How much? 91 GL 31k miles

[scott_79bay]

What do you volks think? Going to check it out today. With 31,000 miles I owe to myself to at least look at it.

http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/car/453020251.html
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1979 Sunroof Bus
2.0 FI

[Terry Kay]

What does this guy think?

I think the guy is asking Westfaila prices for a bone stock, low dollar nothing special GL.

Clean it is-- but surely not worth almost 13g's in my book.

If ya have a bunch of disposable cash laying around, and just want a clean plain Jane Vanagon go for it.

Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, and I sure ain't looking at it-- ~ 8 )-

Good Luck-
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T.K.

[82WestyMan]

I guess the thing people forget is things wear out with BOTH miles AND time...
Hmmmmm.... 2007 minus 1991 = 16 years .... makes me wonder what shape all those lovely seals are in....
I can just hear the mechanic now... "The part may only cost $2.50... but it cost $250 to know where it goes and how to get it in" ...
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"The floggings will continue until morale improves"
"I never did give anybody hell. I just told the truth and they thought it was hell" - Harry S. Truman
82 Westfalia - w/ a Raby 'Camper Special' engine

[Wildthings]

If it truly has mileage that low it is probably as good deal, especially if it has been parked out of the sun. What does the antifreeze look like? Offer him $9000 and see what he will do.

[Terry Kay]

Being that this particular Vanagon has no special attributes or option's, I wouldn't give him $3000.00 for it.

If it was stored in a hermeticly sealed garage where rubber & fabric doesn't dry rot & yellow --maybe $3500.00--tops.

In the years it's been in storage, and within the 30k miles it allegidily has, how often was the coolant and oil changed?

Every other year for the coolant, and every couple of months on the oil?

This guy is trying to loacte a dummy with some cash.

Go and find a late modle XB for the $12,500.00 .
You'll be better off.

Plain Jane GL's will take a long time to be that collectable and worth that kinda money--
I doubt they ever will warrant Westfalia type dollars.
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T.K.

[scott_79bay]

Thanks for the feed back, it always helps. Original tires it said, I don't know that I want to even drive around the block on 16 year old tires. I'll will be interested in the maintenance schedule for certain, since all aspects need to be inspected with both age and mileage. From what I'm reading though, glad I checked on value aspect, I won't buy something I don't think I can sell for the same.

Thanks
Scott
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1979 Sunroof Bus
2.0 FI

[brooklynvan]

I'd give a few hundred for the grille.....
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1990 Vanagon "Plain Jane" Bostig in the Back
TRADED: 1967 Panel for 1976 BMW 2002
SOLD: 1984 Sunroof Vanagon with EJ22
RIP 1986 Saab turbo
and my daily commuter: a Bicycle

[scott_79bay]

Your right that's the wrong grille isn't it? Should have the rectangle's?
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1979 Sunroof Bus
2.0 FI

[mightyart]

It's a South African grill that some covet.
Go take a look at it and you decide.
You can't judge how good a deal is by a craigslist ad and a few pictures.
$12,500 for a regular Vanagon is a bit steep.

[scott_79bay]

Yeah, definitely going to go look at it, just a few minutes away, but always good to know where things have changed...I'm interested to see it.
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1979 Sunroof Bus
2.0 FI

[larrytrk]

Do you want to trust your life to "original tires", 16 years old!!
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It's all in your mind.
I Hate BAMBI!
87 Westy full camper "Bluie" aka-"busturd"
JUST SOLD HER, WESTYLESS!
Good by cruel world!

[torocreek]

If it was backed up with a vehicle inspection, recent reciepts of fuel line replacement, fuel tank reseal, new cooling lines, brakes, tune-up, the leak in the power steering rack, a few new switches for the power windows that go out the first week you have the van etc. etc. etc. and was driven regularly while all the gremlins were being extracted then I might be interested. But driving away in a low mileage van that has just hung out in a garage you have to expect some serious bills to get it up to par.

I purchased a low mileage (92K)westy 6 months ago and luckily bought it cheap. I expected to drop a few grand into it and I am now at twice that. I think I am done extracting the gremlins.

I wouldn't hesitate to pay a fair or even high price for a car but the reciepts and condition have to justify the price.

I would go see the van and then offer him what you feel is fair or just watch the ad for a while and he will become more realistic.

[Wildthings]

I think people are being pretty hard on a van they are not familiar with. This van is in the Pacific NW. This is the part of the country that is the easiest on cars. No salt, no acid rain, no summertime humidity, and the average annual temperature is probably only in the upper 50's. There is a reason that you see more old cars on the streets of Portland and Seattle than just about anywhere else.

A car sitting outside in Portland will not age any faster than one sitting in a barn near Chicago or Philly. As for the tires, yes I would be careful about running them, but their being there says that the mileage claim might be correct. Yes some pieces will age as fast when sitting as when being used, but even if the antifreeze were never changed you wouldn't have gotten that much corrosion with it most sitting around at 56°F.

My guess would be that unless there is hidden damage, it is better at 16 than the average car in New York is at one or two years of age.

