Date: Thu, 8 Nov 2001 21:28:38 -0800
Reply-To: developtrust <developtrust@HOME.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: developtrust <developtrust@HOME.COM>
Subject: Buyers get a dealer diagnostic before buying
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
In response to the message below My advice to anyone who is going to buy a
used vanagon (or any car) is to get a dealer diagnostic and negotiate a
price minus any serious repairs needed after the diagnostic. I just bought
my 89 vanagon GL with 143,000 on the vehicle but 35,000 on a factory rebuilt
engine, and a new transmission with only 29,000. (photo attached.) It ran
perfectly (I thought) but I spent the $70 for a diagnostic and we agreed
that if there were serious problems seller would deduct verified estimates
for repairs from the final payment. We Also agreed that I, the buyer, would
pay for the minor problems like a broken arm rest for which the dealer wants
$145 plus $50 to install. (I found one for $50 at a wrecking yard.)
Because the vanagon ran so well (I thought as an inexperienced owner) I was
tempted to NOT spend the $70 for the diagnostic but a friend encouraged me
to do so since I was spending $12,000 for the vehicle.
Well there was $1100 in serious work which we deducted from the agreed
price. Cooling pipes needed replacing, an oil pump gasket (leaking oil) and
head gaskets.
As it turns out the timing was off also but discovered at the smog check for
which I agreed to pay. It was adjusted after the final payment and we
discovered hoses and tubing needing replacement and the rear brakes were
improperly assembled by Midas. As well the distributor was the wrong one.
All the extra work cost me the buyer $400 extra.
I am still happy with the final price due to the cherry condition of
everything else, but Buyer beware. Get that diagnostic.
By the way you all I am enjoying the wealth of information on this group
list. I wish I was as knowledgeable as the rest of you. Maybe in a year or
two I will be able to do my own repairs.
William
> I'm looking at a '91 Vanagon with just shy of 200K on the odometer. The
> owner is the 2nd owner and doesn't know much about the original owner
> except that the van was a company vehicle. The engine doesn't leak
anything
> and according to the owner who has owned other vanagons, it runs very
> strong. He guesses that the present engine is the 2nd engine in the van,
> but he isn't sure. The rest of the van looks to be in great shape, very
> clean, no rust, etc.
> Is there any way I can tell how many engines this van has had and
how many
> miles are on the present engine (without tearing the engine apart and
> examining the bearing wear)?
> I'm also wondering how many people are on this list with more than
200K on
> their vanagons. Sure, you hear secondhand stories about VWs that live
> forever, but I would like to talk with actual people who have had this
> phenomenon occur to them.
> Thanks in advance,
> Joel
