3 Things To Keep In Mind If You Want To Purchase & Convert An Old School Bus

If you want to purchase an old school bus and fix it up into your own recreational vehicle or small home, it can be tempting to purchase the first cheap bus that you come across. However, that could end up costing you in the long run. Here are three things you should consider before purchasing an old school bus to convert into a home.

#1 Always Get The Service Records

It is vital that you get the service records for any used school bus that you want to purchase. Just like when purchasing a used car, the service record for a used bus will tell you a lot about the vehicle. It will let you know what parts have been fixed on the bus and if any parts or area of the bus have been neglected at all. You don't want to purchase a vehicle that has not been taken care of.

#2 Make Sure You'll Be Able To Find Parts

Next, before you purchase a used bus, you need to make sure that you will be able to easily find replacement parts for the bus. If the bus is too old, you may struggle to find the parts necessary to fix it up. Don't assume just because the bus is American made either that it will be easier to find the parts; it can be a struggle to find parts if you are buying a really old bus, like one made in the 70s. Get online and check out a few used part retailers and make sure you would be able to find and purchase the replacement parts you would need to keep the bus running easily before you go through with the purchase.

#3 Say No To Buses With Rust

It is a good rule of thumb to just say no to buses that have rust damage. If the bus you are interested has rust damage to the parts and body of the vehicle, you are going to have to put in a lot of work to replace and fix all those parts. Another thing about rust to keep in mind is that it is hard to keep rust from spreading; the rust damage that you see now may only be a fraction of the rust damage that is present, or will be present in a few years. Rust can easily make what seemed like a great bus to turn into a home into something that only works if you keep it stationary.

#4 Have All The Mechanics Checked Out

Do your homework and make sure that the bus you are interested in is as good a deal as you think it is. If you are going to have to invest thousands of dollars into getting the bus back into working condition, you should keep shopping until you find a bus that needs less mechanical work so you can focus more on the cosmetic work of converting a school bus into your own home-on-wheels. 

Try looking around at cars for sale to see if the dealer has a connection to someone who sells school buses.