| Author |
Message |
vwwestyman
Samba Member
Joined: April 24, 2004
Posts: 5688
Location: Manhattan, Kansas, USA
|
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
elizer 
Samba Member
Joined: May 02, 2016
Posts: 1466
Location: Northern Virginia
|
 Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2018 5:56 am Post subject: Re: Niece and Husband want a Vanagon |
 |
|
| Shes never going to be instagram famous with #vanlife at this rate. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
campism
Samba Member
Joined: September 07, 2007
Posts: 4492
Location: Richmond VA
|
| Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2018 6:25 am Post subject: Re: Niece and Husband want a Vanagon |
|
|
| elizer wrote: |
| Shes never going to be instagram famous with #vanlife at this rate. |
No yoga and too many clothes.
I have no problem with a poptop Astro, or with any other stock footprint van-based camper. More power (literally) to anybody building one.
_________________
'87 Westy in Wolfram Grey Metallic |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
dabaron
Samba Member
Joined: June 21, 2018
Posts: 2561
Location: Philly, mang
|
| Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2018 8:04 am Post subject: Re: Niece and Husband want a Vanagon |
|
|
buying a Vanagon to drive west and immediately sell seems rather, um, not a wise expenditure...
i'm looking to buy a Vanagon and have spent the better part of 4 months digging thru threads, looking at classifieds, going out and looking and test driving and i'm still not sure i should buy one.
i think your niece and her husband are voicing a dream idea that is no way grounded in the harshness of reality. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
raoul mitgong
Samba Member
Joined: July 05, 2009
Posts: 1338
Location: Denver, CO
|
| Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2018 9:06 am Post subject: Re: Niece and Husband want a Vanagon |
|
|
Here is a recent article from the Denver Post on local camper van rentals.
https://theknow.denverpost.com/2018/08/03/colorado-van-life-camper-rentals/191451/
Here is another that I only know about because they are close to my shop.
https://www.campervannorthamerica.com/location_denver.shtml
Haven't used any of them so this isn't a recommendation. Just more info.
I didn't realize there were so many rental companies until a friend cut out that article for me.
-d
_________________
84 Westy with a 2.1 (Groover)
86 Tintop Syncro (Crow)
86 Tintop Syncro to Westy project (Tom Servo)
91 Westy (Only the top 12 inches of this van (a burn victim)) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
9.5isCanadian
Samba Member
Joined: September 16, 2017
Posts: 465
Location: In your blind spot.
|
| Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2018 9:40 am Post subject: Re: Niece and Husband want a Vanagon |
|
|
So here's the thing.
I'm sure we've all read various VW travel stories, book and such. What's the common thread in all these stories?
Break downs. Right but along side that is the revelation that the break down only added to the thrill and excitement of the journey.
When I was a younger man, I made a bad deal with a curb side'r and was really down on myself for being so dumb.
My dad looked at me and said, "Owen, if this is ONLY bad decision you ever make in your life, you'll be doing well. Let it go, move forward and learn."
Maybe, the Niece isn't concerned about the wisdom of the choice or the financial practicality of it all.
Maybe, just maybe, they want to LIVE a little.
Remember, as everyone on this site, especially this site, knows. Its not the destination, its the journey.
Let them have a journey. They're young (I'm making assumption here I know) they can make more money.
Good times ahead.
_________________
9 1/2 - missing a few pieces.
1987 Getaway Hightop
1980 Sunroof Vanagon
2018 BMW R Nine T
2012 Golf tdi |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Wildthings
Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005
Posts: 50351
|
| Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2018 9:43 am Post subject: Re: Niece and Husband want a Vanagon |
|
|
| dabaron wrote: |
buying a Vanagon to drive west and immediately sell seems rather, um, not a wise expenditure...
i'm looking to buy a Vanagon and have spent the better part of 4 months digging thru threads, looking at classifieds, going out and looking and test driving and i'm still not sure i should buy one.
i think your niece and her husband are voicing a dream idea that is no way grounded in the harshness of reality. |
People today don't seem to realize that cars get old and unreliable. New cars are bought to get shinier paint and unworn upholstery, not because one's old car is on its last legs. Go back in time and this was an entirely different story. Given that the Vanagon is an anachronism to a time 5-10 years earlier than its date of manufacture it started out a bit worse on the dependability scale than other cars of the 80's. There is almost no American steel out there anymore from the period when these were being made excepting some pickup trucks and a few rat traps, most of the other stuff from this time period was long ago crushed and melted down to make soup cans and rebar. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Zeitgeist 13
Samba Member
Joined: March 05, 2009
Posts: 12115
Location: Port Manteau
|
| Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2018 11:22 am Post subject: Re: Niece and Husband want a Vanagon |
|
|
Anecdotally, I've observed that the majority of daily driven '80's era cars today are Mercedes, Volvos, F150s and of course a smattering of Vanagons. I don't think I would actively seek out or recommend them as a daily. They're all good rigs that have stood the test of time, but maintaining old stuff is a major PITA, as well as a hobby-level time suck.
_________________
Casey--
'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
wpegden
Samba Member
Joined: June 14, 2007
Posts: 48
|
| Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2018 6:31 pm Post subject: Re: Niece and Husband want a Vanagon |
|
|
| djkeev wrote: |
Her parents are moving to Colorado Springs next week, hence the family gathering, and they would like to make a family camping trip out and fly back home selling their unit while out in Colorado.
|
If they are set on this idea they should just do the reverse.
Buy a van out west, do the camping trip ending in NJ. Worst case scenario they end up selling a "west coast" van on the east coast. This will cut their expected losses somewhat. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
campism
Samba Member
Joined: September 07, 2007
Posts: 4492
Location: Richmond VA
|
| Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2018 5:46 am Post subject: Re: Niece and Husband want a Vanagon |
|
|
| dabaron wrote: |
buying a Vanagon to drive west and immediately sell seems rather, um, not a wise expenditure...
i'm looking to buy a Vanagon and have spent the better part of 4 months digging thru threads, looking at classifieds, going out and looking and test driving and i'm still not sure i should buy one.
i think your niece and her husband are voicing a dream idea that is no way grounded in the harshness of reality. |
There is certainly an element of luck in finding a reliable van at the right price but that obstacle can be overcome with cubic dollars that might not be available to most of us mere mortals.
_________________
'87 Westy in Wolfram Grey Metallic |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
