Sellers have to be up front and honest with their selling practices because Ebay is watching. Every seller has a feedback rating that tells everybody how previous transactions went with past purchaser comments and ratings.
When looking for a used school bus for sale check out the sellers feedback. Have a look at the pictures provided and send off an email if you have a question for the seller. High mileage school buses doesn't mean they can't go another 100,000 miles depending on condition and what you plan on using it for.
Most used school buses are in very good condition since they were maintained under strict guidelines for obvious reasons, carrying school children everyday. The body rust could be an issue if the school bus came from a wet mountainous region that used a lot of road chemicals.
Gas or diesel engine?
My choice is always diesel since they can really take a licking with high mileage. Since most uses after the school fleet life of a bus is light duty, the life expectancy of a diesel will outweigh a gas engine. This all depends on the condition of the engine and how it was cared for.
The drivetrain is generally an automatic transmission. Allison transmissions are the most common. They are very durable and can go for many miles after retirement if cared for and maintained properly.
I have many posts here on my blog on common diesel engines and the Allison transmission found in school buses. They information is about failures and fixes along with maintenance tips. The search box in the top left hand corner will help you find what you are looking for.
Used Bus For Sale
John,
ReplyDeleteHaving been interested in industrial diesel's for sometime, Ive got to say its pretty cool to see someone blogging about them.
Ive been thinking about buying a used bus for a while to convert economically to a motorhome.
With that being said, Im thinking something along the lines of a late 90's to early 2000 rig preferably with arround 100k or less miles.
Thomas's, Internationals, and Bird pusher's all look as though they would sufficiently do the job, With that being said -What should one be on the lookout for (good & bad) in this frame of mind?
Would you rate any brand of bus better/worse than any others?
Im assuming for this class & age of rig that its par for a 4 speed allison?
Do they ever use transmissions with more gears in this rig class?
Engine-wise I see that you give the DT466 high marks, but as far as the "main 3" (Cat, Cummins, Detroit) are there any to especially stay away from (or that work especially well)?
Assuming someone got a rig with a "mainstream" cummins (5.9l ISB), how feasable would it be to use performance parts (banks or otherwise) to squeeze out some extra horses?
As far as getting one of these rigs to run Biodiesel (Say B50?), what engine mods would you see being required?
Any ideas on what one would be spending to get one repainted?
What would standard maintenance look like (how often, how much, etc.)?
Thanks & Have a good one,
Darby
If you want reliability I would go for the thomas pusher with allison trans and Cummins C series. DT466 if you prefer a conventional. Check for rust and suspicious noises. Don't get a 3116 Cat, they have a weak top end. Keep the oil and fuel clean and check underneath every week. No clue on paint job, you'll need an estimate.No clue on adding biodiesel, there's a ton of info online.
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