BCM Community

Folks, I have made yet another faux pas.  I looked again at the pictures that the owner just sent the other day.  THEY SHOW TRUSSES.

I will try to post a number of them here.


Naturally, I would welcome all comments, positive or negative.

I can't post all of the pictures in this thread, I will have to do a new post.

Ros

Please see the pictures/attachments.

Ros

More pictures....thanks, guys.

Ros

The left side vertical member in the first photo, is not rusted thru...atypically, that would be one of the first places that would "rust through"..indicating to me that this bus at the price is well worth investigating...
the horizontal steel abutting below the bay floor is intact, another indication the the "normal" rust has not taken initial degrade.

Hey, Donald.

Great then.  I have already called John Silver off however, some others on here have volunteered to inspect it.

These bus board and their members are beyond wonderful.

Thanks.

This bus see-saw thing is getting me dizzier.

Ros

Quote from: eagle19952 on November 26, 2014, 08:54:19 PM
The left side vertical member in the first photo, is not rusted thru...atypically, that would be one of the first places that would "rust through"..indicating to me that this bus at the price is well worth investigating...

if you cannot put a screwdriver thru the wheel hoops....this bus has lotsa life, imo.

Donald, you are talking to a dummy.  What is a wheel hoop and is that really an indicator of lots of life left?

Quote from: eagle19952 on November 26, 2014, 09:02:43 PM
if you cannot put a screwdriver thru the wheel hoops....this bus has lotsa life, imo.

The wheel hoop is the arced structure of which there are 6, (one for each wheel...)(1 inch square tube) (mandrel bent) that forms the outer arc of the wheel well, to which the aluminum siding is attached, that point being where all of the road grit and salt most often attack the bus structure thus the first places to "rust through".... where the rivets first start popping out/off...

Riteo.

Thanks for the explanation.  I suppose they are made of steel.  However, aluminum can degrade to a powdery substance.

I am waiting to hear from Clifford after he sees the pictures as to get it or forget it.

Thanks,  Donald.

Ros

Quote from: eagle19952 on November 26, 2014, 10:52:53 PM
The wheel hoop is the arced structure of which there are 6, (one for each wheel...)(1 inch square tube) (mandrel bent) that forms the outer arc of the wheel well, to which the aluminum siding is attached, that point being where all of the road grit and salt most often attack the bus structure thus the first places to "rust through".... where the rivets first start popping out/off...

While I still think a bus will be a big mistake, here is one that as a professional conversion is going to be waaaay better than most others being considered.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Prevost-le-mirage-RV-private-coach-1986-/221618433517?forcerrptr=true&hash=item33997ceded&item=221618433517&pt=RVs_Campers (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Prevost-le-mirage-RV-private-coach-1986-/221618433517?forcerrptr=true&hash=item33997ceded&item=221618433517&pt=RVs_Campers)

I always thought that era of Prevost was just the prettiest bus for a coach conversion ever.  Nice price and looks well kept.  I never saw one with the belt guards still on the engine before!   ;D  It's in Ft. Lauderdale

Brian

The only thing I can tell from those pictures is that it is an Australian bus for sure.   :D
(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FHrb6mYn.jpg&hash=b39c5dcd519338a39ee9fc3021d0586809cd096b)

Just kidding guys! -not trying to insult anyone.

Ros- Look carefully at the picture labeled "MIDDLE BUS BAY.jpg".  There are rust holes near the bay floor on the vertical support.  Look at the other vertical supports in the other pictures.  It looks like some sort of black patches (steel? tape?) welded over where the rust holes would be.  The pictures alone aren't enough to condemn the bus.  Have the inspector check the thickness of the metal with a pick, first.

Did I read some where the bogies have been removed from that particular bus ? lol these up side down photos are killing me 

You should post photos of the rest of the bus. I'm really curious. Especially after seeing these bay photos with regard to the comments you made about my friend's MC9.

The Prevost in Jon post is a good buy.  The Generator and tires are almost worth half of what they are asking for the bus.  From the pictures the body is good, paint not that bad for a 86 paint job.
Jack

Is it just me or does that thing look like a complete hunk of junk? The upside down photo's make it hard to tell but everything looks jury rigged and half @$$ed. My advice, save your money and get something that has been converted and that's not a lot of money these days 10-20k will buy you a nice converted bus or start from scratch with a bus that all of us are lining up to buy if you don't because it's in such great shape. Can we ask what your budget is?

My guess is everyone has been trying to be nice and realize that you are probably gonna do this no matter what but Ros if I could go back in time and NOT buy my first bus my life would've been remarkably better. The bays in my first bus makes this look like a squatters tent and that bus was a complete disaster. I know it's Thanks giving and all but I think most of you folks think he's making a terrible mistake and part of the role of the blog is to tell a fella when he's driving off a cliff. Whether they listen or not is their business.

I don't think I've heard a word about the motor and transmission, the tires and brakes, Brakes can be $2000 a wheel at a shop. All I can say is if I was looking at this bus after 7 or 8 years on the blog you guys would be doing your best to stop me.

My opinion is pass on this one.

RB

It will prob be pulled or said sold (Prevost) Worth more than that if a runner. Heck I'd buy it just to have extra.. I will wait till monday to ck on it. I have a bus..  Parts are avail from prevost. with a super support system.  Can hear my wife!   Bob

The Prevost is good or fair buy his price is in the range they are selling that model for I saw a 1985 model with less miles sell for 15 grand last week,why anybody would try and convert or buy a 2 million mile hiway converted bus is beyond me

Here's one you might want to look at, too.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/convertedbusowners/permalink/752554818113843/ (https://www.facebook.com/groups/convertedbusowners/permalink/752554818113843/)

Ros,

I am not an Eagle fan, but that particular one looks terrible! I wouldn't touch it with a 10ft pole.

Here's to hoping you find the perfect one ;D

John

Hi, Jon and thank you for the lead.

I have talked to the owner about this bus.  I am to call him again tomorrow.

This one looks wonderful and I would love to have it.  I doubt that it is possible but one never knows.

Again, thanks.

Ros

Quote from: Jon on November 27, 2014, 03:26:15 AM
While I still think a bus will be a big mistake, here is one that as a professional conversion is going to be waaaay better than most others being considered.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Prevost-le-mirage-RV-private-coach-1986-/221618433517?forcerrptr=true&hash=item33997ceded&item=221618433517&pt=RVs_Campers (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Prevost-le-mirage-RV-private-coach-1986-/221618433517?forcerrptr=true&hash=item33997ceded&item=221618433517&pt=RVs_Campers)

Cute.

Hi, Sparkplug.  Sorry for the upside down pictures.  They display on my computer right side up. 

I guess that I could edit them and save them and send them again.

However, due to lots of negative comments and even I don't like the look of the engine compartment nor the bays, I am going to let someone else take the deal.

I appreciate your comments on this beast, Sparkplug.

Ros

Quote from: sparkplug188 on November 27, 2014, 04:47:49 AM
The only thing I can tell from those pictures is that it is an Australian bus for sure.   :D
(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FHrb6mYn.jpg&hash=b39c5dcd519338a39ee9fc3021d0586809cd096b)

Just kidding guys! -not trying to insult anyone.

