Date: Fri, 8 May 1998 21:53:57 -0400
Reply-To: John Anderson <vwbus@MINDSPRING.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: John Anderson <vwbus@MINDSPRING.COM>
Subject: Re: for sale; 1987 syncro vanagon!!!!!!!!!!
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>"Artificially inflated"??? My '87 Syncro with 59k miles lists at over
>$11,000/Blue Book.
Well a quick look at kbb.com (which of course any syncro owner will claim is
way undervalued, but I find to be right on the money if you split the trade
and retail numbers) shows about $10k if you were near me for top retail,
about $6500 for trade. Which would make me inclined to ask about $8k if I
were you, and in fact I believe you are asking even less, and your van is a
very special case. But here is a twist, total the thing tomorrow and see
what you can fight for from your insurance agent, I'll bet you'll end up
real pissed.
>That $3,000 Vanagon you see at the auction just might need $4,000 in
>repairs.
>
>Keep in mind "You get what you pay for".
So you do, but keep in mind Michael I never questioned your vans worth, in
fact, I think you are asking a quite reasonable amount for it assuming it is
what you claim, in nearly any market. But I'll throw out a pretty damn
obvious point, ANY 1987 Vanagon, PARTICULARLY, a syncro may apt be in for
$4000 worth of repairs at any time, regardless of mileage or care. At that
age, all coolant lines are suspect, fuel lines are suspect, heads are
suspect, the VC is suspect by its very nature, and the tranny has some
proven weakness if it has been driven hard. That would total well over
$4000 and could hit anyone with any Vanagon of that age, and all the good
thoughts and anal maintainence in the world won't save someone from time and
VW design flaws, no matter how many coolant changes, ground wires, prayers,
or incantations. In many respects, you might just be better to grab a very
clean deal at an auction if a quick examination reveals no blatant problems,
as fact is likely it was traded by the very caring anal sort who would have
origionally shelled out the money for the syncro in the first place, but
probably decided they simply didn't want to keep driving a ten year old car
and moved up into a nice Expedition like the Jones'. I've also looked at an
'88 locally with genuine 52k miles asking $5800, dealer maintained, but
unfortunately needing heads, coolant bottles, the works. Owner just didn't
get why it wasn't running so well or how it could need $3000 worth of work,
but the local dealer was an idiot. I made my choice on the vans I've looked
at based on common sense, and a wary nature about rare and obsoleted VW
products. I'll also note there have been a number of excellent deals float
by this list $1000 vans with clean bodies and blown engines with good 4wd
systems intact, about 3-4 in the last 2 years, I nearly bought 2 of those,
again making much over $3500 for an average van in average condition simply
ludicrous. There have been a crap load on the list asking $3500-$5000 at
that age, and I simply think that is a real fair amount, I would not pay
more, save for an incredible example like the one you are selling, and even
then I'd have to think realy hard.
John
vwbus@mindspring.com
who has also owned and does own a shit pile of VW's I won't even endeavour
to list.
| 
