Date:         Fri, 30 Jul 2010 08:26:58 -0700
Reply-To:     Stephen Grisanti <bike2vcu@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stephen Grisanti <bike2vcu@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: second newby question
Comments: To: David GerardPeters <dgp6@PITT.EDU>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

Not true.  Four years ago, after about four years of research and about a year of serious looking, I bought an '87 Westy that I'd seen in town that suddenly came up for sale.  It cost less than $5K and in the interim has needed only yearly inspections and normal maintenance (oil and filter changes, A/C recharging, etc.), and what other expenditures we've made have been "enhancements" to make it more to our liking.  Optional, in other words.  
 
Such vans are out there, obviously, but as they age the nice ones increase in value and I would not necessarily expect to be able to repeat a purchase like this, but it is possible.  Keep looking, and my own advice is to buy the latest, lowest-mileage, best-condition van you can afford in order to help reduce those followup expenses, and be sure to have your prospective vehicle thoroughly checked out by a VW specialist.  That will be about $100 well spent that won't guarantee troublefree operation but will greatly reduce the likelihood of buyer's remorse.  Good luck!
 
Stephen

--- On Fri, 7/30/10, Peters, David Gerard <dgp6@PITT.EDU> wrote:


From: Peters, David Gerard <dgp6@PITT.EDU>
Subject: second newby question
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Date: Friday, July 30, 2010, 10:54 AM


Hi All

Thanks for the many warm "welcomes".  Still very much enjoying the list and learning stuff too!

My Vanagon search is still ongoing.  I am focused (after taking advice from many folks on this list) on a later model.

Question:  There is an ongoing ebay auction for restored Westy.  It is out of my price range (almost 20k buy it now) but a statement in the auction description caught my eye and I would be interested to hear feedback from you guys.

Specifically the seller sates..."If you buy an $8000 to $13,000 Westy, you will need to add up to $8000 in parts to make it reliable, and thats BEFORE you touch the engine or tranny! "

Do you agree? Obviously it is possible but I'd be interested to hear thoughts based on real world experience.

Thanks again

Dave