Ros- Look carefully at the picture labeled "MIDDLE BUS BAY.jpg".  There are rust holes near the bay floor on the vertical support.  Look at the other vertical supports in the other pictures.  It looks like some sort of black patches (steel? tape?) welded over where the rust holes would be.  The pictures alone aren't enough to condemn the bus.  Have the inspector check the thickness of the metal with a pick, first.

Hi, Clifford,

Sorry for the upside down pictures.  They display on my computer right side up. 

Yes, the bogies have been removed by the owner.


Ros

Quote from: luvrbus on November 27, 2014, 06:07:02 AM
Did I read some where the bogies have been removed from that particular bus ? lol these up side down photos are killing me 

your kidding.... ??? ::) ???..... :-\

Quote from: ros on November 27, 2014, 12:54:58 PM
Hi, Clifford
Yes, the bogies have been removed by the owner.Ros

Gumpy,



I am curious as to who your friend is and what did I say about his MC9 and on what board?

Ros


Here are some pics:

Quote from: gumpy on November 27, 2014, 06:34:04 AM
You should post photos of the rest of the bus. I'm really curious. Especially after seeing these bay photos with regard to the comments you made about my friend's MC9.

pic.

pic

Hi, Jack.

I surely looks good and a very viable contender for me.  Now, to rob another bank.

This beauty is tied up in litigation and that could get ugly....or not.


Ros

Quote from: blue_goose on November 27, 2014, 06:45:51 AM
The Prevost in Jon post is a good buy.  The Generator and tires are almost worth half of what they are asking for the bus.  From the pictures the body is good, paint not that bad for a 86 paint job.
Jack

Hi, Rick.

I appreciate your comments on this bus.

http://lakeland.craigslist.org/search/sss?sort=rel&query=eagle+bus (http://lakeland.craigslist.org/search/sss?sort=rel&query=eagle+bus)

Unless something changes for the better, I am passing on this bus.

Thank you.

Ros


Here is the c.l. link so that you can see much about the bus that I did not post.

Quote from: RickB on November 27, 2014, 07:59:39 AM
Is it just me or does that thing look like a complete hunk of junk? The upside down photo's make it hard to tell but everything looks jury rigged and half @$$ed. My advice, save your money and get something that has been converted and that's not a lot of money these days 10-20k will buy you a nice converted bus or start from scratch with a bus that all of us are lining up to buy if you don't because it's in such great shape. Can we ask what your budget is?

My guess is everyone has been trying to be nice and realize that you are probably gonna do this no matter what but Ros if I could go back in time and NOT buy my first bus my life would've been remarkably better. The bays in my first bus makes this look like a squatters tent and that bus was a complete disaster. I know it's Thanks giving and all but I think most of you folks think he's making a terrible mistake and part of the role of the blog is to tell a fella when he's driving off a cliff. Whether they listen or not is their business.

I don't think I've heard a word about the motor and transmission, the tires and brakes, Brakes can be $2000 a wheel at a shop. All I can say is if I was looking at this bus after 7 or 8 years on the blog you guys would be doing your best to stop me.

My opinion is pass on this one.

RB

http://lakeland.craigslist.org/search/sss?sort=rel&query=eagle+bus (http://lakeland.craigslist.org/search/sss?sort=rel&query=eagle+bus)

Quote from: sparkplug188 on November 27, 2014, 04:47:49 AM
The only thing I can tell from those pictures is that it is an Australian bus for sure.   :D
(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FHrb6mYn.jpg&hash=b39c5dcd519338a39ee9fc3021d0586809cd096b)

Just kidding guys! -not trying to insult anyone.

Ros- Look carefully at the picture labeled "MIDDLE BUS BAY.jpg".  There are rust holes near the bay floor on the vertical support.  Look at the other vertical supports in the other pictures.  It looks like some sort of black patches (steel? tape?) welded over where the rust holes would be.  The pictures alone aren't enough to condemn the bus.  Have the inspector check the thickness of the metal with a pick, first.

http://lakeland.craigslist.org/search/sss?sort=rel&query=eagle+bus (http://lakeland.craigslist.org/search/sss?sort=rel&query=eagle+bus)

Quote from: gumpy on November 27, 2014, 06:34:04 AM
You should post photos of the rest of the bus. I'm really curious. Especially after seeing these bay photos with regard to the comments you made about my friend's MC9.

Robert,

I have already talked with the owner. 

Are you going to try to buy the bus?

Ros

Quote from: robertglines1 on November 27, 2014, 08:07:25 AM
It will prob be pulled or said sold (Prevost) Worth more than that if a runner. Heck I'd buy it just to have extra.. I will wait till monday to ck on it. I have a bus..  Parts are avail from prevost. with a super support system.  Can hear my wife!   Bob

Hi, Gumpy.

I can't see that bus because I just joined after seeing your post and my membership is pending.

Can you copy and paste a bit about it in p.m. to me?


Thanks

Ros

Quote from: gumpy on November 27, 2014, 10:14:14 AM
Here's one you might want to look at, too.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/convertedbusowners/permalink/752554818113843/ (https://www.facebook.com/groups/convertedbusowners/permalink/752554818113843/)

Hi, John and thank you for your opinion, too.

Here is the c.l. advertisement. 

http://lakeland.craigslist.org/search/sss?sort=rel&query=eagle+bus (http://lakeland.craigslist.org/search/sss?sort=rel&query=eagle+bus)

I wonder if you are condemning the entire bus because of just a few pictures?

Nevertheless, I am passing on the bus due to the opinions expressed here and the other board.

It is very good to know that others are voicing their opinions whatever they may be.

Ros

Quote from: John316 on November 27, 2014, 12:17:44 PM
Ros,

I am not an Eagle fan, but that particular one looks terrible! I wouldn't touch it with a 10ft pole.

Here's to hoping you find the perfect one ;D

John

ROS, a wise choice passing on that Eagle IMO it would be nothing but a problem without the bogie Eagle made a 2 axle 40ft but the suspension is different

Thanks, Clifford.  Including your valuable opinion, too many others expressed their opinion to pass on it, as well.

I sure hope that I can get this other bus on the 'bay.

Someone sent a lead on a buffalo but it was only 35 feet.

You never did say if you know Duane in Tennessee.


Ros

Quote from: luvrbus on November 27, 2014, 02:56:03 PM
ROS, a wise choice passing on that Eagle IMO it would be nothing but a problem without the bogie Eagle made a 2 axle 40ft but the suspension is different

Ros; I would appreciate a note if you decide to pass on the Prevost. Not going to muddy waters on any possible deal.  I have owned 3 XL's and have allot of parts and accumulated experience with them. Plan on 4 1/2 to 5mpg without mods.  They are tuff. Might drive 5 ft or last another 200,000 miles. Would be worth a air line ticket to find out.  Plus with the factory hitch they are designed to pull good size trailers. That looks like a 10,000 lb hitch.(standard equip) 20,000 lb was available. Bob

Thank  you, Robert and for that, you can count on me sending you a p.m. about it.

I really appreciate your having bowed out depending on how I fare.  That is very noble of you.

