In a message dated 3/12/05 4:58:30 AM, jhecht@ALUM.MIT.EDU writes:

<<Second, one would expect that the more the van costs to start, the less the
repairs
should be after that, since presumably the cheap vans are those that need more
investment.

. . .   . . .

Third, we need to control for where it was bought (east coast vans are more
than west coast, due to lack of supply) >>

Firstly, regardless of one's expectations, there is no correlation between
the initial cost and the cost of subsequent repairs.  Believe me, I have tons of
empirical data which dismisses that assumption.  But, there is a definite
relationship between the cost of a van and the amount of shuck and jive the
seller can exude.

Secondly, speaking in the general sense, I have found East Coast Vanagons to
be cheaper than on the West Coast . . . and nastier to boot.  I would
speculate that they are cheaper because they are a rarity or, perhaps, an orphan.
Like any orphan, nobody wants them and that is what drives the price, not supply.

I recall the guy from whom I bought my last Syncro raving about being able to
get four thousands more for it than I was offering if he were back in Oregon.
 I reminded, Toto, he wasn't in Oregon anymore.  I got the van.  He didn't
get the four large.

George