Hello All

Chopper Scott · February 11, 2011, 04:12:24 PM

You'll be fine. You know more already than many of us do!!

The bus should have features that shut it down for overheating and low oil pressure. You might ask the seller to have his mechanic make sure they work. Enjoy!!

paulrobie · February 11, 2011, 04:14:16 PM

Quote from: gmbusguy1 on February 11, 2011, 04:03:59 PM
Paul, with your driving experience you will do just fine.

Have Fun on the trip and please remember to take lots of porn or I mean pictures of the bus on the trip so the rest of us can get a look see

Chris

Thanks!

Dreamscape · February 11, 2011, 04:15:24 PM

Welcome Paul! Like Richard said, come visit us at the rally in Franklin, TX. You'll get to meet a few of nutty bus nuts.

Also, if you happen to drive I 35 south through Austin, stop by and see us in Georgetown. We are staying at Berry Springs RV Park, exit 265.

Good luck on your trip and have fun!

Paul

paulrobie · February 11, 2011, 04:16:40 PM

Quote from: Tom Y on February 11, 2011, 01:24:07 PM
Paul, WELCOME. If they have a pit there ask them to put it over it and look under it. Look at the drive shaft if there are flanges on it make sure the bolts look tight. Goodluck. Tom Y

Heck man, I'm from Texas... the only pit I know is the kind you cook brisket on.... WhatChuTalkinBout? (good advice, thanks!)

Busted Knuckle · February 11, 2011, 04:18:53 PM

Paul,
You mentioned the current owner was going to have the fluids changed for you.
If it were me I'd ask him to save a sample of each so you can have them analyzed to see what is what with the bus so you'll know. (I'm not saying ask him to get it analyzed for you (although that would be right nice), but rather to save the sample for you so you can have them checked @ a later date.

Remember straight CF2 rated 40 weight no 15/40.

test the shut down stats by grounding them to make sure they do shut it down.

And good luck.

BK

paulrobie · February 11, 2011, 04:19:45 PM

Quote from: Dreamscape on February 11, 2011, 04:15:24 PM
Welcome Paul! Like Richard said, come visit us at the rally in Franklin, TX. You'll get to meet a few of nutty bus nuts. Also, if you happen to drive I 35 south through Austin, stop by and see us in Georgetown. We are staying at Berry Springs RV Park, exit 265.

Good luck on your trip and have fun!

Paul

Coming in through Dallas I think so far, trying to stay near the big towns on this trip.... (yes, that was just a teeny little dig at Austin...

)

paulrobie · February 11, 2011, 04:22:17 PM

Quote from: Busted Knuckle on February 11, 2011, 04:18:53 PM
Paul,
You mentioned the current owner was going to have the fluids changed for you.
If it were me I'd ask him to save a sample of each so you can have them analyzed to see what is what with the bus so you'll know. (I'm not saying ask him to get it analyzed for you (although that would be right nice), but rather to save the sample for you so you can have them checked @ a later date.

Remember straight CF2 rated 40 weight no 15/40.

test the shut down stats by grounding them to make sure they do shut it down.

And good luck.
BK

Great idea! I'll ask but.... not being there and seeing it done, ya know? Could be anything in the sample. Just sayin'..

JohnEd · February 11, 2011, 05:36:09 PM

Paulrobie,

That advice sloshed thru my noggin also and I rejected it for the same reason. Be sure to get the oil brand and wt he put in so your analysis will be better when you get it done in Texas. That's only a thousand mile trip, or so, but I would get that analyzed when I got home. Seems that you are taking good precaution but I would like the assurance that there isn't an OMG amt of iron or copper or babit in there for only 1K mile. Then again if he says 10 W 40 you want to drain and fill right there or at the next truck stop. Then for sure when you get home.

Be3 well and happy and PLEASE keep us posted,

Retiring minds and all that

John

rv_safetyman · February 11, 2011, 05:53:49 PM

Paul, you have driven truck, so you know this very well, but be sure you do an air brake system check. Buses have much more complex air systems than trucks and you need to make sure your air build and leak rate are within specs.

For those that are not aware of the tests, it is a standard part of the CDL test and can be found many places on the Internet. Here is a good one:

http://www.lowestpricetrafficschool.com/handbooks/cdl/en/5/3

All of us should perform these easy tests at the beginning of each trip.

Air build for our buses might be a bit slower (as touched on in the above site) since we have more air systems to charge.

Good luck and keep us posted!!!!

Jim

RJ · February 11, 2011, 08:29:16 PM

Paul -

Welcome to this crazy world of busnuts!

Since you're eyes are glazed over from reading all the posts on this BBS, don't forget that there's an MCI group on Yahoo, as well as the other big bus BBS, BusNutOnline (www.busnut.com).

You haven't mentioned what powertrain is in the MC-9. Is it an automatic or a manual gearbox? Either way, this might help you avoid problems:

http://www.busnut.com/bbs/messages/12262/16204.html?1167073154

Oh, and since you've had a CDL, you're familiar with pre-trip inspections. Off the same site, here's a generic bus pre-trip you should also find helpful:

http://www.busnut.com/bbs/messages/12262/16203.html?1167072614

Finally, if you decide to take the southern route by coming south to CA then east via AZ and NM, you're welcome to make a "pit stop" here in Fresno (off Hiway 99, not I-5). Always have cold Pepsi in the fridge. . .

FWIW & HTH. . .

Chopper Scott · February 11, 2011, 11:14:33 PM

Make sure you wash the windshield before you leave. You may want to even rainx it in case the wipers fail along the way. And take a vacumn sweeper with so that you can clean the isles. You don't want dust flying around going into a sunrise. Ask me how I know!!!

Your getting the classic overload advise here now. Do what you normally do on a pretrip and head south!!

James77MCI8 · February 12, 2011, 03:43:14 AM

Welcome aboard. Looks as if you bought a nice coach.

brando4905 · February 12, 2011, 04:34:04 AM

Welcome, Paul! Can't wait to hear your return trip stories. I'm sure you'll be in good shape with that bus just coming out of service. You're two steps ahead of some of us that bought buses that had been sitting for years.

Best of luck to you on your way home.

Brandon

Ed Hackenbruch · February 12, 2011, 07:06:41 AM

Well, you won't be the first person to buy a bus off of ebay without having seen it in person first.

I had no bus or motorhome exprience when i found mine near Dallas and won the auction. Paid no money until i flew there and looked at it. Only thing i took with me was some clothes and my debit card. 1100 mile trip home and no real problems to speak of. Did i luck out? probably, but not all first trips are disasters, although as you can see from the archives some of them were. Have fun! you only make your first trip once and no matter what happens you have a story to tell.