Crazy Times We Live In

[SevenOaks]

In 2012 I bought my well-cared-for 1974 bus from the original owners. They thought they got a good deal having owned and used it for 38 years and sold it for twice what they paid for it new. Today a comparable 1974 bus sold on the auction site bringatrailer.com for four times what I paid for mine nine years earlier. A couple of days earlier I saw a 71 Westfalia go for an even crazier sum. I’m finding it much easier to keep up with repairs and maintenance on my bays than keeping up on insured value (I no longer try). I guess the bottom line is that it pays to do whatever it takes to keep them in top shape!

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David
1974 9-passenger bus
1969 Single cab
1966 Beetle

[timvw7476]

.......I'm going to assume the '71 has $42k in the glovebox.
or a complete '76 930/4 speed powertrain.

[wagohn]

The 1971 must have some kind of "story". That price is unrealistic.
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1976 VW Transporter, 2.0 FI Engine

[metz]

Yes, that is a lot of money for a bus (both of them actually), but you are comparing apples and oranges.

That Westy is probably the nicest I've ever seen.

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1971-volkswagen-bus-35/
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68 panel
64 ghia coupe

[Abscate]

[VOLTWAGEN]

[my59]

[Abscate]

I get offered 35k for my T4 Westie whenever I travel. I paid 30k for it in 2002.

The loss of future value of that 30k today is by far the biggest cost of ownership, roughly $70,000 in 2021 value
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.ssS!

[Slip356]

Is that a misprint? 30k for a bus in 2002? Sure you didn’t mean 3k?

[HoboBus]

And $12 drafts in the pub.
And $20 for a 4-pack of craft beer at the local package store.
Guys waiting in line to pay over $100 for a case of beer, becasuse there's only so many available each day.

$5 won't even buy you one hot dog at Fenway park.

Anyone seen the increase in lumber costs lately?

But everyone seems to have $1000 to get the latest phone with wireless whatever, so they can play farmville and feed their make believe farm animals every day, or some such thing.


Money doesn't go as far as it used to. Just how it is.

The rest of it there's just no explanation for.
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Salt air it ain't thin, it'll stick right to your skin,
it'll make you feel fine. Makes you feel fine.
And I wanna be there. -- Jimmy Buffett

Just a beach-oriented camping Hobo with a bus.

[theguyryry]

[SevenOaks]

My takeaway is that if I (or more likely, my heirs) were to sell my bus I would list it on BaT and not Ebay
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David
1974 9-passenger bus
1969 Single cab
1966 Beetle

[sodbuster]

Good to know. I just finished mine. I could do just a little more (not too much) and it would be just as nice as that one. But to put it in perspective. Go and price yourself a brand new Ford F250 superduty truck. One of those trucks moderately equipped and optioned is much more than what I spent restoring my 71 camper. I'd have much more fun with the camper.

[SevenOaks]

[Cap10323]

I mused about some of this in my insurance thread a few weeks back.

I think monetary inflation is responsible for some of it, but I think the biggest thing is just plain old agreed value.

People want Busses. And some people can afford to pay a lot of money for one, so the prices rise across the board. Now people think all busses are worth big money, which drives the prices of truly nice examples up even higher.

I have to try and not worry too much about the condition of mine, other than keeping it in mechanically sound shape. Otherwise I will lose my marbles worrying about the value of it.
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-Ian

'77 Westfalia - 2.0 F.I

[scubasteve321]

Inflation is certainly a major part of it; as is the crossing of the generations of those interested in Buses is nearing its peak; the nostalgic crowd for obvious reasons and the modern day crowd who have been blasted with Buses through media throughout their life

back to inflation; find an old magazine with new car advertisements; just 10 years ago the same cross over style car selling for 15 is now selling for 30-35
Average car payment in the us is now 565 a month

Lumber; up 400 percent over last year; gas up 40 percent ytd; energy up 15 percent, houses up 16 percent year over year

media will say cpi is only up 2.6 percent, they wont tell you that hard assets absorb inflation in this country because we are the worlds reserve currency

if our currency inflates then it inflates the debt we owe away
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1971 Campmobile Tin-Top
1971 Campmobile Pop-Top
1974 VW Bus

[Abscate]

Housing is always a lousy economic indicator - there are many markets where the average house/average household income has held steady from 1960 (about 2.1). Of course, in the McMansion market has exploded and pulled the national average up, but thats a reflection of more choices.

Cars are capital cost cheaper than they have ever been, Remember, in the 1950s and 1960s you threw your car away after 3 years and bought a new one
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.ssS!

[scubasteve321]

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1971 Campmobile Tin-Top
1971 Campmobile Pop-Top
1974 VW Bus