Date:         Wed, 26 Feb 2003 21:56:16 -0500
Reply-To:     Marc Perdue <marcperdue@ADELPHIA.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Marc Perdue <marcperdue@ADELPHIA.NET>
Subject:      Re: What should I expect to spend on a camper?
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

I am dreaming now too, sitting inside, the temp. outside is twenty-something
(F), and it's snowing . . . again.  They're calling for a total accumulation of
5-10 inches by midnight Thursday night.  So anyway, I'm sitting here dreaming of
being on a porch on a Caribbean island, sipping a rum and coke . . .  But since
you mentioned it, my daughter wants to be a vet when she gets older, so maybe
I'll convince her to go to vets' school in St. Kitts and I can have a house
built down there and winter there and visit my daughter . . .  Hmmm . . .

Oh yeah, we're talking Vanagons though, aren't we?  Sorry, I got a little
distracted there for a few moments.  Prices for Vanagons vary wildly, but here's
what I found when I was shopping around for mine a few years ago.

1) There seemed to be quite a few early model vans and later model vans
scattered around the country in the several thousand dollar range.  Typically
these were in poor to average condition or they were in really good condition
but had a major component such as an engine or a transmission that wasn't
functional.

2) There were a number that were in the $5,000 to $8,000 range also.  These ones
were typically in average to very good condition and were running well, though
their engines might be in the waning years of their life.

3) Then there were the creme-de-la-creme.  These typically ran from $8,000 up to
12-14 thousand and included mostly the latest model vans that were in pristine
condition and very well maintained.  This category would also include some
earlier model vans whose owners had gone above and beyond the call and had them
covered in very nice paint jobs, or they were from the southwest and had
absolutely no rust.

Note:  This does not include any of those concours restoration jobs on 21-window
microbuses!  The best deal I found by far was for a 1991 Westy that was in
almost mint condition, garage kept its whole life, never camped in, and had only
60,000 miles on it!  Now, here's the kicker: The lady wanted $6,000 for it!!!  I
called her the day this ad was posted and she said that within 2 hours of
posting it, somebody had called her, said don't sell it, he was bringing $6,500
in cash on the train with him right then.  Oh well . . .

So, what does all this have to do with you?  Perhaps nothing.  Depends on what
you want to do, but one recommendation a lot of people give is to find one whose
body and camping gear are in excellent shape but that needs an engine.  These
usually go for a lot less.  Mine needed a new transmission.  The engine had been
rebuilt 11,000 miles earlier.  I paid $1,800 for it and way too much for the
transmission work (but that's another story).  I had finally convinced my wife
that we might have to go as far away as Denver or Phoenix (we're in VA) to get
one, when somebody at work told me about a local student that was selling his.
Be patient, keep looking, ask around on this list.

Good luck and enjoy your time in the islands,
Marc Perdue

Mike B wrote:

> I am dreaming right now.  I am sitting here on my porch on an Caribbean
> island, sipping a rum and coke . . . and what am I thinking of?  Driving my
> Beetle when I get back to the states and getting a Vanagon Camper.
>
> My wife is in vet school here in St. Kitts and will be done in about 2
> years.  At that time we have to travel a lot for clinicals, early jobs, etc.
> I thought a VW camper would be great.  I would love to get a Vanagon,
> manual, Westy with a TDI or other I4 conversion when we get back.
>
> My question is, what should I expect to pay to get a decent one in good
> shape?  I will be driving it a lot and will be REALLY dependant on it, so I
> want something in really good shape (i4 conversion is not an absolute, just
> a desire).
>
> I looked on Edmunds and it says one is work about $2,000 but I haven't seen
> any vanagon Westy anywhere near that price, let alone in good shape.
>
> Oh, I will be landing in Philadelphia (my family lives there), so I am
> hoping to find something near there (from Maine to South Carolina).
>
> Thanks...Mike