My boss bought/leased several S417 new German buses, Setra 56 passenger, $400,000 buses. They are new models and have been falling apart every day and every week for a year !! These are new buses, 2005's , by boat from Germany to North Carolina, and then by train / your driver.
Last week the roof above the driver's seat began leaking in a rainstorm. Axles have gone out. Headlight lens covers have cracked and big windshields have easily rock chipped and cracked in normal city/highway paved road traffic. It takes at least a minute for the bus computer to check systems and let you restart the bus. The Blaupunkt cd radio and dvd player are already malfunctioning: the PA system and radio/dvd system have such different volume thresholds that when you switch from one to the other you accidentally blow your passengers ears out !!
So if you are dumb enough to buy/lease a bus of poor/new model questionable quality such as the Setra, even tho Mercedes Benz just bought it, because of favorable lease rates, expect said Setra bus to be constantly broken and constantly in the shop. The bus is gutless, it can not even keep 65 or 55 on the small hills of hwy 101. The cable-link snow chains take longer to put on and don't clear the wheel wells without damaging the lower cowling attachment. The a/c and heater are sooo weak compare to the old model. It can not even make enough air for the door and kneeling, let alone the brakes and the next morning push button door opening. And do not expect good-excellent service on parts availability and service from Setra, a German company. I recommend you stay with Canadian bus co. ,Prevost.