This really would be my perfect bus and I hope that I can swing it.  I wonder what McDonalds is paying nowadays.  Bye bye to the house, the utilities, the house insurance, the exorbitant taxes for this resort town, the phone bills, the water bills, all of the upkeep for the house and grounds, field mice traps, the INSANE electrical bills, the fuel to go into town to get groceries from out in the country, fence mending and painting, house painting, the mowing of grass and tending to and trimming of thousands of trees, the septic tank emptying charges, no more mortgage payments that I can't pay and the worry of being evicted at any day and strangling a partridge in a pear tree.  Oh, how I will miss it all when I get a bus.  ::)

I still have too many naysayers about me getting a bus.  As I have said umpteen times before, I don't have a VIABLE choice.

I think that the various boards that I constantly post to, ask questions of and about buses and all manner of other stuff while pestering folks with private messages, asking them to explain this or that, should really chip in and make up the difference to what I can afford, just so they could get  some peace and quiet.  Hah. ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Oh, I had better make sure that folks know that I am kidding.  Too many have taken me seriously.
I got myself into this jam and I will get myself out of it; no help needed except plenty of advice.



Christmas is coming and by then I hope to have a rig before that but I could swing a bell and have a kettle saying BUS FUND.

Quote from: robertglines1 on November 27, 2014, 06:21:19 PM
Ros; I would appreciate a note if you decide to pass on the Prevost. Not going to muddy waters on any possible deal.  I have owned 3 XL's and have allot of parts and accumulated experience with them. Plan on 4 1/2 to 5mpg without mods.  They are tuff. Might drive 5 ft or last another 200,000 miles. Would be worth a air line ticket to find out.  Plus with the factory hitch they are designed to pull good size trailers. That looks like a 10,000 lb hitch.(standard equip) 20,000 lb was available. Bob

Ros, what part of Texas you live in?

Hi, Muldoon.

I live in Salado, TX in Bell County.  Not too far from you in Fayette Country.

Why do you ask?

Ros

Quote from: muldoonman on November 27, 2014, 08:40:04 PM
Ros, what part of Texas you live in?

Quote from: ros on November 27, 2014, 07:06:00 PM...  This really would be my perfect bus and I hope that I can swing it.  I wonder what McDonalds is paying nowadays.  Bye bye to the house, the utilities, the house insurance, the exorbitant taxes for this resort town, the phone bills, the water bills, all of the upkeep for the house and grounds, field mice traps, the INSANE electrical bills, the fuel to go into town to get groceries from out in the country, fence mending and painting, house painting, the mowing of grass and tending to and trimming of thousands of trees, the septic tank emptying charges, no more mortgage payments that I can't pay and the worry of being evicted at any day and strangling a partridge in a pear tree.  Oh, how I will miss it all when I get a bus.  ::)

I still have too many naysayers about me getting a bus.  As I have said umpteen times before, I don't have a VIABLE choice. ..   

       OK, this is serious.  I understand.  And I DO NOT want to seem a naysayer, but if you're in a critical life situation, you should be thinking about all the details.   

       First, let's talk about a little context here.  Some people here are full-timers with enough resources that they don't have to stick to a tight budget, others are full-timers who DO have to stick to a tight budget, others have a bus/coach conversion that they use for business purposes ("entertainers", temp relocations for short/medium term work contracts, and there are others of us (of all financial conditions) for whom bus ownership is basically a toy.  We will all have different points of view on things.

       There will be people here who can help with tips for simple fulltime living on a budget.  And that's just fine.  But I think that you should be aware of the fact that there are some challenges that bus owners face.  There is always the issue of parking; sometimes you can lease a quiet place (local codes and restrictions sometimes make this difficult) but day-to-day can be a challenge.  Local and state parks often have a limit to the number of consecutive days or the number of days in a week or month.  And there's the issue of hookups -- a person *can* live full-time boondocking but it is so much more convenient and simpler to live in a place or have a place available that provides "shore power", water and sewer.  And parking and utilities can be expensive.  And you mention driving to the grocery store -- many places to fulltime in a bus are not really convenient to shopping, doctor's appointments (sometimes important for us old people), work, etc.  And you mention a situation with a resort county; those are often the most bus-un-friendly.

        Now, none of this is a stopper.  Many people have successfully dealt with these issues and managed to live on less than the whole property-owning, tax-paying, yard-mowing scene.  But if I were you and I were facing a critical situation, I'd investigate the cost of parking -- in places that were "boondocking" (not forgetting the making your own electricity is usually a good bit more expensive than buying it from the electric company), places with hookups, a budget for utilities, and a reserve for making bus repairs and upgrades.  Also, if you intend to move around, you have to factor in bus fuel and maintenance costs -- and NOTHING about this is cheap!

        Not saying that this is a bad idea but be aware of what you're facing going in.

        On the other hand, things can be done at a lower cost.  I recently spent a week on my bus plugged into a 15A socket - put a "Kill-o-watt" meter on it set to "K-watt cost".  It showed that I'd used less than $1.50 of the local power rates.  Now, that's *everything* in my favor.  I started with 95% batteries, I had no heating or air conditioning costs (mid-summer and mid-winter would be WAY different), was running a 12V fridge, and had only one person on the bus and had no sewer hookup so I wasn't running the water heater on the bus.  But it shows a "low variable".    Taxes on a bus will be way lower than a house and property.   You'll live smaller and that helps.  Do you have family or other people sharing the bus?  That will make a difference.  And being long-term unemployed, I can tell you that being free from having to live near a job, the costs of getting back and forth, the "daily costs" of working, etc. can make an un-attached life style life style cheaper -- or at least balance off some of the costs.

        And one other final note, the costs of finishing or modifying the conversion of a bus can be high.  Same for repairs if the bus isn't in good mechanical shape when you buy it.  What you buy, where you buy it, info on the weak points on a particular bus type, the quality of the inspection before you buy, the layout and equipment on the bus can all have an effect on the overall cost of owning it over the longer term (or even the shorter term).  And, don't forget, if you're "living near the bone", a major bus failure can wreck your finances.  For instance, a major engine failure (rare but not unheard of) can basically total a low-cost/low-value bus;  If you don't have the $15 - $18 -$20 - $25,000 to replace an engine, you basically lose your home.  All this is to say that in the condition of buying a bus to live at a lower cost, one must be very careful what you buy. 

        So, definitely not a nay-sayer here.  But I urge you to be aware of the realities of living in a bus and making plans to cover the costs and quirks.  Good luck!  And don't forget that many of us who fulltime or "mosttime" on buses love it!  Go for it, if it fits you -- but be aware and do it like a business proposition.

Hi Bruce, very concise and encompassing,  ros, the basic form is tin can camping, the high end has no limits on luxury, lvmci...

I do hope this one works for you the Prevost are good buses I know the Prevost people don't like the word RUST but that model will rust around the windows ,rear bay and engine compartment so have someone like ACE check it for you he knows where they rust, if the floor feels soft in the rear that is a good sign of rust BTDT and no I don't know the guy in TN

good luck  

Ros,

I think I was looking at the wrong bus. Most of my comments still apply, but I think this is the one you are looking at. http://tampa.craigslist.org/hdo/rvs/4769643724.html (http://tampa.craigslist.org/hdo/rvs/4769643724.html) I still would not get it!

