New Flyer Articulated on eBay

[Len Silva]

Anyone looking for a 60 footer??

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1991-New-Flyer-60-Bus-in-Good-Shape_W0QQitemZ4641719024QQcategoryZ6728QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Len Silva

[phil4501]

I like those. Reminds me of the mammoth car from the old Speed Racer cartoon. I wonder why the last guy that won the auction back out.

What's the point of a private auction? This is the first one I've seen that seems legitimate, the prequalify ones are almost always a scam.

[belfert]

In a private auction, names of bidders are not listed.

Sometimes a 3rd party will message bidders with offers for the same item outside of Ebay.  Not likely with a bus, but this same seller does a lot more than buses.

Brian Elfert

[DrivingMissLazy]

In a private auction, names of bidders are not listed.

Sometimes a 3rd party will message bidders with offers for the same item outside of Ebay.  Not likely with a bus, but this same seller does a lot more than buses.

Brian Elfert

As I recall one of the members of this old board purchased one of these several months ago and drove it from Minnesota to some place in the south, if I recall correctly he was then going to go to Iran on a high paying civilian job and then come back and make a coach out of it. If I recall correctly, several persons advised him that it was not legal to drive on the highway without special permits and other considerations.
Richard

[phil4501]

I would have thought that this would be no different than a bus with a trailer as far as licensing and permits and such. Is it because there are seats in the trailer?

[belfert]

The issue is these articulateds have the engine in the far rear so the back half can't be considered a trailer.

These are all from Metro Transit up here in Minneapolis.  I'm suprised that 1991s are going for $5,000.  They do see a lot of salt up here in Minneapolis so they probably are rusty.

Brian elfert

[phil4501]

I just assumed it had a mid engine confiuration on the front part driviing the rear wheels of that unit.

[Lightfoot]

I drove a MAN articulated for Seattle Metro for a few years. The good news is, they're really quite nimble in traffic and cornering for such a big bustard. Unfortunately, they're also terribly underpowered, prone to violent bucking over bumps, average about 3-MPG and USELESS in a slight dusting of snow. Would I ever convert one? Not if it was the last bus on Earth...

[belfert]

I drove a MAN articulated for Seattle Metro for a few years. The good news is, they're really quite nimble in traffic and cornering for such a big bustard. Unfortunately, they're also terribly underpowered, prone to violent bucking over bumps, average about 3-MPG and USELESS in a slight dusting of snow. Would I ever convert one? Not if it was the last bus on Earth...

Worthless in snow is right.  We had a snow/ice storm here in Minneapolis in March.  There were something like 120 buses stuck or crashed.

The articulated buses had huge problems.  Since the engine is in the back, they were jackknifing when the rear wheels on the front section would lose traction.  I work in Downtown Minneapolis, and four articulated buses were stuck around the building I work in.  One hit a parked car when it jackknifed.

Brian Elfert

[gumpy]

I don't think this is the same seller that sold the bus to the guy who drove it south. That one was out west of Minneapolis somewhere on a farm. This guy is in a northern suburb. I used to work next door to his yard. He had several articulated buses sitting there. Would move them around the yard, but never seemed to DO anything with them.

A couple years ago, a fellow down south contacted me and asked me to go to this seller's yard and look at a transit that was for sale. He wanted it for an engine donor for his bus. The seller never would return my phone calls to make an appointment, so the guy ended up not buying the bus.

As for legality, I think it's highly questionable. If I recall correctly, the fellow who drove the one down south said he was licensing the rear section as an RV, and the front section as a trailer! Don't recall which state he was in, but it was one of them "backwards" southern ones, I guess 

[phil4501]

Are the Prevost articulated set up the same way? Do the have the same bad reputation/

[belfert]

Are the Prevost articulated set up the same way? Do the have the same bad reputation/

The Prevost H5-60 has the engine under the floor like a regular coach, but in the front section, not the rear.  There is no rear access like a regular coach.  The engine has to dropped out the bottom for major work.  I read somewhere that one bus garage had a large number of "sick" workers every time the H5-60s were scheduled for service.

I considered one of these beasts for my RV conversion and quickly moved on after I saw the mileage and considered what tires and such would cost.

Brian Elfert

[niles500]

***** FROM THE BNO ARCHIVE - USE SEARCH FOR ENTIRE THREAD


By Kevin Allen, Nebus (207.254.216.4) on Wednesday, November 10, 2004 - 5:20 pm: Edit Post
WOOHOO! I bought one of those articulated 60 foot New Flyer buses. It's a '91 model with a DD 6V92 with an Allison 748 auto tranny.

I know, I've read a bit about these things being problematic... but for $6000 (including storage fees for 6 months), I just couldn't pass the deal up. She's beautiful, very clean and runs great!

The only bad thing is... it's over 1000 miles away and I have to drive there to get it. That's gunna suck. But man, what a catch I think. It's currently set for 320hp output from the engine, and I got a digital copy of the service/operators manual for the engine... so, hopefully with a little luck, I'll get her home without much trouble. The tires are in very good condition too. Nothing like 10 tires to replace when they go thin! OY!

Have any of you had experience with these artic's? What kind of problems will I run into, besides the obvious wiring/plumbing hassles?

-Kevin

[phil4501]

Did you buy yours from this same guy.