| Author | Message | ||
| Jeff Pritchard (Jeffpritchard) (68.6.251.11)
Rating: N/A |
I was just wondering how much you guys have spent converting one coach. Don't include the cost of the bus, just the major stuff you have bought to "finish it". thanks, jp | ||
| TWO DOGS (65.179.200.89) Rating: N/A |
well...the main problem with your question is...don't guess they are ever finished... I'm one of the poor people here,I used stuff I already had,used stuff,bargain stuff,traded stuff,& spent $2500.00 so far & I would guess probably 1500 hours...and...probably 75% done | ||
| Gary Stadler (Boogiethecat) (68.7.217.217)
Rating: N/A |
I spent about a solid year of 12-14 hour days. No idea how much money and dont want to know. Since then I've spent now 14,000 miles of pure bliss driving around and booneying, and having only a few itty bitty minor things go wrong. Nothing big but that damned tire a few months back that was my own stupid fault! AND, hee hee, it's NEVER finished! Nowadays I make a pact with myself to do *one thing* to her every time before I take her out. Time before last it was adding a spice rack. Last time a plenum with filter for the front A/C. Next time it's gonna be finally putting in the image reverser for my backup camera that I've had laying around uninstalled for a year! Each time I finish something else, and that alone has been both fun and good for the wife points! | ||
| Chris Christensen (63.227.241.254)
Rating: N/A |
I don’t think a “pat” answer can be given due to the many, many variables involved. We have had our bus for almost 6 years, and when we got it we stripped it down to almost bare bones to start the conversion. Every time a new portion of the conversion is started one of the decisions is how much to spend on that part of the project. The price can vary greatly depending on the final decision for that part of it. Due to so many different “projects” in the conversion phase, and so many different financial decisions being made, relevant to each portion of the project, the price can vary greatly. It would be the same thing as asking a contractor, “OK, how much to build this 2,000sf home”, but you don’t give the contractor any specs. One of the great things about bus conversions, is YOU decide what reasonable to spend, for what YOU want. Like Gary said, “I don’t want to know”…..me neither. LOL Whatever you decide, good luck. Chris Christensen (With a “mid” priced conversion…whatever THAT is….) 1974 GMC 4905-739 Eagle, Idaho | ||
| Jeff Pritchard (Jeffpritchard) (68.6.251.11)
Rating: N/A |
Maybe it would help to narrow down the question a bit. In particular, I'm wondering how much it costs to add all of the necessities to a bus, not including the fancy electronics and leather couches, etc. Just wondering how much it costs for the long list of gotta haves like tanks and generator and hvac and plumbing and basic electrical, etc. To be sure there is variation even in this area, but trying to get a general idea of the "base" part of a conversion before you go wild with interior "decorating". thanks, jp | ||
| Thunder Coach..Ron (198.81.26.45)
Rating: N/A |
My Major Cost was Re-powering My Coach!...You do not want to know about all the little thing's here and their that went on $$$ Ron "Crown's are the Best" | ||
| bruce king (67.170.101.3)
Rating: N/A |
Ok. So here's a breakdown of my project. Purchased first mci 9 off ebay. $3800. Spent about $1K getting it on the road. It was a rustbucket, but had a good engine, an 8v71 that appeared to have been rebuilt recently, and the tires were in ok shape. Overall not really thrilled with this bus, but ok. Bought a NJT frame from sam caylor, and had him remove the engine from the rustbucket and put it into the frame. The NJT frame is in excellent shape. Cost? $10k. Also upgraded the blowers and radiators while I was at it. Cost me another $1500. Retrospect: You can buy a pretty good bus complete for around $12k. Bought an onan 12.5k quiet diesel off ebay for $4500. Very happy with it. Fabricated my own holding tanks. Cost me $450 in materials and tools (fittings, polypro sheets, welder, mistakes) and two weeks work. Purchased the interior of a wrecked monaco coach for $1800. Pretty useful for examples of how to do stuff, plumbing, vents, walls, trim, etc. Also gave me an idea of how much cabinetry to put it. A lot. Purchased $650 worth of oak veneer 3/4 plywood and $250 in various fasteners and adhesives. and made my base cabinets, partition walls and various bits around the bus. Cabinet to hold the tv in the bedroom, etc. Purchased $350 worth of sound proofing matt from boeing surplus, used that as floor underlay. Bought some more from sono..forget. Engine compartment soundproofing, that I used under the bed. Purchased a stove/oven combo off ebay. $300 or so. Purchased a refer off ebay. $650. Purchased two trace sw4024 off ebay; avg 1450 each. 400' of stranded conductor 10 gauge 3 conductor wire, $250, pacific industrial supply in seattle. Home depot loves me. outlets, plumbing, clamps, screws, abrasives, saw blades. call it $1500. battery bank; call it $1200. 