Want a mechanic to take my money! MCI102A3 in SF Bay Area

[daveola]

I have asked this before on here and the response is that it's easy to find a mechanic, but that has not been my case at all.

I have a 1986 MCI 102A3 and I live in SF, the bus is currently stored in Livermore.

I have some savings and I want to fix up a few issues on the bus and throw some money at making it reliable.

But when I call around to find a mechanic, most of them won't work on an old bus, possibly because they don't have the space or they don't want the hassle.

I finally found a mechanic to take the bus in with a list of things I needed to fix, and they held the bus for many months and only fixed a few things and many of them not very well.

So the question is, how do I find a good mechanic that can work on my bus and get it in tip-top shape over near San Francisco?  Or does anyone have a Bay Area mechanic that they know still works on buses?

I need an all-around bus mechanic who can work on things like air lines, suspension, electrical, etc,...  not just a diesel engine mechanic like Bay Cities Diesel in Benicia whom I already know and did a great job on our engine swap.

[belfert]

Try calling JD at C&J Bus Repair 952-881-0034 to see if he knows someone who works on buses in your area.  He referred me to someone in Kansas City for help in 2010.  He seems to have contacts all over.

[richard5933]

I bet part of the problem in the SF area is that there is very little older equipment still on the road out there. Hasn't CA been on a push to pull the old stuff out of service?

With very little older equipment out there, I'd bet not too many shops have the techs to handle things. True, much is the same as on newer equipment, but that doesn't mean they're willing to touch it.

Do you have any smaller school bus operators or charter operators out there? If so, give them a call and see where they get their equipment serviced.

If it's engine work you need on a 2-stroke, try calling the marinas to find a 2-stroke mechanic that will do some work on the side.

[ol713]

   Hi;
      There is a place in Williams that works on older coaches.  Forgot his name, but someone here will
      chime in with his name and maybe address.  It has been 15plus years since I have been there.  Also,
      some diesel shops will do some work on your coach.  Depends on what you wont, especially this time
      of year things slow down for them.  example; I am taking my coach in a truck shop next month for some clutch
      next month. If it is  simple things like air lines,  It should be no problem!
                                                      Good luck,   Merle       

[windtrader]

CA has completed getting all the older diesels off the road, church buses included; the small number still exist in marine applications -  Bay Cities Diesel serves these folks via mobile services.


Ted Campbell is in Williams, CA and still going strong. We had a visit a couple weeks ago when I dropped in. Saw Fox News and that was that, never a word about buses. LOL

[ktmossman]

I recently found out that a number of the big bus shops in my area (DFW) had cut their teams significantly.  I talked to the Service Manager at the local MCI Service Center and he gave me the number of one of the guys he had been forced to cut who was hanging out his own shingle.  Might be worth calling around to some of your area shops.  Even if they don't work on buses of that vintage, they probably know who the local players are.

[Boomer]

Try Complete Coach Works in Alameda.

[dtcerrato]

Ted Campbell in Williams California

[Busted Knuckle]

Hell if you just want someone to take your $ I can provide an address to mail the checks too!
  BK 

[Lin]

BK, No one can say that you are not always there to help.

[Busted Knuckle]

BK, No one can say that you are not always there to help.

I do my best to try and help in any way I can!
  BK 

[Fred Mc]

I think he said he wanted a "mechanic"

[luvrbus]

Don (bus tech) Zimmerman runs the west coast .I will try and get a contact for you he is a class act and knows what he is doing 

Here you go DZ Services 916-247-2796

There is a list on F/B if you do F/B under Bus Friendly Mechanics   

[Busted Knuckle]

I think he said he wanted a "mechanic"

Hey I own a 1/2" wrench and both a phillips and a regular screwdriver!
  BK 

[dtcerrato]

Let us not forget the persuader!