The best thing you can do if you are going to shell out more than 1500
dollars for the van is to spend 50 dollars and have it checked over by a
reliable VW mechanic - things to look for: ball joints, brakes;
compression and exhaust system (including exhaust manifolds which are not
cheap)- if any one of these components is faulty
then you should consider a) going for a lower price based on what it would
cost to replace and b) walk away if you don't feel comfortable about the
deal. You can be the judge of the body by running a magnet through the
fender areas (bondo is not steel). If the seats look really ragged then
you know that any suspension problems will probably have to be addressed soon:
why? seats and the
interior are good indicators of a) how much mileage is really on the van
and b) how well the owner looked after it.
DC
 

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David Carment
School of International Affairs
Carleton University
Ottawa, Ontario
K1S 5B6
voice - (613) 788-2600-6662
fax - (613) 788-9882
Email address: dcarment@ccs.carleton.ca
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