I have only been around buses for seven years, so a newby by most standards. However, in that time I have learned a few things.

I wouldn't go near that bus for several reasons. First is, it is old, if I am looking at the right one. Where are you planning on getting parts for it? I just talked to an eagle owner who was lamenting how tough parts were to find. Even with our MCI, I could order almost any part, straight from the factory.

And then you have to keep it running. We could probably place a pool on how long we think the engine will last. Then there is the dropbox. I wonder how it has been cared for? What about the suspension? Tires?

The list is endless.

I have found, that the older it is, the more you need to put in it to keep it running. If it was me, I would try for that Prevost. Looks a lot better to me.

FWIW

John

A little birdie told me the Prevost in FL has a weak engine so check it out it was blowing a little water out the right side air box drain when he looked at it, could be just condensation from setting or could be another problem needs to be driven for 40 or 50 miles

Quote from: luvrbus on November 28, 2014, 07:37:48 AM
A little birdie told me the Prevost in FL has a weak engine so check it out it was blowing a little water out the right side air box drain when he looked at it, could be just condensation from setting or could be another problem needs to be driven for 40 or 50 miles

LOL, Clifford. You are awesome. I am glad you on our side ;D

He told me it is was pretty rough not something he was willing to tackle with all the wiring problems   

Project bus:? but sounds like it needs real good tire kicking. Was elect problem on prev ost side or house?  Nice to have troops on ground.. Sometimes it comes down to how much we can do  in long run and what we can live with as  to condition.  The only reason this one even peaked my interest was a factory conversion pre creston ( complicated systems )

Once a bus reaches a certain age Mother Nature and financial realities begin to scream WALK AWAY.

It doesn't matter if it is an Eagle or a Prevost. Old buses have lots of issues that age cause. Corrosion is certainly a big concern. Generally a bus conversion that was never a seated coach is going to be waaaaaay better than a bus that was used year round in all kinds of conditions. But that doesn't mean a bus converted from new is immune. It was just exposed to less damaging conditions. Clifford named the areas I would look at on an older Prevost for corrosion, but even if the frame corrosion is minimal or non-existent the corrosion of everything from fasteners to hose clamps to fittings makes older buses a real pain in the @$# to repair.

As to the electrical problems on a professional conversion, that is not surprising and I would not consider that a deal breaker with one exception. Usually as coaches age the owners stop taking them to Prevost or the bus converter for repairs, and instead take them to Harvey's Bait Shop and Bus Repair. Harvey doesn't bother with those pesky wire diagrams when something goes wrong, he just assumes he knows more than the guys that put the bus together in the first place and he starts rewiring with the expected results. A patient owner willing to spend time and do some research can usually fix issues. With the one exception. That is wiring that has become mouse food. Not only do rodents like to eat the insulation, they seem to get at it where mankind cannot access without destroying the coach.

But so far, of all the coaches posted on this site as potential candidates I see none as a better alternative to the Prevost. If the engine is weak but still runs OK that buys time to find a bus or truck being scrapped that has a good 8V92 in it. It will never pay to rebuild one. That is where the financial considerations come into play. An owner of an old bus needs cash reserves to deal with the most expensive potential repair because only the lucky among us are able to plan for repairs, and have the cheapest alternative available. Usually something breaks when we are on an interstate hundreds of miles from home and our cache of spare parts

Old buses are kind of like having an old hunting camp.  You go up on the weekend, You drive fours hours on Friday night, you work on it all day Saturday, you sit on the dock and drink beer and tell stories all night, then you kind of limp around Sunday morning till it's time to drive the 4 hours to get home.  You don't walk around in the woods scaring deer very much at all...

Brian

Wiring issues are not expensive to repair for big money parts they are just very labor consuming chasing the wires I understand that Prevost has a problem with both systems the generator runs but no power when Devin was there people were working on the generator system they want to sell it as is and not spend any money on the unit   

Quote from: bevans6 on November 28, 2014, 11:03:00 AM
Old buses are kind of like having an old hunting camp.  You go up on the weekend, You drive fours hours on Friday night, you work on it all day Saturday, you sit on the dock and drink beer and tell stories all night, then you kind of limp around Sunday morning till it's time to drive the 4 hours to get home.  You don't walk around in the woods scaring deer very much at all...

Brian

It's exactly the same when you have a boat in a marina somewhere too...infinitely more time is spent traveling, maintaining and paying for things than is ever spent sailing. As the saying goes, "The two best days of <your choice of expensive toy> ownership are the day you buy it, and the day you sell it"

Jeremy

PS - I personally like working on wiring problems more than probably any other aspect - it's a very clean and totally logical thing to work on, and when you fix it it's immensely satisfying. Unlike, for example, plumbing or mechanical issues that can be very messy and where there's always an element of uncertainty, even when you 'think' you've solved the problem.

Any further discussion likely does not matter. The Prevost seems gone from ebay.

Hi, Bruce and thank you for taking the time to go over things that you consider that I should consider.

All of these things have been gone over before.  I THINK that I know enough to venture forth. 
However, I emphasized 'think'.  I will never know it all.  I just have to do what needs to be done.

By the way, I would not use the bus to go shopping, I have a toad for that.

Trying to think of all of the details, Bruce, is pretty much all that I do.  I research this or that about buses and spend my daylight hours into the wee hours of the morning searching for buses that I may be able to afford and at the same time, ensure that they are in good condition - as much as I can.

In the case, as has been said, I would never spend that kind of money for an engine, mainly because I cannot.  The other reason is, even if I did have that financial wherewithal, I wouldn't.  I would park it and look for a used engine from someone who is reputable.

I think that you misunderstood me, I said that I live in a resort community and would never consider something like that for my 'parking place'.

Again, thanks, Bruce.


Ros

Quote from: Oonrahnjay on November 28, 2014, 06:06:19 AM
       OK, this is serious.  I understand.  And I DO NOT want to seem a naysayer, but if you're in a critical life situation, you should be thinking about all the details.   

       First, let's talk about a little context here.  Some people here are full-timers with enough resources that they don't have to stick to a tight budget, others are full-timers who DO have to stick to a tight budget, others have a bus/coach conversion that they use for business purposes ("entertainers", temp relocations for short/medium term work contracts, and there are others of us (of all financial conditions) for whom bus ownership is basically a toy.  We will all have different points of view on things.

       There will be people here who can help with tips for simple fulltime living on a budget.  And that's just fine.  But I think that you should be aware of the fact that there are some challenges that bus owners face.  There is always the issue of parking; sometimes you can lease a quiet place (local codes and restrictions sometimes make this difficult) but day-to-day can be a challenge.  Local and state parks often have a limit to the number of consecutive days or the number of days in a week or month.  And there's the issue of hookups -- a person *can* live full-time boondocking but it is so much more convenient and simpler to live in a place or have a place available that provides "shore power", water and sewer.  And parking and utilities can be expensive.  And you mention driving to the grocery store -- many places to fulltime in a bus are not really convenient to shopping, doctor's appointments (sometimes important for us old people), work, etc.  And you mention a situation with a resort county; those are often the most bus-un-friendly.

