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speedygeorge
Samba Member
Joined: November 28, 2009
Posts: 235
Location: Victoria, BC
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 Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2013 2:02 pm Post subject: I am no longer Westy owner! |
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After almost 9 years we sold our 91 Westy today to some nice folks. We had good times but to be honest I grew a bit tired of staying on top of everything and always felt that the van was a potential financial time bomb. I received almost exactly what van cost me when purchased 9 years and 100,000 kilometers ago, it cost us about $500 per year in upkeep. Van no longer met our needs for our family of 4.
Best of all I now have permission to buy a convertible, with the only mandate being that it seat 4 for occasional family use. Any opinions on VW Eos?
Thank for everyone's help over the years
SG
Last edited by speedygeorge on Fri Aug 23, 2013 2:10 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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zippyslug31
Samba Member
Joined: July 20, 2007
Posts: 799
Location: Central Oregon
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| Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2013 2:07 pm Post subject: |
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Sorry for your having to cut it free but happy for you that it basically was a wash.
Now why can't some people be more like this guy and simply say "had good time... but no longer met our needs" instead of trolling for the samba rage as found in other threads that need no mentioning. 
Hope your convertible brings you lots of happiness.
_________________
previous:
'80 westy
current:
'90 syncro westy 2.5L subi, triple knob, 16" wheels.
'84 sunroof van, 2.1L motor. |
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SteveVanB
Samba Member
Joined: June 01, 2008
Posts: 1645
Location: This side of Daytona
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| Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2013 2:18 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| Best of all I now have permission to buy a convertible |
Sunroof Syncro time  
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91 CARAT |
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Nimbus'87
Samba Member
Joined: January 03, 2013
Posts: 125
Location: Murrieta, Ca.
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| Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2013 2:21 pm Post subject: Adios... |
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Sounds like you had fun with the Westy.
Will you be Hotel/motel now?
Wait till you take the $$ hit from that New Conv. + insur. & upkeep.
Sounds fun though! New is always nice! 
Enjoy! See ya around if/when you come back.
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'87 Wolfram Grey Westy. '92 2.2 Subie, KEP/Calif. Reg. |
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woggs1
Samba Member
Joined: February 22, 2007
Posts: 531
Location: South Pacifica California
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| Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2013 2:24 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for not pulling a Raven on your way out.
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4 speed 88 Westy |
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speedygeorge
Samba Member
Joined: November 28, 2009
Posts: 235
Location: Victoria, BC
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| Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2013 2:25 pm Post subject: Re: Adios... |
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| Nimbus'87 wrote: |
Sounds like you had fun with the Westy.
Will you be Hotel/motel now?
Wait till you take the $$ hit from that New Conv. + insur. & upkeep.
Sounds fun though! New is always nice!
Enjoy! See ya around if/when you come back. |
We have been doing more condo and cottage stuff, I have grown tired of putting kids to bed at campgrounds that are far to loud. My son didn't want me to sell it and I said would you rather go back to Hawaii for 2 weeks next year or camp, guess what he said, "OK you can sell it"
Looking at 3 year old Eos with 35k kilometers for half of new. |
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FNGRUVN
Samba Member
Joined: October 27, 2007
Posts: 2237
Location: Fort Collins, CO
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| Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2013 2:46 pm Post subject: |
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$500 a year?! What a money pit. 
Good luck when the "new" vehicle is out of warranty and breaks down, which it will eventually. You'll spend that $500 just to get the check engine light to go out.
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"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote." - Benjamin Franklin |
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stubble88
Samba Member
Joined: June 09, 2008
Posts: 45
Location: Valencia CA
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| Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2013 3:34 pm Post subject: |
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corvette tires will not be cheap either.
I'm on my second one after a 4 year break
You'll be back....they always come back  |
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djkeev
Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32625
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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r39o
Samba Polizei
Joined: May 18, 2005
Posts: 9800
Location: San Diego
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| Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2013 4:18 pm Post subject: |
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Do NOT buy the EOS. That top IS a time financial time bomb!
I own vintage Mercedes convertibles. In the case of a classic car - top goes up and so does the price.
Modern car is just like any other car, price just goes down down down for a long time.....
Get a Porsche. Some 3.2 powered one or a 951 even. Those will hold their own, for example.
But the Porsche is NOT a every day car, just the Westy was not. They cost money to keep.
I do NOT drive my Mercedes much. Family says too loud and too valuable.....and I can, take only, at most 2 extra people. Totally useless.
The Vanagon is fine compromise between just old enough and not too valuable that I feel OK to drive it around.
Vacations in Hawaii, sure. This year we went to Washington DC and drove North en a rental boring car...... Can not easily take the Vanagon with us when we go to Asia. All OK. We take nice day trips with the Vanagon too. Beach, park, shopping, going to eat, Sunset watching and drinking. Drive in movies. The wife appreciates it with or with out kids. (My kids are scouts / back packers and tenting or what ever is all fine for us, too.)
Every body has a different set of things they think is OK.
I bet you WILL miss the Westy at some point.....
_________________
"Use the SEARCH, Luke" But first visit the Vanagon FAQ!
1990 Multivan EJ 22, Rancho trans 0.82 4th, Small Car front AC, CLKs w/ 215/65-16, homemade big brakes 303mm, Konis, Recaros, etc....
