The Theory of Bus Conversions

Bus Conversions

So, bus conversions are exactly what they sound like. Buy a bus (of some type) and `convert` it to a motorhome with living space.

There are many types of buses out there to buy and convert. First, a school bus-- or second a tour bus (aka Greyhound, city bus, etc). It really depends on what you are looking for. School buses can be bought for very cheap (like $1000), however tour buses are more expensive (for various reasons) and some of the new ones are close to $200,000!

My husband is handy, but not that handy. Remember the fridge in my dining room for over a year... I knew he would be able to convert it- but honestly, that is not what we were looking for.

Traditional school bus

So much cooler!

As mentioned before, we wanted a motorhome that was in good shape, ready to drive without any issues. So buying a bus and doing the work was not an option, or something we were prepared to take on at this point.

My research on bus conversions was very interesting, and definitely opened my eyes. A lot of the issues with motorhomes are avoided with bus conversions. Plus you have so much space!

First- with a bus conversion, you (or someone else) is starting from scratch. You can put whatever you want, wherever you want! Second, buses are SAFE. They are made to carry 40+ passengers safely. A bonus is that they are made with stainless steel (don`t rust) and don`t have the same exterior issues as motorhomes (delamination).

My husband was happy that most buses are DIESEL pushers. Basically there is a diesel engine in the back. These engines are made to last for a long, long time. Tour buses are made to withstand many, many miles and lots of wear and tear. They are built to last- quality constructions (unlike many issues we had read about motorhomes). Bus conversions also hold their value for many years.

I have to admit, the one thing I liked the best about bus conversions-- there are not necessarily `models`- meaning 3 or 4 choices that have all the same floorplan. Each bus conversion is unique. The trick is to find one that meets your needs. That is, find one that someone has converted-- that has the same idea of what is important about your home on wheels

I promise some photos next post, and some history of our bus!

Why a BUS?

Well, to be honest- I was thinking the same thing.

When Adam mentioned a "bus conversion", I think my eyes glazed over, and I took another sip of coffee. Sure, honey. Let's buy a frickin' BUS.

My first reaction- "What, are we a BAND now?" I just have this stigma/vision of sitting on a bus with a guitar and singing, and then the door opening and dozens of groupies swarming the door. I have no idea. Well, after much thought, I do know why. The only exposure to a "tour bus" or "bus conversion" was when I was little, and driving by the Academy Theatre and seeing a bus parked there. They always were shiny and had fancy paint jobs and you always wondered WHO was in that bus. Hmmm, the intrigue might be nice!

Yes!

No autographs, please.

That's when I thought--- hmm INTRIGUE, maybe I need to research a bit into these bus conversions!

Don`t worry, I will explain what I found out in the next post.

The Plan

So, yes, we bought a bus. A BUS. A huge, 40 foot bus. Like a stainless steel diesel pushing bus.

You are probably thinking, "Um, why?".

Well, here it is. We were looking for a motorhome to upgrade from our travel trailer that we used last summer. We loved camping, but didn't love how cramped we were. Buying a motorhome was one of our long term goals, and by saving and being conscious of money we were able to bring our goal into fruition (a feat upon itself!). We started looking for motorhomes in our price range. Some were older, and needed some work, some were not mechanically sound. Others had "aqua mist" carpet- on the walls.

We came up with a plan: Adam wanted it to be mechanically ok so that he wasn't always working on it, or we weren't stranded on the side of the road (well I didn't want that to happen either!). I wanted it to be "decent" looking, and have some bare bones to make it homey. I don't need new-- in fact, I love the retro look! I didn't want to be doing any type of re-upholstery, or large amounts of flooring.

Well, weeks of looking and looking and more looking meant that there were slim pickins! First, during the fall, alot of people winterize their motorhomes and put them away. Second, some people had already headed south!

We were at a crossroads-- hold out for what we wanted, or wait? Or look at other, non-conventional motorhomes. Well, I guess you can see where this is going....

Not exactly what I was looking for...

Yep, it's a bus.

Hey, guess what?

We bought a bus.

Yep, It's a bus.

More on that later.



J.