        Now, none of this is a stopper.  Many people have successfully dealt with these issues and managed to live on less than the whole property-owning, tax-paying, yard-mowing scene.  But if I were you and I were facing a critical situation, I'd investigate the cost of parking -- in places that were "boondocking" (not forgetting the making your own electricity is usually a good bit more expensive than buying it from the electric company), places with hookups, a budget for utilities, and a reserve for making bus repairs and upgrades.  Also, if you intend to move around, you have to factor in bus fuel and maintenance costs -- and NOTHING about this is cheap!

        Not saying that this is a bad idea but be aware of what you're facing going in.

        On the other hand, things can be done at a lower cost.  I recently spent a week on my bus plugged into a 15A socket - put a "Kill-o-watt" meter on it set to "K-watt cost".  It showed that I'd used less than $1.50 of the local power rates.  Now, that's *everything* in my favor.  I started with 95% batteries, I had no heating or air conditioning costs (mid-summer and mid-winter would be WAY different), was running a 12V fridge, and had only one person on the bus and had no sewer hookup so I wasn't running the water heater on the bus.  But it shows a "low variable".    Taxes on a bus will be way lower than a house and property.   You'll live smaller and that helps.  Do you have family or other people sharing the bus?  That will make a difference.  And being long-term unemployed, I can tell you that being free from having to live near a job, the costs of getting back and forth, the "daily costs" of working, etc. can make an un-attached life style life style cheaper -- or at least balance off some of the costs.

        And one other final note, the costs of finishing or modifying the conversion of a bus can be high.  Same for repairs if the bus isn't in good mechanical shape when you buy it.  What you buy, where you buy it, info on the weak points on a particular bus type, the quality of the inspection before you buy, the layout and equipment on the bus can all have an effect on the overall cost of owning it over the longer term (or even the shorter term).  And, don't forget, if you're "living near the bone", a major bus failure can wreck your finances.  For instance, a major engine failure (rare but not unheard of) can basically total a low-cost/low-value bus;  If you don't have the $15 - $18 -$20 - $25,000 to replace an engine, you basically lose your home.  All this is to say that in the condition of buying a bus to live at a lower cost, one must be very careful what you buy. 

        So, definitely not a nay-sayer here.  But I urge you to be aware of the realities of living in a bus and making plans to cover the costs and quirks.  Good luck!  And don't forget that many of us who fulltime or "mosttime" on buses love it!  Go for it, if it fits you -- but be aware and do it like a business proposition.

Tom,

I am sure that you are right.

Ros

Quote from: lvmci on November 28, 2014, 06:34:21 AM
Hi Bruce, very concise and encompassing,  ros, the basic form is tin can camping, the high end has no limits on luxury, lvmci...

Quote from: Jeremy on November 28, 2014, 02:54:04 PM...   PS - I personally like working on wiring problems more than probably any other aspect - it's a very clean and totally logical thing to work on, and when you fix it it's immensely satisfying. Unlike, for example, plumbing or mechanical issues that can be very messy and where there's always an element of uncertainty, even when you 'think' you've solved the problem.

      IDK, it seems every electrical problem I run into is "an intermittent problem".   I tell people 'I grew up dating North Carolina girls, I worked for British companies for 20 years, and I used to be engaged to a red head, so I KNOW what frustration is, but there are very few things more frustrating than an intermittent electrical problem!'  So maybe there's an "element of uncertainty" with those little electrictrons, too!

Bruce, you are right; intermittent electrical, electronic and software are maddening.

Fortunately, there are methods to seek them out and repair them, in all of the above.


Ros

Quote from: Oonrahnjay on November 28, 2014, 05:16:50 PM
      IDK, it seems every electrical problem I run into is "an intermittent problem".   I tell people 'I grew up dating North Carolina girls, I worked for British companies for 20 years, and I used to be engaged to a red head, so I KNOW what frustration is, but there are very few things more frustrating than an intermittent electrical problem!'  So maybe there's an "element of uncertainty" with those little electrictrons, too!

Ros,

With all due respect the loss of an engine is not an issue you can deal with under your terms. Nothing ever breaks when we are parked at our home base with access to our tools and resources.

If an engine is going to have a catastrophic failure requiring its replacement it is probably going to happen on the road. Once that first domino tips it likely begins a chain of very costly events. The first is getting a tow. Then you end up in the tow company yard or at a repair shop, neither of which you would likely choose. At that point you are a hostage. No business I know of is likely going to let you take your time researching available, cheap, useable engines. More than likely you are going to be pressured to authorize them to do the repair work, or come up with a place to go because you are in their yard and if you aren't using their services you need to be gone.

Or worse, you get sucked into letting them give you a price for a simple repair, such as replacing the widget, only to find out the entire engine is toast and sitting in pieces on their shop floor. All of a sudden that $1000 repair has escalated to a $15,000 rebuild on an $8,000 bus (if the engine was running). The alternative of course is to never drive your bus, which saves the cost of licensing, insurance, tires, fuel, etc. At that point a nice 5th wheel becomes the best choice.

Or maybe you will be lucky.

Quote from: ros on November 28, 2014, 04:29:16 PM...   All of these things have been gone over before.  ... 

      Yes, and as I was writing, I was thinking "he's probably been working on all this" but it seemed a good thing to put the basics all together in one place.  And I was hoping to not sound lecturing, like I said, just trying to organize some facts.   it's good that you're getting the prep work done.

Quote from: ros on November 28, 2014, 04:29:16 PMI think that you misunderstood me, I said that I live in a resort community and would never consider something like that for my 'parking place'.

Again, thanks, Bruce.    Ros     

      Right.  Some people feel "hooked" to one particular place -- even if it's a bad one -- by the need to be there for a job.  If you can move (or even better, if it's in your job interests to move), it will be a great advantage for you.

      There will be "the right bus" for you out there - it's just a matter of finding it!  Good luck with your effort.

Thanks for the input, Jon.

However, I know all of that but our methods vary greatly.

It suspect that because you have the 'bucks', that you might find yourself in that situation whereby 'they' could hold you hostage and that you would give them approval to repair the engine.  When one doesn't have the 'bucks' they have to anticipate what booby traps lay ahead and ensure that they defuse all that they can.  I wouldn't let them take me to their shop in the first place.  BTDT.

I continue to say that if I were on the road and an engine or transmission blew, I would have it towed to a park that would allow me to stay while I searched for the parts.  If there were no parks around, I would seek a place to temporarily store it while I found another space.  Yes, all of that is tremendously hard to do on foreign turf.

Also, I have already put a few feelers out for a used, known-good 8v71/8v-6v92.  I think that it would be wise to buy one ahead of time (if you know which engine 'the' bus has) and store it in a storage rental place for if and when I need it.  

Is all of this lots of trouble, darn tootin, it is.  

I have looked around for a lifetime and I just can't seem to find the magical metaphysical certitude.

Again, I don't think a fifth-wheel would hold my treasures.

Jon, you have no idea of just how much that I wish it were all different but I have been dealt some cards and I am trying to do the best that I can with them.

