side, I was looking at a 40 ft BBAA with dual AC for 3k on craigslist the other day. It doesn't have to make sense.

 

[PNW_Steve]

I've seen a mixed bag. Summer is over which means the clearance sales are over too.. And I have absolutely seen some really boring buses with really exaggerated starting bid prices.

I agree that the bus you've linked is not something that warrants the price it currently has, but that's the market in action. if someone thinks it's worth thousands of dollars more than I think it's worth, well more power to them. On the flip side, I was looking at a 40 ft BBAA with dual AC for 3k on craigslist the other day. It doesn't have to make sense.

I agree completely. It can be all over the board. It just seems to me that auction prices are trending upward and the frequency of 14-20 year old buses going for $5k plus has increased.

 

[EastCoastCB]

Hey Everyone,

Even though I have my bus I still follow the auctions pretty regularly.

Is it my imagination, or are "desirable" buses selling for quite a bit more than a couple of years ago?

Take a look at this one: https://www.govdeals.com/index.cfm?fa=Main.Item&itemid=6502&acctid=8445

I lived right down the road from there and have looked at Arlington buses. The ones I looked at were pretty rough.

It seams to me that I am seeing many more buses go at auction for $5k-$8k that I would have called $3k-$4k buses.

What have you all noticed?

Its gone up a bit, but mostly still in the same ballpark as far as I can see.
I've been buying mine the same way since I started and I have to look harder but the prices are still pretty good.
Buses aren't depreciating at all though. Once in private hands they sell for more than I've ever seen.

 

[jgangi1728]

Purchased my first Bus Conversion

Hello,

My name is Josh and I am 27 years old and I have been wanting to do a bus to rv conversion for some time now. So, I decided to purchase me first bus which is a 2004 Ford E-450 Super Duty 6.8L Gas V10 shuttle bus built by Turtle Top. 99k miles on it.

The bus is very clean inside and out as I am from Ohio and luckily this bus was in Florida up until 2013 so minimal rust underneath.

I paid $7,250 out the door and am looking to do a nice renovation of the inside and will plan to use this Airstream as a layout and design template.

Please let me know your thoughts and ideas as I dive into this any tips or advice will be appreciated. Did I get a decent deal?

 

[BlueFish-SKO]

I wouldn't second guess yourself and focus on building something you want to enjoy. She does look clean. Turtle Top is one of the better companies for shuttle bus. I don't know much about the Ford 6.8L gas engine.

 

[cadillackid]

looks like a great bus!! Love those seats!
-Christopher

 

[Mark_In_MA]

I've been looking/thinking about a skoolie since 2014ish (and lurking on here reading.) Granted, I didn't know as much about what would make a bus good or bad back then, but overall I'd say prices are rising. (So is mileage. . . ) There are still deals out there, but there's a finite number of older buses out there that are pre-emissions, and I think that's raising prices. (Its the same with the Ford 7.3 diesels - people will buy the truck for the engine, and scrap the rest.) Party buses are also becoming very popular these days - and driving around with a load of semi-loaded people in the back, no one really cares what engine or transmission it has - it's mostly local driving anyways.

It's not that good deals aren't out there, but they're getting harder to find.

 

[Lamacose]

I watched a bus go from $3500 to $8000ish in the last hour. Interesting enough it’s back on the block this week