45 Foot Opportunity

Glennman · August 24, 2020, 08:11:27 PM

You know how sometimes a good deal comes along that simply cannot be passed up? I am facing one of those deals (maybe). I was offered a 2002 45 foot MCI, Series 60 (I'm not sure of the transmission (B-500?)) for basically a scrap price (we're still discussing it). I drove it today. It is fully seated, no restroom, has 460k miles, runs and drives perfect, no smoke (it started right up after sitting for 2 weeks), was used as recently as 2 weeks ago for hauling H2-A workers to the orchards, has been regularly maintained, the seats are clean with no tears, good tires (could use new soon), was purchased by this company for 85g 10 years ago, no dents, OTR air works, all the doors are fully functional with air locks, etc.

How does a fella figure out a value for these. Is there a bluebook for buses?

someguy · August 24, 2020, 09:01:48 PM

Is it a D, DL3, E or J ?

There are a ton of used buses coming onto the market. Probably COVID related ?

The S60 is a huge plus over a 2 stroke. Did it have a S60 when new or was it retrofitted ?

luvrbus · August 24, 2020, 09:12:02 PM

If it is a D it will be a D4500 in 2002 the series 60 was the popular engine in the D4500

someguy · August 24, 2020, 09:18:42 PM

S60 was a popular bus engine until the DD13 replaced it in 2011.

windtrader · August 24, 2020, 09:32:12 PM

Glenn.
You answered your own question, If you know salvage value and can get it for that and it runs, seems like a no brainer. Worst case - Sell off a few parts, take to scrap yard and walk away with a few bennies in the pocket.

Before buying spend some coin and get the engine really checked out. At this milage good chance it is original and generally looking at a rebuild in the not so distant future.

someguy · August 24, 2020, 11:05:30 PM

There is a shortage of S60 12.7 cores, especially blocks. A good running engine is worth more, even if it needs a rebuild. As is a working B500.

But a S60 + B500 together, with all the harnesses and controllers is worth quite a bit to someone who wants to repower an older coach. Or another 45 footer. There are a lot buses with C13s and ISMs + ZF 12 speeds that would love to upgrade to a S60/B500. Not me though.

The OTR A/C compressor is worth something too.

That bus also has the MCI relay bricks, which are hard to find.

Good alloy wheels are worth $100 each. More if they have tires with some service left in them.

The other thing is these buses have a lot of SS and aluminum in them, if you wanted to cut it all out and sell it to a recycler. But you probably have better things to do with your time.

Glennman · August 25, 2020, 11:16:55 PM

So I made the deal. I'll be taking it home next week.

It's only a about 15 miles away from my house. I can hardly sleep thinking about it.

I forgot to look to see if it has Jake Brakes! How can one forget that! It also has a fully functioning wheel chair lift (I noticed that). The sliding door will be large enough to put a full size refrigerator through it. Now I'm thinking this would be a great conversion. I picked it up for $1000.00. It is a victim of CODID, as the farm can only haul about 12 people at a time, so they are using vans instead. Seems like this would be good for "social distancing" but I'm sure it would not be cost effective. I'll keep everyone posted. Thanks all!

someguy · August 26, 2020, 12:00:58 AM

Congrats !

Jim Blackwood · August 26, 2020, 08:03:52 AM

Sounds like a heck of a deal!

someguy · August 26, 2020, 08:23:53 AM

There are a lot of COVID victim buses out there, just waiting to flood the market. The entire bus fleet has sat all spring/summer and who knows when demand for bus rides will return.

I've stumbled across several bank repos. Prices have fallen a lot for anything other than a pristine (<250K miles) coach There are a ton of 2008 coaches on the market. They aren't selling at $30K, but that doesn't stop people from advertising them for $100K+.

lvmci · August 26, 2020, 08:26:34 AM

I was thinking about adapting a wheel chair lift to bring a motorcycle with on trips...

luvrbus · August 26, 2020, 08:30:43 AM

Quote from: Glennman on August 25, 2020, 11:16:55 PM
So I made the deal. I'll be taking it home next week.

It's only a about 15 miles away from my house. I can hardly sleep thinking about it.

I forgot to look to see if it has Jake Brakes! How can one forget that! It also has a fully functioning wheel chair lift (I noticed that). The sliding door will be large enough to put a full size refrigerator through it. Now I'm thinking this would be a great conversion. I picked it up for $1000.00. It is a victim of CODID, as the farm can only haul about 12 people at a time, so they are using vans instead. Seems like this would be good for "social distancing" but I'm sure it would not be cost effective. I'll keep everyone posted. Thanks all!

I doubt it will have Jakes they used the retarder in most of those,if it does have Jakes the engine will only have a 1/2 set

someguy · August 26, 2020, 08:32:48 AM

Now I'm excited to deal on the bus I've been looking at. Way to go, OP.

chessie4905 · August 26, 2020, 10:52:36 AM

I was at Luke's old place several years ago when high fuel prices and a recession hit at same time or as a result of fuel prices, whatever. They were maybe 50 pretty new coaches stored there. Different brands. It was a few years till market started to recover. By then, those coaches were too aged for charter service, which just started to recover when the Kung Fu flu hit. He's right, there is going to be some bargains showing up in coming months.

someguy · August 26, 2020, 10:59:46 AM

I'm not a coach operator, but their business must be decimated by COVID and will be until it dies out. a) people aren't traveling and b) pretty hard to social distance on a bus and c) a car will go anywhere a bus can go to get people where they need to go. Just my $0.02.

I've got good deals lined up on 2 coaches. But I'm not sure that there won't be a lot better deals coming along.

I'm worried about how Prevost and MCI weather this storm.