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Message |
confused about birds (66.167.79.202)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, September 20, 2003 - 11:30 pm: | |
I've never seen anybody mention Van Hool buses on here without spitting to clean their mouth.
But there are lots of them for sale and they seem to have reasonable drive trains...most have Cummins but some have Series 60 and B500's.
So what's the "ugly" part?
Thanks |
Derek (24.66.241.23)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, September 21, 2003 - 4:30 am: | |
They have more of a frankenstein forehead than a raised roof MCI or Eagle LOL...
... But seriously, I don't like them because for the cost, I can get about the same Prevost, which I HIGHLY prefer.
Although I've never seen a Van Hool mentioned on this board.. |
FAST FRED (67.75.109.200)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, September 21, 2003 - 5:37 am: | |
Most of the European coaches are built to a different service level from US coaches.
A US coach is expected to last a decade or more in sked Line service running about 200,000 miles a year , if sked properly.
Then it steps down to charter service for another decade eventually ending up as a beer bust, wedding run or casino can , finally sold hopefully as an RV.
Europeans have insanely expensive gov subsadized trains for inter city moves, so most coaches are for the tourist trade.
Fancy interiors only last a season or 3 and are outdated by newer glitzer interiors.
So the Euro stuff has a frame life expectancy of 500,000 miles , far above what they will see in touring.
Sorta like the Freightliner RV stuff sold here.
With little (usually under 20,000) miles racked up on RV's a low milage coach of European extraction could work.
This explanitation is condensed from National Bus Traider editor LP.
FAST FRED |
John Rigby (24.174.239.244)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, September 21, 2003 - 7:51 am: | |
Fred
That was perhaps correct for the 80,s coaches,but Hotard Coaches from New Orleans put 1.000.000 miles on my 4104. Albert Hotard does his own maintence, he has owned Flexibles, GM 04 and 06
MCI 8 AND 9 Eagles and now has 4 Van Hool 2045,s
He said they where one of the easiest buses he has had to work on to maintain. He went on and on about how he liked them.
Also I remember seeing an article in Bus Conversions Mag. an article that a Van Hool 800 With the cummings and allison tranny makes a geat conversion.,but they are hard to come by no one wants to take them out of ther fleet and give them up
John |
BrianMCI96A3 (65.41.249.60)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, September 21, 2003 - 10:37 am: | |
Derek, there was a great looking MCI roof raise in a Bus Conversion Magazine some time ago. The fellow cut off the old angled rear cap, dragged it the length of the roof, and attached it over the front cap. Saved him money and looks great. No Frankenstein's monster there!
Brian |
Jayjay (198.81.26.104)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, September 22, 2003 - 2:56 am: | |
Hey FF, whoever said a VanHool has a 500k chasis is rather ignorant. Perhaps he hasn't driven over the mountainous terrain of most of Europe. I looked at several in New Orleans, that had DD 70's in them , with well over a millon, and still going strong.( not even a re-build on the engine!) The company operators said they were the cheapest to keep on the road due to reliability. I've driven several of them, ( and the Setra's and Neoplans) and find them to be well built and easy to drive. It's big enough to drive my 4905 up inside of it, and if I had the funds, I'd start on a conversion of one tomorrow. BTW does anyone besides Neoplan currently build busses in the USA? ...JJ |
RJ Long (Rjlong) (24.127.74.29)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, September 22, 2003 - 4:21 am: | |
Hey JJ --
What do you think of the Setras? I really like the 45 footers, just wish they'd built 'em originally with flat floors like the new S417s are coming with. . .
Let's see, who builds what where:
Neoplans are built in Colorado.
RTS is out of production, were built in Roswell, NM.
NovaBus builds in Canada.
Prevosts are built in Canada.
Setras are built in Germany.
VanHools are built in Germany.
MCIs are built in Canada, with final assembly of US models in Penbina, ND - altho this plant is scheduled to close at the end of the year, leaving production strictly in Winnipeg, unless MCI declares bankruptcy and goes away, too.
New Flyer shells are built in Canada, with final assembly in Minnesota for US models
Orion shells are built in Canada, US models finished in NY.
Crown is out of business.
BlueBirds are built in Georgia, Ontario Canada and in England.
Thomas-Built are constructed in NC.
Dinas are built in Mexico.
Gilligs are built in Hayward, CA
Clear as mud??
RJ
PD4106-2784
Fresno CA |
Mark R. Obtinario (Cowlitzcoach) (204.245.250.145)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, September 22, 2003 - 10:47 am: | |
I suppose the main reason so few people like the Van Hools is so many of them are such odd ducks (the buses, not the owners).
Up until the most recent models, each bus was almost a model unto itself. Unless you have the serial #, ordering parts can be a real nightmare. Running changes happened during model years. Two identically spe'c'ed models made in the same model year can use radically different wiring diagrams and other important systems can be vastly different. Many of the older Van Hools were made in Europe to European spe'c's and then Federalized. Others were made to Federal spe'c's.
As FF said, for various reasons, the Van Hool would make a pretty good conversion. Just be aware the parts and pieces are going to be difficult to run down until you know what you have.
Mark o. |
John Rigby (65.112.227.94)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, September 22, 2003 - 2:01 pm: | |
Mark
I travel I-10 through Texas everyday and the amount on new Van Hools far far surpass any other new model on the road.I must pass 30 or 40 new ones a day traveling to mexico florida locally to the casinos. Do you guys see a few up north??
John |
Johnny (65.224.20.207)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, September 22, 2003 - 8:01 pm: | |
I see a bunch of them as tour buses (mostly Fung Wah Tours) in the Boston area.
Coach USA/Bonanza seems to still have mostly MCI coaches. |
Derek (24.66.241.23)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, September 22, 2003 - 9:11 pm: | |
Universal Coach in Delta, BC (A suburb of Vancouver) runs a few Setras, somewhere between 4-8.. But they mainly run MCI and Prevost. |
Doug (68.83.22.146)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, September 23, 2003 - 10:41 pm: | |
Main reason for the # of Van Hools is the finacing they offer..... several years ago they would give one to you even if you were head over heel in debt..... the begining of the demise of NA built coach sales |
Jim Ashworth (Jimnh) (172.143.94.102)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, September 24, 2003 - 8:35 am: | |
A couple more reasons- they're cheap and pretty. This is important to the tour industry. They are not built as well as the older MCI's (probably built as well as the new ones though) but ABC Bus Inc. listens to the feedback from owners and Van Hool does make changes to improve them. I have driven them commercially and really like them. Major drawback to conversion use is the entry door. It is a pantograph sytle hinge (like MCI and Prevost baggage doors) and needs air to operate. Running a small noisy compressor to operate the door is not my idea of practicality. I think the door would be awkward to operate without the air.
Jim |
Stephen Fessenden (Sffess) (12.80.22.70)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, September 25, 2003 - 3:21 pm: | |
Looked at Van Hools at ABC 5 years ago. They were beautiful but the skin was galvanized steel. Fine for the first 20 years, but converters want them for the second 20 years. MCI and Prevost with Stainless steel skins make a lot of sense for a lifetime investment. |
John Rigby (24.174.239.244)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, September 25, 2003 - 9:43 pm: | |
Galvernized problem, very good point.
Also since my previous post talked to a friend in OKL City he drives MCI, PREVOST and VAN HOOLS daily, said the drivers compartment gauges, steering pedals, switches etc. are a drivers night mare compared to MCI and PREVOST.This guy has been driving for 40 years.
John |