I looked at a '82 Westy at a VW dealership yesterday. The exterior is rust-free with a few minor dents in the metal. The interior seems nice for a camper of this vintage: clean; no mold; nice canvas; decent seat & bed fabric; seats, top & bed work; etc. They're asking $5688 for it (which seems a bit high, tho' they claim it's down from $7999, ha!). More details: 168k miles 30k on a rebuild New tires of dubious manufacture in front and fair tires of similar manufacture in rear rear hitch front towing brackets Here are the concerns: 1) Seems like a lot of miles and this could be trouble. What major gotcha's could be lurking? 2) They're gonna compression check the engine. Anything else I should check? 3) The fact that it's towed stuff. Any redflags there? 4) The fact that it's been towed. I hear that's tuff on the trans. Cause for concern? 5) I've not tested the camping gear (aside from the top). Prior owner said it all worked. Should I verify? Tips? 6) Brakes are mushy. Is this typical? 7) Steering has a bit of play and the "sway factor" seemed high. Could this be due to the passenger car tire it's shod with? 8) What's a good price? Thanks in advance. Jon --------- Jon \/an Seattle, WA \/\/yk (jvanwyk@halcyon.com)
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