hello from va.

[superdave-SKO]

hello all, thanks in advance. i plan on buying a full size bus in the next month or so an convert it to a rv/tiny home. i live in va. now but would like to move out west this summer. so i will be reading on what to buy and not to buy, any info or links would be great . looking forward to posting pics on my adventure. i have 3 dogs that will be making the trip with me. i also have a solar system that i plan on installing. i plan on living in it once i get out west,looking for good work and good dirt. i hope to live off grid,thanks again

 

[EastCoastCB]

Welcome. Lots of kind folks around here, let us know if you have any questions.
Anywhere out west in particular?

 

[superdave-SKO]

ft morgan, co. just looking at a map. i dont like cities, but id like to be able to see a ball or hockey game.i like to garden, grow what i eat.i might just hopp around and look a few years

 

[EastCoastCB]

Oh, right on...
We fell in love with northern Colorado.
That's the first place out west we are gonna head. Ft Collins.

 

[bansil]

Superdave welcome, where in VA? Near TN?

 

[superdave-SKO]

sugar grove ,stones throw from mountain city. looking around charlotte for a bus, so many out there

 

[EastCoastCB]

I've seen a lot of Va buses at the online auctions lately.
Will keep my eyes peeled for deals.

 

[bansil]

Bristol,via craigslist had a 84 pass RE recently

 

[superdave-SKO]

yes there are lots of them out there, looking at areas away from the road salt, its crazy the amount of salt they dump out here. ive seen them as cheap as 2000.but it looks like 4500 is what a good bus will cost.

 

[EastCoastCB]

yes there are lots of them out there, looking at areas away from the road salt, its crazy the amount of salt they dump out here. ive seen them as cheap as 2000.but it looks like 4500 is what a good bus will cost.

Depends.
I bought mine from GovDeals and it was 2285 out the door. Got a little surface rust up top but none on the frame or chassis. The rust on mine was from leaky horribly designed roof hatches.
I got it in Kentucky, as well as my last bus and Ky buses don't seem to have any real rust issues. They are cheap there too.
I do think great buses can be had for even less than 2k if you shop around enough. I'm really cheap, though. To some folks 4500 is nothing. I'm doing an ultra budget build.

 

[EastCoastCB]

Public Surplus: Auction #1315674

 

[superdave-SKO]

thanks east coast, now a few questions.transmitions, at means auto? mt manual? besides shifting is one better than the other? engine, is there any out there that are problematic? thanks

 

[bansil]

I am 1 hr from you and I will say this, do not buy a bus with an A545 transmission

You will not be happy and it truly sucks.

It is a 4 SPD automatic that has an input speed of about 2400rpm, this means anything less will do nothing but slip and make heat, which is bad

I have one and it will be replaced(after CrazyCal does it and documents the swap lololl)

Besides what I have mentioned, it does not have a lockup torque converter, it has almost no engine braking because of this,

Lots of people are happy with them, just where you live I don't think it would be good

Check out my post how to drive a 545 in the mountains, its in power/drive train area

This is my view on that tranny in our mountains

 

[bansil]

You def. Want airbrakes and that engine no info except what is on web

Dt466, 8.3 Cummins even 5.9 Cummins do good, I don't know about others (the 5.9 needs a "tuneup" with a good tranny and will work great, won't win a drag race lol

 

[EastCoastCB]

He's right, you do want to try and avoid a 545.
I didn't even see that detail. I just saw the year and the price and "good running".
Its up near 4k now. way too rich for my blood.

 

[bansil]

Probably heading south

 

[EastCoastCB]

from the bidders' names, I'm thinking it may be an export. No one would pay near that domestically imo. I could see these being awesome for that.

 

[bansil]

Keep up with craigslist area code 37620 with 75 mile radius, they pop up a lot

Also you need to think what kind of bus you want, I had to go FE (front engine) because they have more clearance and we do gravel roads and such, I have drug front and back bumpers, making uphill turns and riding ferries and such...not mention my driveway

 

[superdave-SKO]

thanks guys just bid one of them up to 2000. and stoped. yes bansil thanks i have been on c l and looked at a few, just got to be there at the right time.yes front engine. oh ya what about the manual trans, do they last any longer than a auto?or are they all auto?

 

[EastCoastCB]

Conventionals are the only ones I ever see this manuals.