Date:         Wed, 4 Jun 2008 08:32:10 -0500
Reply-To:     John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Subject:      Re: Will be worth less or more?
Comments: To: Zoltan Kuthy <zolo@FOXINTERNET.NET>
In-Reply-To:  <8924CDFA9844473785078942FD0D08CC@ZoltanPC>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

Their worth is going to  remain the same or go up. At least for a time.
Then, even for the vans and campers, value will decline. As fuel prices
continue to increase having a smaller more fuel efficient vehicle -
particularly any kind of RV - is going to become more and more
important. I think those big rolling home behemoths on like the
dinosaurs - doomed to extinction. I have two Vanagon GL's, and to me
they are like Stem Cells - they will turn into whatever I want. One is
my daily driver now, but is destined for a lot of upgrades for
efficiency, - bigger wheels, modern engine, etc. My second van is to
become my camper - not a Westy - which would be nice, but a camper
none-the-less and configured like I want it. - and with a modern engine.

Even with modernizing and up-grading I think the fuel thing is going to
spell the end for all Vanagons. I forsee a time when the changing fuel
availability drives a change in fuel types which is even now driving
major changes in engine  design. And the new fuel/engine combinations
won't work for the vans. As fuels compatible for the van engines dries
up, and replacement engines that use the new fuels aren't available for
the vans, the vans will disappear forever. We could see a lot of this
happening in 15 years. Sad to think of no Vanagons or Westy's on the
road any more.

John Rodgers
88 GL Driver


Zoltan Kuthy wrote:
> I was wondering if the expensive gas prices will influence the Westfalia campers to be worth less or perhaps more.  I can think of both ways.
> Zoltan
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