thing on ebay

[halfgut]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi...0&rd=1

This is on Ebay right now. It has no top, frame or side curtains (though he makes this sound like a bonus), rust under the battery compartment (he makes it sound like all VWs came from the factory with rust under the battery), non stock exhaust, and "the rare and sought after roll bar - which is in like new condition" does not look factory VOA. It does have an "antique Sears" spare tire which we all know is a sought after item. From what I can see it has over-spray at the jack point and over-spray on some of the wires in the engine compartment.

It looks like what it takes to sell a Thing on Ebay for top price is nice pictures, a good story and description and a fresh paint job. If this goes for over $10,000 I'm off to Maaco next week and asking my kids to come up with a good "retired" guy who wants to sell his Thing because he has no place to store it story.

[Woreign]

I wonder where the heater ducts blow to? Most people would plug the holes on the fan shroud. Maybe this guy wants us to believe that this Thing has both a gas heater AND heat exchangers? With out the curtains and top, you would need the extra heat to keep warm...

And nice metal rod on the rear bumper... It looks like it came out of a handicapped bathroom!

[howiesfamily]

I found a much better deal at a little car lot today. It's a 74 with a VW hardtop AND the soft top. Glass side curtains. Factory rubber floor mats, Front luggage rack. The only thing I saw that wasn't factory stuff was the front had been resprayed at one time. Absolutely NO RUST in the pan. It's been in storage since 1999. He'll take $5500 cash.
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member of: Fort Worth Aircoolers Gang

[rene p. l.]

[Woreign]

[lukesky]

halfgut, that's the way ebay works. A creative description and good pictures will get people to buy. I've bought stuff on ebay, cleaned it up, took some nice pictures, and relisted it and more than doubled my money (I bought a baseball glove once for $12, fixed it up with $5 of laces and sold it for $100+).

To paraphrase P.T. Barnum "There's an eBay buyer born every minute."
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You get what you get, and you don't throw a fit.
-Gabi

[dr.ona]

Yeah I was wondering about that rollbar myself....Mine is stock and it doesn't have that angle to it.
Also...
My thing is a 74 with the heater ducts AND the BN2 heater in front. I haven't used the heater yet though...

[bciesq]

Anyone else think that the windshield is raked way too far back? Good luck installing a real top on that car.

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'73 Thing -- making 45 mph exciting again.

[wings_n_fins]

Some windshield supports from The Thing Shop would fix that in a jiffy.

http://thethingshop.com/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=181WSB
_________________
DAVE
'73 Thing
'07 Harley Sportster
'09 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited

[Ron Domeck]

This looks like the factory rollbar has been installed backwards. I like the large hood gap on the right side were the front end has been drove down.

[lowsquare]

The grab-bar on the rear bumper makes it easier to get up and down while doing a valve adjustment...
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PRAISE THE LOWERED.
1973 THING

[surfarii]

You guys are a tough crowd . Lets see your photos side by side. Im sure that will help the buyer to see what the car should look like

[Towel Rail]

It may sound petty, but as comrades of potential Thing buyers, we have a reponsibility to point out flaws and keep sellers honest.
_________________
1974 Thing -- under the knife
1967 Beetle -- spring/summer/fall driver
1996 Subaru OBW (EJ22, 5-speed, AWD) -- winter car, 3-seasons "don't feel like biking today" car

049 > 070 > 053 > 009

[bucko]

Amazing to hear folks complaining that a Thing is attempting to fetch a high price. If that Thing gets 10 grand, what will that do for the value of other Things? Raise it through the roof, assuming they are in better shape.

This same type of post appeared on the Vanagon forum where a poster was in shock over GOWESTY! was asking $87,000 for a Vanagon Syncro Westy (complete restoration). Some Vanagon owners were outraged over such a price, until it was brought to their attention that it would make their Vanagons worth more.

I suppose everyone scoffs when a house in your 'hood sells for a high price? Nope, you cheer, as you know your house is now worth more.

I'll be selling my 71 Military 181 soon. I'm hoping to see other 181's hit the 6 digit figures!!!
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Current VW drives: 1984 Westfalia

Past VW drives: 1967 Beetle, 1973 Beetle, 1977 Bus, 1971 Military Type 181

[howiesfamily]

[bmwloco]

My '73 is no beauty queen. She's had proper rust repair, is solid, and runs like a champ.

I got a letter from Hagerty, my insurer, to raise the policy coverage from $4500 to $9000 as that was estimated replacement cost.

Gee. I only paid $3000 for it a little over a year ago...

Looks like a good investment. Thing is, I'm not likely to sell my Thing

[ztnoo]

bmwloco,
So what will be the increase in premium for the increase in assigned value?
Replacement value is something to seriously consider should anything (God forbid) happen to the vehicle.
You generally know what $3000 can buy you in the marketplace today.
Not much except a rust bucket.....unless one stumbles across a lucky, cheap find.
_________________
"Here we don't have a single clock in the shop- time doesn't matter." ----Jake Raby

"The government cannot give to anyone anything that it does not first take from someone else."

When you put the 2 words "The" and "IRS" together it spells "Theirs"

* Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It's already tomorrow in Australia !

[halfgut]

Don't get me wrong. I'm glad my Thing has increased in value to the point where I won't let my son drive it. I was just making fun of the fact that this "pristine" example was selling for so much. My Thing isn't in great shape but it doesn't have a shower bar attached to the bumper, has the top and frame and doesn't have rust in the original pans. I was making the point that all that is needed to swindle people on Ebay is a Maaco paint job, nice pictures and a good description. Like I said, if it goes over 10K I'm off to Maaco.

[Thingggg]

Two years ago I put add in Samba wanted Thing $3000 little rust, got 10 reply s.

Most a little rusty, none rust buckets. Just try it even if you don't want one. I went a long way to get it but handed over no $$$ until I saw it in person.

Ebay deals are half the time the results of sellers friends running the price up on fake accounts, then the seller just keeps relisting and saying there was a defaulted bid until some sucker buys it. Talk to you banker 90% won't lend on an ebay bought deal they know better. How anyone can buy a car without personally looking @ it or having a professional evaluate it is beyond me.

"Only if you are about to sell your house. Otherwise it just drives up the property taxes."
Amen brother and don't forget normally if you sell yours you have to buy another. Some like it because they can borrow more and make the banker richer

[bmwloco]

Ztnoo said...

> So what will be the increase in premium for the increase in assigned value?

Oh, like $110 annually. Nothing major.

> Replacement value is something to seriously consider should anything (God > forbid) happen to the vehicle.

That's what Hagerty is all about - replacement value. If my Thing should be crushed, stolen, burned or otherwise destroyed... I get $9k to do what I want. Replace it, move on, or just invest it. No muss, no fuss.

> You generally know what $3000 can buy you in the marketplace today.
> Not much except a rust bucket.....unless one stumbles across a lucky,
> cheap find.

I have a good soul on the Samba to thank for my Thing. He bought it, properly welded in good pans, did complete rust abatement on it, put leather Jetta GLI seats in and then lost interest in it. Sure, it needs a top, but for now, I'll just hoon around in it sans lid.