Non-affiliated buses for sale - thread

Would someone that has bought from the government liquidation sites give me a rundown on what it takes to actually finish the purchase after the online sale closes? I have read that a lot of places will not allow vehicles to leave under their own power. They have to be towed off the lot before they can be driven. I'd also like to know about fees and other charges. I know one guy on another forum bought a vehicle from a gov auction sight and when everything was finalized, it wasn't such a good deal. The final price was nearly doubled.
 
Kubla said:
https://www.govdeals.com/index.cfm?fa=Main.Item&itemid=1801&acctid=2628
This one has 6 hours left at 1200 dollars, 6.5 gm turbo diesel, 4L80 trans, 4.68 rear end , AC and under 50K miles, P42 workhorse chassis short bus
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Kinda looks like something that Turpin family wouldn't be seen in.:hide:

...and I have a few P42 Workhorse vans- don't mind the look.

fyg.jpg

fyg2.jpg
 
Just got off the phone with Midwest Transit Equipment. Was disappointed to learn that most of the buses they have for $3500 or less need some sort of roadworthiness repairs. When school districts liquidate they get mass quantities of buses to list, but have customers in central america that leave $100k deposits and buy buses 100 at a time , which leaves little left for us skoolies to choose from. You can get on a list and might get lucky to find a stray come through they will notify you about. They said it would be march at the earliest to have anything on my list of requirements to come through. They also said what I'd heard about the 5.9 is not necessarily true and that they have some that quite good, Also said the electronic issues we hear about hear didn't really start until after 05.
 
There was a series of 5.9 blocks from 1999 to 2002 stamped "53" on the side that were prone to cracking. To my knowledge that was the only fatal flaw you should be looking out for in the preferred year range of these things.

Otherwise the 5.9 is a good engine. The 8.3 is incrementally "better" but the reason people here prefer them is largely because it's bigger (more power, better chance of a stronger transmission) than for the in-frame rebuild option.
 
o1marc said:
Just got off the phone with Midwest Transit Equipment. Was disappointed to learn that most of the buses they have for $3500 or less need some sort of roadworthiness repairs. When school districts liquidate they get mass quantities of buses to list, but have customers in central america that leave $100k deposits and buy buses 100 at a time , which leaves little left for us skoolies to choose from. You can get on a list and might get lucky to find a stray come through they will notify you about. They said it would be march at the earliest to have anything on my list of requirements to come through. They also said what I'd heard about the 5.9 is not necessarily true and that they have some that quite good, Also said the electronic issues we hear about hear didn't really start until after 05.
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Just be patient. In summer GovDeals and Public surplus will have a lot more buses than this time of year.
 
You'll also find that the big boy buyers pull way back on their bidding in the last couple weeks before tax time. So first half of April you won't find as much competition from the big bus buyers.
 
They said my best bet was going to be around March before they start the next big run. The guy I spoke with a Midwest seemed to be pretty knowledgable and had great praise for the Cummins 5.9, did agree they weren't good mountain climbers and if I wanted highway speeds to just change the rear gears, cheaper than a tranny swap.
 
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o1marc said:
They said my best bet was going to be around March before they start the next big run. The guy I spoke with a Midwest seemed to be pretty knowledgable and had great praise for the Cummins 5.9, did agree they weren't good mountain climbers and if I wanted highway speeds to just change the rear gears, cheaper than a tranny swap.
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Makes sense, but don't go too high. Big gears need big power to pull them. Would help a lot on regular highways, but you'd be shifting more on hills.
 
o1marc said:
They said my best bet was going to be around March before they start the next big run. The guy I spoke with a Midwest seemed to be pretty knowledgable and had great praise for the Cummins 5.9, did agree they weren't good mountain climbers and if I wanted highway speeds to just change the rear gears, cheaper than a tranny swap.
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MidWest is 20 mi from me. Our school district leases all their buses from them- at least 175 buses. All beautiful, new IC conventional. MidWest doesn't care about selling the buses for top dollar- they already are paid for from the lease.

Imagine you are an electrician and someone asks you for some wire nuts- "Sure , no big deal, have a handful", that is what buses are to these people- just a commodity. They are doing just fine with their biz model.
 
The 5.9 is like the first car you had. It wasn't fast, but it would get you there. I also agree that the 545 doesn't respond well to climbing hills. I'd have probably still bought this bus.
 
Twigg said:
Makes sense, but don't go too high. Big gears need big power to pull them. Would help a lot on regular highways, but you'd be shifting more on hills.
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We talked about the area I would be using most, east coast, and weren't worried about the few times I might go over the Rockies.
 
Rusty said:
MidWest is 20 mi from me. Our school district leases all their buses from them- at least 175 buses. All beautiful, new IC conventional. MidWest doesn't care about selling the buses for top dollar- they already are paid for from the lease.

Imagine you are an electrician and someone asks you for some wire nuts- "Sure , no big deal, have a handful", that is what buses are to these people- just a commodity. They are doing just fine with their biz model.
Click to expand...
MacAllister bus is the same.
I got a great deal on my bus from there.
They had the same attitude... They made their, money, anything they get is gravy...

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
 
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