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Message |
Ken Klunder (Novice) (209.112.145.87)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 14, 2002 - 2:23 am: | |
We recently purchased a MCI coach (MC 9) in southern California and drove it home to Alaska via South Dakota. It was a very long drive -- over 4000 miles. On the return trip we had to replace a voltage regulator, a temperature sending unit, a set of belts (one to the squirrel cages and the other two to the air conditioning system), the air regulator unit on the belt tension device, and we lost the brakes on one front wheel. For new people to the conversion process, we were kind of shocked. We knew it was a used bus, but how much trouble should one expect on trips with a converted bus?
I hesitate to sound like I am whining (I prefer drinking my wine); however, it did make me wonder each morning what I was going to find on my shakedown. We did own a store bought motorhome for 15 years and we never had that much go wrong with it on a long trip. Is this the type of expense and challenge one will face with a converted coach?
Thanks to anyone who is willing to offer some insight into what one faces with a conversion.
The Alaskan Novice
MCI MC 9
#S15327 |
FAST FRED (65.58.226.235)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 14, 2002 - 5:48 am: | |
ANY coach is like a battery , a fully charged one is far better than one that gets run down & only charged when its finally flat.
The Coach pre purchase should help seperate those orphans that the owners "Drive till they DIE " , from those that get as much PM (preventive Maint)as Da Book demands.
If you purchase from a private owner a long listen should get a picture on what oil was used , what antifreez , what PM sked , if any.
A coach is valued on Condition , Condition , Condition and the hard part is not finding a coach , its finding one that was lovingly taken care of.
Or at least lived in a place (like NJ) that had competent mechanics and a PM sked.
Sounds like your about normal in the coach fixing , and it is far better to spend the time and cash to restore the coach to good running condition than rush into heated Corrian Toilet seats.
You should expect to replace all the wheel seals , as you inspect the front & rear wheel bearings and foundation brakes.
You should expext to 2 part clean the cooling system and replace the hoses , thermostats, and coolant with REAL diesel antifreez and distilled water.
You should expect to short change (3000) miles the oil & filters in engine & tranny.
From there on it will be a learning process (Da Book in hand) to service the coach , and look for stuff thats near the end of a long service life.
TO Pro maintaine coach will run a couple of grand a year (Larry Planchnos book on coach conversion gives a routine & costs).
But most of the work , grease job break adjustment ,oil change , can easily be learned and done by most folks.
NEVER "slip under" your coach with out blocking the body, or you could end up very thin.
I know its great to get under and marvle at the unit , but use a pit , or a drain trench ,or a jack and blocking to view the undersides.
FAST FRED |
Don KS/TX (63.15.244.44)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 14, 2002 - 9:57 am: | |
I have been much luckier I guess. I have taken several old coaches that had sat for ever after hard use without proper maintenance, and never had a breakdown or real problem. Of course I also am one who has done so much with so little for so long, I can do almost anything with nothing.
I think a lot of it is a learning process of getting familiar with the whole bus process, and YOURS in particular. I feel it IS necessary to get down and dirty yourself, inspect, repair and check things. I see far too many who think the kid at the local truck stop is going to fix anything that might go wrong, even though he had never seen a bus in his life before. In general, your experience is NOT typical. Buses also rarely ever quit without lots of warning, you need to watch and listen to those warnings, then heed them. A good example is your belts. If they were checked and in great shape BEFORE you left, then their failure is telling you that you have some other problem, like loose bearings or broken pulleys, etc etc. |
Henry R. Bergman, Jr. (Henryofcj) (63.224.197.10)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 14, 2002 - 3:11 pm: | |
The key to enjoying this busing stuff is that in spite of everything that can be done to prevent it, stuff will still go wrong.
I bought my '74 Crown schoolie because I wanted one and the coach only had 600 miles on a year 2000 California school bus inspection.
She was/is in absolutely mint physical condition. Only problem was in spite of this, I still had a power steering pump failure.
Seems they may have swapped pumps before I bought her. The point is that one of the best $investments$ one could make before purchase....
