Where to get bus appraisal

Jtomcollins5 · November 12, 2018, 12:40:53 PM

I need an written appraisal on a 1974 MCI 8 converted by Columbus coach so I can get a surety bond in Michigan to get it titled.
Thanks Tom

richard5933 · November 12, 2018, 02:20:23 PM

Call Spike Michaud. He did ours and is great to work with.

http://www.busappraiser.com/

Why do you need a surety bond? Is this in place of liability insurance? Might be cheaper to get a basic liability policy than to pay for the appraisal - they are not cheap. If you are registering/licensing the bus as a motor home, then you should be able to obtain a basic liability policy for not too much money.

Who did your conversion? Did you mean Custom Coach? If so, you've got a great conversion to work with. Our coach was done by them - while there are a few things I'd do differently it is a well-done conversion with high quality parts and great workmanship.

Was your conversion done in 1974? If so, I bet that our coaches are nearly identical in many ways if they did yours.

Jtomcollins5 · November 12, 2018, 04:57:29 PM

Thank you for the information. Yes it is a 74 custom coach, they do all look alike from that time so I bet it does look a lot like yours. My father bought it in Baltimore from a bus company 30 years ago and drove it with dealer plates, never put the title in his name. He has passed and now we cannot find the title for it.The bus company is out of business and all the previous owners have passed on. To get a title in the state of Michigan I need a appraisal to put a surety Bond on it . Looks like I can title it as an RV and put vintage plates on it now.

richard5933 · November 12, 2018, 05:21:00 PM

Oh - so the surety bond is in case someone comes along during the reclamation period and says that the title belongs to them. I get it now.

Contact Spike. Since in this case you're looking for a low valuation (I'm guessing) it won't be as difficult as it could be. In my case, I was looking for and insurance valuation, and as such wanted it to be as high as he could justify given recent sales. This required him to do quite a bit of research.

Be great to see some photos of your bus, inside and out, when you have time to post them. Here's the thread about ours if you want to see: https://www.busconversionmagazine.com/forum/index.php?topic=32450.0

Linda-XL40-FL · November 12, 2018, 07:18:05 PM

Another source for an appraisal is is Mark Koch at Automotive Appraisal Services ( www.automotiveappraisals.com ) in Yorba Linda, CA. If he hasn't had to flee the fires, his phone number is 800-495-2525. He will work with you from photos and a detailed form he supplies, no need to worry about his location. He appraised our previous bus (a 1959 GM-4104) as well as our current one (1996 Prevost XL-40). He knows buses and was recommended to us by our insurance agent both times.

Linda

richard5933 · November 13, 2018, 03:21:30 AM

Just so you are aware, there's a good chance that where ever you get the appraisal it will be a 'desk appraisal' done from photos and data you send about the bus. Good idea to be prepared for this with lots of clear and detailed photos as well as a detailed listing of everything you know about the bus.

Jtomcollins5 · November 13, 2018, 12:14:20 PM

I have all the original paperwork from Custom Coach and good history of the different owners. Also service records. I will need to take pictures.Thanks for the info.

buswarrior · November 13, 2018, 01:46:19 PM

You mention "vintage plates"

Everyone does whatever they do...but...

Check the rules for those, most jurisdictions have a list of conditions/restrictions for their use that don't fit most busnuts.

Happy coaching!
Buswarrior

Jtomcollins5 · November 18, 2018, 03:00:34 PM

Yes I heard about that I'm going to be sure to check it out for the restrictions thank you for the advice.