| Author | Message | ||
| doug yes (Dougg)
Registered Member Username: Dougg Post Number: 18 Registered: 1-2007 Posted From: 4.235.255.193 Rating: N/A |
Lets say you are starting with a coach body and running gear in good shape. What is your average cost for the conversion? Is anyone keeping expense records? | ||
| Nick Badame Refrigeration Co. (Dnick85)
Registered Member Username: Dnick85 Post Number: 106 Registered: 2-2006 Posted From: 66.174.92.166 Rating: N/A |
I would have to say it depends on the amount of gingerbread and level of quality that a person puts into it. There is a wide range here.. To put a # on it is hard, maybe 20 to 100 thousand... I have sunk well over 100K..?%@%? Just Me.... Nick- | ||
| Kyle Brandt (Kyle4501)
Registered Member Username: Kyle4501 Post Number: 317 Registered: 9-2004 Posted From: 65.23.106.193 Rating: N/A |
There is no limit except for what you decide. Some have reused the original seat cushions for the beds that were flat on the floor & used cabinets that were recycled from the trash pile. Yet others have installed granite, marble, 42" plasma tv's, slideouts, roof raise, had the cabinetry built & installed by shipwrights, etc. Really depends on your level of ability & standards for your conversion. Personally this is a hobby for me & I plan on feeding it all the cash I can to keep it healthy  | ||
| JR Lynch (Njt5047)
Registered Member Username: Njt5047 Post Number: 142 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 69.132.226.200 Rating: |
For S&Gs, I spent about $33K converting ($45K total, but shell was $12K) an MC9 into a mediocre RV. It's comfortable, but definitely home-grown. The big pieces are easy to figure out on paper..it's all the little bits that create the surprises. Like, you know what the AC system costs, but once all the wiring, breakers, boxes, etc are bought to complete the installation...you've spent half of another AC. And so it goes. Just gotta decide what you want, peferably before you begin, and add it up. Then double the results. If you don't plan to boony, a compground unit can be built on the cheap... Camping sans pole is much more expensive...you'll need a generator, big tankage, better insulation, batteries, inverters....$$$$$$$$! I can tell you this, if you go nice, it'll get real expensive. Good luck, JR | ||
| Bill Keller (Busnut104)
Registered Member Username: Busnut104 Post Number: 10 Registered: 8-2006 Posted From: 71.31.78.115 Rating: N/A |
I stopped counting a 100grand, and not to think about the time, and I would be lucky to get 50grand for her. Oh well. | ||
| JR Lynch (Njt5047)
Registered Member Username: Njt5047 Post Number: 143 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 69.132.226.200 Rating: N/A |
I have a similar opinion of my conversion. Even though I got a pretty decent bus mechanically speaking (MC9s just ain't purty), believe stripping the good conversion stuff off the coach and selling the shell would be advantageous. All the RV stuff was bought new and would be expensive to replace. I could build another coach for the cost of the shell, wall and floor coverings. Lately, some nice low milage factory converted Prevosts have come on the market for just a little more than a a nice 500K milage shell can be bought. Something to think about before trying to build a show-piece. Decent late model seated buses are pricey...or they ain't "decent"..reckon we are competing with the charter folk when looking at 93 and up 4 strokes. That probably has something to do with the apparent low cost of the early 90s Prevosts...most are two stroke and no slides. Everyone with the bucks to buy late factory bus conversions want slides. Cheers, JR | ||
| David Evans (Dmd)
Registered Member Username: Dmd Post Number: 162 Registered: 10-2004 Posted From: 71.125.9.204 Rating: N/A |
Jr hit it right on. We had a fully functioning $10,000. coach for almost 10 years. No gen set,had air cond when at the pole. nice traveling and camping rig. Now we are setting her up for full timing and we will probably top out over 75thousand on the conversion and power train upgrades. Think of it like a bathroom or kitchen remodel. You will spend X on labor. The price of materials and fixtures depends on your tastes and needs. | ||
| Ron Walker (Prevost82)
Registered Member Username: Prevost82 Post Number: 279 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 208.181.210.47 Rating: N/A |