I have mentioned that with any bus that I get, I would move to Dallas' rv park and soak up as much of his knowledge that he is willing to share.  I could do work at his yard but of course the engine/transmission won't 'blow' while I am there but he could give them a pretty fair assessment.


Ros

Quote from: Jon on November 29, 2014, 03:44:00 AM
Ros,

With all due respect the loss of an engine is not an issue you can deal with under your terms. Nothing ever breaks when we are parked at our home base with access to our tools and resources.

If an engine is going to have a catastrophic failure requiring its replacement it is probably going to happen on the road. Once that first domino tips it likely begins a chain of very costly events. The first is getting a tow. Then you end up in the tow company yard or at a repair shop, neither of which you would likely choose. At that point you are a hostage. No business I know of is likely going to let you take your time researching available, cheap, useable engines. More than likely you are going to be pressured to authorize them to do the repair work, or come up with a place to go because you are in their yard and if you aren't using their services you need to be gone.

Or worse, you get sucked into letting them give you a price for a simple repair, such as replacing the widget, only to find out the entire engine is toast and sitting in pieces on their shop floor. All of a sudden that $1000 repair has escalated to a $15,000 rebuild on an $8,000 bus (if the engine was running). The alternative of course is to never drive your bus, which saves the cost of licensing, insurance, tires, fuel, etc. At that point a nice 5th wheel becomes the best choice.

Or maybe you will be lucky.

Bruce,

I don't have the luxury or the misery of a job.  I am 74 and living from S.S.

Bank robbery is my second source.

Ros

Quote from: Oonrahnjay on November 29, 2014, 04:39:56 AM
      Yes, and as I was writing, I was thinking "he's probably been working on all this" but it seemed a good thing to put the basics all together in one place.  And I was hoping to not sound lecturing, like I said, just trying to organize some facts.   it's good that you're getting the prep work done.

      Right.  Some people feel "hooked" to one particular place -- even if it's a bad one -- by the need to be there for a job.  If you can move (or even better, if it's in your job interests to move), it will be a great advantage for you.

      There will be "the right bus" for you out there - it's just a matter of finding it!  Good luck with your effort.

More money at 7/11 than banks nowadays  ::)

Quote from: ros on November 29, 2014, 12:51:30 PMBruce,  I don't have the luxury or the misery of a job.  I am 74 and living from S.S.
Bank robbery is my second source.

Ros 

      Gotcha.  I got my snout in the Gummint trough myseff!!  We all do what we have to and what we can.  It's good.

http://www.usednanaimo.com/classified-ad/FINAL-PRICE-DROP-FOR-QUICK-SALE--1957-MCI-BUS_23202964I (http://www.usednanaimo.com/classified-ad/FINAL-PRICE-DROP-FOR-QUICK-SALE--1957-MCI-BUS_23202964I) know its a long way away but a hint to what we have up this way.

Clifford,

I could get groceries, too.

Ros

Quote from: luvrbus on November 29, 2014, 01:08:13 PM
More money at 7/11 than banks nowadays  ::)

Thanks but: "Ad with ID 23202964I does not exist."

I am afraid of buses that old. 


Ros

Quote from: dbldragon on November 29, 2014, 03:04:39 PM
http://www.usednanaimo.com/classified-ad/FINAL-PRICE-DROP-FOR-QUICK-SALE--1957-MCI-BUS_23202964I (http://www.usednanaimo.com/classified-ad/FINAL-PRICE-DROP-FOR-QUICK-SALE--1957-MCI-BUS_23202964I) know its a long way away but a hint to what we have up this way.

Quote from: ros on November 29, 2014, 03:29:04 PM
Thanks but: "Ad with ID 23202964I does not exist."

I am afraid of buses that old.  


Ros

Try removing the "I" from the end of it. It's a run on sentence.  :)


BTW, that is one sweet looking MCI! Nice price, too! Where were these great buses when I was first looking?

Thanks, Gumpy.  That worked.  Nice bus for a collector but too old for me and my pocketbook.

Ros

Quote from: gumpy on November 29, 2014, 04:20:43 PM
Try removing the "I" from the end of it. It's a run on sentence.  :)


BTW, that is one sweet looking MCI! Nice price, too! Where were these great buses when I was first looking?

Thanks, Dragon. 

I need something newer and cheaper, if possible.

Ros

Quote from: dbldragon on November 29, 2014, 03:04:39 PM
http://www.usednanaimo.com/classified-ad/FINAL-PRICE-DROP-FOR-QUICK-SALE--1957-MCI-BUS_23202964I (http://www.usednanaimo.com/classified-ad/FINAL-PRICE-DROP-FOR-QUICK-SALE--1957-MCI-BUS_23202964I) know its a long way away but a hint to what we have up this way.

With all due respect I think your requirements out do your wallet.

I'm looking for a brand new Prevost, Liberty conversion on the XLII chassis, two slides, over the road air, 4 CruiseAirs, Sub Zero refrigerator and freezers, LED TVs, ipad remote controls for all audio visual and house functions, lithium batteries and all the standard Prevost chassis features and it must fit my budget. I know it is out there. I just have to find one for the price I am willing to pay.

Sorry for the sarcasm, but the smart a$$ed remarks above is what it is sounding like. When that Prevost popped up it WAS a bargain and the fact it lasted 2 days is proof. When anyone is looking to "steal" something for very little money, paralysis by analysis is going to kill the opportunity every single time.

Wonder what happen with the Prevost I heard something in the FL repo law prevented the sell from a guy looking into buying it but that could be because the outfit got a better offer than his too

Itspaidfor,

What's new?


Ros

Quote from: itspaidfor on November 30, 2014, 05:59:25 AM
With all due respect I think your requirements out do your wallet.

A very few of you fellows are really something.

I got all sorts of accolades for doing a great amount of research.  If I hadn't, done due diligence I would have caught Hell.  Now, I have just a wee bit of knowledge under my belt and I catch Hell for exercising what I have learned.

It all goes to prove the saying:  "You can't please everyone........"

Jon: "I CALLED ON THE PREVOST THE MOMENT I SAW IT AND HE WANTED ME TO ALSO CALL HIM THE NEXT DAY AND I DID THAT, TOO.  He promised to send pictures and a copy of the title.  He never sent them.  Meanwhile, it sold.

Consider this, Jon:  JUST HOW FOOLISH WOULD IT BE TO SEE A WOMAN'S BEAUTIFUL FACE AND IMMEDIATELY PROPOSE MARRIAGE WITH OUT ANY BENEFIT OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT HER WHATSOEVER.  Now, this is exactly what you just said with slight modification to the object.

Wouldn't the low price alert you to the possibility that there may be something majorly wrong with it?  Jumping off like you wish that I had done is foolhardiness to the maximum.

Jon, you seem to be an intelligent fellow but to expect anyone to buy anything with nothing to go on except good-looks, is not utilizing that intelligence.

Also, I don't think that I am looking to steal anything.  I have cash to exchange for an equitable deal and I am the one who decides what is equitable and what isn't.

Surely, I want an excellent price but you don't have the benefit of knowing all of the buses that I have looked at, investigated and for one reason or several excellent reasons, have turned down.

