In a message dated 98-05-30 16:31:56 EDT, prbrrh@PROAXIS.COM writes:

<< hello everyone,
   my wife wants me to sell my 87 vanagon syncro-- i say no way -- she
 says yes way.   any way she says the syncro is an expensive toy and it
 will cost large quantities of money to keep it on the road. i say all
 cars are expensive to operate. she has been reading my email from the
 list and she has this idea that vanagons (the syncro type) are expensive
 to keep and hard to get parts for the syncro system. i told her, not
 hard to find parts just expensive. anyway i want to keep the van because
 it is the best road trip vehicle that i have ever owned and it is built
 like a tank ( great for crashes). could someone on the list please give
 me some ammo to use in helping me convince my wife we should keep -
 Casper- the van is white , and that's the name my kids gave him . thanks
 to everyone in advance. happy vaning to all .

 Brian Rhodaback
 87 gl syncro
 96 subaru impreza outback 2.2L ( fast car)
  >>
Hi Brian, Look at it this way, the price of a new car is around 20K. Taxes and
license including dealer B.S. fees and destination charges will come around to
a total of $23,000.  Monthly payments are around $490 a month, not including
yearly taxes.  Now your vanagon should cost you no more than $100 a month  to
maintaine including the yearly taxes. In 5 years the new  car will have cost
you around $30,000, not including maintenance.  Your big roomy 4X4 vanagon
will have cost you in 5 years around $6000. It doesn't take a rocket sceintist
to see wich way is better to go. Dont forget that new car will depreciate
quite a bit.  Your syncro will hold its price the more rarer they get.
 Hope this convinces your wife.
 Michael M. 87 syncro.