Is it a good idea to list a bus for sale at a dealership

[viento1]

I am Canadian and the bump in the USD has made it very attractive to sell my bus. I was thinking of driving to Arizona or California to list with a dealership. Larger market, strong dollar, easier for people to travel to and view and test drive the bus. 

Thoughts?

Dealership testimonials?

Randy

[OneLapper]

I'll relate a dealership story that I had with a 4106.

My buddy drove by a large auction house that was local to him.  He saw what turned out to be a factory converted 4106 with ultra low miles (117k) on it.  Onan gas gen, triple roof AC, orange shag carpets throughout, yellow formica counter tops, etc.... literally a 1960's RV that was in original condition.  Several of us went to look at it the day before the auction.  We pooled our project cash and put a bid on it but got out bid by a dealership that paid $6500 for it.

Some weeks later we saw it on dealer lot with a price tag of $14,900.  I went to the dealer and spent some more time looking at it.  It needed everything, tires, gen didn't run, airbags leaked down in minutes (per the sales manager), none of the systems had been tested, etc. They would not start the engine and would not give test rides!  No one at the dealership could drive it!!  The sales manager was trying to explain the non syncro Spicer to me and a "special" way to shift.....  oh boy.

One of my buddies offered $7500 and they turned it down.  Not much later I learned that the bus was owned by an older local business man that has an airport at his house.  Inside the hanger he keeps his helicopter and rents space to several people that keep airplanes there.  He bought the 4106 new and it sat in the hanger for decades, less than a mile from my parents house.

That said, be sure the dealership you pick can actually sell it.  I don't know what happened to that 4106 but at $6500 it was an absolute steal.  I'm sure it needed $10k in tires and updates, but it was stored inside a hanger from day one.

[Timkar]

Post it on BNO. there is no charge and it can be seen by a lot of people.

http://www.busnut.com/classifieds/

[RJ]

Also list it at busesonline.com, another free site.  Jim Michaud's family has been in the bus industry for four generations, he knows the industry well.  His dad, Spike, can also do an appraisal for you, if needed.

Make sure you write up a nice description and include lots of photos.

FWIW & HTH. . .

[Beesme]

Awww I had a chance to buy that  almost 2 yrs ago  for 6000$ .my 4106 had just blown a rear end. I talked to the seller it has to be the same one orange shag 3 ac yellow counters and in mass. Well needless to say I had my reareend redone and moved forward .. Nobody said it was stored inside or that it had 117k . I probably would have thought harder...

[OneLapper]

Yup, it's gotta be the same one.  I wonder where it ended up.  It wasn't worth what the dealer wanted but $6k would have been a good deal.  I have some pictures of it somewhere......

[OneLapper]

Found them