Finally, I have to wonder what purpose your post serves.  How does it help me?  How does it help others?  I really would like for you to answer this question.

Ros

Quote from: Jon on November 30, 2014, 09:13:28 AM
I'm looking for a brand new Prevost, Liberty conversion on the XLII chassis, two slides, over the road air, 4 CruiseAirs, Sub Zero refrigerator and freezers, LED TVs, ipad remote controls for all audio visual and house functions, lithium batteries and all the standard Prevost chassis features and it must fit my budget. I know it is out there. I just have to find one for the price I am willing to pay.

Sorry for the sarcasm, but the smart a$$ed remarks above is what it is sounding like. When that Prevost popped up it WAS a bargain and the fact it lasted 2 days is proof. When anyone is looking to "steal" something for very little money, paralysis by analysis is going to kill the opportunity every single time.

Quote from: ros on November 30, 2014, 11:18:40 AM
A very few of you fellows are really something.

I got all sorts of accolades for doing a great amount of research.  If I hadn't, done due diligence I would have caught Hell.  Now, I have just a wee bit of knowledge under my belt and I catch Hell for exercising what I have learned.

It all goes to prove the saying:  "You can't please everyone........"

Jon: "I CALLED ON THE PREVOST THE MOMENT I SAW IT AND HE WANTED ME TO ALSO CALL HIM THE NEXT DAY AND I DID THAT, TOO.  He promised to send pictures and a copy of the title.  He never sent them.  Meanwhile, it sold.

Consider this, Jon:  JUST HOW FOOLISH WOULD IT BE TO SEE A WOMAN'S BEAUTIFUL FACE AND IMMEDIATELY PROPOSE MARRIAGE WITH OUT ANY BENEFIT OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT HER WHATSOEVER.  Now, this is exactly what you just said with slight modification to the object.

Wouldn't the low price alert you to the possibility that there may be something majorly wrong with it?  Jumping off like you wish that I had done is foolhardiness to the maximum.

Jon, you seem to be an intelligent fellow but to expect anyone to buy anything with nothing to go on except good-looks, is not utilizing that intelligence.

Also, I don't think that I am looking to steal anything.  I have cash to exchange for an equitable deal and I am the one who decides what is equitable and what isn't.

Surely, I want an excellent price but you don't have the benefit of knowing all of the buses that I have looked at, investigated and for one reason or several excellent reasons, have turned down.

Finally, I have to wonder what purpose your post serves.  How does it help me?  How does it help others?  I really would like for you to answer this question.

Ros

Maybe  not marrage right away,
But a "test drive" would seem appropriate. ..:-*
Mark

Agreed, Mark.

Where have you been?

Ros

Quote from: Purplewillie on November 30, 2014, 03:49:14 PM
Maybe  not marrage right away,
But a "test drive" would seem appropriate. ..:-*
Mark

Ros,

Based on your list of wants and needs that you have been posting, along with what you state your budget is indicates you expect to buy a very good coach for very little money. Certainly what you anticipate is something well below market value.

That places a substantial burden on you to respond. A phone call is a good start. But from my limited perspective once that phone call confirms the coach is available, legal to sell, and seems to meet your needs the next step is to show up on the guy's doorstep with a pocket full of Benjamins. Sellers and pictures lie. But on those very rare occasions when the planets line up and the available coach seems to be the one you want there is no substitute for hopping in the car and being there the next morning.

You will kiss a lot of toads before you find the magic prince, but that is the cost or burden you have to accept if you want to be the one buying that bargain. If you are not prepared to show up quickly someone else will. I have sold stuff over the years and I am sure you have so you must realize sellers know buyers lie also. I have wasted more time sending photos and talking to tire kickers and it just seems the guy that shows up with money in his pocket is never the guy that hems and haws because he cannot make it right away because he is too busy. You know the saying "you snooze, you lose".

If you intend to say you can't afford to jump in the car and drive cross country to look at every bus opportunity, keep in mind you likely can't afford a bus no matter how much of a bargain it seems. I'll take the heat for raining on your parade because I remain convinced you are heading for trouble.

It makes the 25k we were asking for our bus seem like a good deal, even with the rust ::).

Jon, great posts. I agree with you. Owning a bus takes a lot more Capitol then one usually thinks. I already suggested a travel trailer for those reasons.

Ros, I really do hope you find the perfect bus. If it is in my area, I will go look at it for you.

Tom it happens all the time the spouse passes and the wife is left with the bus and she knows how much her spouse paid and spent of their savings on the bus and she cannot understand why it is not worth what they have spent so for.I know the bus you are speaking of bless her heart she is going to be lucky to get 10 grand .

It makes no difference what he buys they all cost bucks to maintain even the late models John 316 my friend can tell you about the $14,000.00 B500 rebuild late models are not cheap to keep up either.

People walk away from buses everyday and buy pickups and trailers paying $250,000.00 for the setup I don't think is wise but they do it.

People are going to do what they want to with what ever resources they have at their disposal so to me it's a waste of time trying to convince other wise so I just keep looking for a bus that will suit his needs but I tell him up front he is on his on when I find the bus that is far as I go   

ROS has a nice pickup and tag long trailer me I would go with it but I am not him so I wish him luck  

Quote from: luvrbus on December 01, 2014, 05:26:02 AM
Tom it happens all the time the spouse passes and the wife is left with the bus and she knows how much her spouse paid and spent of their savings on the bus and she cannot understand why it is not worth what they have spent so for.I know the bus you are speaking of bless her heart she is going to be lucky to get 10 grand   

My scenario was the same on my coach. We have owned it going on 4 years now. Man died, lady kept bus in barn sitting for 7 years are so. Had a little over 50,000 miles on it. Looked new and still does as we keep it in a barn when not being used.  I knew the guy and coach from new. Asked her though grandson about buying coach and 2 years later she contacted me about buying. Bought it (and found original invoice from converter and what they paid in 92 for bus. $498,125. I gave $57,000 for it. Have spent about $25,000 since then on updating and problems. There's no end to the madness. Good luck and just know there's always something to fix on these babies and on any type of bus. Good luck on your search.

Quote from: ros on November 30, 2014, 04:51:36 PM
Agreed, Mark.

Where have you been?

Ros

I'm  around... busy as $#!%
Freezing my @$# off, just about ready to come live down south if this weather keeps up!
Hoping something good comes your way....
Take care

Quote from: ros on November 30, 2014, 04:51:36 PM
Agreed, Mark.

Where have you been?

Ros

I'm  around... busy as $#!%
Freezing my @$# off, just about ready to come live down south if this weather keeps up!
Hoping something good comes your way....
Take care

Jon,
Hi, Jon,


You are 'preaching to the choir'.  I am a fervent believer in the 'strike while the iron is hot' principle.  I used to have a surplus oil field equipment business and even well before that, I knew that I had to be the first one with cash in hand to get what I wanted. 

Again, Jon, you are making incorrect assumptions, as you have been doing, when you say something akin to "If you have to ask how much fuel the boat uses, you can't afford it"
I am so sick of hearing stuff like that I hate to hear it again.  Here is my theory and retort to that:  If you DO NOT ask about the expenses, you probably haven't gathered enough money TO afford it because those 'expenses' that you didn't find out about have done you in.  In other words, if one does not pay attention to costs in everything, he won't have money to afford 'things'. 

