Scrap Prices Killing Me

[o1marc]

So I'm looking at several parts buses near me. They are at $100/RNM. Trying to find out what the reserve is to see if I can just haul them 2.5 miles to the scrap yard. Tow wants $185 to hook and $5/mile. So Tow is $200. Call the saalvage yard fpr prices. They say they are paying the same for vehicles as for scrap ($4/100), normally vehicles pay $1 more. Then he says a bus would have a 25% discount for glass and seat covers, etc. So that brings it down to only $3. On a 20k lb bus that's only $600. I got $1300 for a BB last year, and got to keep the wheel and tires.

 

[WIbluebird]

Around my area the scrap yards won't accept buses due to the size and difficulty of crushing them. They have even less of an incentive to mess with buses due to the low scrap prices.

 

[o1marc]

Scrap yard reason for the low price was unbelievable. He says its because they have so much scrap on the yard and the price is low so they won't sell. I doubt national pricing is based on inventory on the lots.

 

[o1marc]

Well that fell through pretty rapidly. They have 3 salvage buses that are cannibalized of body and other parts. Auction starts at $100. They are worth $300 in scrap. The school reserve on them is $1000, good luck selling any of them.

 

[WIbluebird]

Well that fell through pretty rapidly. They have 3 salvage buses that are cannibalized of body and other parts. Auction starts at $100. They are worth $300 in scrap. The school reserve on them is $1000, good luck selling any of them.

If you really want them I'd say bid anyway, they may be willing to budge and accept your bid if it doesn't break reserve.

 

[o1marc]

If you really want them I'd say bid anyway, they may be willing to budge and accept your bid if it doesn't break reserve.

I didn't really want them, only for salvage to the scrap yard 2.5 miles away. I'll watch them and bid if it's still low. For scrap they really aren't worth more than $200 for there to be any ROI. I'd like one for spare parts myself, but have no room to store non runners.

 

[peteg59]

Only way the local yards will take a full sized bus is cut up. Their crusher is able to take any car or pickup whole, (minus tires, gas tank, battery, all fluids), so it needs to be in that size range for them to accept.

The amount of time, labor, and materials used in cutting up a bus to fit the crusher is far beyond any reasonable ROI.

Glad I'm not making a living doing that kind of work anymore!

 

[o1marc]

Only way the local yards will take a full sized bus is cut up. Their crusher is able to take any car or pickup whole, (minus tires, gas tank, battery, all fluids), so it needs to be in that size range for them to accept.

The amount of time, labor, and materials used in cutting up a bus to fit the crusher is far beyond any reasonable ROI.

Glad I'm not making a living doing that kind of work anymore!

When I sent the other one to the scrapper and came back the next day to retrieve the tires I saw my chassis frame laying on top of the scrap pile, it had already been completely destroyed.

 

[TheHubbardBus]

I think I got something like $17 for our 12 seats (stripped of fabric) at the scrapyard. At the time I figured I was getting screwed. Now I'm thinking I did OK lol.

 

[Brad_SwiftFur]

Where are these Marc? I actually need to find actual parts (rear end gears, 4.10 ratio or numerically lower), A/C (if any are so equipped), emergency exit windows and whatever else I can salvage.

 

[o1marc]

Where are these Marc? I actually need to find actual parts (rear end gears, 4.10 ratio or numerically lower), A/C (if any are so equipped), emergency exit windows and whatever else I can salvage.

Keep in mind reserve is $1000 and you'll need to tow it out of there.
Govdeals.com winder,Ga.


https://www.govdeals.com/index.cfm?...gType=&category=94H&rowCount=25&StartRow=101#

 

[Brad_SwiftFur]

I recently moved from Winder and as far as I can remember there's no scrapyards *IN* Winder that can handle buses. Outlying areas, that's another matter but towing's gonna add up.


And good luck on 'em getting $1K each for scrap.

 

[o1marc]

I recently moved from Winder and as far as I can remember there's no scrapyards *IN* Winder that can handle buses. Outlying areas, that's another matter but towing's gonna add up.


And good luck on 'em getting $1K each for scrap.

I'll be surprised if any of them sell. They are only good to a dismantler/part out for that money. I would not sit on that investment.

Here's the scrapyard 2.5 miles from the auction site:

Green Point Recycling – Green Point Recycling

We specifiaclly spoke about taking buses and how they would only pay $3/100lbs. It's $185 to hook up, and $5/mile for towing a bus. So $200ea. So if they were free, I could make $100 ea.

 

[Brad_SwiftFur]

They *May* be worth it to a boneyard, if they can salvage the engines. transmissions, axles, and such. For pure scrap, though, not so much.


I may call the bus yard or even drop by (since I need to visit Winder anyway) and see if any have something I can use. I think you're right though. They're not about to get $1K for any of these.


I begin to wonder if some of the local mechanics listed them as such so they could end up buying them on the cheap?

 

[demoman]

I used to buy a lot of transit buses to scrap out. I would pay around 1000 and make a bunch of money without even selling too many parts. The local yard takes them whole and I get the tires back. Just a few months ago I was given three orion 7 40 foot low floors and it wasn't even worth my while to take them. By the time you drain all the oils, coolant, lead on the cables, diff oil, trans oil, etc it wasn't worth it. I even have my own landoll trailer to move them so didn't need to hire a tow truck. My scrap price was about 80 a ton but they didn't do any deductions for glass, wood and seats. I ended up giving them to a scrap yard for them to tow in exchange for giving me back the tires and wheels.

 

[o1marc]

I used to buy a lot of transit buses to scrap out. I would pay around 1000 and make a bunch of money without even selling too many parts. The local yard takes them whole and I get the tires back. Just a few months ago I was given three orion 7 40 foot low floors and it wasn't even worth my while to take them. By the time you drain all the oils, coolant, lead on the cables, diff oil, trans oil, etc it wasn't worth it. I even have my own landoll trailer to move them so didn't need to hire a tow truck. My scrap price was about 80 a ton but they didn't do any deductions for glass, wood and seats. I ended up giving them to a scrap yard for them to tow in exchange for giving me back the tires and wheels.

I found it quite nice when I scrapped a bus that they didn't ask me to do what I have heard on other vehicles. Drain all fluids, remove or cut a hole in the fuel tank, etc. They paid me $1286 for it without the wheels and tires, which are now being a PITA to store.