Date: Thu, 1 Feb 1996 21:02:40 +0000
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: tjparker@pacificnet.net (Tim Parker)
Subject: Re: Eurovan prices
At 1:42 PM 2/1/96, Matt Dekker wrote:
> Are the EVs so scarce that they are collectors items and warrant higher
> prices? For example, Carter VW in Seattle has a web page listing with a
> number of EVs at close to their original prices! (Or do the dealers know
> that VW people, especially VW Van people will not settle for another brand?)
I sure hope they're that scarce, cause mine's not paid for yet! 8^)
Actually, I drive 70miles round trip to work everyday on the freeways, and
it's interesting how many EVs there are compared to how many splitties
(there are plenty of splittie "snowplows" in my neighborhood, but they
seldom take those on the freeways). About the same, actually, or maybe
slightly fewer EVs than splitties. For a new van, that's fairly scarce.
I'm hoping that: (1) If we never see VW bring back the EV to the US, that
people will eventually realize what great vans they are and mine will hold
its value; (2) If VW brings it back with the V6 in it, that people will
either not like the longer beak, or not like having one bank of cylinders
right underneath the cupholders, thus warming their beers [aka road cokes]
too fast [but nobody does that, do they? <seriously, I DON'T>] and the
5-bangers will remain highly sought-after!
McKenna in Norwalk,CA wanted almost 24K for my GL, with ABS and cool alloy
wheels, which I bought new in 94. I laughed (boy that really worked...
not) and left. Called Consumer Reports, gave them my credit card number,
and they told me "exactly" what the car was worth. Told me not to pay over
18K for it. I called the dealer back (a couple of days after the first
visit), told them that, and within a half hour they called back and offered
to sell it for 18.361K. So I bought it. [Don't look up my other story on
this car, it'll make you cry. As a footnote to that story, it's been great
for about 9 months now...]
I would be hard pressed to find a decent replacement for this van if I had
to part with it. If I had to buy another van, I'd blow off the other makes
and hang in there for that late 80's Synchro Westy with a 5-speed that I've
always wanted. Them's pretty rare around here, and the dealers want
stupidly high prices for them.
Dr. Tim Parker.
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Above Van, plus: 60 Singlecab, 29 Model A Ford, 90 Mitsubishi Montero
(spousal unit's), 84 Volvo DL (daughterial unit's).
|