How to buy a used bus: the complete step-by-step guide

To buy a used bus well, start from the work it will do, not from the advert. First decide on type, seats and emission class, then check the paperwork and the mechanics, and only at the end agree a price, along with who handles customs clearance, KTEO (the Greek roadworthiness test) and plates.

At HellasBus we have been selling used buses since 2009, from Litochoro in Pieria to customers in Greece and abroad. This guide follows the order that works in practice and points out where we see buyers lose money or time.

What are the steps to buying a used bus?

Buying a used bus takes nine steps: need, licence, budget, emission class, choice of vehicle, inspection, test drive, agreement and paperwork. Skip one and you usually pay for it later, in repairs or in weeks spent waiting for registration.

1. Define the job: city route, intercity, excursions or small-group transport.
2. Check the licence: D or D1, plus the CPC for professional use.
3. Set a budget: price, VAT, paperwork, first service and tyres.
4. Choose an emission class: Euro 5, EEV or Euro 6, depending on where the bus will run.
5. Draw up a shortlist: model, year, mileage, seats, gearbox.
6. Check paperwork and mechanics: with a checklist, not by eye.
7. Take a test drive: cold start, brakes, gearbox, retarder, doors.
8. Put the deal in writing: what the price includes and when the bus is delivered.
9. Complete the paperwork: customs clearance, KTEO, registration file, plates.

What type of bus do you need for your business?

The type follows from the route and the number of passengers. A city route needs a low floor and plenty of standing room, excursions need a coach with luggage space and comfortable seats, and for 10 to 20 people a minibus does the job at a lower cost.

We have a separate article for each model: Citaro, Tourismo, Integro and Intouro, MAN buses and Sprinter. Don’t buy a bigger vehicle “just in case”. A 14-metre three-axle coach burns more fuel, costs more in tyres and doesn’t fit everywhere.

What licence do you need to drive a bus?

For a bus with more than 16 passenger seats you need a category D licence. D1 covers vehicles with up to 16 passenger seats and a maximum length of 8 metres, under Directive 2006/126/EC.

The difference matters mostly with minibuses. A Sprinter with 19 passenger seats needs a driver with a D licence, while one with 16 seats can be driven by a D1 holder. For carrying passengers professionally, the driver also needs the Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC, in Greece ΠΕΙ), required by Directive 2003/59/EC. Check your drivers’ licences before you settle on the number of seats.

How much should you budget on top of the price?

On top of the vehicle price, allow for VAT, paperwork, insurance and an amount for the first service. Used bus prices are usually quoted excluding VAT, as they are in our own catalogue.

Most buyers forget three costs: tyres (a full set for a three-axle coach is a large sum), batteries and air conditioning. Ask when each was last replaced and write the answer down. If the price includes the paperwork package, ask to see exactly what it covers. On our buses that include it, the package covers customs clearance, registration fees, KTEO, the special inspection lane, ABS and year-of-manufacture certificates and a complete registration file.

For financing (leasing) we work with a bank and can put you in touch with one of its partners. We also take your bus in part exchange, case by case.

Euro 5, EEV or Euro 6: which emission class should you choose?

If the bus will enter cities with restrictions or run on public-sector tenders, go for Euro 6. For excursions and intercity routes, a well-maintained Euro 5 or EEV costs less to buy and remains a practical choice.

Euro VI has applied to all new heavy vehicles in the EU since 31 December 2013, under Regulation (EC) No 595/2009. So a bus first registered in 2014 or later is as a rule Euro 6, but always confirm it on the registration certificate or the certificate of conformity. We explain the differences, AdBlue and the particulate filter in detail in our article Euro 5, EEV or Euro 6.

How do you inspect a used bus before buying?

The inspection has two parts, paperwork and mechanics. In the paperwork you confirm that the chassis number, year, seats and emission class match the registration certificate, and on the mechanical side you check the engine, gearbox, brakes, air suspension, rust and electronics.

The points we look at when we view a bus, and what each one tells you, are in our used bus inspection checklist. Two rules always apply. See the vehicle up close and with a cold engine. And ask for whatever maintenance records exist, such as invoices, the service book and the KTEO history.

All HellasBus buses are owned by us and stand at our premises in Litochoro. You can view them, open the hatches and take a test drive before you decide.

What should you watch for on a test drive?

On the test drive you check how the engine starts from cold, how the gearbox shifts and how the vehicle brakes, loaded or empty. Ask for at least 20 minutes of driving with uphill and downhill stretches, so the retarder gets used too.

• Start-up: white or blue smoke that doesn’t clear points to a problem.
• Air pressure: time how long the system takes to fill and the warning to go out.
• Gearbox: shifts without jolts or delay, especially on an automatic.
• Brakes and retarder: the bus brakes in a straight line, and the retarder scrubs off speed on a descent.
• Suspension: the vehicle levels itself after a stop. On city buses, test the kneeling function.
• Doors and air conditioning: every door, every vent, and the air conditioning at full power.

Before the drive, check the oil and coolant levels. If you find oil in the coolant or foam under the oil filler cap, stop there.

What should the purchase agreement say?

The agreement identifies the vehicle by chassis number and states the price with or without VAT, exactly what it includes, the deposit and the delivery date. Anything agreed verbally, such as tyres, a service or a repair, must be written in.

Also check who is responsible for getting the plates issued and what happens if KTEO asks for corrections. At HellasBus delivery is turnkey: we prepare the paperwork and the bus leaves ready for plates.

What paperwork does a bus need to go on the road?

For a bus from abroad to run in Greece, it needs customs clearance, a technical inspection at KTEO, the certificates required for registration and a file for issuing plates. The process has many steps and involves different authorities, which is why it drags on when buyers do it alone.

After registration the bus goes through KTEO every year. For buses, Directive 2014/45/EU sets the first test one year after first registration and annually after that. Registration details change from time to time. Before you buy from an advert, ask who will handle the file and how long it will take, or get in touch with us and we’ll tell you what applies to that particular vehicle.

How does buying work if you are abroad?

If you are abroad, the purchase works the same way and the bus travels on export plates. HellasBus sells to every country and issues export plates (Zoll) itself.

You can ask for photos and videos of specific areas, such as the engine bay, the underside or the instrument panel with the engine running. We speak Greek, English and German, by phone, on WhatsApp or on Viber. The questions buyers ask most are collected in our frequently asked questions.

Where can you find the right bus?

In the HellasBus catalogue you will see every available bus with year, mileage, gearbox, emission class and price. They are split into city buses and intercity buses and coaches, and by model, for example used Citaro buses or Tourismo coaches.

If you don’t see what you want, tell us the model, year, seats and budget. We’ll search for it. Call +30 23520 61222 or send a WhatsApp message to +30 6977 400157.