High end prices for nice vans, is it real or a bubble?

[Nachtfalter]

A friend wants a trouble free, nice 84-90 westy but prices for anything worth owning have jumped through the roof and seem to be creeping higher daily. Is it a bubble, or a real supply and demand issue?

Are 15-20k dollar vans really selling or just being listed for that much?
Gowesty vans start at 40k!

[srmpf]

looking for a westy during summer time is probably a bad idea. normally prices go down once camping season is over and owners have to figure out how to store the van.

[[email protected]]

the prices now are what I consider "out of line". I'm looking for a weekender now (88-91), but the ones I've seen for sale simply have an asking price that I think is too high.

Maybe I'm the one out of line LOL

I'm curious if any are actually selling at these prices. It's easy to look at ads all over with high asking prices, justifying a high asking price, but if all the buyers are saying "WTF, you are crazy" something has to give.
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[atomatom]

which is worse:

* a 5k van that will require $10-20k of work once you drive it. never mind breaking in the middle of your 2 week vacation. (this was my choice!) i budgeted 2x the price of the van for repairs.

* a 15-20k van that has a new engine, cooling system, rubber, etc, etc, and has $50k of receipts (i jest, but only just). ok, this is fine if the work has been done and it's not just expensive!

i have noticed, 15-20k vans will sit on the market a lot longer. so, you see more of them because of that. i saw many 8-10k vans two months ago when i was shopping, and sort of regret not going for one. live and learn.

if you really want a trouble-free westy, perhaps just rent one! in vancouver, it costs about $900/week.

[Nachtfalter]

We have been watching together on ebay for a few months.... The ones worth owning sell for a bunch of money. Which is why I wonder if its a bubble or just natural price increase on a desirable product.

[j_dirge]

Westy prices in California have been north of $12k for some time.. and unless one is willing to bring a Westy back from hard use.. I don't think you'll find one for much less than $10-12k.
A clean van for $10k will likely be very high miles... 150-200k miles plus.

I know of a hand full of people who have paid up to $16k for thier Westy in recent years and do not regret the decision.
I know of another hand full who have held out, were willing to travel some.. and found vans in the $8-12k range...

But yes.. I think those asking prices are here to stay.
Baywindows are going for similar prices.. $8 and up.. though more difficult to find the unmolested ones.

Big dollar restored and refurbbed vans at GoWesty, Subagon, SmallCar, etc.. cater to a niche market.. and while each outfit appears to sell units.. I don't know if they are exactly "flying off the lot", these days.
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-89 GL Westy, SVX.. finally.

-57 pan f/g buggy with a 67 pancake Type 3 "S"
"Jimi Hendrix owned one. Richard Nixon did not"
-Grand Tour, Season 1, episodes 4 and 5

[Yondermtn]

I'd be worried about getting a $15k Vanagon insured properly. Maybe that isn't as big an issue as it seems?

[Vinzanto]

I looked for nearly a year and a half before I found my Westy. I was online everyday and every night digging through samba classifieds, nation-wide craigs ads, ebay, and any other source I could find. And when I would find one worth while in my price range, it would get snagged up by another buyer fast. Just be patient, keep a close eye out, don't rush into anything just because you gotta have that westy, and the right van will come along.

[laterPeter]

When I started looking for a Westfalia, the ones in my price range were POS! rusty, crusty, musty, needed some (potentially expensive) repairs...
Spent about twice what I expected to get a van with NO RUST, no mechanical issues (PO replaced or repaired it all), good looking & most importantly, provided me with a feeling of security when I drive the Westfalia... (not what I feel after reading the Samba page)
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"anyone have a screen for the window in the sliding door for an '85 Westfalia?"
1985 Westfalia 1.9 Automatic

[GBA 88West LA]

alot of the time people that have always dreamed of owning a van dont have the realization of what it costs and the amount of time and bloody knuckles it takes to get these to the point where they are...prices fluctuate seasonally and regionally...but as mentioned you can still get good deals from sound minded owners ...the prices referenced in this thread are right on target .. research, look be patient and if a serious buyer always be on standby with funds ..i was recently offered in the lows 20's for my westy by a young lady who has a business on the festival circuit , serious offer so serious it scared me off to the point where now im glad i didnt sell i think ive come to terms with the reality of my surroundings
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88 Westy GL Vanaru 07 2.5 EJ25/AA Trans/oiling plates, 1.14 3rd-.77-4th..solar powered cabin

[MarkWard]

Supply and Demand drive the market price just like anything else. To most people it is just a used vehicle, but to a few, they are much more. So you have a limited supply and a limited demand. It is also a VW which has it's own cult following making it different from many other makes.

