Could be a great deal in Maryland?

[cdrobbins77]

I've been following this ebay auction, looks like it could be a great bargain. Original auction (no reserve) ended at less than $2000, but its up for auction again). If it weren't 10+ hours away from me I'd probably snag it. Anyone in Maryland able to check it out in person for me ???
https://www.ebay.com/itm/2005-THOMA...853609?hash=item23c5d3e4e9:g:PucAAOSwKgldb-YJ

 

[o1marc]

Looks like a great bus, if it sold for less than $2K with no reserve, the buyer found issues that drove him away. It's an 05, we would recommend you pass on it no matter the condition as it's an EPA bus (check engine light comes on). Plus it's a C7 which has no fans.
Ad says a lot of fluff with absolutely zero details about the bus.

 

[cdrobbins77]

Looks like a great bus, if it sold for less than $2K with no reserve, the buyer found issues that drove him away. It's an 05, we would recommend you pass on it no matter the condition as it's an EPA bus.
Ad says a lot of fluff with absolutely zero details about the bus.

How worrisome is the check engine light? That and no pics of the undercarriage have me the most concerned. I've heard the "EPA" thing before, but can you explain further?

 

[o1marc]

In 04 the Feds made them put all kinds of EPA equipment on the buses. These ended up causing expensive and hard to diagnose emission issues. We try to stay at some 04's and earlier. This bus was bought by an idiot for $2998, and then had issues shipping it from Md, to Maine, and issues with the yellow color. I would have drove it right off the lot and home with no color change or tags at all. Someone may end up getting it for less now, almost guaranteed after those how watched before see it's relisted. Usually relisted for bad reasons, this time the reason weren't bad. I'd consider that bus for $3k if it was older.

 

[cdrobbins77]

In 04 the Feds made them put all kinds of EPA equipment on the buses. These ended up causing expensive and hard to diagnose emission issues. We try to stay at some 04's and earlier. This bus was bought by an idiot for $2998, and then had issues shipping it from Md, to Maine, and issues with the yellow color. I would have drove it right off the lot and home with no color change or tags at all. Someone may end up getting it for less now, almost guaranteed after those how watched before see it's relisted. Usually relisted for bad reasons, this time the reason weren't bad. I'd consider that bus for $3k if it was older.

I got the same story from the seller regarding the previous auction winner. I agree, I would have just drove it straight home. So even low mileage and otherwise clean bus, the fact that its a 2005 alone makes you walk away? It checks almost every box on my want list. . .

 

[EastCoastCB]

How worrisome is the check engine light? That and no pics of the undercarriage have me the most concerned. I've heard the "EPA" thing before, but can you explain further?

Check engine light would be off if it were something easy to fix.

 

[PNW_Steve]

IMHO: C7=run away.

I hear some good from owners of some cat's like the 3126 I have heard many horror stories about the C7.

I cannot speak from experience. When I looked at a CAT powered bus I checked with my local shops. We have three shops in the county that will work on a Cummins and none that work on CAT's.

That steered me to an 8.3 Cummins.

 

[MAH2]

I live near there, does an OBD2 reader work on these?

 

[PNW_Steve]

I live near there, does an OBD2 reader work on these?

No.

Medium and heavy duty vehicles use J1939 or J1708 to talk to the scanner. Definitely not compatible with ODBII scanners.

Products like Scangauge and Bluefire are good examples of J1708/J1939 scanners.

 

[o1marc]

Be worth more if it had "some" under bay storage bins, has none.

 

[PNW_Steve]

I have reservations about the sellers description.

"C7 rated up to 350 HP." - technically true but misleading.

"low mileage 76k" & "owned by Montgomery school district " - really? 76k miles on a 14.year old bus that belongs to a school district? Not sure I buy it.

"check engine light is on but it is probably just the battery " - OK.. Publish the code so we can look it up..

Something about the ad makes me think that the seller is a used car salesman.

Just my $0.02

 

[MAH2]

I have reservations about the sellers description.

"C7 rated up to 350 HP." - technically true but misleading.

"low mileage 76k" & "owned by Montgomery school district " - really? 76k miles on a 14.year old bus that belongs to a school district? Not sure I buy it.

"check engine light is on but it is probably just the battery " - OK.. Publish the code so we can look it up..

Something about the ad makes me think that the seller is a used car salesman.

Just my $0.02

They are a used car dealership. Platinum Auto and Truck.

 

[PNW_Steve]

They are a used car dealership. Platinum Auto and Truck.

Too funny!

I didn't even look at the sellers info.

 

[PNW_Steve]

Marc,

Did you get the PM's?

I got a little refresher this morning.

 

[o1marc]

Marc,

Did you get the PM's?

I got a little refresher this morning.

Moot at this point. The bus originally sold for $2998, but the buyer backed out. The bus is now sitting at $4k with 9 hours to go. I'm not interested.

 

[PNW_Steve]

Moot at this point. The bus originally sold for $2998, but the buyer backed out. The bus is now sitting at $4k with 9 hours to go. I'm not interested.

I am with you. Looks like a clean bus but not a $4k+ bus.

 

[o1marc]

I am with you. Looks like a clean bus but not a $4k+ bus.

It at least confirmed my theory that if it had sold for less than the first time, it would have been an easy flip.