16 t105 golf cart batteries linked with welding cables as 24v system. Labor costs at $800 or so. Hired a helper from time to time, my friends know better. $31k. Still have a toilet to pick and install, want to buy some odds and ends, maybe $500 more, and gonna hire someone to help me polish the bus. Probably gonna replace the engine in oct; 8v71 sucks on the west cost. Gonna see if I can talk sam into it; was very impressed with the job he did on the first one. Figure final cost will be somewhere just south of $40k. | ||
| Jack Conrad (Jackconrad) (207.30.189.42)
Rating: N/A |
I don't have the breakdown handy, but about 50,000 including the 13,500 we paid for the bus. We did "fancy" this one up quite a bit and raised the roof, new aluminum skin on the sides, basement air, hardwood & ceramic floors, all new tires and batteries, power steering hoses, radiator, and misc mechanical items. So the 50,000 includes what might be considered maintence items. The one category of expenses that suprised me was what I called "consumables & disposables". This included saw blades, drill bits, grinding wheels, masking tape, sandpaper, etc. (Items I knew i would use and throw away when wore out. These items came to about $1600-$1700. Jack | ||
| Doug (69.244.108.42)
Rating: N/A |
I'd say if you have all the time in the world to shop and your a good scrounger......you can do a conversion for 30k excluding furniture......this would entail making comprimises in what you want vs what you can find. And clearly does not include any labor. | ||
| vern rainville (68.9.0.180)
Rating: N/A |
$40-50 K is really not bad when you figure what you are ending up with. A commercial vehicle that is overly built and safer, providing ALL maintenance (and work) is done on a regular basis by someone in the know. Have you been to any "RV" show in a while? Look at what they are asking for (in the sticks and staple line of) RV's. As far as my 01 Eagle conversion with MAJOR modifications,(raised roof, raised driver, stretched to 45', 12'slide out, COMPLETE reskin,complete gutting)not to mention the interior part of the conversion that I will start this winter,$50 K looks like a GREAT deal to me! Not to mention the fact that doing a conversion youself (with help, I am sure), when something goes awry, you'll know exactly where to go, what to look for, and NOT be at the mercy of the "roadies". If I were to do this project again, I personally would buy a shell completed and spend time on the interior (which is what I do for a living) and probably be using her right now. What ever you "budget", always, in every case, assume that budget will probably be 25-50% more and MAYBE you'll be safe.Oh well, I say "Go for it"! Vern (in RI) | ||
| DaveD (142.46.199.30)
Rating: N/A |
I have most of the receipts, but I quit counting about 2 years ago. I have a solid 40' coach that has still cost only a fraction of what any sticks and staples motor home of comparable size would have cost. DaveD | ||
| Frank Allen (64.12.116.135) Rating: N/A |
i stopped counting at 30k and 3 yrs of do it yourself on my 06 Frank Allen | ||
| Gary McFarland (Gearheadgary) (209.128.79.46)
Rating: N/A |
Bruce--Good post, I'm keeping that one. Gary | ||
| Ron Walker (Prevost82) (209.52.245.237)
Rating: N/A |
