Priced out of the market?

[TomWesty]

[Abscate]

Watched "sour grapes" with my daughter and we both rolled on floor laughing about how God can f* rich people for fun....

Tom and Bill
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.ssS!

[vwwestyman]

[Abscate]

[TDCTDI]

I just traded one for a couple of high end hand guns but with the way they are going up in price, I have to wonder if I effectively just bought a pizza with a couple of bitcoins.
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Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.


GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!


An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.


Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it.

[Hoody]

There will always be a strong market for the most desirable models of Bays. You can't just open a catalog and build one like you can a Camaro, GTO, Mustang and countless other American muscle cars.

[WildIdea]

Last year I was talking to a guy on the classifieds, he said he was bailing cause he said busses were turning into a Yuppy status symbol.

I said, they did that to Harley's once, but I still ride them. This is my culture, my tribe.

I know Dave Ramsey total money makeover would roll his eyes at owning things like this, some folks will never "Get It". I say, if you have the bill thing figured out then go for it, enjoy your life today. Caring for a VW bus is just good clean fun and good for the soul. Who cares if you get out alive money wise, you only go round once.

Busses have gone from practical to collectible. Let's face it, it's a collectables market now. One has to put forth some effort to locate parts and do a little bit more that google searches. Like ring doorbells and talk to people right. From what I can see, a Bus is such an iconic vehicle, there will most likely always be desire out there to own one and I say, get it while you can!

[vwwestyman]

[airschooled]

[Abscate]

They are crappy investments compared to other financial tools. Own one to enjoy it, not to get rich. If you are paying someone to rework it and/or maintain it you will never make money. If you do the work yourself, you will recover your labor costs - of course if it brings you joy doing the work then its a different investment.

I just did a clutch on a Volvo on my back in the driveway because the only local shop I trusted was four weeks booked, and I got to refresh suspension and wheel bearings for parts only - labor was duplicated on the transmission drop.

12 hours in and 2000 saved - not bad.
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.ssS!

[vwwestyman]

oh sure, probably not the best investments if comparing a bus to traditional investment opportunities.

But, I use mine for fairly regular transportation that is more fun than lots of other options and stunning I take care of it, it won't go down in value like most other forms of transport.
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Dave Cook

President, Wild Westerner Club

1978 Champagne Edition Westy, repowered to '97 Jetta TDI
1973 Wild Westerner
My Thing

[novetti]

[timvw7476]

I think the problem with the original poster is this:
The cost of a rust-free Westphalia body is going to be almost the same
cost as a rust-free Westphalia with a decent running engine.
Those campers are the top end of Bay Windows & nobody with a brain will
sell you a glider kit when 5-6k in rebuilt power will fetch quite decent money.
You are unicorn hunting.

[yellowCOwesty]

I saw the air cooled 911 market skyrocket from when I got my first Carrera to a year after I sold my ‘92 911 Turbo, similar to how the split window market has gone up.

I am sure bays will Infineon to go up, but I love driving mine and already have it, so who cares.
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'78 Westy
Currently yellow and white "Sunny"
A few other air cooled VW and Porsches over the years

[richparker]

Owning 20 classic cars is an investment, owning just one classic car is a toy.
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’71 Westy build
Adventure thread
’65 Deluxe Build
’63 Deluxe Build

[Manfred58sc]

20 cars?? That may be a psychological disorder known as hoarding ( a sad need for control according to reality TV shows ). I only have 18 cars ( I think..) so I'm still ok. I snapped up all I could before the prices shot up, glad I did
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Fat chick owner/operator

[sodbuster]

[mike77777]

Prices have not gone up, the currency has lost value.
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patience and putty

[skills@eurocarsplus]

[Busstom]

Is it just me, or are prices falling? Hundreds and hundreds of Buses (and Bugs) for sale on this site, alone. And most are way overpriced. There just can't be that many enthusiasts to shell out that much dough. I just don't see the demand.

Of course, I truly believe that many of them don't actually want (or need) to sell, but, if someone's willing to pay enough to enable them to make a down payment on a house, well hell, why not?