hi everyone first time here,any advice to someone thats looking to buy ???

[scottie]

hello
from ontario canada.
im  just starting out,i have been looking at ebay for a few weeks,and i got my first copy of the "bus conversions" mag.
any advice on buy my first bus?
im leaning towards a M.C.I. or a PROVOST, maybe even a eagle.
is one better that the other ??why
anything i should look out for thats common on some types of buses??
thanks for any input
scottie

[Dreamscape]

Welcome to our crazy world!

They are all great coaches, just depends on what you want. Eagle has a torsilastic ride, MCI and Prevost use air bags, as other do also. They come with auto transmissions and stick shift. I could go on and on, it all depends on what you want and can afford. Spend lots of time looking, asking questions and so forth. Go to some bus rallys, do lots of research. There are many ways to go. Make a list on what your needs are.
Are you wanting one converted, or want to convert one yourself?
Others will chime in and give their .02 worth.

Happy Trails,

Paul

Dreamscape

[scottie]

hi paul
thanks for your  input
i would like to do the conversion myself (i think thats part of the fun ) and from what i have seen they seem to be cheaper that  the ones  that has been converted allready.
i think getting a bus with a auto transmission  would be better.which brings up another question would there be less trouble with a standard transmission??
i spoke to a guy on the phone that has a 1985 mci for sale $11,500.00 seats in
i havent seen it yet but hope to soon.there is another one selling for sealed bids,only problem is its out in alberta,which is a 4 day drive.....let the fun begin...

[Busted Knuckle]

Hello Scottie,

First off welcome to the board! Second take your time and do plenty of research before making any deals! There are good and bad points to any make/model! Just depends on what you want and how you'll use it!
  BK 

[scanzel]

It took me about 6 months looking at different bus makes before I found mine a 1989 Prevost that came from California. Not a bit of rust on it, people can't beleave it's an 89. The MCI's I looked at here in the east had a lot of salt corrosion especially in the rear bukhead area just ahead of the engine. Alot of rot through. The Eagles are nice looking but there again are very rust prone especially in the frame structure. If your going to buy in the states look at California, Texas, southern area. You might pay more but how much money or time do you want to spend replacing rot and corrosion etc. I bought it on ebay never going to see it, sure I took a chance but I had been in contact with the guy during the bidding and when I went to get it he said that if for some reason I was not happy with what I inspected I did not have to purchase. Look for the best you can find, saves a lot of extra work and expense.        My $.02 worth.

[DavidInWilmNC]

I bought a '78 MCI MC-8.  It was originally a Carolina Trailways, so it's always 'lived' in the East.  It has a bit of rust, but most of that was due to window and clearance light leaks.  I don't have rear bulkhead rust that scanzel mentioned, but we don't use salt on the road here often at all.  NJT MC-9's are from salty areas but have lots of stainless in places that other models don't.  Others that have those buses can tell you about those.  I'm not very familiar with Eagles or Prevosts at all, but I wanted the 'Chevrolet of buses' with lots of parts available for reasonable prices.  By that I mean body parts, trim, etc in addition to mechanical items.  The manual transmissions are a challenge to drive, but I'm slowly getting the hang of it.  It's been a lot of work and learning, but it's been fun, which is why most of do this anyway.

David

[edroelle]

Attend some rallies and/or join some clubs.  You will learn alot quickly.  It is easier to find a coach you like than to sell one you don't like - so take your time like others have suggested.  Also, buy a coach with the powertrain that you will be satisfied with.  You can change it later, but you will have enough to do without that added task.

Ontario is a big province.  There are many bus conversions between Michigan and Toronto that belong to Converted Coach Owners (CCO) and Great Lakes Converted Coach (GLCC).

