Giving up the bus dream

[belfert]

I think I'm just going to try to sell my bus after my hassles this year.  I'm supposed to leave on vacation a week from tomorrow, but I still have 100 hours of work to do and maybe 20 hours to do it all.

I don't think I will make it.  No point in having a bus if I can't at least make one trip a year in it.

[larryh]

Belfert,

Lack of prior planning on your part does not constitute a emergency on my part.

[Busted Knuckle]

I think I'm just going to try to sell my bus after my hassles this year.

Well Brian,
Hate to see you give up. But you'll have to make that decision!

I'm supposed to leave on vacation a week from tomorrow, but I still have 100 hours of work to do and maybe 20 hours to do it all.

I don't think I will make it.  No point in having a bus if I can't at least make one trip a year in it.

I can't say I'm surprised! You go through this every year you wait until late in the spring or summer to start on a project that you way under estimate the time or $ it will take to do, then toward the deadline you get discouraged about it.
I remember telling you earlier this year not to wait to start for this very reason.

Just stop and look at the progress you've made, the projects you've done and the $ spent. Then take a look at what buses are bringing right now.
I'd think long and hard before trying to sell right now!
 BK  

[happycamperbrat]

What needs to be done? Is it undrivable or something?

[robertglines1]

You have a modern bus.are suffering from burn out..go on vacation and think about it..then make your decision..all of us have the same thoughts..It's a lot of work! but what a reward when someone admires your work!!  Bob

[belfert]

You have a modern bus.are suffering from burn out..go on vacation and think about it..then make your decision..all of us have the same thoughts..It's a lot of work! but what a reward when someone admires your work!!  Bob

I don't have a vehicle to go on vacation with.  The bus is the vehicle I was planning to use.

The bus is completely undriveable as it sits.  The dash has no gauges hooked up, the ignition isn't hooked up, and I still have a connector under the dash I can't find the mate for.  I'm going to head back out and see what I can get done in the next half hour or so.

[ruthi]

Brian,hate to see you give it up. You are the only other Dina person we know of. Dont take the decision to give it up lightly. I know you have invested a lot of time in your bus, and if you make a hasty decision, you may regret it later. For most, bus conversion is a dream, a project to work on, and a love for it. If you dont have that, then, a bus nut you aint, lol. We happen to have become a bus nut by accident, and love it, but ours is not just a project,although it has been a blast all things considered,  it is what helps us earn our money. I truly dont think we would still be doing the job we do if we didnt have a bus to do it with. Anyhow, only you can decide what you want to do. If you are tired of it, or lost interest, then giving up would be the thing to do. But, if you are only upset with yourself, it will be even worse if a hasty, regretful decision is made. Take care

[gumpy]

I think I'm just going to try to sell my bus after my hassles this year.  I'm supposed to leave on vacation a week from tomorrow, but I still have 100 hours of work to do and maybe 20 hours to do it all.

I don't think I will make it.  No point in having a bus if I can't at least make one trip a year in it.

Oh, is it that time of year already?  My how time does fly any more. Seems like only last week you were thinking of selling your bus the last time you couldn't complete a project in time for
your annual trip. We could almost set our watches. 

Seriously, hack it together, go have fun, and fix it correctly when you get back.

[Ace]

If it were me, and I know it's not, but just an observation, I think I would have put more effort into fixing what issues you had to complete with the bus rather than spend your time on a trailer. Think about it, you NEED the bus to pull the trailer. With the bus NOT running for whatever reason/s what good is it to spend valuable time on the trailer?
Doesn't sound right to me but like others have stated, every year around the time you decide to leave on your annual trip, you get bummed out and want to give up!  I would say set your priorities and do them in a more practical order. I DO remember BK telling you or advising you NOT to strip your dash apart for THIS reason. I did mine and that was my ONLY priority to get it back IN the bus, because without it, I had nothing more than a yard knome just as you do now!
I wish you the best...

[belfert]

If I don't end up taking the bus on my trip this year I am going to give up on the whole thing.  Too much effort for zero return.  Whatever little bit I can sell it for is a bonus.

I had to give up for tonight as there isn't enough light to find one of the connectors.  I need some daylight.

[TomC]

I bought my bus in 1993, brought it down to L.A. (from Portland, Or) in 1994 and started on it.  In 1995, I went to the Bus Conversion get together in Laughlin, Nv (great get together!!) with only my bed and bathroom in.  When I got back, I put the bus back up on blocks and didn't use it again until almost done in 1999.  Sometimes during construction, you just have to accept that you can't use it for awhile (I never could see how some use their bus during conversion).  Keep plugging along, and before you know it, it will suddenly be done (or at least usable).  Good Luck, TomC

[txjeff]

Brian

I thought PROCRASTINATION and A.D.D. were part of the madness. Seems like every time I plan a trip I start a project with plenty of time to finish it, then while working on it I see something else that need to be done. I end up with a week to finish everything and start thinking its not gonna happen. My wife just laughs and tells me to have it ready for the trip. Somehow in the end it all comes together and the bus is usable. I guess for me it all part of the fun of being a Busnut.

Jeff

[kyle4501]

Yep, looks like it is that time for the same old story, only thing different is the year itself.

If the bus wasn't ready, why take on the trailer project?  - which ended up costing as much as a ready to go trailer plus the time away from the bus. . . .
Why take on non essential 'upgrades' to the bus so close to time to leave for a trip?

Loss of day light is a predictable event in the evenings. There is a neat invention called flood lights, you might want to look into some.  

It ain't 'the bus', it is 'the planning' (or lack thereof).  


BTW, dreams aren't always sweet, sometimes they are nightmares. But you usually wake up . . . . .

[happycamperbrat]

I would help you if I could, but Im in California. Try your best to get it driveable and then go have fun with it. Dont worry about the cosmetics LIFE IS TOO SHORT. And yes, at night when I work on my bus I have to use a long extention cord and light. And I have a couple flashlights out there for those hard to reach spots (like under your dash).

[muddog16]

Brian if I remember correctly you were advised against doing some of these jobs before you started them!  I did a little checking, you've spent about 40 days time (24 hours each day) mostly between the hours of 10am and 10pm,on this board instead of working, those are all daylight hours!  It seems to me your time management is off way more than it should be, especially when you are putting yourself in the target zone of vacation time! 

I brought my bus home more than 5 years ago and started this, i've been frustrated at times, filthy, dirty and rather upset with my conversion, I've never been to a bus gathering, vacation or even a short trip in my bus!  Look we all love busing!  It's what you decide for yourself are you going to be happy or give up everytime you shoot yourself in the foot?  You've come a long way......don't stop now!

When you paint a room don't back yourself into a corner.   It's your decision whether you are going to be miserable or content!  Good luck!