87 Syncro, been around the block. Value?

[ziady]

Hi. I have a 87 Vanagon Syncro GL 7 passenger van. It runs and drives. Motor needs work (head gaskets good, oil pressure issues). Exhaust needs to be replaced. It is beat up inside and out. Some rust on body (not rusted through body, just some spots and the top is pretty rusty).

Have been holding onto it for years (lots of them) as a potential project but just don't have the time or the money. Need to sell it. Seems like there is someone out there who wants to get into a Syncro project for cheap, right? What should I try to get for it?

[dobryan]

Pics and miles?
_________________
Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2010 Subaru EJ25 (Vanaru) and Peloquin TBD

"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stevenson

MD>Canada>AK>WA>OR>CA>AZ>UT>WY>SD
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620646

Building a bus for travel in Europe (euroBus)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=695371

The Western Syncro build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746794

[syncrodoka]

Check the classifieds here, Craigslist or fb marketplace for comparable. Easy

[Sodo]

Take it to MogFest with a ForSale sign.
Loads of 2wd owners attend.
Aug 14-17 Sheridan OR
http://www.northwestmogfest.com/
_________________


'90 Westy EJ25, NEW oil rings (!) 2Peloquins, 3knobs, SyncroShop pressure-oiled pinion-bearing & GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox.
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered original gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb

[Ahwahnee]

Lots of Syncros in the classifieds, with some adjustment for condition you should be able to assess the value.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/search.php...ton=Search

[Wellington]

$50

[16CVs]

Seems like a softball entry for a For Sale ad like the other guy newbie with one post that just joined.

Post it in The Classifieds, as mentioned market is soft and we are in a buyers market.

Stacy
_________________
1987 Syncro Westfalia Triple knob (bastard)
1989 Syncro Tristar Triple knob "Swedish"
2013 Jetta Hybrid a true "Zwitter"
Samba member # 14980
Call anytime number 650 722 4914 .
Keep Your van running and upkept tastefully for the love of the hobby.
Don't let your van end up in an "abortions" thread.

[ALIKA T3]

[syncrodoka]

We have a high bidder!

[Abscate]

[RoryGirl]

I want to trade you screen legend Anthony Quinn's undershirt...he took it off to do sit-ups in the park and I nabbed it
_________________
1991 Twin Slider VR6
1985 Audi 4k

[MarkWard]

Another first time poster trying to move some metal. If you want it gone, BAT project no reserve if they will accept it. A week later it’s gone. Easy.

[16CVs]

Looks like we scared off the guy with the 2WD with PSA in a separate thread, he is gone!

Stacy
_________________
1987 Syncro Westfalia Triple knob (bastard)
1989 Syncro Tristar Triple knob "Swedish"
2013 Jetta Hybrid a true "Zwitter"
Samba member # 14980
Call anytime number 650 722 4914 .
Keep Your van running and upkept tastefully for the love of the hobby.
Don't let your van end up in an "abortions" thread.

[ziady]

Hmmm. Super helpful. Thx.

[jimf909]

Hmmm, the responses were more helpful than your original post.
_________________
- Jim

[16CVs]

So we've answered your question, do you have it listed in the classifieds or were you hoping someone here would snatch it up for top dollar because it is so rare.

Rule of thumb, collectors and hobbyists buy things cheap because we really don't need them. You need to market to someone with Syncro on the brain on one those fancy sites that few of us old guys understand. Even bringing it out to Mogfest is going to get a bunch of bottom feeders.

Figure out what your happy price is and list it.

Stacy
_________________
1987 Syncro Westfalia Triple knob (bastard)
1989 Syncro Tristar Triple knob "Swedish"
2013 Jetta Hybrid a true "Zwitter"
Samba member # 14980
Call anytime number 650 722 4914 .
Keep Your van running and upkept tastefully for the love of the hobby.
Don't let your van end up in an "abortions" thread.

[Ahwahnee]

[vanagonjr]

For what you are roughly describing, I'm seeing asking prices of $3 to $5.5K on the east coast (might be different where you are).

I see some sitting for months for sale that 10 years ago would have been scooped up.
The bottom line on less activity lately (I think), is that a rusty body equals a minimum of 10K (and up to 20K) in shop costs and the rust is still likely to be back in 5-7 years.

The tranny could be toast to rebuild, then what is the cost for a rebuilt one, if it can be found - I don't know $7K, 10K?

Then an engine conversion perhaps, and all of a sudden a used 4WD Sprinter is a deal.

So it seems that a rusty syncro at this point is more likely a parts donor, so around 3-4K was the past price - today, I don't know, maybe the same?? It seems so from recent ads in my area.

If you post up pics, history of what was replaced recently, others here might be able to give a better idea, but perhaps listing it at $X,XXX or best offer in TheSamba classifieds is the best approach?

Good luck with the sale, moving on is a good idea.
_________________
John - 86 Wolfsburg Westfalia "Weekender"
Flint reversed 1.8T W/Passat 5-Speed
LiMBO (late model bus club) www.limbobus.org
LiMBO is on Facebook too! https://www.facebook.com/groups/
FAQ thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=525798

[vanis13]

[ziady]