Click to see my ads for Cup holders, Subaru clutch fix and CLK wheels (no wheels currently) |
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Rallyedude
Samba Member
Joined: December 06, 2009
Posts: 206
Location: Aylmer, QC
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| Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2013 4:35 pm Post subject: |
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If you're looking at early eos , the 2.0T has cam/HPFP issues . There is an extended warranty on this issue up to 192000kms , providing you have all oil change receipts . Otherwise a great motor . Reasonably priced parts because of the golf/Jetta mechanical parts sharing . But like any modern car it will devalue quite fast .
Your story of not loosing any money but maintenance costs on your vanagon is typical . Vanagons, westies in particular are a great automotive investment!
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85 2wd Doka ABA In progress
82 westy diesel under the knife , MTDi ,weddle gears |
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?Waldo?
Samba Member
Joined: February 22, 2006
Posts: 9752
Location: Where?
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| Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2013 4:57 pm Post subject: |
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With a maintenance cost on the westy of $42 per month you ended after 9 years recouping your initial cost.
The 2010 VW Eos Convertible will cost you a no interest payment of $150(?) per month PLUS maintenance costs added in and after 9 years when it is paid off, you will recoup maybe 30% of your initial cost if you're lucky.
What family-of-4 needs are met with a convertible that aren't met with a westy?
Don't get me wrong, if you want a convertible and not a westy then by all means you should get one. Vanagons are certainly not for everyone. |
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vanagonjr
Samba Member
Joined: October 07, 2010
Posts: 3431
Location: Dartmouth, Mass.
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| Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2013 5:24 pm Post subject: |
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Well, you certainly did good at $500/year, so not regrets there! Certainly fine to move on - have fun!
I have hardly seen any Eos around, and probably due to the price. You can get a new Camaro or Mustang convertible for less money, and, I think, much better looking. Although they are not a "hard top" convertible.
I rented a V6 Auto Mustang a few years back and I was impressed. I got 26 mpg with it, flogging it through the Mountains of Washington state, so I am sure with a manual on the highway, I could manage near 30. My only complaint was that the interior on the one I rented was a bit cheap looking. Power was good, handling was very good.
I have no idea on how the back seat compares on these, but I suggest driving several models. this site might help http://autos.aol.com/car-finder/style-convertible/5/
I vote for a used (sunroof) 911 instead! 
_________________
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 |
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photogdave
Samba Member
Joined: April 05, 2004
Posts: 3053
Location: Vancouver Island, B.C.
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sanchius 
Samba Member
Joined: May 03, 2007
Posts: 1452
Location: IN
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| Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2013 5:55 pm Post subject: Re: I am no longer Westy owner! |
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| speedygeorge wrote: |
Best of all I now have permission to buy a convertible, with the only mandate being that it seat 4 for occasional family use. Any opinions on VW Eos?
SG |
Here's what I roll...
I can't recommend it if you're not comfortable fixing things.
The auto tops and trans are notorious, so I converted both to manual and am very happy with it.
I'm now looking at the later A4-based Quattro Cabriolets.
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speedygeorge
Samba Member
Joined: November 28, 2009
Posts: 235
Location: Victoria, BC
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| Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2013 8:26 pm Post subject: |
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Sorry I haven't been in this discussion, I was out playing golf with all my new found free time  I loved my time as an owner and get what's it all about, unfortunately my wife ends up driving it and doesn't like it because I tell her not to drive it hard and don't put tons of miles on it. I am replacing with a Honda Odyssey (yes I am aware of transmission problem and it has been replaced) but the deal is a steal and now we can transport my sons and their friends with shoulder belts and headrests and I don't care how she drives it.
The van was awesome when their were 2 of us driving to California and stealth parking by the beach or finding just the right street to park on at night (can't do that with kids as raised tent is a giveaway). At the end of the day it was just time to move on.
I always had convertibles and luckily money is not a constraint,owning the van was never about saving money.
Farewell and keep living the dream.
Ken |
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jimeg
Samba Member
Joined: May 14, 2007
Posts: 510
Location: PNW
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redcanoe
Samba Member
Joined: August 13, 2007
Posts: 150
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| Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2013 9:47 pm Post subject: |
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Speedy .......
you sold what was one of the nicest looking vans in Victoria! Saw you parked in a lot in Colwood a few weeks back and took a couple of pictures.
$500/year for maintenance ? WOW!
Good luck with the convertible. Should be alot of fun from November to February. |
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speedygeorge
Samba Member
Joined: November 28, 2009
Posts: 235
Location: Victoria, BC
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| Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2013 10:57 pm Post subject: |
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| redcanoe wrote: |
Speedy .......
you sold what was one of the nicest looking vans in Victoria! Saw you parked in a lot in Colwood a few weeks back and took a couple of pictures.
$500/year for maintenance ? WOW!
Good luck with the convertible. Should be alot of fun from November to February. |
Randy right? Thanks for the compliment, I should point out that the $500 figure takes into a account using the van as tax deduction (it's complicated), the actual before tax cost was around $1,000. I thought the whole point of living in Victoria was being able to drive with the top down when it's snowing in the rest of the country |
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regis101
Samba Member
Joined: July 28, 2005
Posts: 2078
Location: Livermore, Ca
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| Posted: Sat Aug 24, 2013 7:21 am Post subject: |
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| speedygeorge wrote: |
| I thought the whole point of living in Victoria was being able to drive with the top down when it's snowing in the rest of the country |
Lucky.
As for me, I did an AC Westy Bus for a decade as a daily driver. Kinda outgrew it and then the economy crashed. Sold it. Now two years later, last November, I picked up the Weekender. Only this time it's more of a hobby car. No need to beat it up or reinvent anything about it. I'm happy for what it is. Gave it some neglected maintenance love and it's loving me right back.
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Peace, Regis |
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