> Points out something that I've thought many, many times: The best place in
> the world to sell a vanagon is this listserv; the worst place in the world
> to buy a vanagon is this listserv. Anyone who would pay $31,000 for a 20
> year old vehicle is a moron.
>

I think you're missing an important aspect of the situation. Now sure, $31K
does indeed seem high if you judge all syncro westy vanagons as being equal.
Thing is, the average list member is more likely to have an extremely well
maintained vehicle, whereas the diligence of your average bozo selling on
ebay or your local Auto Trader mag (the opposite end of the spectrum) is a
very much a crapshoot.
It stands to reason that list members' Vanagons will tend to sell for more.
Really, the actual end cost differential between a poorly maintained Vanagon
and a well maintained one is fairly minimal once you factor in the cost of
bringing the former up to the condition of the latter. Frankly, I'm curious
where you've seen such a clean Syncro Westy as that one for less.
--
John Bange
'90 Vanagon
"Keine Bange, wir holen die Zange!"