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Message |
Neil Brown (Neil) (205.152.115.55)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, March 16, 2001 - 1:42 pm: | |
Want to talk with anyone with experience converting a Setra bus S215HDH or S217HDH. |
RJ Long (24.130.101.25)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 17, 2001 - 11:18 am: | |
Neil -
Altho I own a 4106, I do have some experience with Setras from my charter industry days.
In Europe, where operating a tour bus has a much different public awareness than here in the states, if you're operating a Setra, you are operating the absolute top-of-the-line. Very, very highly regarded over there.
The first 40-foot Setras imported to the states came with 8V92s and either MT or AT gearboxes. ATs were later made standard equipment. Setra was also the first to install S-60s as standard equipment in their coaches, and later the World series Allisons when they hit the market. Very innovative company, now owned by Mercedes.
IMHO, they're a much better built coach than the VanHools, structurally, and with their independent front suspension, a much better handling one, also.
The independent front suspension, coupled with the steerable tag, gives them the tightest turning circle of any tour bus on the market today, bar none. How about only 39' for the 45-foot S217HDH? That's over 10 feet tighter than it's next closest competitor!!!!
As a passenger coach, the earlier ones had a lot of niggling little electrical problems, but Setra stood behind their product and made the necessary improvements.
If I had my choice, I'd opt for the 217 over the 215. Setra was the only company to put the entire five foot stretch - from 40 to 45 feet - into the wheelbase. Everybody else - MCI, Prevost, VanHool, etc., only put a portion of the stretch into this area, with most of it going to rear overhang it seems. You see lots of 45s out there with battered rear sides where the driver has clipped something due to the increased tail swing of these models.
Setra's solution, by putting it all into the wheelbase, not only eliminated this potential problem, but gave them a large increase in ride quaility without sacrificing turing capabilities - there's only a three-foot difference between the 40 and 45 foot models. For an air-suspended coach, they ride suprisingly like an Eagle - at least the 45-footers do.
I also think that the visual "look" of the 45-foot 217 is better than most 45-footers on the market, at least among those models that were originally introduced as 40 footers and then later stretched.
This stretch also gave the 217 absolutely HUGE baggage bins - more so than a 4905! Lots of room for "stuff"!!
The disadvantage to a Setra is that they're only 98" wide, losing about 4" to the wide-body 102" coaches. They are also not as common as the others, but they're still being imported, and parts are readily available.
IMHO, If I had the $$$, I wouldn't hesitate to convert a 45-foot Setra S217HDH. Much as I like my 4106, the 217 would be my choice for a replacement unit.
Hope this helps,
RJ |
Steve 80 Crown Atomic (205.188.195.34)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, March 19, 2001 - 11:32 pm: | |
I haven't converted one, but do have an experience that may prove helpful.
I inspected two Setra S215HDH buses about 18? months ago. Superb construction, but the maintenance they received was horrendous. They were repossesed by Norwest Financial Services from a defunct bus service called Shuttlejack, then based in Santa Fe, NM.
The maintenance was so bad, after a deadly bus accident, the state inspected their fleet and found 17 of their 18 MCI-8s had serious safety violations. The mechanics were unable to demonstrate how to properly adjust the brakes or perform other basic safety adjustments.
These Setras had duct-tape repairs, and Norwest wanted $100,000 each, so I passed. If you're looking at one of these buses, I'd take a 30-year bus expert along and look DEEP!
Good Luck
Steve |
PrevostBus3406 (152.163.213.189)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, March 27, 2001 - 10:55 pm: | |
One problem I see with converting a Setra is the floor. I am 6'3" and barely able to walk in the center part, which is dropped by about 4". A person would have to cut the floor out and lower it by a few inches in order to do a practical conversion. I dont know if all Setras are designed the same, but I worked as a fleet mechanic for a charter service and we had several 215's and 217's and were all like that. I dont personally like the looks of the Setras, but agree that they are a well built coach and drive great. I like the polished stainless ribbed coaches better because of their classy looks. As with Van Hools, you couldn't give me one. The only good thing I found with the Van Hools is the A/C system. We hardly ever touched it and they put out plenty of cool air. The Sutrak A/C is a great system. Get a Setra with a bad A/C compressor and it is $5,000. Get the conversion kit and drop an O5G Carrier in it. I think a Setra would be a different conversion if a fellow could pull it off. It would draw some attention. I have seen Dina Viaggos converted. |
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