NEWBIE ADVICE

[pottinger]

Hi guys,

congrats on a brilliant site and looking at all your buses, gota say its not helping
me not want one (unfortunately for the wife ! lol)
I see the bus being sold on here (citrus valley) and was well tempted by that !

Can I ask also, does anyone have any pros / cons of buying from The Bus Station in Hampshire ??

ie, they seem pretty good but thought i would ask to be sure.
cheers for any help fellas.

ta
pott

 

[froggy]

Hi and welcome to the site.
The citrus valley bus is exceptional (also look at the dry cleaner deluxe van built by Gadget), there are also some very good buses for sale in the site.
Ask as many questions as you want someone will always answer (eventually :lol: )
Put up where your from and i'm sure there will be someone local that might be able to guide you in the right direction

 

[Graham L]

Hi and welcome to the site.

Can't comment on the bus station but I've heard they are good guys, do you know what you are looking for exactly?. We are based in the midlands and offer honest advice to help new buyers out as well as supplying honest buses as well :mrgreen: .

Currently got 6 on their way from the US of varying types, drop me an email if we can be of any help,

 

[pottinger]

Not 100% sure yet graham.
I have loved buses for years and must admit love the slammed early bays
but am unsure about the practical road use etc and how low is actually
useable / comfortable etc
Any advice ?

Add to this I have hardly driven any, kinda wanna make 100% sure
they are for me (forgone conclusion but too many people probably have puppy dog eyes
without actually driving one etc)

Just going to see where this journey takes me if ya get my meaning..

Thanks for your input though Graham.

cheers
Danny

BTW, fair distance to you, in Ipswich (East coast).

 

[Graham L]

Danny

You need to hook up with Grazy & Ooro on this forum as they are from your neck of the woods and will give you some advice but more than happy to help if I can,

 

[froggy]

Not 100% sure yet graham.
I have loved buses for years and must admit love the slammed early bays
but am unsure about the practical road use etc and how low is actually
useable / comfortable etc
Any advice ?

It all depends on what you want to use the bus for.
Most people tend to drop enough to take the wallowyness (is this even a word? :lol: ) out of the bus where as some slamm it to the ground.
As for how low is low enough only you can really decide that :lol:

 

[pottinger]

cheers froggy, well not having been in dropped buses i cant tell ! lol
i dont mind dodging pot holes ! lol
joking aside, is there a world of difference in the ride at diff heights ?

cheers
d

 

[Graham L]

If you are looking to retain ride quality then you really need to look at either ball joint dropped spindles or to a King & Link pin Beam off a splitty as both of these options will still give you full suspension travel but with a lowered stance.

King & Link is really the only route if you want a 'slammed' bus whereas ball joint dropped spindles (with no adjusters) will give you up to a 4" drop at a much reduced cost. you pays your money and takes your choice!!

The 'traditional' route was to simply fit adjusters to your stock ball joint beam and whilst this will lower it, it reduces the travel on the suspension and puts extra load on the ball joints leading to a harsher ride.

Hope that simple explanation helps?, I'm sure someone else will be along soon with their view as well 8)

 

[Marvel]

Welcome along brother. If you're in Ipswich, your nearest big "dealer" I think is T2D between Newmarket and Cambridge in Burwell. Good guys down there and are experts at slamming vehicles.

 

[johnraw1]

My bus (for sale too) drives better than stock in my opinion as mentioned previously it takes away that wallowyness?? so is stops the body rolling around corners. As for pot holes I have been using mine as a daily driver for 8 months with no problems at all with any access or pot holes at all as long as you use caution and remember you are driving a low vehicle, I'd guess its like driving any low sports car too.
My bus had the box and engine raised too so no problems with them grounding out.

 

[Grazy]

Hi Dan as Graham said i am in Ipswich , Here is my no if you want a chat 077 48 982 982

Here is my van = Kinda Lowish ! :shock:

Low is the ONLY way to go , Pop round have a look and see buddy

 

[Toad]

For me, stock suspension is the only way to go for maximum usefullness (driving over camping fields, up kerbs etc).....and to me they look the best that way.

 

[RICH-I-AM]

Not 100% sure yet graham.
I have loved buses for years and must admit love the slammed early bays
but am unsure about the practical road use etc and how low is actually
useable / comfortable etc
Any advice ?

Add to this I have hardly driven any, kinda wanna make 100% sure
they are for me (forgone conclusion but too many people probably have puppy dog eyes
without actually driving one etc)

Just going to see where this journey takes me if ya get my meaning..

Thanks for your input though Graham.

cheers
Danny

BTW, fair distance to you, in Ipswich (East coast).

