1982 Vanagon - Our loved family van

[mikendo]

Hello,

New to the forums, but you guys seem like the gurus of this world.
We have a family van, 1982 Vanagon which seems in great condition.

It can't move (we believe something in the axels its been rusted) but is started infrequently (once or twice a month) and the engine seems solid.

I dont know much about this world.
My question is:

Is this car worth anything? What is a decent price?

Odometer broke years ago. We don't really know the true miles.
But my dad is dilligent about keeping it in running condition, so we don't doubt it is solid.

[WestfaliaMike]

Welcome to the forum. Great place to learn things. Not sure what you mean its rusted in place”. Does the engine start and run? Does it go in grear? Has it been sitting with the parking break on?

Sure its worth somehing. Check the classifieds on this site, you will get an idea what its worth...
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1981 Vanagon Westfalia
1983 Vanagon Passanger (Parts Vehicle)
2016 Passat TSI

[Gnarlodious]

Definitely a desirable van, I don’t see any rust. Should be able to get $3,000 for it.
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Vanagon ’83 diesel AAZ w/Giles injection, 5spd 4.57R&P+TBD and a '78 diesel Rabbit

[jimf909]

For an ‘82 air cooled in poor to fair condition? My mind went to 1,500. Less if it doesn’t move.

OP, “can’t move” is mutually exclusive from “great condition” and “solid”. This van appears to be in fair to poor condition. Granted, there’s some benefit for being an antique that a few oddballs seem to like but drawbacks are that it’s: air cooled, not a camper, not a syncro, not any sort of special edition. Mothball it for a decade and it may appreciate. For now it’s on the verge of being a radio station or other tax-deductible-organization donation.

- Excellent condition means that the vehicle looks new, is in excellent mechanical condition and needs no reconditioning. This vehicle has never had any paint or body work and is free of rust. The vehicle has a clean Title History and will pass a smog and safety inspection. The engine compartment is clean, with no fluid leaks and is free of any wear or visible defects. The vehicle also has complete and verifiable service records. Less than 5 percent of all used vehicles fall into this category.
- Good condition means that the vehicle is free of any major defects. This vehicle has a clean Title History, the paint, body and interior have only minor (if any) blemishes, and there are no major mechanical problems. There should be little or no rust on this vehicle. The tires match and have substantial tread wear left. A "good" vehicle will need some reconditioning to be sold at retail. Most consumer owned vehicles fall into this category.
- Fair condition means that the vehicle has some mechanical or cosmetic defects and needs servicing but is still in reasonable running condition. This vehicle has a clean Title History, the paint, body and/or interior need
work performed by a professional. The tires may need to be replaced. There may be some repairable rust damage.
- Poor condition means that the vehicle has severe mechanical and/or cosmetic defects and is in poor running condition. The vehicle may have problems that cannot be readily fixed such as a damaged frame or a rusted-through body.
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- Jim

[IdahoDoug]

I'm trying to figure out what the OP is asking. Are you asking what the car is worth if you put it up for sale because you don't want the family van - you'd rather have the money? If so, I agree that if it is not driveable then its value is quite low compared to its value if properly serviced and repaired. I'm not sure anything accurate can be said beyond that.

For instance, if someone says "its worth $5000" and then you post "the transmission is broken" then its worth about $750. So, I think you should post more information if you want accurate information.

Doug
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1987 2WD Wolfsburg Vanagon Weekender "Mango", two fully locked 80 Series LandCruisers. 2017 Subaru Outback boxer. 1990 Audi 90 Quattro 20V with rear locking differential, 1990 burgundy parts Vanagon. 1984 Porsche 944, 1988 Toyota Supra 5 speed targa, 2002 BMW 325iX, 1982 Toyota Sunrader

[Royb]

A car that won’t move is not worth much. Find why it doesn’t (just rusted brakes, or something worse?), fix it, then it’s driveable and worth more. Then things like mileage and stained seats matter more.
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1991 Westy

[t3 kopf]

Until you give pertinent information for the group's free appraisal, its worth nothing.
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'90 Carat w/ '95 phase 1 EJ22 OBD2 conversion

[Abscate]

[AZ Landshaper]

Air cooled vanagon w questionable engine and trans and obvious body trama. Id offer 500 because I can sell the interior and bits and pieces. Now if you were to paint some sort of checker board or a nice psychedelic scene on the exterior Id offer to haul it away for free. No cost to you at all

Just that dash coffee holder alone is worth the cost of a large pike at starbucks. God knows Ive lost a handful of coffees to my lack of a coffee holder such as that one.