Yup ... If you want something nice, your looking at 75 & 100K. I'm up around 90K for mine. I seen some early 90 professionaly converted Prevost's on eBay go for around 100K .. if they were that cheap when I started mine I would have bought one of them ... instead of all the work and money I'v put into this coach. Ron | ||
| captain ron (Captain_ron)
Registered Member Username: Captain_ron Post Number: 688 Registered: 1-2005 Posted From: 75.203.10.133 Rating: N/A |
Yea but converting it is half the fun, Making it what you want instead of what some other persons taste is. I used everything I could out of my old bus and then found inexpensive but cool materials to finish it with. The end results will be worth the times I had live in this mess. | ||
| Rob King (Skykingrob)
Registered Member Username: Skykingrob Post Number: 12 Registered: 10-2006 Posted From: 72.161.5.23 Rating: N/A |
Hey Doug As others have said, it depends on what you want. I bought an 1991 86,000 mile Prevost LeMiage XL from a bankrupt casino company for $38K. I raised the roof, filled the windows with machine shop formed siding, will have big foot leveling, top notch interior with granite, etc. I am currently 1/4 done with the interior and am sitting at $52K (my wife is an accountant, she has it to the penny if you really want to know!!!). I am doing all the work myself so no labor costs. I expect that finished, if I really watch my expenses, it should be about $95K. I really enjoy doing the work myself but like Pat, if I had been able to buy an already converted coach for $100K when I started this two years ago, I might have jumped at it. The only thing that would have held me back is that I am buying and paying for everything as I go so I will have no debt when finished in another year or two. If I had bought a conversion, I probably would have debt. Hope this helps. Rob 91 LeMirage XL Missouri | ||
| Muddog16 (Muddog16)
Registered Member Username: Muddog16 Post Number: 346 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 4.224.189.189 Rating: N/A |
Doug I have to say the initial cost of a shell is never the final line! After the engine replacement I'm in the 80k area and not finished! I have three large items left to buy, windows, and sliders for windows, pilot and copilot seats, and then the paint job! The small stuff just pecks away at you daily! I agree with Ron and Rob, 100k on a converted coach would well be worth the consideration! The single most expensive thing is engine replacement, that can really take a bite out of the budget! Pat http://prevostlemirage.blogspot.com/ | ||
| Muddog16 (Muddog16)
Registered Member Username: Muddog16 Post Number: 347 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 4.224.189.189 Rating: N/A |
I was sitting here reading this thread again and I have to pass this on...LOL......."TOOLS", I've spent a lot of my resources on tools, I would have bought them anyway sooner or later! If we aren't on a ball field somewhere we are working in the shop on some kind of project! The latest and coolest tool has been a Drill Doctor, I purchased this thing about a year ago, and never really took the time to set it up and use it! Well after working on the fuel tank and lines that were stainless I took the time to watch the video that comes with it and........Wow!.....that took 20 minutes, I went into the shop and spent the next 2 hours sharpening drill bits!......This thing was one of the cheapest tools I've purchased and the neatest!........This thing will save some bucks and already has. If you have purchased any drill bits lately you will understand what I'm saying!........ ! | ||
| Skip N (Skip)
Registered Member Username: Skip Post Number: 6 Registered: 11-2006 Posted From: 161.7.2.160 Rating: N/A |
Of coarse there is the usual forgotten expenses of aspirin, bengay, doctor visits, cases of beer to entice help for the heavey stuff, marriage counseling and the list goes on. But it's still well worth it. Muddog it must be nice my drill bits break before they get dull so I never worry about sharpn LOL (Message edited by skip on April 20, 2007) | ||
| Tom Christman (Tchristman)
Registered Member Username: Tchristman Post Number: 3 Registered: 1-2006 Posted From: 66.218.33.156 Rating: N/A |
I've spent about $90,000. Subtract $42,000 for the cost of the bus with mechanical upgrades, and $48,000 is the actual conversion price. Course I used all new equipment, using good used will be lower. Good Luck, TomC | ||
| John MC9 (John_mc9)
Registered Member Username: John_mc9 Post Number: 288 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 66.217.105.65 Rating: N/A |
