How soon do you need the bus?
A used bus is on your route the week you buy it. New buses are built to order, and while lead times have improved since the chip-shortage years, a custom build still means waiting on a production slot. If a contract starts next month, the pre-owned lot is your friend. TESCO also stocks new buses ready for immediate delivery, listed with real order numbers on the new inventory page, and for the floor plans we stock that erases the lead-time argument.
How many miles a year will you run?
- 25,000+ miles/year (daily routes, contracts): new usually wins. Full warranty through the heavy first years, latest safety equipment, and a predictable maintenance curve. By the time the warranty ends, the route has paid for the bus.
- Under 10,000 miles/year (churches, weekend programs, backup bus): used usually wins. The service life you're buying dwarfs your usage; let the first owner absorb the depreciation.
- In between: run both quotes honestly. Most senior living and hotel fleets land here, and it genuinely goes either way.
What does each cost over five years?
Price is only the entry fee. New adds full warranty coverage, financing at new-vehicle rates, and stronger resale when you rotate the fleet. Used saves a large share of the purchase price but means budgeting more for tires, brakes, A/C, and the surprises history reports don't show. Two TESCO advantages narrow the gap on the used side: a free AutoCheck history on every pre-owned unit and an inspection and evaluation of every unit before it is listed. The biggest used-bus risks are the ones you can't see, and we take those off the table where a report or a shop can.
Does accessibility change the answer?
Often, yes. Lift-equipped units are TESCO's largest used segment, and the good ones move fast, so facilities that need an exact securement layout often order new to get it right. Our used wheelchair-accessible listings show what is on the lot today. If your need is standard passenger seating, the used market is deep and the savings are real.
The honest summary
| Your situation | Better answer |
|---|---|
| Contract starts in weeks | Used, or in-stock new |
| High annual mileage | New |
| Occasional use, tight budget | Used |
| Specific wheelchair layout | New (or move fast on used) |
| First bus, proving a route | Used, then trade up |
TESCO takes trades in both directions. Many customers sell us their current bus when they upgrade. Get both quotes side by side: request pricing and tell us the route; we'll spec the new build and shortlist the used matches in one reply.