Date: Mon, 26 Sep 2005 05:06:33 EDT
Reply-To: Oxroad@AOL.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Jeff Oxroad <Oxroad@AOL.COM>
Subject: Re: To Buy or not to Buy? 86 Vanagon Westfalia
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In a message dated 9/26/2005 1:00:54 AM Pacific Standard Time,
craigmpoole@MAC.COM writes:
I have found an 86 Westy full camper located in a little town in
texas.
I pretty sure it's a 1985.
In a situation like this where there is no history on the vehicle I'd run a
carfax report. It's worth the $20. Not that the carfax is the end all in
buying a used car. But it can offer glaring "NO" as far as clues--as in don't buy.
You can see if the mileage appears accurate. Where the car lived--I think it
gives you the name of service stations that inspected the vehicles. If this
is the case and there is a consistant service station that inspected the
vehicle it could be useful. You might consider contacting the service station to
find out any history they're willing to give it to you. I mean this part is a
long shot, but it's a possiblility.
More importantly there are clues to the care of the vehicle in a car fax
report. If it is inspected at the same joint might imply one owner. If it's been
inspected in a 20 different states--well I'm not sure what that proves.
But the car fax does give some useful clues. It's not neccessarily a sole
tool to use in making a decision, but can be helpful.
The scary part of this vehicle is you don't have any history on it.
I'm not up on Westfalia prices so hopefully someone else will chime in on
where this price fits in the spectrum. And not that you can always trust a
seller, of course, but I'd rather buy a vehicle where I have some idea of the
history. I personally would rather pay a little more for something with some
history than walk into the unknown. But again, the history is only as reliable
as the honesty of the person you're dealing with. And in many cases one
doesn't have the luxury of knowing they person selling a vehicle. In the case
you've described the seller claims no knowledge of the vehicle for the most part.
And that's not much to go on.
In addition to checking the heads, which you said you've already done, you
should know the transmissions can be trouble and a little costly on the
Vanagon. That's not to say they're all bad. But I'd suggest an extra listen to the
transmission with the clutch engaged and disengaged to see if you're hearing
any odd noise that could mean expensive repair.
It's kind of late even here on the West Coast, so my mind isn't all that
clear and I'm sure my writing is less so. But that's what comes to mind.
Additionally, I don't know your mechanical ability. So depending on your
skill I'd consider having a mechanic check it out--or yourself--a Vanagon
specific mechanic would be best if that's possible. A compression test comes to
mind, uhmmm....and I guess whatever else you might find out would be useful.
A Westfalia is a great vehicle. So I'm not trying to talk you out of it.
Just offering my conservative two cents on this one. Hopefully it's some help.
I'm sure you'll hear from other listees.
Best,
Jeff
83.5 Westy
LA,CA