> If you don't know how to fix a Vanagon, let alone a Syncro 
> which is twice as bad at least, I wouldn't even think about 
> buying a van and driving it cross country. You should be able 
> to ship it for 600-800 if you are patient.
>    We had a potential customer buy a west coast Wolfsburg 
> sight unseen and had an acquaintance drive it cross country.  
> It was a 3000 dollar disaster with multiple breakdowns.  All 
> to save a couple of hundred dollars in shipping costs.  She 
> was so traumatized by her first month of Vanagon ownership we 
> never heard from her again.

I've done it a couple of times myself. In my case it's generally been the
enjoyment of the journey home, not the desire to save money, that was the
motivating factor. Shortly before I started the Depot, I bought an '83 Westy
sight-unseen from a fellow in San Francisco.  I had him bring it to Volks
Caf� in Santa Cruz. They treated me right, looked it over carefully, and
fixed a few issues. (I would never have considered doing this without having
it checked over by a qualified shop prior to my flight out.)  My wife and I
flew out from Pennsylvania, and spent several weeks driving it back east at
a leisurely pace. Oh, the memories of that trip ... we had a blast!  To
complete the story, the folks who bought the van from me ended up becoming
my best friends, and later my daughter's godparents. That was over ten years
ago, and they still have that Westy.  In fact, we got together for a campout
just last weekend!

That said, for every story like mine, there's one that didn't end as well.
It is definitely risky driving any unknown, high-mileage used vehicle a long
distance on its "virgin flght" under your command. Having the van thoroughly
inspected by a shop you trust (if you can find one remotely) can mitigate
but not eliminate the risk. It's a used car; anything can happen.  You have
to balance the positives (in my case the fun of the trip; for others,
perhaps, the savings) against the risks (which can involve substantial
time/cost if a "worst case scenario" occurs) and decide if taking the chance
is for you.

 - Ron Salmon
  The Bus Depot, Inc.
  www.busdepot.com
  (215)  234-VWVW

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