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Are You Buying a Headache? 4 Reasons People Hate Shopping for Used Buses
Your budget is tight, but in order to improve that you need to expand your fleet a little. That’s a catch-22, isn’t it? You need to make more money to expand, but you need to expand to make more money. So you find yourself looking for a bargain in the used buses listings. It can be agonizing. Here are four reasons people hate shopping for a bus, and some of the benefits that can come from those follies.
Junkers and Clunkers
Sure, there are a lot of clunkers out there, but there is also a lot of great stock out there when it comes to used bus sales. Old buses bought by a dealership that aren’t suitable for sale are usually sold for scrap metal. This ensures the owner can get a little more out of it and the dealership won’t need to worry about fixing up something they may not be able to sell. Buses bought that are in good condition are given a thorough inspection. If any sizable problems are found, they are taken care of before the bus makes its way to a customer.
Its worth is to consider that if a bus was running well and reliable, why did the previous owner sell it? It may not be as fuel-efficient as newer models, or it may be topping out on the odometer. Also, any graphics or non-essentials from the previous owner are removed.
Disasters Waiting To Happen
Even if a bus passes all inspections, runs like a dream, and seems to have nothing wrong with it, there could be parts that look fine but are nearing the end of their useful life. A strong engine can run fine right up to the point that the head gasket blows. Fatigue on suspension components can go unnoticed. One thing to remember about buses that did a lot of city driving; all city miles are “hard” miles, miles peppered with constant stops and starts, idling in traffic, moving slowly and throwing hefty loads on the engine. Make sure you have the time and money to set things straight as wear will begin to show sooner than a new model.
Limited To Stock On Hand
When buying a new bus, you can pick and choose what you get. With a used bus, you have to go with what someone else picked and chose. This is not always a bad thing. If you’re looking for a church bus and you’re looking at used church buses, the odds are in your favor that you’ll find what you need. A touring coach, however, may have different features depending on what sort of touring it did.
Making Changes
Many who buy used are concerned that their bus won’t fit the specifications they need. There are a lot of used buses available and you would be surprised by the diversity. Make sure to take a good look and let your salesperson know what exactly you need. Does the school board require a certain number of passengers? Does your church need a wheelchair accessible bus? Though the dealer may not have your perfect fit in stock, a bus may become available in the next few months.
If you would rather not wait, there is always the option to customize an existing unit. As long as the body of the vehicle is in good shape, you can make modifications to the unit. Cameras, lighting, and other accessories may have to be added, and you’ll need to calculate those changes into the final cost to see if the purchase is really saving you money in the long run. You might get lucky and find a bus that is pretty close to what you need all the way around. Should you need a particular feature you can expect to have to put out a little more than the sticker price to set it up the way you want.
These issues should not keep you from considering a used bus. They should only serve as guidelines for what to expect. A bus can be bought with perfect confidence if you go through a reputable seller with a good track record of customer service and maintenance and repair support. A seller with a large selection of used buses can help you get the bus you want with little to no modification needed on your part.
