Japanese used buses

Japan has an advanced public transport system which means that there are thousands and thousands of buses on the road either used as public transport or private companies.

The main manufacturers of commercial buses in Japan are, Hino, Mitsubishi Fuso, Nissan and Isuzu, with Fuso being the biggest.

Of course these buses are used a lot, especially local city public transport but, just because a bus is being sold at an auction doesn't mean it's a worn out piece of junk. Usually due to insurance reasons they have been maintained quite well. Many agencies have to sell due to decreased enrollment in a project or funding changes. Sometimes it's simply their policy - no buses over 5 years old or over 200,000 miles, etc.

Rule of thumb when buying a bus for one tenth the original price. BUDGET for parts and labor on ANY mechanical part for which you don't have a good history, receipt trail, or ability to inspect. In other words if you can't verify it's condition then don't buy the bus unless you can afford to replace it, part by part.

That means: AC, brakes, hydraulic lines, engine compression, transmission condition, steering and front end parts, electrical system from the wiring harness to the gauges, alternator and fuse panels, tires, body, and glass, air compressor buildup and recovery times, and many other items your mechanic can advise you about.

Recently there has been some mergers in the Japanese bus industry. Hino Motors, Ltd. (Hino) and Isuzu Motors Limited (Isuzu) announced to execute a merger of three companies into the J-Bus Ltd. (J-Bus), a holding company established for the purpose of promoting integration of Hino and Isuzu bus businesses.

Companies to be merged are Hino Auto Body, Ltd. (Hino Body) and Isuzu Bus Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (Isuzu Bus), and J-Bus will become the surviving company. The merger will take effect on October 1, 2004, and Hino and Isuzu will promote full-scale integration of the bus businesses.

Also, Fuso was hit recently with a massive scandal involving a coverup of safety problems with its trucks and buses. Again, another thing to think about when considering which bus to buy at auction.

Used bus costs

So how much can you expect to pay for used buses in Japanese auctions?

Here are some examples of recent sales:

Nissan Civilian

Hino Rainbow