>
>A ford Dealer offered me 10K for my 91 Vanagon Carat that has a wholesale
>blue book value of 11.8K...Are they trying to rip me off?? They say that there
>is not a market for VW Vanagons...and didnot believe that the blue book value
>is realistic....(my van is in good shape).....Does anybody have any advice??

Blue book, schmue book. They have a different book for each occasion. I
found 5 publications listing used car prices: the Edmunds, the Red book,
the blue book, the NADA (yellow) blue book, and another which I can't
remember. All give a wholesale and a retail price, yet even within these
categories, prices vary substantially. I just sold our (very nice) 87
Civic. Wholesale price in those books ranged from $1450 to $3500; retail
price went as high as $5025 (all prices after adjustment for miles and
options). The dealer offered $1700 (second bid) and I refused. A week
later, he advertised an 86 Civic for $3995!

For your information, here are the prices of the NADA Official Used Car
Guide - Retail Consumer Edition (the yellow "blue book") for Oct., Nov.,
Dec. 94:
1991 VOLKSWAGEN-AT-PS-AC (autom. transmission, power steering, a/c)
Station Wagon Carat	low retail	av'g retail	high retail
			$13,600		$15,400		$17,900
Add Stereo Tape		$50
Add Sunroof		$225
Add Power Sunroof 	$475
Add Custom Wheels 	$150
Add Cruise Control	$100
Add Power Door Locks	$50
Add Power Windows 	$100
Add Leather Seats	$175
Add Anti-Lock Brakes	$300
Add Syncro/4WD		$1,375
Deduct W/out AT		$500
Deduct W/out PS 	$125
Deduct W/out AC		$625

Sami, dakhlia@wuecona.wustl.edu