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Date:         Fri, 30 May 1997 21:32:11 -0500 (CDT)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Tim Marciniak <tmarcini@execpc.com>
Subject:      Re: 88 Weekender FS

>Well, Vanagon friends, I am on the horns of a dilemma. My Weekender is >getting >a little older, and its been a while since the heads were done. I was going >to sell or trade it, but since it is not a full camper, it does not have the >value of a Westy and is harder to sell.

Ed,

I have to disagree when you say your "weekender" does not have the value of the camper Westy. I own a 90 Multivan (Wolfsburg seating, poptop, closet, etc) and have found that these vans sell very well. Agreed, they are not worth as much as a camper, because they don't have all the camping stuff, stove, fridg etc. There are an awful lot of buyers like myself who don't want the maintenance and upkeep that goes along with the full camper. I have also followed the market in my area and late model vanagon weekenders sell for prices very close to the full camper. Believe me there is a market for vanagon (and EV) weekenders.

> >Now, my question is, should a person sell what they _REALLY_ like just >because it is "time to let it go" (before major problems - like the heads). >I was all ready to do this until I saw what I would get for a trade on >something really awful like an Aerostar or Caravan - or worse - the dreaded >Safari (where IS your left foot supposed to go in those?) > >I thought my Vanagon was getting expensive to keep running. Then I talked to >my friend with a Caravan. His monthyl cost of operation was - get this - >DOUBLE >what my vanagon (I'm talking repairs and maintenance over a period of years) >has been. > >I talked to my mechanic who tells me the automatics do not seems to give >much trouble, mostly just the head problem. > >Then I talked to a wrecker who did the Legacy transplant with Kennedy's kit, >and the owner LOVES it.....SOOOOO, now I'm thinking sell my "runner" >(a trusty 84 Corolla), bank the money from it for the inevitable engine job, >run the Van until the engine goes, then invest in the Legacy swap and drive >and camp in the weekender for another 10 years. > >Only a Vanagon person would even consider this course of action. Everybody >else would say take whatever you can get for the van and keep the Toyota. > >Well, it's a tough call for me. I can't sleep in a Corolla, now can I? > >Sigh..."If I were a rich man..." > >Anybody out there done the Legacy swap (2.1 non-turbo)? > Don't know much about the Legacy swap you speak of, but if your current van is running ok and you have no head gasket leaks, why sell it? I had a 89 Plymouth Grand Voyager and I liked it but it was not a cheap vehicle in terms of upkeep. From about 50,000 miles to 100,000miles it seemed like I was constantly having some thing repaired on it. After 100,000miles it was actually a better van than from 50-100k which is probably because I had so much fixed on it. I finally got rid of it at 132,000 miles and it was still running ok except the valve guide or valve guide seals must of been going as was a typical problem with the 3.0L Mitsubishi it had.

I say keep the vanagon if you like it. Fix the head gaskets if it needs it, you can save a lot of money if you can do it yourself.

Tim Marciniak >Ed


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