Buying a used school bus?

[EverythingPinkIsMagic]

I want to buy a used school bus. I found several online that are less than $2000 and have fewer than 80,000 miles on them. It seems to good to be true. Is it? What should I consider before buying a school bus? 

 

I really want one because it would be awesome to have a working bus! I've always liked large vehicles and a bus would be pretty neat. But I admit I haven't considered many of the practicality aspects. I'd like some advice here please. ?

[Xanthe_2871]

I don't know how much you've researched this but a bus is nothing like a car...

 

Where will you store it?

Do you have a class A license?

How much do repairs cost?

How much does it cost to insure a bus?

[EverythingPinkIsMagic]

1 hour ago, Xanthe_2871 said:

I don't know how much you've researched this but a bus is nothing like a car...

 

Where will you store it?

Do you have a class A license?

How much do repairs cost?

How much does it cost to insure a bus?

I can park it across from my house. I don't. I don't know. Probably a ton.

[SCHISCHKA]

1 hour ago, EverythingPinkIsMagic said:

less than $2000 and have fewer than 80,000 miles on them

I will not discourage you from this. I don't know what your regulations. Its somewhat popular in my country for retired people to retrofit a bus for their cheap extended summer holidays. I even saw one with a fireplace & chimney. In my country heavy vehicles & licenses are classed on number of axels & weight. Insurance is based on vehicle value & its intended use; private or commercial.

[Monkey Dust]

1 hour ago, Xanthe_2871 said:

I don't know how much you've researched this but a bus is nothing like a car...

 

Where will you store it?

Do you have a class A license?

How much do repairs cost?

How much does it cost to insure a bus?

Storage is the big one, but you have that sorted

License, you could get one

Repairs, it's big, heavy vehicle, so many components will be heavy duty and expensive new. But second hand parts will available in many cases, and everything should be built to last anyway.

Insurance, no idea. If you're not carrying paying passengers might not be too bad.

 

 

[Canada EH]

When the bus breaks down and you need a tow, how much will that be? I doubt AAA or CAA will cover it. I bet $1000 minimum for a tow.

 

Can you even spin wrenches? What happens when the axle blows and you need to replace it. Sure you can find used parts, but its big and heavy.

 

I wouldnt bother, if you want a camper, look at a Ford Flex, or a Van, those extended vans look cool, but they totally look creepy, so best to go with a truck and make it look like a commercial truck, when in reality its a camper. Minivans are another option, but they dont last long. If you spray paint the inside of the windows with black paint, it looks like a good tint job.

 

Also fuel will be expensive if you drive it around. Probably 4mpg.

[Monte_Carlo]

2000 dollar bus.  You'll spend that in a few months on gas alone.  That's ignoring insurance costs, license costs, and upkeep.   Also keep in mind this is mostly 80000 miles of stop and go traffic, not highway.  

 

As cool as it would be, it would be utterly impractical.  Why not buy an old military truck or old school truck of some variety?  Or old Chevy Van.  Paint it black, and bam... A-Team van. 

[EverythingPinkIsMagic]

19 minutes ago, Monkey Dust said:

Storage is the big one, but you have that sorted

License, you could get one

Repairs, it's big, heavy vehicle, so many components will be heavy duty and expensive new. But second hand parts will available in many cases, and everything should be built to last anyway.

Insurance, no idea. If you're not carrying paying passengers might not be too bad.

 

 

I said I can keep it on my street. There is a lot of space and some of my neighbors have RVs parked so it would be so out of place. I would not have passengers. Not paying ones at least.

[Canada EH]

Unimog's are AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Just now, Monte_Carlo said:

2000 dollar bus.  You'll spend that in a few months on gas alone.  That's ignoring insurance costs, license costs, and upkeep.   Also keep in mind this is mostly 80000 miles of stop and go traffic, not highway.  

 

As cool as it would be, it would be utterly impractical.  Why not buy an old military truck or old school truck of some variety?  Or old Chevy Van.  Paint it black, and bam... A-Team van. 

 

[Monte_Carlo]

1 minute ago, Canada EH said:

Unimog's are AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

Okay, that would be epic.  But they are extremely rare in the United States since only a few were imported.  You could bring one in under the 25 year rule.  Only downsides there is fixing it would be a bitch thanks to rarity of parts and it being a Mercedes.  Upside is you'd have something that would be a couple of steps above a Land Rover or Hummer H1.  Not practical, but man that would be a freaking novelty.

 

Incidentally... I don't mean to be an ass, but has the OP considered a short bus?   Easier to store, park, easier on gas, and you might be able to take it on with a standard license depending on weight/seat number. 

[EverythingPinkIsMagic]

4 minutes ago, Monte_Carlo said:

2000 dollar bus.  You'll spend that in a few months on gas alone.  That's ignoring insurance costs, license costs, and upkeep.   Also keep in mind this is mostly 80000 miles of stop and go traffic, not highway.  

 

As cool as it would be, it would be utterly impractical.  Why not buy an old military truck or old school truck of some variety?  Or old Chevy Van.  Paint it black, and bam... A-Team van. 

I've always liked large vehicles. As a kid I disliked the hot wheels buses because they weren't to scale. My mom would buy me the diecast school buses separately. But I can see this is probably just a pipe dream.