I don't have money due to some poor planning and life circumstances but I always pay attention to c.o.d.b or cost of doing business.

I have been in quite a few businesses in my life and I usually get bored and move to something else. 

Additionally, I am not on these boards just to find a bus, I am on here to find OUT about buses, including the prices of this or that as I am sure you have seen.

Lately, I have looked at buses quite far from me such as over a thousand miles.
Surely, you don't think that I am dumb enough to go and look at every one of them without doing a modicum of research first, do you?  Well, my modus operandi is thus:
I call right away and try to find out as much as I can via conversation and request lots of pictures, copy of title and just generally try to tell if that has the proverbial 'ring of truth'. 

Due to circumstances beyond my control, I have to try to balance my 'act' in finding a bus, finding out all that I can about it, negotiate price before even stepping out the door to go look at it.
I just fail to see why you don't understand that.  Yes, to be sure, some will be lost but that could happen while I am on the way to see the bus.

Practicality of 'busdom'?  It may not be practical for me but it is the only VIABLE way that I can see myself getting a place to live.  I won't go into all of the things that have been hashed and rehashed.

One of the other options is, and Clifford mentioned it, is to live in my trailer and really not have my 'treasures' because the trailer won't carry all of them and a big reason is the trailer, although 34 feet in length, just doesn't have enough room to live in it forever.  Where the practicality comes from is that there would be almost no maintenance on it except for tires from time to time.
If the truck's diesel engine blew up, I would have the money to either fix it or buy another truck all-the-while having the trailer bedded down in an rv park or hauled there.

The two large items about a bus that scare me is the engine and transmission.  I am concerned about tires, too but I could handle tires much easier than the drivetrain.

Who knows how this will turn out?  I certainly don't and no one else does either.

I know that you and others hope that it turns out well.

Thanks

Ros

Quote from: Jon on December 01, 2014, 02:38:12 AM
Ros,

Based on your list of wants and needs that you have been posting, along with what you state your budget is indicates you expect to buy a very good coach for very little money. Certainly what you anticipate is something well below market value.

That places a substantial burden on you to respond. A phone call is a good start. But from my limited perspective once that phone call confirms the coach is available, legal to sell, and seems to meet your needs the next step is to show up on the guy's doorstep with a pocket full of Benjamins. Sellers and pictures lie. But on those very rare occasions when the planets line up and the available coach seems to be the one you want there is no substitute for hopping in the car and being there the next morning.

You will kiss a lot of toads before you find the magic prince, but that is the cost or burden you have to accept if you want to be the one buying that bargain. If you are not prepared to show up quickly someone else will. I have sold stuff over the years and I am sure you have so you must realize sellers know buyers lie also. I have wasted more time sending photos and talking to tire kickers and it just seems the guy that shows up with money in his pocket is never the guy that hems and haws because he cannot make it right away because he is too busy. You know the saying "you snooze, you lose".

If you intend to say you can't afford to jump in the car and drive cross country to look at every bus opportunity, keep in mind you likely can't afford a bus no matter how much of a bargain it seems. I'll take the heat for raining on your parade because I remain convinced you are heading for trouble.

Hi All, sometimes on the boards, speaking to newbys in particular, we forget about our own urges to have a bus, over other kinds of RVs that may be more practical,  but that didnt have the romance and sexyness, that originally attracted us to busdom, lvmci...

Hi, Tom.

That could be.  I never viewed my having a bus as romantic or sexy.  I do view it as a fun thing.  
Maybe that is the same.

Given the small and cramped nature of a travel trailer, I, in no way, see it as a workable option if I am to preserve what little sanity that I have left.

I lived on my boat for two or so years.  It had a lot more space than my trailer and I had a lot of ham gear and tools on it as well.  

Hanging around a lot of boat bums, I learned about shrimp and fishing boats, too.  Many of these boats sailed many thousands of miles with a single diesel engine and their engine problems were very rare.  How do I know this, I kicked around the boat yards both pleasure and commercial yards and it was seldom seen that those commercial boats were there for engine repairs.

Judging by the shape that these boats were in, if one can do that, it would be hard to imagine that their maintenance was exemplary, to say the least.  I would ASSume that they did change oil and filters regularly.

The shrimp boats would be some 20 or so miles offshore due to the nature of shrimp and you should behold the shark feeding-frenzy behind their boat when they culled creatures that they didn't want. There is no way that anyone could survive if they went overboard and that is a promise.  The water was churning crazily and frothing from these denizens while they devoured and vied for these morsels.  There are no words to accurately describe this insane frenzy.  I've seen pictures of such and even they didn't capture the horror and terror of these eating machines.
They were so engrossed in the ritual that they would even eat each other.  Truly horrifying!

We used to come across offshore fishing boats way out to sea and they, too, looked trashy.
I have watched "Deadliest Catch" tv series and their vessels look great.  Also, the offshore supply vessels that we came across way out there, looked in beautiful condition. Most American flag ships that I have been on also looked great.  Paint is foreign to many foreign flagged ships.  

You talk about fun, boating in the vessel that we had WAS/IS sexy and romantic.  There is so much maintenance due to simple attrition that it is hard to grasp.  It was always something.

I put enough stores on our boat as to never need anything unless a major catastrophe occurred.
I had injectors for all engines and generator, many cases of filters (oil, fuel and water and strainers) and there was no air filter.  There is no dust at sea. ;D  You wouldn't believe how many electrical and electronic parts I carried.  I even had a spare radar and radios aboard.
Food for months, as well.  Charts, spare anchors, thousands of feet of line.  Lots of chain, shucks, the list just goes on and one.  We comfortably went in greater than 12 foot seas just to keep our seafaring skills honed.

A funny thing:  Our boat didn't have a state sticker as it was registered as a documented United States, ****** OIL SCREW *****!  That was because of the wheels/propeller being called screws because they act like Archimedes Screw by screwing through the water and the propulsion due to light, diesel, fuel-oil.  Heck, we even had a Panama Canal Certificate which allowed us to enter the locks of the canal.  You must have this and it is, after inspection, issued by the U.S. Coast Guard.


Lord! Did I ever get off on a tangent but it was just so much fun and......WORK, WORK, WORK.

Ros

Quote from: lvmci on December 01, 2014, 05:48:33 PM
Hi All, sometimes on the boards, speaking to newbys in particular, we forget about our own urges to have a bus, over other kinds of RVs that may be more practical,  but that didnt have the romance and sexyness, that originally attracted us to busdom, lvmci...

 Hi Ross but I just came up with a idea I don't think has been tried .you have a travel trailer and a truck , will you have to sell these to buy the bus ?  If not then how bought a empty bus to haul your worldly possessions that you could slowly make yours and have a smaller trailer to tow behind the bus.
My recent empty bus was well in your range with a series 50 dd 4 speed auto trans . Building a Marathon style coach is costly and time consuming ,but a boon docking functional one can be done rather quickly. I think you already have a gen set so fridge and heat could be a day away.
  Not a RR but a nice Chev.


   Chuck