Date: Fri, 3 Feb 2017 11:12:44 -0800
Reply-To: Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Westy alternatives (was Regarding raised bar) (NVC)
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
Always a fun Friday topic!
Sportsmobiles are great, and expensive. Here in Seattle I see a few around, but add about 11% in tax, license, and nuisance fees, so often these rigs are leased to keep the payments down.
Lots of really nice choices, but there's nothing today like their first one: http://sportsmobile.com/who-is-sportsmobile/ Today they make RVs, not "campers," because it's what people want. No one makes a small van camper in the US. I don't consider those vans with a "bed in a box" on top and a stove in the rear true van campers. They are an alternative, but it's more like station wagon camping in the '60s and '70s.
I'll bet the folks selling the $120k Westy I posted earlier got an RV or a big 4x4 truck and trailer that better suits their lifestyle. The Vanagon Westy is a challenge with two small kids, we know from past experience!
It's another example of the many Samba posts I've seen by people who fall in love with the idea of a Westy, put a ton of money into one, and after a few trips sell it because it's too small and lacks modern features. My son got his van for just this reason, but the PO went on only one trip and didn't put much money into it (they did have the tank resealed though!). They only owned it for six months and probably made a small profit or at least broke even.
It's also why VW will never sell the California campers here, too small and too expensive for our market. Pretty nice though: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ic1feqvetBo
Stuart
Back to working on my Subaru swap now!
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Rob
Sent: Friday, February 03, 2017 9:06 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Regarding raised bar
If I had $100k to spend on a camper, that's what I'd do.
If you have a westie right now, don't sell it cause the next one is going to cost a lot more and still need work before it's "right".
Rob
vwrobb@gmail.com
On Fri, Feb 3, 2017 at 11:55 AM, Dan N <dn92610@gmail.com> wrote:
> under $100K... brand new..
>
> http://sportsmobile.com/price-examples/
>