Doug - "Lets say you are starting with a coach body and running gear in good shape. What is your average cost for the conversion? Is anyone keeping expense records?" For starters, there really isn't any such thing as a "coach body and running gear in good shape". Well, not in the sense that it ain't gonna cost you a ton of bread to keep the blasted thing in decent repair... You can save big bucks if you can do the work yourself, but a bus mechanic doesn't work for peanuts. These used buses have been sold by their commercial owners because they can no longer provide a reliable profit. Keep that in mind.... But as far as the cost to convert? As near all have said, it depends on what level of perfection you're seeking. Some home converters seek to outdo any commercial RV manufacturers regarding cabinetry. It adds mega-bucks to use all hand-crafted, solid wood throughout, rather than less expensive ready-made, or used cabinets. You can buy a wrecked travel trailer and use the interior in the bus shell for a fraction of the price of custom made components. When a used travel trailer's appliances are also utilized, the cost can drop dramatically. But buying used appliances can also be beneficial. My used/rebuilt gas/110/12v fridge set me back around $600 (new would have been over $1,500). A used 30kbtu propane heater was $100 (versus the $400 for new).A used 12gal water propane heater cost me $100, while the same model new would have been around $500. I used water damaged aluminum .060 sheets to close up six windows, rather than perfect quality sheets. The price was less than 1/3 what 1st quality sheets would have been. Once primed and painted, there is no difference between the top grade and discounted version. Likewise, using 2" foam insulation boards to insulate the window openings, was a fraction of the price of spray foam. The best bet, is to go to one of the bus rally and see the home conversions personally. (go incognito, like I did) You can judge for yourself, just how much and how far you wish to go with the project. Keep in mind, that putting too much into it, will never make it worth more in the end. A used bus made into a motorhome, is still looked at as a do-it-yourself item by any buyer. Most people won't spend as much for a home-built item, as they would for a factory built one. If you put too much into it and find you have to abandon the project mid-stream, your losses will be greater than if you were prudent with the expenditures during the initial stages. Allow common sense to prevail.... Lotsa' luck! (Message edited by john_mc9 on April 20, 2007) | ||
| ChuckMC9 (Chucks)
Registered Member Username: Chucks Post Number: 1103 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 67.101.142.33 Rating: N/A |
This is a good thread. Back in my early days I remember reading one of the books for beginners (I think it was Plachno's) that strongly cautioned that you should plan that the conversion costs should approx. equal the cost of the shell. That is, 50% for the shell, 50% for the conversion for the total. (labour excluded) That is, if you ever hope to break even on a sale. Me, I don't care about no stinkin' sale. I'll strip it and send it to the grave, assuming I ain't ded yet. ;) Now that book was written in the day when shells cost quite a bit more than today post-911, so things are quite a bit different now than then. Although it could be argued that you might want to consider spending that much on a good shell anyway. I'm still below this number, but when asked my hard and fast number to tell people is, "Don't count on spending less than $50K. Period." (for the entire project) If you count on less than that, and if you're in trouble if it's over that, then you're in trouble. <-- Hey that's a pretty good slogan! (Message edited by chucks on April 20, 2007) | ||
| John MC9 (John_mc9)
Registered Member Username: John_mc9 Post Number: 289 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 66.217.105.65 Rating: N/A |
Hell, a guy can spend fifty grand on plastic pipe and fittings, alone! | ||
| ChuckMC9 (Chucks)
Registered Member Username: Chucks Post Number: 1104 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 70.3.106.204 Rating: N/A |
...and that was just fer water. another 50 fer elec conduit! ;)  What would I do w/o you, JtNG? | ||
| Randy Lackey (Leadfoot)
Registered Member Username: Leadfoot Post Number: 6 Registered: 3-2007 Posted From: 207.55.227.2 Rating: N/A |
