Samba Bay Window Classifieds

[rcnotes]

I'm getting ready to sell my '78 Westy, Olive and have been checking out the Samba Bay Window classifieds. It appears to me that the market is divided between Euro buyers and sellers with astronomical prices, busses in need of restoration with prices across the board and a relatively small number of what I could call enthusiasts/owners selling campers and busses with rational and relative to value prices.

I love Samba. It's an incredible resource, but the ads for T2's are a let down. Do they reach that much of a bus buyers market?

Where else would an enthusiast/owner go to sell their classic?

[aeromech]

I’ve had the best response from the samba classifieds and when it sells I always send a donation.
_________________
Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
VW Passat
Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound

[Glenn]

[SGKent]

[rcnotes]

SG, I always chip in. That free lunch thing is a myth. And thank you for your guidance and help over the many years.

[rcnotes]

SG, I bought my house like that. He couldn't pay off the land contract and had to sell. He had no idea what to ask. The seller got an appraisal (high) and I got one that was lower. We came to the middle. Lived here for 41 years.

It'll sell where I live. It's one of the nicest I've seen around SE Mi.

[rcnotes]

And thanks (many times over) Glenn, I don't think one of my posts have ever been graced by you.

[aeromech]

Prices vary depending on location. If you’re in TN the price will be low. If you’re in S. Cal it will be high. If you’re in the UK the price will be very high.
_________________
Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
VW Passat
Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound

[richparker]

Start driving it around and talking to people about it. I’m gonna sell my ‘68 in March, I’ve already had 6 local people tell me they are interested.

Driving it a showing it’s relabilty to the local community goes a long way.
_________________
__________
’71 Westy build
Adventure thread
’65 Deluxe Build
’63 Deluxe Build

[Trashman]

[Tbob]

Your local Craigslist may be read by local enthusiasts. I consider myself an enthusiast, and I check craigslist quite often. I have also sold old Volkswagen and old BMW stuff on Craigslist, sometimes to enthusiasts who drove quite a distance to get what I had.
_________________
1969 Deluxe, owned since 1973
1973 Westfalia, owned since 1983
1980 Westfalia, watercooled conversion
1985 Westfalia, stock!
1986 Westfakia, Audi I-4 conversion
A couple of trucks and a couple of Jeeps

[TomWesty]

[richparker]

[Randy in Maine]

Another option may be "Bring a Trailer". I don't know much about it though.

https://bringatrailer.com/

[Manfred58sc]

I've sold many a bus , I get a sense that buyers are patient and have a strict budget. It is not a daily driver for most owners. I put ads here,CK,and FB marketplace all at once and price them at what I would want to pay ( not what I think some else would pay ). They sell quickly to happy buyers ( both here and over seas ). There are many over priced Bays on the market right now that don't sell.

I don't run local ads or drive around with a for sale sign in the window as I live in a very poor county full of broke dicks.
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Fat chick owner/operator

[60vwnewengland]

I’ve also noticed a what I’d like to call a “bay window divide.” As the split window bus commands more and more money in any kind of condition (rusty, drivable, & restored), the bay window (in any condition) remains affordable but not desirable.

The type-4 motor scares most purchasers away with its complexities, NLA parts, and high maintainence costs. Where the type-1 motor is more familiar, readily available parts, and affordable costs welcomes the majority of Vw and non-VW enthusiasts. Therefore, the only real sought after bay window buses are 68-71 bays.

In your situation, I’d saturate the market and list your bus on all platforms (samba, CL, Facebook, eBay, Hemings) to get the best coverage and get and offer that is close to your asking price. You’re going to have to do a little work to get the money you believe it’s worth. Time is money and money is time - don’t forget that that. At some point you’ll find the right buyer and the right buyer will find your bus.

Anyways - good luck selling your bus.
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77 Westy - Cape Cod Sage
LLAP

[aeromech]

Instead of hitting 5 different ad venues at once, I’d just start with the samba. It’s free and the thing is that I think it would be too confusing using all those at once.
_________________
Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
VW Passat
Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound

[ToolBox]

[SGKent]

patience. One does not know where the buyer is. That is especially true if one is selling at market for that bus. Stick a for sale sign on it and drive it around. I've sold multiple cars that way.

if you are in a hurry to sell it then mark it down but make clear that is your buy it now price.
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“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

[Abscate]

You can get a nice Vanagon in tip top shape for 20k pretty much anytime.

That pretty much caps what you can get for a Bay, and arguably makes 15k hard to get unless its a museum quality piece or low miles.

No, I don't care how much you "put into it".
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.ssS!