Would be to spend the money and have the coach inspected bumper to bumper. Even then you pay the money and take the chances. Warp 8 Mr. Sulu. |
Bradd B. Smith (Bbsrtbusproject) (208.26.165.172)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 14, 2002 - 6:29 pm: | |
Ken, I bought mine in the mid west, and drove it 2100 miles home without a hitch. It had all the maint. records and I had her looked at before I left Indy. These are complicated systems made for long service. With proper maint, they will do it. I would also advise getting it mechanically sound and then starting your own maint. log and do the required, by time or milage, and KNOW when you did them last. This should stop most of the surprises. It will not, as Henry pointed out, eliminate all of them, but it is a giant step in the right direction. Sitting kills them. The 100 mile a month rule, offered by one of our way more knowledgeable members, is a real good idea. And besides, if you are like most of us, any excuse to fire her up and go will do. Welcome to the best sport in town! |
Frank Allen (205.188.197.59)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 14, 2002 - 6:49 pm: | |
Never had any maj trouble with my 06 in 15 yrs. woooould go anywhere in it anytime
Frank Allen |
Richard Bowyer (Drivingmisslazy) (66.190.119.82)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 14, 2002 - 7:28 pm: | |
And I really question the estimated $2000 per year maintenance costs. In fifteen years I do not think I have spent over $300-500 per year and I have put close to 150,000 miles on her, and I still do not hesitate to make cross country trips at the drop of a hat. Have never had a problem en-route that could not wait till I got home or to my destination.
Richard |
Ken Klunder (Novice) (209.112.145.225)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 14, 2002 - 8:45 pm: | |
I thank one-and-all for the advice. On our trip home we had chances to talk with people who showed us their conversions with a lot of pride. It sounds like we just need to stop whining, put in some time researching and converting our bus and start finding the places to taste wine!
Thanks again,
The Alaskan Novice
MCI MC 9
#S15327 |
Buswarrior (Buswarrior) (64.229.210.148)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, August 15, 2002 - 1:18 am: | |
Commercially, fleet sales are usually planned. (If unplanned, see the private list,it'll be close!) Fleets exist to make money, not to be nostalgic and emotional about assets.
1) Who would put new parts on a bus that is going to be sold shortly?
2) Why would you leave new parts on a bus you are going to sell?
3) Through careful calculation, is the bus about to enter an expensive period in its life that is not as worthwhile to the company as spending the cash on payments for a new one?
Privately, sales are sometimes unplanned, and you don't have the DOT inspection standards to act as some sort of minimum equalizer...
1) Didn't budget for a new (fill in the blank) and can't afford to fix it right?
2) Can't afford to continue?
3) Cobbled it together and put it up for sale?
4) Lost interest when it got tough going?
5) Spouse says, "It's me or the bus!" (which if you pick wrong will give new meaning to items #1 and #2)
To put anything up for sale means someone doesn't want it anymore.
Always ask them, and yourself, why?
happy coaching!
buswarrior |
Bradd B. Smith (Bbsrtbusproject) (208.26.165.54)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, August 15, 2002 - 2:02 am: | |
Wow Richard, I guess I should have bought an Eagle. 25 gallons of antifreeze, 7 gallons of Rotella, 8 gallons of atf, 5 gallons of 90 wt, air cleaner, 3 fuel filters, hyd. fan filter, down stream super fine trans filter, wiper blades etc, etc, ran me quite a bit more than 300 to 500. My trans. filter from DD was 178.00 alone. 5 micron is the answer. Not to mention belts, hoses, the odd electrical part, although, not every year. If you would be so kind, how do you get by that inexpensively? Anything the rest of us could do? I would be very interested in your maint. plan. 2000 is high, but I know I will go at least half that. Would love to cut it in half again and not compromise. Thanks, Bradd |
FAST FRED (65.59.73.191)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, August 15, 2002 - 5:04 am: | |
The $2000+ figure is for having a coach Pro maintained , where the labor rate is $50+.
Lots less if you do your own labor or NO PM and drive it till it dies.
FAST FRED |
Richard Bowyer (Drivingmisslazy) (66.190.119.82)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, August 15, 2002 - 7:30 am: | |
Bradd, I think that most of the things you mention are an initial expense and then do not need or require an annual change, whether Eagle or MCI or GM or whatever. I do my own work, which saves a lot of money, as FF indicates, and I keep a close check on all items to replace as needed and before failure.
I believe my years of trouble free driving speaks for its self with never a breakdown on the road in fifteen years of owning a bus, and thirty years with other types of RV vehicles.