About 40K Canadian -8" Raised Roof -new 1 1/2 sq tubing to inframe walls -New front and back caps -8 KW diesel generator on double slide-out -hydro-hot heating system -1 pc 42" corner shower /w curved glass doors -Sealand toilet -2/ 15000btu dometic penguin a/c -12v/2500 watt trace inverter -Kimlite FRP siding (one piece sides) -9/ RV windows -color back-up camera & flat screen monitor -6/ Alcoa 22.5 rims (new) -new front stainless steel on front of bus with new bumper -2/driving lights -dash & tilt, telescopic steering /out of 96, 9600 International truck -2 air horns -new silver 92 TA -new 3/4" floor -1 1/2 ridged insulation (R7.5) for walls and floor -1/4 plywood on walls /w 1x2 strapping and 1" ridged insulation (total 2 1/2" in walls -paint and body work I've been at it for 10 months stripping it down to the frame then putting all new stuff in and repairing all the micky mouse stuff that was hay-wired over the years. I spent considerable time on the body work and hired a fiber glass / bodyman to help me build the caps, install the FRP siding and blend in all seems, roof to the sides, sides to caps and FRP sides to lower stainless sides...there are no seems to seen on the sides of the bus. I figure that I have an other 10 to 15 K to go on the interior. http://photos.groups.yahoo.com/group/prevost-bus-nuts/vwp?.dir=/Prevost+82&.src=gr&.dnm=Left+Side+View.jpg&.view=t&.done=http%3a//photos.groups.yahoo.com/group/prevost-bus-nuts/lst%3f%26.dir=/Prevost%2b82%26.src=gr%26.view=t Click on my profile to see what the bus looked like when I bought it. Ron | ||
| Ron Walker (Prevost82) (209.52.245.237)
Rating: N/A |
Sorry, the link didn't work to the picture Ron | ||
| John Rigby (65.112.227.94)
Rating: N/A |
Interior 20k. ( including gen set)mechanical 20k. No paint yet.This is over 18years. Probably to much money on this old delapidated 4104 but Tami, J.C. and I have sure enjoyed all the rallys and places we have been over the past years and all the great bus nuts we have enjoyed meeting and becoming friends with. What a great Hobby. John | ||
| Steve Neely (66.225.4.5)
Rating: N/A |
I bought a GM 4106 10 years ago for $25K. It was a poorman's conversion. I tore everything out down to the metal skins and started over. Alot of the material was new at the best prices I could find. In the last year I spent $6k on new cabinets countertop cooktop pergo type floor awning new clutch. I have about $50k in it and it is for sale for $29K and I will take trades and deal. It is listed in bus conversion mag if you are interested. I planned on keeping it for years. I am a fulltimer and the bus has been to AK and back and all over the USA. It's the only way to go. Why am I selling it? I found a MCI that was already converted. The fellow before me spent over $200k professionally converting it then traded it off. I bought from the dealer he traded it to. It is probably worth around $90K. I bought it for a LOT less. My advise would be find one done or near done It is a lot cheaper and a LOT less work. Or find a partial. Either way you can still remodel to your needs and desires for much less $$$$. Steve | ||
| bill Moldenhauer (12.74.7.155)
Rating: N/A |
We bought the bus with a rebuilt drive train for 20,000 Engine,trans and brakes we took 6 months to raise roof 10" and finish out the interior solid oak cabinets,Aqua hot system Three carrier units ducted in cieling 12.5 onan bought most of the appliances,couch and dinette from rv surplus and did all the labor between my wife ,son and brother in law and I. Roughly $60,000 By the way if any one wants a roof raise or other structural work done we have the shop open for the winter | ||
| ChuckMC9 (Chucks) (66.167.142.216)
Rating: N/A |
The numbers so far seem about what I've heard - here's another way of looking at it that's about what to figure. Plus or minus in different areas. Cost of Conversion Percentage by Category ..44 ... Body (including cost and improvement) ... 9 ... Engine & Transmission ... 4 ... Plumbing ..11 ... Electrical (including generator) ... 5 ... Heating and Air Conditioning ... 6 ... Cabinet work ... 6 ... Equipment ... 2 ... Instrumentation ... 7 ... Paint & Body work ... 6 ... Furnishings 100 ...Total "The Bus Converter's Bible" by Dave Galey | ||
| Henry R. Bergman, Jr. (Henryofcj) (63.224.197.10)
Rating: N/A |
Sooss far right at $7000 not counting insurance or monthly utilities such as electricity as I am living aboard full time while converting. Includes purchase price. This includes stuff being hunted down and bought cheap like at yard or estate sales but does not include the big items yet like batteries, AC's or a gen set. The girl is road ready but only about 10 to 15% complete. Liviable but rather rough right now. Now getting ready for a SW Oregon winter. Total budget for right now is around $30,000, but like all endeavors known to man this will probably go up. Having a ball doing this. Thanks. | ||
