Hi Everyone!
Longtime lurker, first time bus addict. After viewing a friends bus I was bitten by the bug and have been researching a bit. I'd like to find either a GM or MCI with good/great running gear as my focus. It would need to be in good enough shape (no fixer uppers) to keep the lady happy but I don't need something updated, just nice enough to keep everyone comfortable and safe.
Our budget is about $15-$20k and we would expect a solid running machine for that price. We are out in central California but are always willing to travel for the right bus but it would need to be able to be driven home. I hope I'm not breaking any rules by throwing this out there but I figured if anyone has any leads it would be here. I've emailed a couple of people from the classifieds and hope to hear back from some of them soon. Any good finds out there?
Thank you in advance for any help and I look forward to a long bus ride some day!! :)
Nick E.
If you showed up a year or so from now in the future I would have a bus for you :)
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Our 1968 MCI 5A is for sale. We will probably be back in Yuma around the 9th or 10th of Oct. or could possibly meet you somewhere before that so you can look at it. We are in Camp Verde Az. until Friday. Then planning on going to the Prescott area for a bit. Where in Ca. are you?
Quote from: Ed Hackenbruch on September 27, 2015, 04:50:28 PM
. Then planning on going to the Prescott area for a bit.
just curious, what's a good camping/rv spot near Prescott... i have stayed out towards Skull Valley.
Blueberry1, I sent you a PM. Jack
Donald,we like the Point of Rocks,but there are a lot of parks between Mayer and Chino Valley
Randy Coons has a nice Eagle for sale in Paso Robles check with him a very nice well cared for Eagle with a 8v92 engine he bought another Eagle is the reason he is selling fwiw
Nick,
A quick Craigslist searched pulled up a bunch of GMs for sale around the country. I didn't search MCIs, but should be the same.
Being a GM guy, here's a couple of GMs that jumped out at me as worth a look:
http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/dak/rvs/5228538881.html
http://eugene.craigslist.org/rvs/5214744934.html
I'd lean toward the 4905 mainly because it's newer and bigger, plus it will have factory installed integral power steering, air throttle and dual brake system, with the downside being that it still has the manual transmission.
That said, the 4106 looks pretty nice and is closer to you. The auto transmission is a plus.
Bob
Check out busforsale.com. If you look far enough down in their inventory, you see 4 or 5 "classic" buses that are near your budget. Ask for Cullen if you call.
Hello - Jeff Edwards here - just read you post on the board. Look @ craigslist pdx & Seattle A fellow in Oregon city had a NICE mci5 and another one is for sale in Seattle. also ck Medford and Oakland for some nice looking GMC's. Best of luck with your shopping, It still seems to be a buyer's market out there. Bus conversions still seem to be in the tank!! Have Fun! jeff
I bought both buses off of craigs list and all of craigs list, search RVs then bus, lvmci...
Nick -
Lots of conversions available, gotta do your homework.
Try using www.searchtempest.com (http://www.searchtempest.com) to assist searching craigslist. Give it a mileage range from your location and it will search every single craigslist within that parameter. It's a little clunky in that it doesn't allow you to customize your search, but it still will get the job done. Put "bus conversion" in the search box, using the quotes, and it helps.
Good Luck!
FWIW & HTH. . .
;)
Was wondering if you Can you get a Good Solid bus for $15,000 bucks with no problems.
I'm pretty sure no matter what the budget for a bus purchase is, there will be no bus that is problem free.
I think we had a similar discussion on several forums a few months ago. Search for "Ros"
What a show ;D ;D ;D ;D Randy has a nice Eagle but he not going to sell it for 15 or 20k I posted it because it was in the same town.I love the term "starter bus"used on these boards
I think we had a similar discussion on several forums a few months ago. Search for "Ros"
[/quote]
Ken, now that Ros jab is a funny! Nick, bought my 1991 Prevost Conversion in 2011 for a little over 50 thousand bucks. Had 52,000 miles on bus chassis. Had been sitting 7 years in climate controlled bus barn. It's never over when you buy one of these coaches. Always something, but if you do your own repair work, it's not as bad on your wallet or IRA (lol). I'm learning everyday on the house stuff. Motor, Drivetrain, and Chassis, still take it to Prevost. Have 81,000 miles on it now and haven't had a problem (yet) on the bottom other than service. Good luck on your search.
Quote from: muldoonman on October 03, 2015, 05:06:37 AM
Was wondering if you Can you get a Good Solid bus for $15,000 bucks with no problems.
No. At that price you will need to pick your poison Somewhere. But with that being said, I know that if you are very patient, turn over every single stone, network with others and spend hundreds of hours searching the Internet, you will find a coach worthy of purchase for that. :)
Wow, you guys are great!! Thank you very much for the insight and for the leads. You've made me realize that I have a lot of learning to do before I plop down some cash. I'd love an Eagle but they might be a bit out of my range for now. I've been eyeballing this GM and was hoping you could give an opinion on it. It's a bit over budget but if it saves me a lot of headaches then I'd be ahead in the long run.