Can we see some pics fumunda the rig?


After second look 500 firm. I want those door panels. Passenger look as nice as drivers side??
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85 Weekender w/ EJ22
Previously
64, 71, 72, 73, 76, 81, 84, 85 & 87 Campmobiles and Westfalias
and a 67 bug.

[?Waldo?]

I have one of those dash organizers. It won't save your coffee.

[Ahwahnee]

[MarkWard]

[IdahoDoug]

I'm not seeing the body trauma? It looks to be in great shape from the photos?

Doug
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1987 2WD Wolfsburg Vanagon Weekender "Mango", two fully locked 80 Series LandCruisers. 2017 Subaru Outback boxer. 1990 Audi 90 Quattro 20V with rear locking differential, 1990 burgundy parts Vanagon. 1984 Porsche 944, 1988 Toyota Supra 5 speed targa, 2002 BMW 325iX, 1982 Toyota Sunrader

[kublerwagen]

Hey there-

First off, you have come to a very odd corner of the internet. It tends to be even more opinionated than an average forum as well as grumpy and more than a little precious. If you can look past that there is some useful information to be had, but it is very much aging hipster as the core vibe. The Vanagon scene has been infested with wealthy bros much to the detriment of community manners. Such is life.

To the point - the sparky “advice” above isn’t wrong. A early air cooled non-camper of uncertain mechanicals with the condition shown is probably worth a few hundred bucks at most. I bought one that ran and moved but with various issues for $800 a few years ago mostly because I liked the color, so there is probably somebody out there that would buy it if you listed it. Mine now runs like a top and has fewer issues and might be worth $2500 on a sunny day with just the right buyer. The campers are the big money, water cooled and four wheel drive pushing things to trust fund levels.

Finding out why it doesn’t want to move would certainly help. Particularly if it isn’t so beloved anymore and you just want to get rid of it. But as is I’m sorry to say it is not very valuable. It would also be very easy to spend more on it than it would ultimately be worth.

[djkeev]

Invest a day.

Wash it,
Polish and wax it,
Vacuum the inside,
Rent a carpet cleaner with a hand ward, shampoo everything
Clean the glass and plastic
Fix why it won't roll

You just easily doubled your sale value over a non operating carcass.

Dave
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Stop Dead Photo Links how to post photos

Ghia
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=392473

Vanagon
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6315537#6315537

Beetle
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482968&highlight=74+super+vert

[?Waldo?]

[joetiger]

Cleaned up and running well, I'd say $1500. A further knock against price is your location...There's a lot of competition in CA from newer Vanagons in better condition. But even so, I think there's probably a buyer for what appears to be an all-original, intact, well-maintained air-cooled Vanagon if it's shined up and rollin'.
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Joe T.

'86 NAHT Vanagon GL Syncro/ supercharged ABA 2.0 "Pigpen"
'04 GTI 1.8T
'04 Golf R32

"get metaphysical with it. if it's simply a means to get to and from places, it will let you down. if it becomes your zen, it can't fail you." -dabaron

"Still, it's good to be afield."--VWagabond

Available Now! Vanagon to Louisiana--A Two-Lane Reckoning Through Past and Present

www.josephtrussell.com

[Pinetops]

[sjbartnik]

If it has been sitting for a while with the parking brake on, it may just be that the brake shoes have rusted to the drums.

That's easy enough to fix and you will want to investigate that and correct it before trying to sell it.

If a potential buyer can't take it for a drive, the price goes way way way down.
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1965 Volkswagen 1500 Variant S
2000 Kawasaki W650

[mikendo]

Thanks so much for all your comments, opinions and advice. As a newbie.. its all welcomed. I can update more as soon as I know more.

PS: Any tips on how to fix rusted breaks/axels?