If wanted something comparable, look at a Road Trek Sprinter and then decide if the vanagon campers are priced too high. I have to emphasize, these are expensive vehicles to maintain and keep reliable. Parts availability is at times limited. I don't see where the Vanagon Camper value will ever decline, but I don't believe they are a good investment either if you measure investment return soley based on monetary profit. mark
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☮️

[[email protected]]

I agree if it's NICE.

I'm seeing vans that people think are nice, but aren't. Peeling headliners, external screws holding body molding in place, rust behind window rubber, seam rust, 200k mile engines, etc etc.

It's like they see it as a finished van, when it's one to start with. Very frustrating.

Then we have the Nigerians LOL
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It's just advice, do whatever you want with it!

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[SCM]

[wildenbeast]

This sounds like what I was going through last summer. I decided to pass on a van that I should have bought and as soon as I did, someone else was ready to swoop in. The thing to consider is that every year there are less and less vans, some vans become parts vans, some catch on fire, many vans are becoming more rusty, and then some are getting restored. You can't buy a good van and expect it to be just like getting any other used car. There is a high dollar amount for these vans because no one is producing anything like them in their current line of vehicles. I found my current van by posting notes on people's vans that I liked; offering to buy it when they were ready to sell. This cut out all the other people ready to swoop in from a craigslist, ebay, or samba advertisement and allowed me to negotiate a fair price. Just my two cents.

Bill

[Gauche1968]

For some, bringing back a used van is part of the experience. It should still be possible to find a "drive as you restore" Westy for 5K or less, if you look hard and stay clear of sellers with proud asking prices.
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1984 Vanagon GL
1984 Vanagon Westy

[an86carrera]

I purchased mine 3+ years ago for $2500. Since then I have spent more than $12,000 in restoration and a few upgrades and this was with me doing all of the labor except the new paint. I will drive it anywhere at this point but still have another 3-5k that I could spend on it tomorrow for some upgrades.

I was offered $12k a few months ago before I had it painted, put new curtains in, replaced the entire A/C system minus the evaporator and installed solar and a Truckfridge TF-65. I am pretty sure I would not sell it at all but I would want more than $20,000 if I did. And I think that would be a stupid move since I don't have the energy to do it again nor do I want to start convincing my wife that I need all of those parts again. Oh, that reminds me, I need to buy tires again.

So, yes a good one is worth the money, if the work was done right.
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Len
Current Vehicles
'84 Westy '95 2.2 Subaru
'08 Dodge 2500 diesel
'75 914

[MURRAYMW1]

I bought a $6,000 drive as you restore last year. I've put $17,000 into it in 13 months. It will have a new 2300cc engine in a few weeks. And it still needs paint. I wanted to know what I had, or did not have. When I sell it somebody will get a great vehicle.
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Mark
85 Westy - current
Past - 85 weekender; 72 camper, 65 van; many bugs 54 - 72

[joseph928]

X2 on all this. I would not talk to someone to sell my syncro for less then $30,000 but I have paper work from Go Westy for over $18.000 and I wont even get into van cafe. That said yes they are worth it and if you have paper work to prove it all the better. My friend in Sedona has a subaru 6 in his syncro and would not talk to you at less then $40.000 So it is a lot of time and sometimes fun to do it all yourself and save some money. If you want one all done even on a 2WD be ready to pay the big bucks! And every day one more burns up so don't expect them to come down in price soon. All my vans have agreed value insurance , no problem if wrecked I get what I want. I went with antique car insurance cost a lot less even with higher priced vehicle. But I cant drive it all the time, so I have 3 other cars and trucks.
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1987 syncro westy tin top sun roof , GW2.3, rear locker, decoupler, Gary Lee tire rack & winch mount, lift, south african grill, big brakes , rhein alloy ,15 BFG AT, Fiamma 10 foot awning ,140 watt rear 85 watt front solar , mppt, truckfridge, automatic fire extinguishing system, tencent oil cooler, And a RMW SS exhaust! - 1971 bug convertible 1776 engine- 2010 Subaru turbo - 1993 Toyota 4x4 truck - 1999 Harley 95 CI, big bore, Andrews cams . Also 80-84- vans. Stock 65 sunroof bug.

[wjoef]

[r39o]

It is a pay now or pay soon deal.

Usually, your total out of pocket, over time, expense on a restored one is less than if you get one and fix it.

Put $20K into a good van now and enjoy

OR

Get a less expensive one and drop money in the slot and not enjoy it.

Your choice.

I got a cheap one knowing it needed work. I dropped the coins in the slot and out popped a drivable van in a year. I know what I have. It ain't perfect, but it meets our needs.

On the other hand, if I just wrote a check, I could have just driven it in bliss.

Problem is, my model is one of the desirable versions.....

Now I got a second one - different color.

I have to decide now....sigh....

They are not exactly boats but can come close cost model wise.

Let me quote a dear friend who refurbished many:
"These vans are not for people on budgets."

If you have to worry and later complain about every penny spent,
the van is not for you....

Sorry Charlie.
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