Not a bus, but going to took at this one

[BusNit]

Found this on one of the websites. If it is anything decent, I may take it. They are asking close to 20k. Has 130k on it. Cummins 8.3. Interior is ok but we will change it around. 1999 Country Coach Intrigue. I have a feeling they will take much less since the paint has clear coat peeling issues. Hopefully the chassis is not full of holes. If it is, then Houston, we have a problem... This is a pun since the thing is located in Houston! My wife wanted to get away for a weekend since it is our anniversary. I made it into a "working" anniversary. Heck, If we're going someplace, I has got to look at something!

Good, bad, or anything else about this thing?

[luvrbus]

It will be built on a Gillig bus chassis so per say it is a bus

[BusNit]

I did my homework on it and for '99 they are built on a DynoMax chassis. Honestly, I would have preferred the Gillig frame seeing it has been a proven chassis but so far everything I read about the DynoMax chassis is that it is built on a fully welded box and not two rails with a wood box bolted on top. It does not have any slides. Call me dumb, idiot or stupid, (Sometimes I fit one of those descriptions) but I prefer no slides. One less thing to worry about. at 40', For two people and two pigeons aboard, It is plenty room.

[luvrbus]

Better check close 99 can be either most of the 2 axles with no tags were on Glligs when Country Coach closed the doors there were some Gillig frames that sold,my 45 footer is on the Dynomax frame double boxed built like a tank.Country Coach built a good solid rv if taken care of they last many miles,the humidity in Houston can be a killer though on anything   

[BusNit]

Well, we flew out of Phoenix at 6am and made it to Houston at 12. Picked up rental car and headed to RV place. The first thing I did was look under as I did not trust the girl on the phone telling me it had no rust. Lo and behold, this thing was a road hazard. I could push my finger through the structure. Looked like it had been repaired in the past too. There is not enough metal to weld in even a patch plate. The T connections were eroded to the point of imminent failure. I did not bother to take more pics after the ones I did take thinking the ones I took were good enough to still take it! (yeah, I know, confusing, right?)Needless to say we were completely disappointed at their " visual " inspection they did for me that we just left.
Went to a seafood restaurant and then headed for some sights.
I am thinking I should just bite the bullet and finance a decent one.
Thanks for reading this and hearing my frustration.

[luvrbus]

The price was so low to begin with,I got more than 20 grand for a 1996 24 ft Trek 

[windtrader]

I am thinking I should just bite the bullet and finance a decent one.
Thanks for reading this and hearing my frustration.

Hey, check your DM. Finding a very solid running, well built and maintained, and fully documented bus conversions are far and few. They do exist and usually get scooped up by a fellow busnut before even getting onto the open market.


If you are set on a bus conversion, keep searching, don't give up. I really was a pest here early on and caught a lot of crap and even accused of just being a BS troll. I just ask a lot of questions and do a lot of research, especially on something like this and having ZERO previous exposure to heavy duty trucks and buses.


You learned a good lesson. Most always the reality does not match the descriptions. These days, before wasting any time or resources, once a bus passes the first screen or two, ask for pictures, videos, documentation before spending a gallon of gas to go take a look.


I made two trips. First one was pretty much as described so worth the trip to check out. It was close enough that I hired a bus expert to go check it out. Second trip, the bus was every bit as described. Flew out and drove it back. ZERO regrets and bus has exceeded all my expectations.