Ed Roelle
Flint, MI

[scottie]

wow this is great..

thank you for the welcome busted knucle

scanzel ,great tip about the salt,here in ontario we dump 100's of tons of salt on the roads every winter...good point

thanks davidinwilmnl ,thats a good reason to stick with mci buses less chance of rust on the body with stainless!!!

edroelle,thank you for your imput too!!boy this was a great idea to post questions here,i cant believe how fast im getting replys.....
thanks again
scott

[maria-n-skip]

   You've probably have already read these posts but if you haven't here are some good reads IMHO.

http://www.busconversions.com/bbs/index.php?topic=4419.0
http://www.busconversions.com/bbs/index.php?topic=4876.0

The start of every journey begins with the first step    You are way past that already

  welcome aboard

Skip

[white-eagle]

There's a rally i think next month in Grand Bend, north of Windsor.  Great Lakes Converted Coach rally.  i can send you more info if you are interested.  probably 10-20 coaches there.

also, i've heard stories about what you can bring into Canada and the inspection requirements.  Already converted could be an issue.  I was told Eagle's converted are not allowed.  i talked to a guy who brought in a seated bus, then tore out the seats before inspection.  he had to put them back in for the inspection to pass.

there was a beautiful Eagle on Ebay a few weeks ago that didn't sell, no bids high enough at under $11k US, but partially converted.  if the Canada restriction is not true, you'd have a great bus usable now that you can retrofit to your liking.

there are a lot of buses out there.  discuss it here, look at those available, go to a rally, decide what will meet your needs, and then have it inspected by a bus person that can help you find a bus's problems before you buy.  buying a bus with a bad transmission is ok if you know you have to fix it, but a real problem if you didn't budget or know about it.

try to get one with manuals and a history.  mine didn't have either.  Fortunately the inspection was good and we're happy.

Good Luck!

[TomC]

Personally-if I were to buy a bus now (have a 40 x 102" wide transit thats done) it would be the MCI 102C3 that is advertised in the classified section of this board.  It is a recent bus with a 4 cylinder Detroit Series 50 and Allison automatic (don't know the speeds, guessing a 6 spd) that would get you close to 10 mpg.  The price is $26,000, but then you have a bus with the most modern engine/transmission and don't have to modify the drive train.  With the modifications I've done to my transit, I could have easily bought this bus with money left over.  Good Luck, TomC

[jjrbus]

Do NOT ever buy a bus without having it inspected by a qualified BUS mechanic. It will cost you a few hundred dollars to have this done, but can save you many thousands of dollars and much heartache.
You cannot convert a bus cheaper than you can buy one. Most of us have many thousands of dollars in our bus's and thousands of hours. Plus the cost of materials has increased dramatically. If you can find a converted bus that is close to what you want, buy it and customize it as time and money permit.

[Barn Owl]

Be sure to spend lots and lots of time pouring through the archives on this and the other boards. This subject comes up often, and you have to get proficient in the archive section in order to get as much knowledge as you possibly can. I spent several months doing just that when I started.

Welcome to the group,

Laryn

[Busted Knuckle]

Do NOT ever buy a bus without having it inspected by a qualified BUS mechanic. It will cost you a few hundred dollars to have this done, but can save you many thousands of dollars and much heartache.
You cannot convert a bus cheaper than you can buy one. Most of us have many thousands of dollars in our bus's and thousands of hours. Plus the cost of materials has increased dramatically. If you can find a converted bus that is close to what you want, buy it and customize it as time and money permit.

JJRBUS I absolutely agree about having any bus completely inspected! But I don't agree 100% on being able to buy cheaper than build. Sometimes you can, if you find something close to want you want that is done right. But sometimes what you find are junk or simply just not what ya want! Sometimes we are just plain picky, and want something that you don't just find everyday(ya know the wife may demand a waterfall over the fire place in the master suite!). Or have specail needs and have to have a completely custom set up. May wanna have it set up with a vending area or something different. So while it's possible to buy one already done, it doesn't mean it'll be cheaper to fix what is poorly done or to change it to your needs! FWIW JMHO!
 BK  

[prevost82]

You can't import an Eagle seated or converted into Canada.
Ron