Date: Fri, 5 Nov 2004 13:04:37 +0100
Reply-To: roomkes@ZONNET.NL
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Robin Oomkes <roomkes@ZONNET.NL>
Subject: Re: F.S. '88 Westy, 53K orig., $8,500
In-Reply-To: <418B3944.8080504@mchsi.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Gerald,
if you can afford it, go for it! Bought my current '88 Joker TD on an
impulse just over a month ago, because it was advertised as rust free,
118000 original km (just over 70K miles), unmolested, EUR 9750 asking price.
Went to check it out - it was as advertised so I bought it for EUR 9250.
Then sold my 254000 km '86 TD (with considerable rust) afterwards, for EUR
7000...
The bottom line is: if you're in love with Vanagons, and a rare nice one
with low mileage pops up (and they are getting very hard to find over here
in Europe, too), and the price is not extreme, then GO FOR IT!
Good luck,
Robin
'88 Joker TD
'03 R1150GS
Citeren Al and Sue Brase <albeeee@MCHSI.COM>:
> Gerald:
> Certainly the biggest consideration is the mileage. that low mileage
> means something. Good care, no wear or damage is a big deal, too.
>
> Is the heater a Trumatic? There are a couple of other brands, too.
> My brother got the same head deal from VW on an 87 he had, so it sounds
> believable to me. VW musta put the wrong antifreeze in it!
> Somewhere I read that when you see great art, you can tell it, not by
> the mind, but rather by the feeling you get in your gut.
> I'm a great believer in buying cars for similar reasons, not logic. If
> you feel it in your GUT- go for it.
> (If you need objective reasons, go read Consumer Reports, get a Dattoy
> Honhun. I also don't give a rat's for what the Magliocchi bros say.)
> Al Brase
>
> Gerald Masar wrote:
>
> >URGENT! Please help me make up my mind on this. I am not selling it, but
> just came
> >back from looking at it. I REALLY have never wanted to get into owning a
> stable of
> >Vanagons.
> >Current and only vehicle is '90 Westy with 165K.
> >It really does look like that mileage is correct. Some soil on
upholstery.
> Outside
> >like new.
> >It has been well cleaned and the engine cleaned like new, so it was
> impossible to tell
> >about leaks. Thing I noticed right off, the overflow tank was down to the
> intake tube.
> >But then I noticed the braided hose from right head to the coolant ring
> around top of
> >engine compartment was kinked and damp right at the connection to the
> plastic pipe. It
> >had been attached there with a nylon wire tie. I fixed that for the guy
> and filled his
> >overflow tank.
> >I think that may have been the leak. He was not aware of the tank being
> dry. He
> >doesn't do his own work.
> >More info on the van. Dark blue (Orly?), auto trans, all power options
> plus alarm
> >system (disconnected). Alloys with good tread on Big O brand 205/70 m&s.
> >Right side
> > power window wasn't working, so he already had it at his mech who has
the
> panel off
> >and a part on order from "the big city". We're out in the sticks here.
> >Propane fired forced air furnace in the bottom compartment next to the
> water tank,
> >uses OUTSIDE air and is vented to outside. No aux. battery so he uses a
> power -pack to
> >run it.
> >Second propane tank under the right side. Gray water holding tank under
> the left side.
> >
> >After fixing the leak, I drove it. Handled well and certainly quieter
than
> mine. But I
> >was watching the temp gauge and it went to half way between the LED and
> top mark, but
> >no more. Didn't hear the fan, but the outside temp was only about 68º.
> Also, I was not
> >used to driving an automatic.
> >
> >One question for me. Looking at the front of engine compartment, at what
I
> think is
> >the torque conv., there is an opening in the top, about 4" wide. You can
> see the thing
> >spinning. Is there supposed to be a cover over that?
> >
> >So, what do you think about the price? I am afraid I was too
enthusiastic,
> so he
> >probably won't come down.
> >NOW, if I don't buy it, I will post the contact info to the list tomorrow
> probably
> >after noon MST. The bad news, you better have your plane ticket ready.
The
> van is in
> >rural Arizona.
> >
> >Sorry for the long msg, but I am stoked and it could be a
> once-in-a-lifetime deal.
> >
> >Jerry
> >P.S. Just thought of more. I have some pics but it was getting dark so
> don't know how
> >they will be. The A/C works and is still R12 and has new compressor.
> >The van came from Ohio where it was garaged and been garaged here.
> >At 20K miles (don't know the year) he said the heads developed some
cracks
> and even
> >though it was out of warranty, VW replaced them.
> >All new v-belts. New skylight.
> >Okay, the owners are originally from Germany and on trips, they brought
> the furnace
> >(more than $500), the new skylight and insect screen for sliding door
with
> them.
> >
> >Did I say I was exdcited?
> >
> >
> >
>
--
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