Date: Mon, 5 Mar 2001 10:00:47 -0800
Reply-To: Bill Kasper <dragonlist@IPMTS.UCSC.EDU>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Bill Kasper <dragonlist@IPMTS.UCSC.EDU>
Subject: Re: Are syncros more trouble...
In-Reply-To: <3AA3CF0D.8C17DF47@gorge.net>
Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
on 3/5/01 9:38 AM, Craig Spaeth at spaeth@GORGE.NET wrote:
[snipped]
> I would just make a list of why you want the Syncro and see
> if
> the 2wd would take care of those reasons. If it comes down to the fact that
> you
> just want the coolness of owning a Syncro and it is worth it to you...I say go
> for
> it. The are great rigs. I am a skier and spend a lot of time in the snow and
> still
> can't justify the Syncro at this point (especially since we really like the
> Westy
> and a Syncro Westy becomes quite cost prohibitive.) Eventually we will
> probably
> end up with a Syncro Westy just for coolness sake but that day is a long way
> off.
craig, and the list...we were searching for a simple westy, preferrably '86
or newer (we wanted the 2.1L) in good condition with no rust. so i searched
and searched, daily, for a month. went all over the web looking for these
things, and found it was a rare westy under $4K that fit these parameters.
most were in the $5-$8K range, and every one i called on had issues
(non-insurmountable ones, to be sure, but they weren't perfect little
runners!).
then we stumbled on our syncro westy at a dealer's in north carolina. i can
tell the full story now, because i have the title on my desk next to me *S*.
they advertised in the autotrader.com, and i got there first. needless to
say, we decided that it would be ok to have a syncro westy for the price of
a non-syncro westy, and we sent money for a downpayment. the day our money
got there, i found out the following week, someone called and offered them
nearly twice the advertised price. they declined, holding the contract we'd
signed in an ethical manner (made ME happy, i will tell you what!). so, the
deals *are* out there, it just takes perserverence and search-engine
skill...among other things!
to make a long story short, it's now getting on a truck and going to be in
our driveway sometime after next saturday. needless to say, we're looking
forward to it. we wouldn't have paid anything like the $12000-$20000 most
syncro westys seem to get, because we didn't have that much money and
couldn't justify taking a loan out for the few times per year we'll use the
4wd. but as long as we could get it for the same or better price as a
regular westy, we jumped quickly. yes, we'll have more expesnive
maintenance, etc., but in october my wife will be working and our income
will magically increase...so we'll be covered for the big problems, and the
minutae will slowly take care of themselves.
btw, SO MANY people on this list have been a help, and a joy to correspond
with. someone wrote a lovely note about what kind of list this is, and i
certainly feel like we've been brought in with open arms. i can only hope
to return the favors granted to me in advice and the like as i learn about
our new vehicle.
take care,
bill
'87 syncro westfalia
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