| Bill K. (165.121.83.151) Rating: N/A |
I have not figured it up for a long time but I do know it is to dam much, well over 100,000. and probably only get 50 if lucky if I went to sell, but them if I had bought a sticks and staples after 5 to 6 years what would that be worth, I just hope I find time to use it before they plant me. | ||
| Gary McFarland (Gearheadgary) (68.250.2.76)
Rating: N/A |
I thought that was one of the questions you weren't supposed to ask.  Gary | ||
| BrianMCI96A3 (65.160.215.73) Rating: N/A |
Lets see... Cruise control $250 Docking lights $80 2 Leather driving seats $1200 (with 4way electric motor drive & stereo subwoofer mounted in seat) 2 Remco remote control mirrors $650 GE Advantium microwave/convection oven $400 2 Coleman basement heatpump a/c units $1200 2(so far) Alcoa rims $300 Stewart Warner 14K btu diesel coolant heater $300 3 ITT 3'x3" copper heat exchangers $300 Stainless steel kitchen sink $60 Price Pfister shower, lav and kitchen hardware $100 GE 4 burner propane range top like new (take-out) $17 Microphor china toilet used (takeout) $100 600 watt stereo amplifier (rack unit) w/speakers & crossovers $500 Color rear view camera system with second camera for entry door with infrared LEDs for night use $500 Webasto diesel fired heater/blower $250 2 Firestone airbag levelers $300 LED lights for entire coach $250 6 vinyl wheel covers $90 15k generator head $650 28 hp two cylinder generator engine $1400 ...that's off the top of my head. And I'll bet I have another $2500 or so in misc. stuff. And so far to go... Brian | ||
| John that newguy (199.232.240.248) Rating: N/A |
So far; so good. | ||
| BrianMCI96A3 (65.160.215.73) Rating: N/A |
(Grin)...John now THAT's funny! Brian | ||
| Marc Bourget (209.142.38.81) Rating: N/A |
With that beer budget, seems like JTNG would rather be a good liver that have one - or a coach for that matter! ROFL Onward and Upward Marc Bourget | ||
| TWO DOGS (65.177.145.247) Rating: N/A |
2.00 worth of ice.....he must live in Alaska | ||
| Airless in Mississippi (68.243.144.33) Rating: N/A |
Man if that is all the beer you are drinking working on the bus, the bus will not run. No way can you work on these creatures without kegs and your allowance is no where near enough. | ||
| Thunder Coach...Ron (198.81.26.45)
Rating: N/A |
NEW_GUY?..NO Coffee and DONUTS...you must not have any free HELP | ||
| Johnny (4.174.106.124) Rating: N/A |
I don't wanna know. Probably nowhere near what some people here have spent, but definitely plenty. Biggest single expense was rebuilding a 460 ($3700, assembled it in the garage) to replace the shot 370. Just out of curiosity, I wonder how many people have dropped $1000+ on tires? | ||
| John that newguy (199.232.240.239) Rating: N/A |
Johnny - $1,000 for tires? "Take-offs" are usually around $125 each, mounted and balanced. Most independent bus operators use the take-offs rather than spend the profits on brand new tires. I would opt to do the same! | ||
| madbrit (67.136.111.28) Rating: N/A |
John, Not to be picky, but most 40ft buses have 8 tires and at $125 makes $1,000 on my calculator...... LOL. Where do you find take offs for $125, do you mean part worns or new, but the vehicle purchaser wanted a different brand? Peter. | ||
| John that newguy (199.232.240.239) Rating: N/A |
I assumed he was talking "each", Pete. After reading some of the posts regarding $800 tires, it didn't surprise me to hear 1k. A Charter op in Tampa told me of three places in Orlando that sell "take-offs" for a buck and a quarter each, mounted and balanced and on the rig. Not too damned bad, in my opinion. There's another tire guy, just off Rt 10, west of Rt75 in Florida, that sells for about the same price. They looked decent, when I was there. I would have bought 'em, but we had the van and were on the escape route during Fran'sass. (prolly go that way again tomorrow....UGH) The tires looked fairly new to me, Pete. They were more likely than not, used.... but they had more life left in 'em than I have in me. The guy at that tire place guarantees them. You can see the sign from Rt10 going west, about 20 miles more or less, from Rt75. Maybe at Live Oak? I'm old; my mind's fallen and can't get up. | ||
| madbrit (67.136.103.51) Rating: N/A |
I have never heard of anyone paying $1,000 for a tire, $600+/- tops. Must be crazy or very rich...... LOL. Thansk for the info on the take-off guys but I will do some research for take-offs in my area as Florida is too far to warrant the trip. Peter. | ||