Without seeing it firsthand, what do you think?
http://roseburg.craigslist.org/rvs/5205294357.html (http://roseburg.craigslist.org/rvs/5205294357.html)
Nick E.
Quote from: Blueberry1 on October 04, 2015, 10:21:30 PM
I've been eyeballing this GM and was hoping you could give an opinion on it.
Nick -If you contact the seller, try to get the VIN on the coach. The format will be "PD4106-XXXX," and from that I can tell you who originally purchased the coach from GMC, altho my initial guess is it's an ex-Greyhound. If so, then the question becomes "which division?"
FWIW & HTH. . .
;)
I'd advise you to stay away from an Eagle or Prevost, or MCI for the money you are talking about. Older GM's get the job done with a simpler drive train. And with the miles and age on just about any you'll find in your price range, Rust issues are going to be something that will need close investigation, no matter what brand you go with. Some people get rid of older coaches for hidden chassis rot, especially in the outside walls. From what you say you are looking for, I'd recommend a motorhome. You can find many in that range with no issues and only needing an oil change and new tires. Enjoy filling it up with the currently cheap gas. Won't impress your friends like a bus conversion might, but will not put you in the poor house like a coach can. Just look at your budget....can you afford a set of coach tires, a transmission overhaul, drop box repair, radiator recore,fan drive rebuild, brake rebuild,etc. . I think bus conversions are for owners that love to do their own work or are financially well off. If you have to have others do almost all the repairs, you better have a very fat wallet that will get very skinny quickly as soon as repairs commence.
I'm not going to get into driving techniques, braking, or engine operation. You may blow off my advice or opinion, but that's the way it is.
You could get lucky and find the perfect coach cheap, never need any repairs or significant components replaced,put on many trouble free money free miles and fuel stays cheap for several years, any your income stays stable or you are on ssi or relief,.....yeah and that's why I don't buy lottery tickets. Good luck
Quote from: chessie4905 on October 05, 2015, 04:07:30 AM
From what you say you are looking for, I'd recommend a motorhome. You can find many in that range with no issues and only needing an oil change and new tires. Enjoy filling it up with the currently cheap gas. Won't impress your friends like a bus conversion might, but will not put you in the poor house like a coach can. Just look at your budget....can you afford a set of coach tires, a transmission overhaul, drop box repair, radiator recore,fan drive rebuild, brake rebuild,etc. . I think bus conversions are for owners that love to do their own work or are financially well off. If you have to have others do almost all the repairs, you better have a very fat wallet that will get very skinny quickly as soon as repairs commence.
Chessie makes some good points but I also know that once you have been bitten by the "bus bug", nothing else will do. Also today's motor homes are disposable flimsy tissue boxes that Come with their own set of problems... Roof leaks, unreliability, horrible depreciation, etc.
I would suggest looking at an older Blue Bird Wanderlodge. One might consider those to be the best of both worlds. They are true buses but they were factory built to be motor homes. They have a huge online support community, have a proud heritage and are very cool. The made them 31 to 43 feet long, so you can really dial in to what size suits you. Also, as Clifford (luvrbus) pointed out to me in a recent conversation, sourcing parts for a Blue Bird is not a problem like it is for an older MCI, GMC or Eagle.
Quote from: Blueberry1 on October 04, 2015, 10:21:30 PM
Without seeing it firsthand, what do you think?
http://roseburg.craigslist.org/rvs/5205294357.html (http://roseburg.craigslist.org/rvs/5205294357.html)
Nick E.
Nick - I don't (never have) own a GMC but the pictures make that appear that that's a coach with fresh, tasteful paint, and V-8 with auto, good equipment (gen, inverter, etc.), modern and clean interior. Dunno about $25K for an over-50-year-old vehicle, but if you can pay that and keep your "bus owner's rainy-day fund", it would be worth a closer look. But don't forget, you're likely to spend $10 - 15K on it in the first two years, even if it all checks out now. And if you get any "well, it has an inverter and gennie but they're not hooked up" kind of business, stay away.
Quote from: Blueberry1 on October 04, 2015, 10:21:30 PM
Wow, you guys are great!! Thank you very much for the insight and for the leads. You've made me realize that I have a lot of learning to do before I plop down some cash. I'd love an Eagle but they might be a bit out of my range for now. I've been eyeballing this GM and was hoping you could give an opinion on it. It's a bit over budget but if it saves me a lot of headaches then I'd be ahead in the long run.
Without seeing it firsthand, what do you think?
http://roseburg.craigslist.org/rvs/5205294357.html (http://roseburg.craigslist.org/rvs/5205294357.html)
Nick E.
