Date: Wed, 27 May 1998 16:39:25 -0400
Reply-To: Michael Sullivan <sullivan@OPENMARKET.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: Michael Sullivan <sullivan@OPENMARKET.COM>
Subject: Re: Yellow Vanagon
Content-Type: text/enriched; charset="us-ascii"
At 12:48 PM 5/22/98, Bowie, Mark wrote:
>Michael,
>Saw your pictures on the web - you have created my dream van!
>I have a few questions though - How much do you figure you've put into it?
>I'm expecially interested in what the doors and paint cost you. Do you have
>a cost breakdown?
>
>VERY impressive work.
>Mark Bowie
Do you REALLY want to know?
Hmmm...Let's see:
$12,000 original price from previous owner
$600 MA sale tax
$2,100 Bullbar bumpers/foglights from Germany (incl. shipping/customs)
$1,000 Chrome wheels from Germany (incl. shipping/customs)
$500 five BFG tires mounted & balanced
$1,000 amplifier/front speakers/wiring/relays/optima battery
$500 doors w/ power mirrors/locks/windows (from junkyard)
$1,000 misc. interior/exterior stuff (from junkyard)
$7,500 paint/body work
$1,500 new rubber/seals/labels/vents/mudflaps/insignia for exterior
$300 plugs/wires/rotor/dist cap/synth oil/filters/temp sender/rad resistor
$350 rear-facing seat (yes, I got ripped-off)
_______
$28,250 TOTAL (approx. actually closer to $29k)
Still to do:
- Refrigerator replacement for RM182 (will post with my final choice)
- Awning (thinking Fiamma F45)
- Flourescent ThinLite (the junkyard one I bought from a 91 Westy is bogus)
- 12v interior 2-speed swivel fan
- 6-horn array of stock VW Vanagon horns w/ relay & harness (nice und LOUD, but authentic sounding)
- Euro H4 high beams w/ relay & harness
- Air conditioning conversion to either FR12 or R134
- CD player/receiver/rear speakers (next year)
- TDI engine (next year)
- Vented disk brakes (next year)
- CB radio (next year)
- Solar Panel (next year)
- 110V inverter (next year)
So you ask, why would someone "invest" nearly $40k into a vehicle that only has a book value of $12k? Two possible reasons (take yer pick):
- A fool and his money are soon parted
- It is the only "stock" vehicle ever created that does ALL of the following:
a. camping for 4
b. 4-wheel drive
c. can serve as a daily driver
d. a person can stand up in
Cheers,
<bold>Michael J. Sullivan
</bold><italic>Director of Catalog Design
Open Market, Inc.
</italic>
'87 GL Syncro Westfalia
********************************************
work: http://www.openmarket.com
vanagon: http://www.hsdesign.com/vanagon
scan tips: http://www.hsdesign.com/scanning
********************************************