Have prices gone up recently?

[gilliannash]

Hey there,

I've been considering doing a conversion for a few years and every once in a while I'll look around for a bus to purchase. I've finally decided this year to go for it and have started scouring the internet again for a bus.
Am I crazy or have prices gone up a lot in the past year or so? Is that because of increased demand? I know used cars are unusually pricey right now could this be the same issue? I feel like even a couple years ago it wasn't that hard to find a bus for less than a few thousand, now so many that I'm seeing are like 10k. Also, it's such slim pickings! It feels like there are so few busses out there.

 

[TheHubbardBus]

I've been hearing rumors of pandemics, shuttered businesses, material shortages, labor shortages, wide-spread inflation, and even a war in eastern europe. Maybe there's some truth to them? :hide:

 

[cadillackid]

I've been hearing rumors of pandemics, shuttered businesses, material shortages, labor shortages, wide-spread inflation, and even a war in eastern europe. Maybe there's some truth to them? :hide:

not to mention that even before the pandemic all the youtube channels, glory twitter feeds, tik-toks etc about the fun and frolicking of Skoolie-life and tiny-home living.. then the covid thing that pretty much promotes RVing and isolation from hotel crowds and airplanes and amusement parks.. so yes busses got more popular and yes as a result more expensive...

 

[TheHubbardBus]

Exactly.

Wish I could predict the future. In a normal world I'd say give it some time, and eventually all these buses people got into thinking RV conversions are easy would end up back on the market for a bargain. But these are 'interesting' times.

OP, I wish you the best, but this is pretty much the worst time ever to be converting a bus. Even if you can fine one, and for a reasonable price, the price/availabillity of everything you need in a conversion is a real problem.

 

[cadillackid]

There’s actually starting to show up quite a few that have some good work completed. Ok’ing up for sale. If you can pick up a good bus that has the seats out, floors and walls insulated, maybe bus is painted already.. then that 10k isn’t so bad esp if it comes with any items you may want or need.

 

[TheHubbardBus]

Maybe. Unfortunately the talent displayed on this forum isn't exactly commonplace. Personally I'd view any work done as a negative unless I knew the person doing it or they could provide proof they didn't just make a bunch of work for me I needed to undo.

 

[DeMac]

Like Buying Time

There’s actually starting to show up quite a few that have some good work completed. Ok’ing up for sale. If you can pick up a good bus that has the seats out, floors and walls insulated, maybe bus is painted already.. then that 10k isn’t so bad esp if it comes with any items you may want or need.

This is a great way to save alot of initial investment expenses. Like being handed a low number at the deli by a frustrated customer upon their exit. An investor who bought (when) low and might bail out at cost (today). Thereby selling to you, his equity in the resale value.

Not everyone can predict thier future. Goals & opportunities change. Time changes everything.

Just like any retired bus purchace, look over a pre-started conversion. Most unfinished conversions had someone applying thier best effort on a budget. Simon's unfinished bus (Mesa AZ build) was/is a gem. Best of the best, with honors. No budget. Ha. Still, a steal for some wise buyer.

 

[cadillackid]

This is a great way to save alot of initial investment expenses. Like being handed a low number at the deli by a frustrated customer upon their exit. An investor who bought (when) low and might bail out at cost (today). Thereby selling to you, his equity in the resale value.

Not everyone can predict thier future. Goals & opportunities change. Time changes everything.

Just like any retired bus purchace, look over a pre-started conversion. Most unfinished conversions had someone applying thier best effort on a budget. Simon's unfinished bus (Mesa AZ build) was/is a gem. Best of the best, with honors. No budget. Ha. Still, a steal for some wise buyer.

luck of the draw.. in 2019 I bought a chevy spark.. when no one wanted economy cars... a car that srtickered for 20k out the door for 16...


fast forward 2022 the warranty would be up in a few months and the CVT is a known issue later in life on those cars.. I bought a hybrid car (5 days before the ukraine got invaded) got more than I paid for the spark new as a trade and still got a discount on the new car as even yet no one wanted economy cars.. now there isnt hardly a one of what I bought on a lot in sight and the ones that do exist are being sold at a couple grand above sticker.. luck of the draw i guess..



I bought my red bus when shortie busses werent in favor.. it was a steal...



