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Dot wrote: ↑Wed Jun 14, 2017 10:01 pm Where are you off to then Mike?

We don't really know at this stage Dot, looking at retiring from the full timing lifestyle after many many years then building a smaller rig and putting some roots down, don't know where or when but we both getting a little older.

What ever you buy, be prepared to have to do some work on it;

Do try and make sure it's registered and has a road worthy certificate in your home state.


The last thing anyone really wants is a breakdown away from home that is going to cost a motza to get it fixed, even just enough to get home.

Hi Jon,

I hope we don't have to do too much to it, we'll be living 300kms from the nearest town when we buy it. Mind you, I have pretty handy mate and the brains trust here on the forum for advice

Won't it have a RWC from the state we buy it from?

RWC possibly, but it may not be transferable to your state.


Just remember that buses possibly do a million kms. The mechanics and suspension wears out. The bodies do rust and unless you know where to look you can get caught out.

If you find a model you like ask on every forum what they owners had to fix when they first got them. The story for each model will be similar. Then you know what to look for.

With mine, I spent 6 years underneath it before I could start the fit out. I think Dot got the best second hand bus from a mechanical point of view. Even Bernie had to do a full bottom end rebuild in situ.

You will be very,very lucky, and have done a lot of homework if you find something that does not need work.
As Jon says, easily 1 mill K's for the bigger coaches like VP that is 3 mill, I know of one still on the road in SA in service that has clocked up 5 mill.
With ours the inside skins had been removed so we though we could see the extent of the rust, wrong, cut it off at the floor and start again.
Brakes required a full rebuild, new airbags and shockies, I am sure you get the idea. All before any conversion is started.
You need to be a little bit twisted to take on a bus conversion I think.

Oh, sorry guys. We do not want to do a conversion. Hats off to you people who do.

We want to buy a ready to jump in and go unit. We were hoping that just the solar would need a tickle up or new captains chairs or an annexe

Thanks so much for taking the time to post though.

Just remember, A RWC means that it was road worthy on the day of the test.

A roadworthy won't asses the condition of the engine, gearbox or clutch. It won't say if the diff bearings are shot, or if the clutch is about to fail because it's only got 5000ks left in it.

So, do be careful when choosing, and take your time to have it inspected mechanically by a reputable person.



I spent 6 years underneath mine sorting out the mechanicals. It could have been six under a uncoverted bus or a converted one.... It was just worn out.

Thanks Jon, yes we will get it checked out by a mechanic before we purchase.

A general warning to all, if you are looking at buying a converted bus ask to see the photos with the skin off before they started the conversion showing the rust had been cut out and plated. It's hard enough repairing a rusted bus before you start the conversion, imagine having to strip out the conversion before you start the rust repair, then have to refit it all.

T1 Terry

No a hino bought our ten year ago the only thing I did was take it for a test drive and still going strong today