Since you're asking for opinions, I think it is overpriced in today's market. I doubt very many GM buses are selling for over $20,000 these days. A vintage GMC bus that has been "modernized" on the outside appeals to a very specific taste which should be considered in case you ever decide to sell it. It seems like that was a fad during the 1980s. As a fan of older GMC buses, the fact that it no longer resembles a 4106 makes it lose its appeal to me. Looks nice inside though. All that being said, taste is personal. That is why it is called an opinion. :)
(glitch)
A lot of great advice on this site so take it as you wish. Here is what it's cost me so far, I am mechanical but not on large items like a bus plus not retired yet so time is not always available. 1989 Prevost purchased in 2005 not yet done 2015, 683,000 miles. Original cost $30,000.00, drive from Reno,NV to Connecticut $2500, blew power steering pump in Wyoming. Got bus home had clutch and pump replaced and complete inspection done by local bus company $5600, 6 new tires $1800, blew an air bag, replaced all 8 and had steering box leak fixed $4400 kept over the road air conditioning system had it totally redone $4200. So far DD 8V92 has been fine if that goes not sure what I will do. Conversion process so far and not yet done another 15 to 20 thousand. We use it but still not done. Good luck in your find.
What ever brand you choose to buy be sure it has a autonomic Allison,clutches are stupid in price for a MCI and GM buses not many left they been rebuilt so many times in the past Eagles and Prevost have a standard truck clutch they are not bad in price but 1200 to 2000 bucks for a MCI clutch is just silly.
After doing a clutch on a MCI 5 I can see where a shop would charge the owner 4 or 5 grand for a clutch job and never blink
Just looking at that bus there are some good things. The owner cares enough for it to cover the tires and clean it up before the pictures. The bad could be there isn't any information on what kind of equipment it has. I would ask for a complete list even if just out of curiosity.. You really need to know those things to justify the price. If it is well equipped, I don't see it being over priced. Ask for pictures of everything. Including the bays, engine, transmission, under body, up and down the body, all the electrical panels. This should be like a in person walk through. Talk to the owner. If he sounds like he is selling a family member, you are on the right path. He will talk and talk and happily send you a bunch of photos. I would be that the price is a starting point. The first impression here is good.
Cary
i have an mc5 for sale. runs and drives. was only a greyhound for 5 yrs. converted in 72. good starter bus. very little rust. lived in new mexico most of its life. now its in wyoming. we lived in it for 2 yrs and parked it because we had to help my dad. now i bought a 102a2. let me know. drove it a week ago just to see after being parked for 3 years. no modern stuff.
Here's a GM PD4106 in Ocala. 15K OBO
https://ocala.craigslist.org/rvs/5158375639.html
Good luck, Phil
If you can come up with $25,000 for that 4106 I'd find away to come up with a little more and buy the late Sonnie Gray's Eagle! He recently passed away and his family is asking $30,000 for his coach.
Sonnie was a hell of a guy and it's an awesome piece of equipment that he put a lot of time & money into!
I can assure you that it's a very good deal for the $!
;D BK ;D
I have a email address for anyone wanting to make a offer on Sonnie's bus just contact me here
Let me put my two cents in, you can do a lot on the inside for just a little money. When you start working on the coach hold on.
The Eagle that belonged to Sonnie is a get in and go with no need for repairs. If you had an Eagle coach you couldn't make the improvements that Sonnie did for less than $50,000.
If you spend the money now and get a modern looking coach that is in good shape you will be far ahead of the game. Don't make the mistake of buying something that needs some work, because if it need some it turns into a lot.
Jack
I have a 4106. Have had it for 25 years but don't use it often enough.I would look at the one in Ocala. Has newer tires (worth $2500). If it seems mechanically sound I would offer the guy 10 grand leaving you 5 grand for upgrades, repairs etc. He did say he was open to offers and the worst he could say in no. I know the 4 spd isn't as nice as an automatic but it also is less complex.
I don't think the market these days for buses is that robust.
After buying two, here is some general do not does. Do not plan on upgrading the drive train or transmission. If you do not want to go up hill slow, and it has a 6V71 or 8V71 do not buy it. The only way it is going to do 70 mph is down hill with a tail wind, and forget altitude. You will be doing 20 mph on a hill. If you haven't spent years shifting one of these, do not buy a 4 speed. You will want an automatic real fast. If you want your wife to drive it, don't buy a 4 speed.
Have to agree, interior fixes are cheap and do it yourself. Any changes to the drive train will exceed what you paid for the coach. Buy the best mechanically sound bus you can find.
It seems that really good 35' units are harder to find than 40' ones. There are some really nice 40'ers out there as has been mentioned here. If you think you will want a 40'er at some point, just start there. Very few RV owners have said they should have bought something smaller, most buy larger within a couple years.
Don and Cary
I just put my 4905 up for sale on this web site!
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Hello, Jack I'm trying to help my brother find a 35 ft coach one of his friends had a MC5 about 15 yrs ago and he really liked it so if you haven't sold it message me please, He is worrying me to death about a coach he has never owned one before. Richard
A little bit out of your price range but making an offer can never hurt. Located 50 miles north of Denver.
https://denver.craigslist.org/rvs/5284445503.html
Ken
Quote from: krcevs on October 28, 2015, 03:56:58 AM
A little bit out of your price range but making an offer can never hurt. Located 50 miles north of Denver.
https://denver.craigslist.org/rvs/5284445503.html
Ken
a 6v92T ... :) whats not to like ?
And a Jake!
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