I guess thats how the wall street dudes make money they figure out those dips and peaks....

 

[Rwnielsen]

I've never really been very shrewd about buying vehicles, I generally just pay the asking price. However, it's a whole different group of people selling buses. You'll read colorful descriptions such as "highly desirable" or "million mile motor" or "hard to find" and, of course, "light surface rust". You really need to do your research before you even start looking for a bus. If somebody buys a bus at auction and takes the seats out it doesn't double its worth.

 

[cadillackid]

and as a seller dont just take the seats out.. I recently killed the deal on a bus I was looking at because the owner took the liberty of removing the seats after the pics were taken.. I asked for pics of the A/C units and noted the lack of seats on the new pics..

 

[kazetsukai]

We get sticker shock no matter where or what it is... but especially groceries, its more awful every time we go.

Get the feeling we need to stock up on the essentials now to hedge against this getting much worse...


Buses, I hope not. I'm looking at starting a new "project" soon...

 

[cadillackid]

We get sticker shock no matter where or what it is... but especially groceries, its more awful every time we go.

Get the feeling we need to stock up on the essentials now to hedge against this getting much worse...


Buses, I hope not. I'm looking at starting a new "project" soon...

ha! and im in a group where we try and save the classics.. ALL busses are going for high right now.. although the prices are starting to ease on some of the older stuff we go after that are not skoolie-desirable drivetrains.. here for a while ALL busses were bringing insane prices..



there also doesnt seem to be as many right-out-of-school busses on sale which are generally where skoolies want.. (not so much the classics unless its especially desired for nostalgia).. unfortunately more and more EPA programs are offering sweeter and sweeter deals t oschools to destroy their old busses and by newer hybirds or Clean-diesels.. or gas / propane units.. and in some areas REALLY sweet deals are being offered t oschools to try out EV busses..



while columbus city schools busses are definitely not desirable skoolie-units (far too rusty)... they and other districts around with nice busses used to sell wuite a few at auction each year and are not selling many at all but they are buying lots.. some are expansion busses as they didnt replace ailed units during covid.. now schools are pretty much back to full capacity and they need every bus they have.. (a late 90s FS65 Thomas still runs through my neighborhood on a daily route.. thats a bus which would surely have been gone by now normally)...


I dont think Columbus is much different than others.. grant money means less $$ from their budget.. and most all schools arew going back to full in person capacity and therefore districts are running the most routes that they have in 2 years.. the problem for awhile was no butts for seats.. nowe the issue is no seats for butts!

 

[gilliannash]

Thanks y’all, I think what I wanted most of all was some commiseration. I feel a little less crazy now! But yeah just my luck, a rotten time to be converting.

 

[musigenesis]

and as a seller dont just take the seats out.. I recently killed the deal on a bus I was looking at because the owner took the liberty of removing the seats after the pics were taken.. I asked for pics of the A/C units and noted the lack of seats on the new pics..

On the other hand, you are probably the only person in this community who wants to keep the seats. New people looking for a skoolie bus want the seats gone and they almost always greatly overestimate the difficulty of removing them, so you are likely to get a much better sale price with them out.

 

[HamSkoolie]

Maybe. Unfortunately the talent displayed on this forum isn't exactly commonplace. Personally I'd view any work done as a negative unless I knew the person doing it or they could provide proof they didn't just make a bunch of work for me I needed to undo.

While there certainly is some talent within the forum I would say it's the exception not the norm.
How many times do we have to read "help, I cut some wires and now my bus won't start" or "my bus turns over but won't start" and it takes a month and 40 posts before the OP does what the first reply said to do and actually charges the batteries?
Sorry but I find the vast majority lacking in skills. Some to the point of life threatening.

 

[TheHubbardBus]

While there certainly is some talent within the forum I would say it's the exception not the norm.
How many times do we have to read "help, I cut some wires and now my bus won't start" or "my bus turns over but won't start" and it takes a month and 40 posts before the OP does what the first reply said to do and actually charges the batteries?
Sorry but I find the vast majority lacking in skills. Some to the point of life threatening.

