How to Purchase a Used Bus

There are literally thousands of used bus options on the market every day, so buying a used bus should be relatively simple, right? Wrong. A bus is a complicated machine with very specific requirements-and a used bus is a complicated machine with an even more complicated history. When you're looking to buy a used bus, apply a significant amount of research and a degree of prudence to get the best for your money.

Instructions

1

Determine your needs in order to decide the kind of used bus to buy. Ask yourself why you're buying the bus, who will be riding in it and how much value you need to get out of it over time. This will help you narrow the options early on without wasting time looking at irrelevant possibilities.

2

Search the used-bus sales resources online. There are a number of general automotive and bus-dedicated outlets online to help you get an idea of what's out there. Begin with the Bus for Sales Guide to gather tons of valuable information, tips and used bus options, and also scour listings of old buses, if only to help yourself calibrate prices with bus models and types (see Resources below).

3

Consider only used buses that appear to be in very good condition. A bus that looks bad is probably actually very bad, if not an unmitigated disaster. Signs of decay such as visible rust are red flags to tell you to move on right away, no matter how great the price seems to be. In reality, it's just not worth it.

4

Get a professional inspection of any used bus you are considering. Make sure that the inspector is reliable and reputable and that he or she inspects the entire bus, including seating, axles, wheels, engine and frame.

5

Do a double take to ensure the price is right once you've decided on a bus. You can easily check other outlets for the same year and model in similar condition to see if the price your dealer is offering is in the same ballpark as other dealers' offers. The prices shouldn't be identical but just in the same area.