Evning.
Welcome to the forum.
My van is lowerd a couple of inches all round. Cost 100 pounds for the adjusters but unsure what the labour costs are as i fitted them myself. And the rear doesnt need any parts just adjustment.
Handles realy well without loosing the original characteristics (< spelling???) of the steering and handling, well maybe a little better round the bends.
Main thing is (unless you love welding) to try and get one with as little amount of rust on it as possible.

Youve already joined the Forum so il guess youl have to buy one now :mrgreen:
Good luck with your search.
Keep us posted.

Rich

 

[pottinger]

Thanks all for the great replys, and Grazy - will probably give you a call (loverly bus mate)

I must admit, i am loving 3 vans at the moment
the citrus valley / johnraws1 and a bus not one here.

my big problem is, with such inexperience as to wether i will love the way they drive etc etc
am i better getting a good basic (early crossover) and (not slammed right down like the citrus valley one) and making
my way from there OR buying something with it all done now and saving money in the long run probably ??

Looks wise I love em !

Any help advice much appreciated fellas.

cheers
danny

 

[petegee56]

Welcome to the site dude, and clearly you have very good taste in buses, now i would say if you like the look of johnraws bus or the citrus valley bus then you want a low bus and if you get anything but that you will not be satisfied until is that low, Now i know for sure that gadget would be happy for you to have a spin out in the citrus valley bus and im sure john raw would be the same before you bought either of there buses.

It will be cheaper to buy a bus already done than buying a stock bus and getting it that low unless you can do the work yourself which will probably chassis notching if you want to be as low as those two buses.

just my two pence worth really

Pete

 

[johnraw1]

Welcome to the site dude, and clearly you have very good taste in buses, now i would say if you like the look of johnraws bus or the citrus valley bus then you want a low bus and if you get anything but that you will not be satisfied until is that low, Now i know for sure that gadget would be happy for you to have a spin out in the citrus valley bus and im sure john raw would be the same before you bought either of there buses.

It will be cheaper to buy a bus already done than buying a stock bus and getting it that low unless you can do the work yourself which will probably chassis notching if you want to be as low as those two buses.

just my two pence worth really

Pete

Yeah no probs with a test drive in mine fella. I would agree totally too about the cost being cheaper to buy a bus already done as mine now stands me at a stupid amount, its had absolutly no expence spared and just had a new clutch fitted now too. I must now be getting close to £20k's worth. Speak to Paul at T2D as there the guys that built mine up for me.

 

[pottinger]

Hey, thanks everyone for some real good advice.

I must admit johnraws and the gadget's bus look fantastic
but i have this niggling that it should be something i work my
way up to, if you get me.
Originally i was thinking of spending 9-10k, this would at least
give me the experience and not make me feel so far over (ie 15k for one of the above)
and allow me to make sure i love owning a bus as much as i love
the looks etc.

have i been bitten by the baybug !??!?!?!?!?
cant stop thinkin about em !!!! lol

cheers
d

 

[Toad]

Hey, thanks everyone for some real good advice.

I must admit johnraws and the gadget's bus look fantastic
but i have this niggling that it should be something i work my
way up to, if you get me.
Originally i was thinking of spending 9-10k, this would at least
give me the experience and not make me feel so far over (ie 15k for one of the above)
and allow me to make sure i love owning a bus as much as i love
the looks etc.

have i been bitten by the baybug !??!?!?!?!?
cant stop thinkin about em !!!! lol

cheers
d

May I ask why you want to spend 9-10k when its possible to pick up a nice solid early bay for a lot less? (just wondering thats all)

 

[steve92]

Welcome to eb Danny.

imo the bus you buy depends what you want to use it for. If it's a camping machine, then stock or moderate drop is the way to go. my bus is down 3" and has no problems getting on or off campsites etc.

if you just want to look cool, then it dont get much cooler than the citrus valley.

Mark at the bus station is a nice fella, nearly bought a slammed bay off him 3 years ago.

good luck looking. don't rush into it ,and do your homework. if it was my 9k get yourself an import from oz or the states.they tend to be nice and solid. dont worry about driving one, its no bother. when i picked my bus up ,i had only driven a few test drives, and never lhd. drove it 250 miles home no probem.

Steve.

 

[pottinger]

thanks fellas

and in answer to your question toad, 9-10k was a figure i had in mind
based on what seems to be on the market.
7k and below will probably need more time and money (time mostly) than
i want to spend.
there wasnt any particular reason i picked this amount, just a kinda budget
that i would feel happy spending if you get me.

I never realised buying one could be so involved lol !

I dont know why but i keep coming back to a rearly good EARLY crossover
ive seen (not in the flesh) mega soild and a good intro into buses that would
allow me some scope
later to change for something else once i have more knowledge.
Also camping the kids and all can treat it like a you know what without
me worrying tooo much if you get me.
I spose could always take a photo of an earlybays backside and paste it over the
crossover arse !

cheers fellas for all your help again.

danny