Date:         Wed, 06 Nov 96 20:36:02 CST
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Joel Walker <JWALKER@ua1vm.ua.edu>
Subject:      buses for sale in Alabama

ok, for all you Wanabusers ... this is what's been in the papers lately
... opinions offered only on the there i've seen:

1991 Vanagon GL, Bourdeaux Red Metallic. automatic transmission.
     45,000 miles. listed at $10,800. Cadillac Dealer. i drove the bus
     and it drives fine, engine is clean, no leaks, dirt, oil, etc.
     has power heated mirrors. 7-passenger seating, with fold-down rear
     bench. does NOT have cruise, power windows, alloy wheels.
     demerits for:
       minor scratches on body work, headlights a little foggy, a/c
       pully/compressor/belt squealed like a pig when first cranked.
       after engine running for a few minutes, a/c made no further noise.
       blows cold air.
     Hoover, AL (Birmingham). Crest Cadillac. (205) 979-7979. Nicky Notto.

1991 Vanagon Multi-Van, Orly Blue Metallic. automatic transmission.
     65,000 miles. listed at $12,995. they WILL take less (i offered $9,000
     and they "had to have at least $9,500". VW Dealer. i drove the bus and
     it drives ok. shocks seem weak (or either camper tops are a LOT more
     weight up there than i remember). brakes ok. power ok. power door locks,
     windows, mirrors. alloy wheels (including spare). AS-IS/NO WARRANTY!
     pop-top, rear-facing middle seats, swing up middle table, one rear
     storage cabinet. cruise control. does NOT have the Magic Harness fitted
     (for the steady speed stuttering problem)
     demerits for:
       serious bashed front bumper (liveable but it looks really bad ...
       like it caught concrete or something); lots of scratches on body
       paint; skylight busted; small tears in pop-top canvas (only three
       small ones that i saw); middle seat adjustment busted on one seat;
       carpet edging torn badly between front seats; one low-beam headlight
       burned out; front passenger right armrest busted off (and hidden
       under rear seat); parking brake plastic cover busted off (and hidden
       under rear seat).

1991 Vanagon Camper GL, Flash Silver Metallic. automatic transmission.
     65,000 miles. listed at $11,995. they will take less. i offered
     $10,000 and they "had to have at least $10,500". power door locks,
     mirrors, windows; cruise control. full camper outfit with sink, stove,
     fire extinguisher, cabinets, dual tables, swivel front seats (which
     might not work! i couldn't get them to swivel ... but then i probably
     don't know how); AS-IS/NO WARRANTY. alloy wheels (including spare).
     inside rear hatch release; has the Magic Harness fitted to stop the
     stuttering at steady speeds.
     demerits for:
       coolant low, crusted coolant on all of engine compartment; steering
       fluid low. left front mudflap is broken at top (the screw) and has
       scratched the body pretty badly (fixable); rear hatch shocks are
       dying;
     test drive: low power in engine, like timing is not set right. the
     story is that some poor woman was driving through Alabama and the
     "engine blew up" so the considerate dealer bought it from her "at
     a good price" and she just left by other means. that same dealer then
     spent $4500 (their figure) putting a "new engine" into the bus. what
     it looks like is a rebuilt short block with the old peripherals (which
     did NOT even have the coolant cleaned off them) put back on. i'd say,
     from the looks of it, that a coolant hose ruptured and spewed coolant
     ALLLL over the place. whether or not that is really a rebuilt engine,
     i can't say.

notice, if you will, that the full camper is $1,000 LESS than the Multi-van.
same year, same mileage (coincidence?), same transmission. you figure it
out. Jack Ingram VW/Porsche/Mazda/Nissan/Mercedes/Jaguar/DeSoto/Studebaker/
Hupmobile (lotsa brands at this one!), Montgomery, AL (334) 277-5700.

i don't like to be jerked around by car dealers, especially when i've made
what i consider to be a more-than-fair offer on the damned cars. so i passed
on both of them.

1986 Vanagon Camper. pop top, sleeps 4, exc. cond. Good ride. good mileage.
     $5,995. (205) 942-1205. Birmingham paper.
     (i have NOT seen this one)

1984 Vanagon GL, 4 cyl, 4 speed, runs great, $1500. (205) 562-0231
     Birmingham paper (i have NOT seen this one).

1974 VW Camper Van. doesn't run. body in good cond. needs $500 in work.
     $1000. (205) 933-5719. Birmingham paper (haven't see this one, either).

so that's it. all you Vanderbilts and Rockefellers can scoop them up now. :)

joel