[zausch]

I don't think the guy is wrong for posting that asking price. He probably does not need to move it quick, and I'm sure he wants to avoid the tire-kicking traffic. It's not quite a collector, but it could be. Look at what some of the nice plane bay window vans are going for on Ebay.But right now it's just a really nice 16 year old vanagon. The seller knows this, and I'm sure he would not be offended by reasonable offers from serious buyers. If value is a big concern, in five years, this vanagon will be worth more than any $20-24k passenger van out there. Westys do not meet everyones needs. If a GL does, I would without a doubt pursue it further.
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1991 Vanagon Multivan

[brooklynvanagon]

I can't imagine why anyone would prefer to have a gl interior, to a carat style interior. just can't fathom it.

[Lanval]

Um, really? People are defending this price? For a GL? Seriously, take a look at this:

http://picasaweb.google.com/jeffrey.gates/Syncro

Guy's selling this on the OC craigslist. It's an 89 Syncro. It's a CA car probably, and if it's a SoCal car, it doesn't even know how to understand rain.

So you can have an 89 Syncro for 7000, or a GL for 12,500?

Unfortunately, Terry is right, possibly more right than he knows. I can't speak for his part of the country, but I routinely see cars of equal quality selling for half that down here. It's simply not a good deal, unless the owner has done all the maintenance mentioned by others. If not, you'll be doing it.

Best,

Lanval

[Wildthings]

So you are defending a Syncro with unknown miles and an untested engine? What is the condition of the transmission, driveshaft, front differential, and all 8 axle boots and CV joints? Throw in the radiator, heaters, all the tubes and hoses and it will cost a bundle to make it as dependable as a GL with low miles.

BTW Seattle rain doesn't hurt most newer vehicle anywhere near as bad as the southwestern sun.

[Lanval]

edit: (I deleted my original rant on the basis of it's pointlessness). It's quite possible that the car is fine. The issue has already been raised - the work that's been done on the car needs to be documented in detail. And then plan to spend money fixing all the things Terry and the others have mentioned - fuel lines, etc.

Original Tires? Is that a good or a bad thing...? Basically, a car that's been out of service for so long deserves careful attention because of the damage that time can do, aside from rain OR sun.

Terry's comments, though occasionally a bit pointed, are not to be ignored. His arguments here are correct. A Syncro is more desirable than a GL, generally. Even with the nice condition, nice GLs are simply not that hard to find. The market bears this out.

Now it's quite possible that someone will pay that ~ hey, GoWesty proves there is a market for expensive, nice quality Vans. But I'll bet they'd tell you that Van is overpriced ~ especially since it's not a Westy, Weekender or Syncro

[Terry Kay]

<<My guess would be that unless there is hidden damage, it is better at 16 than the average car in New York is at one or two years of age.>>

Wow---

What a right on the money slam---
And your totally correct on this analogy--

However,
If it was a Wolfsburg, or Carat with all of their ammenties they come standard with, the price would be higher than a std , roll up window, flapping in the wind standard mirrored GL.

Even if it was a Carat or Wolfsburg--$12,500.00 would still be hard to swallow.

GL's are dime a dozen, and with a little creative shopping I'll bet you could locate something just as nice, maybe better, with perhaps a new engine in it for less than half of what this guys asking for the GL.

West coast vehicles are outa this world in pricing---

Doesn't always mean they are any better.
The area just warrants this kinda goofy prices.

Shop till ya drop--you will find a better deal.

Or take the ride over to the GL and beat the guy up on his price.
Tell him he's just got a run of the mill GL--low mileage or not, it ain't nothing special.

Keep an eye on his face and body language--
Maybe he'll be able to be moved.
If not, say thanks and retreat.

Leave him your phone number so when he comes back down to earth with his price he might very well take 5gs for it.( which I still think is waaay too rich for this model Vanagon)

Somebody said in 5 years it'll be a collectable item.

Yea--the same way a Yugo's gonna be a big dollar item one day--- ~ 8 )-

Good Luck,
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T.K.

[D Clymer]

Being a Seattle area Vanagon enthusiast who watches the local market value of late model Vanagons, I think this one is worth the money. 1990-1991 GLs in decent shape with high miles go for $3500 around here.

The body is close to perfect on this van. A quality refinish on a dinged up van will cost $3000-5000. Add that to a $3500 van and you now have a $7500 van.

A rebuilt VW longblock from the dealer costs $2400-3000 depending on who you know at your parts department. Add that also to the $3500 van and now you are at $10, 000. (I realize a $3500 van wouldn't have a bad motor, but it won't have a low mileage one either.)

The suspension bushings, shocks and brakes on this van will all be in good shape. If you have to renew these on that $3500 van you're now looking at an $11, 000 van. Very close to the price of this 31K GL.

I know there will be those who will argue that this van has obviously been sitting and as such will have leaking head gaskets and dried up seals and gaskets everywhere, but that is not necessarily the case if it has been driven consistently and maintained. It doesn't mention any mechanical issues in the ad.

Having owned a brand new 1987 Vanagon I would have to say there is nothing like a low mileage Vanagon. You can throw a lot of money at a cheap van and still not come close to the feel of a low mileage one. I agree that it is a shame this was not a Carat - I think the fact that this one is a GL is the reason it hasn't sold. But to me, if someone doesn't mind the GL seating arrangement and wants a spotless, rust free (yes, they stay completely rust free around here) Vanagon that is mechanically tight, this one is a great value.

David