Richard |
Don KS/TX (63.15.244.71)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, August 15, 2002 - 7:39 am: | |
Well, you are probably right Fred. I think we "forget" some of the expenses sometime. If you takes tires alone, and subscribe to the commonly accepted 5 year max life, that alone is $560 a year for cheap tires on a 8 tire bus that never got out of the garage in the 5 years! NOBODY changes the oil as often as recommended by DD, or you would add another 100 per month, again this is if you did NOT leave the garage, we are now at $1760 a year, have never had a mechanic near it, and have done nothing but put on cheap tires and do oil changes ourselves! Heaven help us if we actually drive the thing out of the garage or do any of the other maintenance on it! |
Richard Bowyer (Drivingmisslazy) (66.190.119.82)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, August 15, 2002 - 7:56 am: | |
Second thoughts. A set of tires sure blows a hole in that estimate for several years.
Richard |
Ross Carlisle (Ross) (207.88.96.230)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, August 15, 2002 - 9:58 am: | |
I bought my bus from a bus dealer. The dealer had to make the bus inspectable. This meant he had to replace the rear air tank and one airbag. Plus, he had all of the service records for the bus since new and the bus had only been out of service for one month. I looked at alot of buses that looked like they had not moved in over a year.
Since starting the conversion, I've found a few issues but nothing major. Overall, I think I got a good bus. I basically got lucky. I did not find this board until after I bought the bus. I know alot more about what to look for now than I did when I bought the bus.
Ross |
Don KS/TX (63.15.244.153)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, August 15, 2002 - 10:41 am: | |
I can share that experience. I would not put any trust in the "DOT INSPECTION". Most places will sell you that inspection, and you don't even have to go there for it, believe me, I used to have them for my trucks, I consider it totally meaningless. If you can get a good bus mechanic to look it over for a few hundred, that is your best bet if you don't feel capable. |
FAST FRED (65.58.190.159)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, August 15, 2002 - 11:43 am: | |
There is no question that a DOT inspection is totally useless as a pre-purchase inspection,
However it is a very important thing to have done at least once a year.
With our ligatious society , should your coach get hit ,
the liars for hire will make "that Old bus" a safty issue.
Harder to do if its up to snuff (even to a lousey OT std) .
We pay hundreds for insurance , so an extra few bucks to help the insurance co. out can't hurt.
In the military it was called CYA.
Besides the quick inspection might find a fault you overlooked.
FAST FRED |
Ross Carlisle (Ross) (207.88.97.153)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, August 15, 2002 - 11:47 am: | |
I agree, except I was there when they did it asking questions all way. They did a very thorough inspection. After following the mechanic around during the inspection, I was satified that there were no major issues. So far that is holding true.
Ross |
Henry R. Bergman, Jr. (Henryofcj) (63.164.175.132)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, August 15, 2002 - 3:59 pm: | |
Its amazing that the older our equipment gets, the better we take care of it. My '81 VW Rabbit Diesel looks like a war orphan, but mechanically is in very good/excellent condition. Preventative maintence well beyond the factory recommendations.
I also lucked out (mostly) with my bus purchase. Seems my 1974 Crown Super Coach 40 foot 10 wheeler had been totally rebuilt by some $rich$ school district in California with the idea of years more service hauling school kids.
But...because of a very strange situation was probably declared politically incorrect and was placed in reserve status. You see, it is a DIESEL bus! Can't have that. Got to have natural gas schoolies only down in Orange County California.
Sosss...she was declared surplus, auctioned off and I got her for a $song$. Right time, right place. I was lucky. Still discovering all the new parts she has. They had to have spend ten $grand$ going thru her, maybe more.
Only a public school district spending tax dollars could have done such a thing and gotten away with it. Oh well, your tax dollars at work. He he he. Thanks. |
Johnny (63.159.184.45)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, August 16, 2002 - 6:19 pm: | |
I did the opposite of what most sensible people would do: bought (actually, it was free) a neglected, vandalized skoolie that sat (outdoors) for 4+ months next to a shed. So far, mechanical repairs have been:
Replace dying 370 gasser with a 460*
Replace clutch*
New flex lines, hardware, shoes, wheel cylinders & turned (junkyard) drums on front brakes
New parking brake cable*
Adjust rear brakes*
Replace 3 regular bias-ply 10-22.5, 2 nylon-bias tube-type 10.00-20, & 1 radial 10R22.5 tire with 6 good used 265/75R22.5 radials (rear Bandags)* Remove the hack-job radio, wired entirely with household speaker wire*
Dig up a good radiator in a junked F-700 stake-body
Items marked with a * I knew about when I got the bus.
Astoundingly, it went through at least 1 state inspection with all the problems mentioned above except the bad parking brake. Just think, the boys & girls club your children go top could have been going on outings in THAT bus! Spooky........ |
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