Informal Poll

[SGKent]

Was sitting here thinking about the year, and trends. Wondering how many people here are looking for a bus, planning on keeping their bus, selling their buses, etc..
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Canned Water - the new California approved parts cleaner (except in a drought in which case rub it with sand).

George Carlin:
"Most people don't know what they're doing, and a lot of them are really good at it."

Skills@EuroCarsPlus:
"never time to do it right but always time to do it twice"

[buckswilde]

I'm looking to buy but Samba prices are insane.

[richparker]

I’m always looking for ACVWs, any make and model. In the past 7 years I have purchased 5 of them.

2018 I bought a ‘71 Westy, still have it
2021 I bought a ‘65 Beetle, still have it
2024 I bought a ‘63 Beetle, flipped
2024 I bought a ‘74 Beetle, flipped
2025 I bought a ‘71 Double Cab, still have it

I travel a lot of country roads for work and I see a lot of cars in fields. Cars don’t rust in the southwest like they do I the northeast. If I see one I ask about it. Right now I’m eyeing a numbers matching ‘65 GTO, thought I had it but the lady wasn’t ready to let it go yet. When she’s ready, I’m sure she’ll call.

I first inquired about the DC I bought 12 years ago and I brought it home 3 months ago. Sometimes things take time to acquire.
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’71 Westy build
Adventure thread
’65 Deluxe Build
’71 Double Cab

[jtauxe]

I will be keeping the '78 double cab until I am no longer able to drive it.

I am keeping the '75 single cab as long as it takes to make it nice and presentable, then putting it back on the market.
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John
"Travelling in a fried-out Kombi, on a hippie trail, head full of zombie..." - Colin Hay and Ron Strykert
http://vw.tauxe.net
1969 Transporter, 1971 Westfalia, 1976, 1977, 1976, 1977, 1971, 1973, 1977 Westfalias,
1979 Champagne Sunroof, 1974 Westfalia Automatic, 1979 Transporter, 1972 Sportsmobile, 1973 Transporter Wild Westerner, 1974 Westfalia parts bus, 1975 Mexican single cab *FOR SALE*, 1978 Irish 4-door double cab RHD

[ALLWAGONS]

My ‘71 double cab is a keeper, so is my ‘65 sunroof squareback. The one that I may sell is my ‘60 15 window when the time comes.

Martin
Allwagons
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I'd be UNSTOPPABLE if not for Law Enforcement and PHYSICS.

I recycle old cars and parts, other than when I rot, that's as Green as I am going to get.

Thanks to my Tesla driving neighbors, I feel more relaxed driving my SUBURBAN and old VW's.

Everything sounds good on paper!

[Bnanwel]

Keeping my 72 Deluxe!
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‘72 Karmann Ghia Conv.
‘73 Karmann Ghia Coupe
‘74 Karmann Ghia Coupe
‘70 Deluxe
‘72 Deluxe

[my59]

Every time I bring up selling the bus to raise funds for the '59...
I get shot down. She likes riding in the bus.
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my59: Well son, my grandfather died before I got to drive it, so does that answer your question?
our79: sunroof bus w/camper interior and 2.0 FI
Other:'12 Jetta, '77 Benz 300D, and a 74 MG Midget.

[timvw7476]

[Abscate]

Samba prices aren’t reality. Put in the legwork and you can buy at 1/3 of these. If you want to point and click shop, you pay 3x
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🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🍊 🍊 🍊

[dumptuck]

I imagine the vast majority of people who read this forum don't own a bay. Considering the amount of views on every thread compared to the relatively low amount of actual activity in the forum. I know I lurked for a long long time before I was able to get my first bus
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Erik

[Xevin]

I plan of keeping but always up for selling. The Bay Windows that I previously owned were sold to friends and money went towards buying the current VWs. Which I bought from friends. Xatie and I worked 2 hours away from each other so we kept a camper at both homes. I planned on selling the 85 Weekender but it’s a great utility vehicle for hauling lumber and odd things. So I’m keeping currently. I also loan it to non camper friends that want to go camping with us.
The 76 has been all over the west coast. Xatie likes having a full kitchen and stove. The 74 beetle is just fun. I’m thinking of doing more runs down the drag strip this coming year.

None of my stuff is mint condition. They live outside and get used. I’ve done the math and all of the VWs combined, the cost is less (even with new engines) than Xaties New in 2016 BMW X1 was to buy off the lot. She got a promotion and wanted to splurge and buy her first new car ever. It wasn’t for me to say no. These old cars are still cheaper to maintain and work on than many new cars.

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Keep on Busin'

[skills@eurocarsplus]

[richparker]

^Theres a lot to unpack there. Being in it strictly for the money is a losing proposition, unless you buy super low and flip. Recently I made $1850 on a flip. It wasn’t retirement money, but it was fun and involved classic cars.

I think if you use them and keep them for an extended period of time, you’ll get something out of them in the end. Let’s say you put $15k into a build, use it for 20 years and sell it for $15k, you got your money out of it. In my eyes any way.

I’m not a mechanic like Skills, but I enjoy the process and if I can spend my spare time wrenching and learning, I’m cool with that.

I drive a ACVW everyday. If I break even or lose money in the end, the experience is good enough for me.

PS, I have a build going right now! I’m probably in $2k in engine parts and $2k for the chassis. Not bad…
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’71 Westy build
Adventure thread
’65 Deluxe Build
’71 Double Cab

[dumptuck]

I do think that the community is still very much active, but the old online format is just less appealing to most people now. Facebook groups seem to be flourishing, daily "post your ____" get 100+ replies, which is pretty incredible. A lot of new threads here end up just linking to another old thread and the "learn to use the search" reply, or a passive-aggresive comment and an argument between the same dozen users who are all hard set in their ways. These forums are obviously the best reference for any in-depth technical info, but most owners are really just interested in pretty pictures and a good sense of community, which other platforms are better suited to in a lot of ways. Yes its not what it used to be, but thats life, and things change, so best to embrace it and carry on

Just my 2 cents
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Erik

[richparker]

[Whaanga]

I’ve had my ‘73 bus for 10 years now - and have no plans to sell.
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Late 1973 Bay w/a transplanted 914 Engine

[skills@eurocarsplus]

[SGKent]

interesting numbers. I'd say the market is in balance. As to value, it takes a willing seller and buyer to establish a sale. There is no question that money is tight for a lot of people, but there are also a lot of people making a lot of money on new technologies. I was watching someone with a video channel work on late cars. The amount of equipment he needs to troubleshoot what used to be a 10 minute easy fix when a lightbulb burned out is unreal. I see GM and Toyota losing engines to main bearing failures left and right, with no fix in sight. Ford is said to be hemorrhaging transmissions. Everyone loves a new car but they hate the payments, and especially hate breakdowns. The way I see it, my older cars are now less risky to take on a trip than a new GM pu, Toyota Tundra, or Ford pu. The articles and channels say that buying one is rolling the dice whether one will get stranded or not.
_________________
Canned Water - the new California approved parts cleaner (except in a drought in which case rub it with sand).

George Carlin:
"Most people don't know what they're doing, and a lot of them are really good at it."

Skills@EuroCarsPlus:
"never time to do it right but always time to do it twice"

[Buggeee]

[ALLWAGONS]

[quote="Buggeee"][quote="skills@eurocarsplus"]