| h3jim (68.107.62.94) Rating: N/A |
Here is what I have spent so far. I expect to spend another $50k or so by the time I'm done. Its still cheaper than any other converted bus with the high floor that I found when I was shoppping. I will be all electric, and boondock a lot. I have a budget and have gone over on most items, but saved on a number. When push comes to shove, I keep buying what I want, rather than waht is cheaper. I also seem to always go for whatever I think is better, regardless of cost. will probably never get my $ out, but that's not what its about. Although this is the question that should never be asked, I think its also one of the most relevant and important for newbies (everyone) to know when trying to get a grip on this hobby. I do look for better pricing, but If I have to chose between new and what I want, or to look for a used, but lesser item, I just get the newer one - and it costs as you can see. I intend to keep it for long time, and I like to have really good quality stuff. The items below that have no number, merely have no number for actual $ spent. I have a budget, but my sreadsheet did not copy its format well to this space, and it would have been impossible to read with multiple columns. Sometimes the category contains more related expenditures than the title would have you believe, but it contains all I have spent. I have not included misc bolts and brackets, wood and steel. Bus $82,000 Getting bus home $1,970 New windows $4,959 Blank out windows, fiberglass sheet $500 Jake brake, rack adjust $3,500 Paint Insulation wood and chrome Steering wheel $135 Systems Heater $- Hot water heater 11 gal $293 Boston red hose 100' $190 4 zone diode board $19 water conditioner $95 fuel filter expansion tank $106 heat exchanger $314 engine preheat pump $135 toe kick heater $749 bay heater $160 Tanks fresh 100 gal $750 gray 60 gal $1 black 40 gal $1 tank monitor panel $645 Electric waste valves $225 propane tanks $- water pump $164 filter plumbing generator 13kw $5,968 Generator auto start $545 radiator fan $346 equalizer $515 Batteries sound deadening airconditioner $600 each) electrical Inverter $3,495 Shore cord $93 battery charger $- hose reels Stateroom Cabinets Bed Mattress $- TV Room construction walls ceiling flooring Bathroom shower/tub toilet bath vanity door Kitchen kitchen cabinets counter top refrigerator Dishwasher stove microwave sink hood w/fan Living couch Euro lounger leather chair $800 TV stereo dinette window treatments Detectors CO LP $- Smoke/Fire co-pilot chair $1,128 Pilot chair $919 Outside Awning-main Awning-windows satelite dish $- TV antenna spot light back-up lights $- Back up camera fiberglass pod $150 camera $300 leveling system Tow hitch fancy mirrors $- 6 alum wheels $2,130 new tires $4,000 underbay faucet Air horns $- security system cb antenna CB Total $35,298.47 Bus $82,000.00 Sub Total $117,298 Grand total for Coach so far $117,298 | ||
| ChuckMC9 (Chucks) (66.167.165.183)
Rating: N/A |
Hey Jim, IMHO, you're still looking princely even with that amount spent. (*I* won't be spending that much, but then, you have a Prevo!) The low-end, bottom-of-the-line Monaco diesel costs $135K. I'll take yours. | ||
| H3Jim (68.107.62.94) Rating: N/A |
The and real reason I bought it (still sounds a little lame) is so I can put my Harley and sand quad both in underbay storage. No trailer. That is until I had the bright idea to tow a trailer with a jacuzzi in it, and had the bad judgement to mention this wild idea to some of my friends. They have incessant about bugging me to do it, so now I get to tow a trailer too (only some of the time, out to the dunes). Have just bought a old used jacuzzi -seats 7, now to find a trailer that can handle the weight - and then my friends can build it. 500 gals. thats 4000 lbs of water. jacuzzi is surprisingly heavy 972 empty - although it felt like twice that. Getting a 10,000 lb trailer hitch installed tomorrow. Have to find out what the max tongue weight is. Oddly enough, its about half the cost at Prevost the dealer than any other repudable hitch shop. Better hitch too, and its made for the coach and has beter ground clearance than any of the others. | ||
| Johnny (4.174.103.161) Rating: N/A |
May I suggest an air-suspended lowboy? It will handle a Ditch Witch or a backhoe, it shouldn't even hiccup at a 5000lb load. |