Dave, these buses are very expensive to buy when new and expensive to maintain. When they get older they are more affordable but still expensive to maintain.
The problem I sometimes see is that a person will find a bus they can afford to buy but they do not realize that they may need a large investment to get it safe and reasonably dependable. Tires (age, not mileage or appearance), batteries, suspension issues, air conditioners, etc can sometimes reach $20-30k in repairs and replacements.
Before any purchase, I recommend getting a very knowledgeable INDEPENDENT person to evaluate the bus and provide a list of needed repairs/replacements and the associated cost.
The nice thing is that once the bus is caught up on deferred maintenance and repairs, the ongoing costs are predictable and manageable and should be budgeted.
Happy Trails!
Les Stallings
Crossville TN
2006 Country Coach XLII