[Busted Knuckle]

Busnit don't get too discouraged! It's a bit tough to find a honest seller and I think it's a rule against being honest if your selling a bus in Houston!
We were looking for another bus for our fleet once and found a "service ready" unit in Houston that was exactly what we were looking for.
So my dad, uncle an I jumped in the car and headed for Houston.
Got there and started checking out the bus. My dad an uncle had gone inside while I started on the outside I opened up a compartment and could see the roof of it was rotted almost all the way through it. So I reached in and pushed up on it lightly and to my surprise (and my uncles as he was inside looking at the floor that looked bad) my hand went right through it! My uncle was quick an grabbed my hand yelling "Hey Gene come here I found an extra hand!"
We all 3 got a good laugh at that.
But after I'd checked out the engine bay and inspected fluids, belts, and hoses I told dad to start it.
It cranked and cranked and cranked. I went and got the guy from the shop who told me "I don't understand it, I just pulled it out of the shop yesterday, an it started fine!"
He played with it front and rear with it almost starting once from the rear, but when I got back there he was spraying either at the breather.
We got in the car and told him "Thanks for your time, and tell your boss we said NO THANKS!
We went to a steak house to get some lunch and talk about a new plan. While we were talking the owner of the bus called dad and asked "where'd you go? I was on my way!"
Dad told him "Look I been around long enough to know when to keep looking, and when to walk away. SO WE RAN AWAY!"
Well the guy started cussing dad and complaining about us wasting his time, dad politely told the guy "Excuse me, but we just drove 12 hrs down here to buy a bus you told us was road ready, and able to be put in service right away. We don't know what your service is like but that bus is not service ready unless your running a garbage service, so don't even cuss me about wasting someones time! By the way please LOOSE this phone # as I will no longer answer your calls!"
The whole time we were eating lunch dad's phone was ringing until he turned the ringer off!
We left there and went to LA, and MS looking at a couple more buses on the way and ended up buying one 2 hrs from home 3 days later!
Over the time we were in business I can't tell you how many times we took a trip to look at buses we didn't buy, but I can tell you every trip we took to look at a bus was worth every penny in the lessons learned!
  BK 

[Tedsoldbus]

If it looks bad when you get there, it won't get better with time. Hang in there and keep looking. There is an old guy with a great bus that is about to decide he is too old to take it on the road any more. Sad, but if it goes to a good home and a good guy, it will be your bus.

[luvrbus]

Busnit,there is a nice looking model 10 Eagle for sale in Show Low at the intersection headed for Holbrook,I know nothing about it but it is setting on a consignment lot In Show Low so I am thinking the owner is local,A guy told there is real nice model 10S (2 axle 40 ft ) for sale in in Phoenix with a bad 6v92 engine the seller is asking 15k for but can be bought for 12k which isn't bad. I am having no luck finding it on the internet and it is supposed to be listed on the net   

[hogi6123]

I don't know anything about this site but this looks like the bus:
https://www.shoppok.com/phoenix/a,38,416473,1983-Eagle-M10S-Bus-RV----15000--Phoenix-.htm

[chessie4905]

Interesting. There is a guy over on Detroit Diesel enthusiast on Facebook that mentioned having an 8-71 and ht740 out of an Eagle considering putting it into a rat rod. Maybe buy the eagle and get the engine/ trans from him.
That Eagle would be atleast worth checking out. Isn't  the 10 the last model they built?Might be a great deal, even with bad engine. Depends on location. Maybe coach is still driveable.

[BusNit]

I found a 1993 Newell non slide coach the other day. Went to look at it and it was very promising. I offered to buy it of course on contingent it drives well. Has 125k on a 8v92TA. Newer tires and a repaint. Front cap could use a repaint as the clear has come off. Interior needs updating but overall a solid bus. Struck up a deal and if the drive goes well, I'll bring it home later next week. My skoolie sold yesterday and they will pick it up on Sunday. I only have one 60' landing pad for one bus at a time!

I'll keep you all posted...(I promise!)

[luvrbus]

The Newell is a good coach all hand built from the ground up,something are tough to work on though,you can call Newell in Miami Ok and they can give you the history on most of their coaches lol when you call don't call it a bus Karl Blades doesn't like his Newells called buses   

[DoubleEagle]

That Eagle would be at least worth checking out. Isn't  the 10 the last model they built?Might be a great deal, even with bad engine. Depends on location. Maybe coach is still driveable.

Not quite, there are Models 15, 20, and one 25.