TheSamba.com :: View topic - Vanagon/Microbus Camper-Trade/Rent Forum added to TheSamba?

Thu Sep 22, 2011 6:32 pm

So I put this question to R39 moderator, but haven't heard back. So I'll put it to you guys as to whether or not it's a good idea - 'cause maybe it's not.

I put up a request on the Vanagon forum today for a trade/rent scenario for a Westy because I was going to be traveling to California and hoped to find a like minded individual. R39 pulled it down because it was commercial in nature and sugg'd that I put it in the classifieds - so I did.

Seriously meaning no disrespect to the moderators here, but it seems to me that by placing an ad in Vanagon classifieds, I'm not really, necessarily reaching the people I want to reach - which is of course, the purpose of TheSamba. By putting an ad in vehicle classifieds, I'm reaching people who want to buy or sell a vanagon. And don't get me wrong I love that section - because I've sold three Westy's with TheSamba. There is of course, a 'trade' classified section, but that doesn't really meet the criteria I'm talking about either because it's not specific to wanting to trade my Westy to someone else for theirs in another location, or to rent a Westy.

What if you live somewhere that people might want to travel - NY, Seattle, Calif, mtns, coast, hell, France - and you'd like to be able to travel to say, Denver, and to trade your van to a person in Denver who wants to visit, say Manhattan or Malibu or Paris? Or what if you just want to straight up rent one from a willing Sambanista and you're not in one of the few places, Orange County, Maui, SFO, where that's possible? Bill at VWSurfari for one, has surely proven that there's interest.

I humbly suggest to the Samba overlords that they create a "Camper Rent/Trade" classifed or forum section on this most epic of websites. Of course, I could be an idiot here. There might be something obvious that I'm missing or that I'm not considering. Maybe there's no interest at all. In fact, I'm not sure if I'd really, truly want to rent my Westy, but if the price was right and the person was Samba certified, I'd sure as hell consider it. I'd way rather rent someone's Vanagon than a damn Taurus.

Thu Sep 22, 2011 11:40 pm

The topic of renting has come up before, the general consensus was that no one in their right mind would rent their car out to some unknown person.

Samba Certified implies responsibility by the site for any damage/insurance/etc. This will never occur.

Fri Sep 23, 2011 6:09 am

I stand down. Thx for the reply Mr. Samba.