Hey Doug, I did quite a bit of studying on every web site I could find, then asked a lot of questions of owners and builders. I have been building custom cars for clients for the past 16 years, and have a pretty good idea of the labor and skills involved. My decision was to buy the best conversion I could find. I think I saved about 50 to 75K and a couple of years labor, minimum. I think its a buyers market. I got a lot nicer coach than I could have afforded otherwise. Good luck to you! | ||
| Buswarrior (Buswarrior)
Registered Member Username: Buswarrior Post Number: 996 Registered: 12-2000 Posted From: 74.12.90.126 Rating: N/A |
I think Chuck has nailed a good basement price. Well chosen older coach, functional conversion, bare bones on the pretty side... Won't be much under $50 000. Choose the wrong coach.... pricele$$ happy coaching! buswarrior | ||
| David Evans (Dmd)
Registered Member Username: Dmd Post Number: 163 Registered: 10-2004 Posted From: 71.125.9.204 Rating: N/A |
Ok, check out the prices of new 35 to 40' diesel rigs. The cheapest are still around $166,000.I used the lazy days site to check prices and just went generic on make and model just diesel and no slides. most are over $300,000. Holiday Rambler had some 39' 40's in the low $200,000. range and Fleetwood had a 38' at 198,000. and a 40' at $232,000. BUT They dont give out any prices on used coaches! The only experience i have with the manufactured motorhomes was my folks 32' 10 year old Georgie Boy. When my dad passed away my ma couldent hardly give it away. I was fixing something on it every winter. I think I'm like most busnuts and very predudiced towards manuf. MH. 50 to 100 thousand for a REAL Diesel pusher dont seem to bad to me. In todays paper a saw a new Nissan Altima was only $30,000. I would like something to at least last as long as it takes to pay for it. (I am cheap the only newer vehicle we have is the used 2003 work van i just bought.) | ||
| R.C.Bishop (Chuckllb)
Registered Member Username: Chuckllb Post Number: 125 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 4.240.213.210 Rating: N/A |
I enthusiastically agree with buswarrior and JTNG....for the most part.... but then, it depends on your wants. needs, lifestyle, etc. If you want a mobile "bordello" apprearance on the inside ( see ads in FMC magazine....many of them) of course you will spend big bucks. A moderate design (inside) with the reasonable pleasures of life would be more in the line of what BW and JTNG have stated. A really frugal approach to living quarters will bring that down considerably. Labor not included. I have spent nearly 6 years on mine....using it regularly and still am only 95 to 99 per cent done with something new each week. But then, I'm the cheapest labor in town, so what difference does it make. If labor were included, my guess is what I have accomplished so far would be more in the 75K area. Custom made cabinets, etc. lots of stuff, lots of time, but definitely not the "bordello" look. We purchased this coach right....less that 5,000, one owner, less that 1 million miles. Good shape, all service records, etc. And, of course, that makes a BIG difference in what the "price" totals. BTW. Still have the outside to paint....it is stripped, etc, but we keep using it... FWIW RCB '64 Crown Supercoach (HWC) | ||
| JC Alacoque (Jc_alacoque)
Registered Member Username: Jc_alacoque Post Number: 28 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 154.11.98.45 Rating: N/A |
years ago, I spent $21000 on our 57 Courier 96, converted in '77. Drove it all over the place the first summer. (That's the advantage of getting something already converted). First winter, I redid the interior: $10000. Used it lots last summer. This winter, installed a turbo on the 4-71: $4000. All told, I have $40 to 50K into it. It is a lot of fun, has a lot of character, big nostalgic importance to me because thats what I drove way back when for Brewster's. Has everything in it like any modern MH. Will keep me busy every winter for the rest of my life... If and when I were to do another one, I would look for the best converted coach affordable. We know there are lots, and cheap compared to building your own. I still would have an endless list of things to fix and rebuild, etc. But we would be able to use it right away. To each his own. JC | ||
| joe padberg (Joemc7ab)
Registered Member Username: Joemc7ab Post Number: 102 Registered: 6-2004 Posted From: 66.38.159.33 Rating: N/A |
I keep thinking of the words of wisdom used by FAST FRED , " doing it your way". BTW have not seen him post lately, anyone know where he is at? Joe. |