I didn't mean to infer everyone with an account here is an SME. But compared with other online communities / sources of info on the subject, this site certainly seems to have a higher percentage folks who are squared away, know their stuff, or at the very least take pride in their work and are motivated self-learners. Not about to start naming names, but I'm pretty sure they know who they are already :wink1:

To bring us back around to the topic at hand, there are a number of members here who, if they were selling a partially/fully converted bus, I'd trust to have done quality work, as well as to represent the bus honestly. I can't say the same for the population at large.

 

[cadillackid]

While there certainly is some talent within the forum I would say it's the exception not the norm.
How many times do we have to read "help, I cut some wires and now my bus won't start" or "my bus turns over but won't start" and it takes a month and 40 posts before the OP does what the first reply said to do and actually charges the batteries?
Sorry but I find the vast majority lacking in skills. Some to the point of life threatening.

a lot of that comes courtesy of TV and internet.. Youtube videos and TV shows that show some housewife with supposedly no skills converting a bus and living in it hapily ever after travelling everywhere...



they dont mention she had friends or family members who do have skills and built the bus for her.. nor do those shopws ever talk about oil changes and adjusting air brake slacks and crawling underneath to check gear oil and reach valve stems to pump up tires.. nor the 3k bill when it turns out all the shocks and tie rod ends and King pins are shot...



they show a lot of of beach in the background and pretty pink pillows on nice white couches....


this is something not seen in the car communities.. everyone pretty much knows if you are gonna take a bucket of rust N bolts and turn it into a classic cruiser that it takes real skills and / or real money... somehow the skoolie craze doesnt convey those things very well that there are real skills required to build and maintain one..

 

[Mercuric Mind]

a lot of that comes courtesy of TV and internet.. Youtube videos and TV shows that show some housewife with supposedly no skills converting a bus and living in it hapily ever after travelling everywhere...



they dont mention she had friends or family members who do have skills and built the bus for her.. nor do those shopws ever talk about oil changes and adjusting air brake slacks and crawling underneath to check gear oil and reach valve stems to pump up tires.. nor the 3k bill when it turns out all the shocks and tie rod ends and King pins are shot...



they show a lot of of beach in the background and pretty pink pillows on nice white couches....


this is something not seen in the car communities.. everyone pretty much knows if you are gonna take a bucket of rust N bolts and turn it into a classic cruiser that it takes real skills and / or real money... somehow the skoolie craze doesnt convey those things very well that there are real skills required to build and maintain one..

BOOM. On point.

 

[HamSkoolie]

a lot of that comes courtesy of TV and internet.. Youtube videos and TV shows that show some housewife with supposedly no skills converting a bus and living in it hapily ever after travelling everywhere... .

Yes, the title is "this college freshman left the rat race and built her ultimate skoolie for just $8,000"
Then we get a "tour" the bus.
On the outside we're told "I wanted to keep all the windows but I wanted some privacy so I used spray paint on the inside of the windows to blank them out".
And...
"I wanted a ladder to the roof so I bolted on this RV ladder"..... to the side of the vehicle, just waiting to be ripped off in an impact with something because it sticks out 8" off the side and is held on with 12 sheet metal screws.
And...
"To fill the water I just open this little door for the hose and fill the tanks under the bed".
And...
"I don't have a black tank because I wanted an eco friendly composting toilet. Every week or two I just dig a hole and bury the compost".... totally ignoring the fact that it is not compost when it first comes out, that it's likely illegal to bury it where she buries it, yadda yadda.
And....
Then we get the inside look where everything we see that's quality work was "my father", "my brother", "my uncle", or some other family member with actually wood or electric or other skills who did the work.


No mention of where the 18 or 19 year old got the $8,000 while going to school or how the college dropout "nomad" plans to pay for fuel, food, maintenance, etc. Perhaps parking in a WalMart and finding the nearest traffic light with her cardboard sign?

And let's not even talk about so called "VanLife" presentations on the Tubes. I've seen some awesome RVing vans but the vast majority today, who claim to be "independent and off grid".... Not really. MOST either don't take showers (YUCK) or they are reliant on such methods as a "planet fitness" membership and using the facilities..... hardly independent or off grid.


Bottom line, yes it can be done, even in a van, but the vast majority are far closer to homeless with a vehicle of varying sizes than they are to the "snow bird" population of retiree's or the remote work professionals out there with reliable incomes.

 

[Rwnielsen]

That's a Bingo ;-)