[Canada EH]

Actually there is a big Unimog community in NA. I like Uni's and Icelandic Jeeps. Yes the 25 yr rule for the USA. Uni's are praticle for the offroad enthuisiast (sp). Short bus would be a bad idea. My ideas are better. Add to that station wagons, but newer ones, like the Ford Taurus. You can add extended roofs to vans. Add to my ideas a Cube Van. My best idea yet.

[EverythingPinkIsMagic]

7 minutes ago, Monte_Carlo said:

2000 dollar bus.  You'll spend that in a few months on gas alone.  That's ignoring insurance costs, license costs, and upkeep.   Also keep in mind this is mostly 80000 miles of stop and go traffic, not highway.  

 

As cool as it would be, it would be utterly impractical.  Why not buy an old military truck or old school truck of some variety?  Or old Chevy Van.  Paint it black, and bam... A-Team van. 

What if I kept it parked accoss the street, and only drove it occasionally? Maybe a few hundred miles a year? 

[Canada EH]

2 minutes ago, EverythingPinkIsMagic said:

What if I kept it parked accoss the street, and only drove it occasionally? Maybe a few hundred miles a year? 

That would be a total waste of money spent on the bus.

Do one of my ideas. I like the cube van idea. You can add a trailer.

Look at the Double Back VW van. Awesome setup, but unsafe. Replicate in a cube van, van or truck.

A van style front end is unsafe, older ones are truck style.

[Monte_Carlo]

Just now, EverythingPinkIsMagic said:

I've always liked large vehicles. As a kid I disliked the hot wheels buses because they weren't to scale. My mom would buy me the diecast school buses separately. But I can see this is probably just a pipe dream.

 

I won't call it a pipe dream.  As far as dreams go, this one is within your grasp.  Issue would be... doing something with it, and a camper conversion would be pretty epic.  The issues we listed aren't too horrific apart from maybe gas prices.

 

Things to look for I guess... (taken from car buying)

-Look for rust

-have mechanic look over engine

-check if steering is solid and brakes as well.

-a history report and/or maintenance logs should be easy to come by here. 

-test drive it to check is alignment is true

-no clue how cheap buses are, but if it seems too good to be true... check for water damage.  And as always, see if you can't talk em down. 

[Canada EH]

Are you going to buy a diesel or gasoline bus?

[EverythingPinkIsMagic]

2 minutes ago, Canada EH said:

Are you going to buy a diesel or gasoline bus?

The one I have my eye on is 40' and biodiesel

[Canada EH]

If its converted for biodiesel, then you should pass.

Just go with a white Cube van and a trailer. You wont get cops waking you up because you look like a hobo.

 

[EverythingPinkIsMagic]

10 minutes ago, Monte_Carlo said:

 

I won't call it a pipe dream.  As far as dreams go, this one is within your grasp.  Issue would be... doing something with it, and a camper conversion would be pretty epic.  The issues we listed aren't too horrific apart from maybe gas prices.

 

Things to look for I guess... (taken from car buying)

-Look for rust

-have mechanic look over engine

-check if steering is solid and brakes as well.

-a history report and/or maintenance logs should be easy to come by here. 

-test drive it to check is alignment is true

-no clue how cheap buses are, but if it seems too good to be true... check for water damage.  And as always, see if you can't talk em down. 

Thank you Buses go for $1,000 to $4,000 when they're in reasonable used shape but someone I met online got a huge 50'er for $750 in great shape. They really don't hold their value at all. 

[Canada EH]

Because people want the eye sore out of sight. A tow alone will be $1000. Get it in a ditch and it sky rockets.

 

http://eagletowingandrecovery.com/page4.html

http://www.ct.gov/dmv/LIB/dmv/20/29/K-11.pdf

[EverythingPinkIsMagic]

1 hour ago, Canada EH said:

Because people want the eye sore out of sight. A tow alone will be $1000. Get it in a ditch and it sky rockets.

 

http://eagletowingandrecovery.com/page4.html

http://www.ct.gov/dmv/LIB/dmv/20/29/K-11.pdf

I don't think it's an eye sore...

[ThinkWithPortals]

Running costs, fuel costs, insurance cost, road tax, etc.

[Toast550]

Party bus?

[Talamakara]

My dad bought a bus. Took it out to the country, stripped all the seats and frames out of it. Then used it as a large storage container, instead of renting a storage locker. Cost 400 bucks once and he used it for our entire family to store stuff for over 10 years. Best use for an old bus ever.

[straight_stewie]

11 hours ago, EverythingPinkIsMagic said:

I want to buy a used school bus. I found several online that are less than $2000 and have fewer than 80,000 miles on them. It seems to good to be true. Is it? What should I consider before buying a school bus? 

Well, we need more information. I know a good bit about collecting large vehicles (I collect military trucks, specifically, these: M939). There are a few factors to consider:
 

1. Does the bus have airbrakes?
2. Is it a full size bus?
3. Does it meet current emissions requirements for your area (or is that a non-sequiter)?
4. Are you willing/capable of getting the necessary CDL (which may or may not include airbrakes, mostly may)?
5. How much are you willing to pay for insurance? (Insuring commercial vehicles can be expensive if you do it wrong)
6. Can you even get it registered in your area? (Again, can be expensive if not done properly)
7. Have you ever driven a vehicle that large?
8. Have you been in an accident where a person died or was permanently injured and you were found to be at fault in the last 3 years?