Man, Mark, check out www.thesamba.com Vanagon classifieds.  I have two buses
and can't afford any more, but it is fun reading. Always amazes me - anytime
of year, there are sweet buses fro any budget for sale.  A friend of mine
has a '85 GL for sale at $3500 right now.

Pete
'79 Westy "Aardvark"
'87 Westy "Joe's Van"
WWW.Busesbythebeach.com

On Tue, Dec 8, 2009 at 6:27 PM, Mark Hineline <hineline@helix.ucsd.edu>wrote:

> About a month ago I asked for opinions about whether I should get a
> Vanagon or a 1980s-vintage Toyota van.
>
> You all convinced me.
>
> However...
>
> My initial plan was to sell my GTI for about $5000, pick up a Vanagon
> for $2500 to $3500 (lots of them here), and do tires, fuel lines,
> coolant hoses, etc. The major flaw in this theory is that I've found
> the bone yards, where Vanagons used to be a dime a dozen, relatively
> empty. The theory is that this is partly a consequence of cash for
> clunkers, but it does give me pause.
>
> So my revised plan is to hold onto the GTI and open up a revenue
> stream for a Vanagon, roughly on the order of a $4000 purchase price
> and $4000 a year in repairs, replacements, and mods, for five years.
>
> Does that sound about right?
>
> Mark in Vanagon-filled San Diego
>