17k vs 29,5K? The same BB?

[davidbrady]

Hi Opuntia,

Condition and ongoing steady maintenance and documentation to prove it means everything and can fluctuate wildly on a bus of this age. Buses in this age group have typically had several owners and have seen lots of wrenching from qualified and possibly not so qualified individuals. Some of the changes, maintenance, and upgrades add value, and some detract. As Charlie mentions rust is an issue, contrary to what a lot of folks will tell you. Blue Bird didn't use the best chassis paints and in some cases only used primer. A coach that's been driven thru the rust belt will show it and the fix isn't cheap. In short, you'll see large variance in asking prices and the usual best advice is it's better to spend too much for the right bus then it is to spend too little for the wrong one. I other words if you're going to err (and we all err), err in the direction of the bus that's been well maintained with documentation to prove it. Spending more for the right bus is the economical thing to do. Also, there's no substitute for boots on the ground. You need to go look at these buses personally. It's always a good idea to hire a person to do a pre-purchase inspection, but in the meantime you can do a lot of investigation by simply poking your head through the door. Smell the coach, look for stains, look for rust, see if it's dripping fluids. Poke around the engine compartment, do the belts and hoses look fresh, are the fasteners rust free, is it generally clean, are the fluid levels correct, are there date stamps written onto the filters? Check the battery and tire date codes. Tread depth means nothing, only the DOT code on the tire reveals what life is left if any. They can be glistening with Armorall but they're still junk. Pull transmission and engine oil samples and send them off to a lab for testing. Read the engine and transmission codes if it's an electronic engine. Start the engine and take if for a spin. Does it stay in its lane? Does it vibrate excessively? Keep and eye on the exhaust and note whether it smokes and what color. I could go on and on, but it's not rocket science. Any one of us including you can peak inside a coach and instantly tell if it's been cared for or if it has the telltale signs of an enduring lawn ornament! LOL!