What
to look out for when buying a Used Coach
Rust - When buying a used coach remember - rust cannot be
stopped. Rust does not rest. Rust MUST be taken seriously no matter
how cheap your coach candidate is. If you think you can sheet metal
and bondo your way to a permanent fix, think again. If the rust
is just a little, it'll grow quickly by the time you're done investing
a lot of your time and money. A little rust on the body surface
may be acceptable for the price. Do not, however, accept structural
rust, heavily flaking frames, rusting-out fenders or hood hinge
mounts. Anything that would be a major problem when (not if) it
gets twice as bad as it is now, will make you very sorry. |
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Service
Records
- If it's been in fleet use, it has one. If you're buying from a
middle man and he can't produce it, you may have problems, possibly
serious ones. If not, he'd be proudly displaying the records. Check
how long since the engine rebuild - they last about 75 -125,000
miles, depending on whether they are driven stop and go in the mountains
or over long stretches of flat highway.
Leaks - Look for ANY signs of leaks, particularly from Automatic
Transmissions. Some Allison transmissions used in coaches have weak
front seals and leak when the transmission gets really hot. Don't
buy a coach with a leaky transmission. |
Engines
- get the biggest engine you can afford, especially if you are adding
conversion weight to the vehicle. There is NO substitute for size (raw
cubic inches) I don't care what the ads say. My car has a 440 in it
why would you buy a 65 passenger coach with a 318?
Transmissions - try for an automatic unless you have a real preference.
Older standard shifts are MUCH harder to sell because many older coaches
are purchased as conversion candidates. Retirees mostly buy motor home
conversions and they don't like to shift. Allison makes the best transmission
systems. Explore the links on the left for more comprehensive coach
for sale help.
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Rent
- Buy - Lease - Coaches
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