What would be a reasonable asking price for my 1986 VW transporter?

boomerang

Hi all,

I have a white 1986 VW transporter (1.6 diesel) that I bought from my cousin four years ago. It's a commercial transporter converted into a camper, using parts and fittings from a Westfalia camper of the same vintage. There's approx 80k on the clock. I paid €4000 for it, and in the meantime, I spent a further €3k having it completely overhauled - all the rusted parts around the windscreen, footwells etc. all re-welded and re-sprayed. The guy who did it for me is based in Kilkenny and is a real pro - the van now looks as good as new.

I know it's not worth 7k, but I am thinking of selling it now through the Buy and Sell or carzone, and was wondering what would be a fair asking price?

It's driving great, no major problems that I'm aware of - exhaust is a bit smoky when starting up from cold and it definitely needs a new set of tyres. My brother's been driving it all summer and it hasn't let him down once. I'm not out to make a fortune on this or to swindle anyone - just want a fair price for it and no time wasters!

*Kol*

Put it in for €5k. It looks in good shape. Even if you ended up getting €4k for it it's no loss really after 4 years use.

(Congrats for thinly disguising an advert as a thread )

peasant

If there really is no rust (and it won't return by next year) and the interior is tidy, seenashow it's right hand drive, it could actually be worth 7k.

If you're going to find somebody willing to pay that is a different question though

Let someone have a good look at the engine, maybe get new glowplugs fitted (to improve the starting) and sort any other niggles ...you might just get your 7 k

*Kol*

peasant wrote: »

If there really is no rust (and it won't return by next year) and the interior is tidy, seenashow it's right hand drive, it could actually be worth 7k.

If you're going to find somebody willing to pay that is a different question though

Let someone have a good look at the engine, maybe get new glowplugs fitted (to improve the starting) and sort any other niggles ...you might just get your 7 k

I doubt it's worth €7k as a conversion. I would have to see more photos of the interior to be convinced. Plus it's missing the rear windows too.

peasant

*Kol* wrote: »

Plus it's missing the rear windows too.

Aaahh ..didn't spot that. One window missing wouldn't be too bad, as there is usually a wardrobe/cupboard in front of it anyway ...the other one however is an issue. Preferably you'd want an opening one there beside your bed.

Yes ..the condition and look of the interior is another factor, wouldn't want to comment without actually having seen it myself.

How and ever ...these things have stopped depreciating. Rust free, well repaired/restored examples are rare and there is a lot of crud around that still fetches 5k or more as they are now fast becoming quite fashionable, following in the footsteps of the Splitty and the Bay.

Original Westfalias in very good condition easily fetch well over 10 k ...even in Germany where there still is some choice.


But at the end of the day it'll be only worth as much as someone is willing to pay. With the season almost over that might not be as much as you want.

boomerang

It's the interior that lets it down... If it was a genuine Westfalia it'd be a different story, but the interior is very dark and drab with a lino floor and 3-in-1 fridge/cooker and pull-out bed salvaged from an actual Westfalia. The two front seats were taken from a Datsun! It is a panel van conversion at the end of the day. Genuine VW T25 camper fans would probably give it a miss.

The external repair work by Krazi Kombis in Kilkenny was second to none - the window surround had really rotted away, as had the footwells. It was a huge job to get done but it was either cough up or scrap the van. My only criticism is that they had to take off the pop-up roof to renovate the fibreglass, and in doing so had to replace the canvas, which they stapled on. It's a nice new canvas but the exposed staples from the staple gun look sh!te, to be honest!

I would have thought €3-€4k would be a reasonable price to be asking for it - €5-7k sounds like too much. My cousin later bought a genuine Westfalia camper c. 1985-1987 for about €5k I think and the interior is gorgeous by comparison. He says the engine is better in mine though - and he'd know as he's a diesel mechanic, and it was he fitted the engine!

peasant

yes, in that case 3-4 sounds more realistic.

There is an absolute ruin on carzone advertised for 3.7k ...you should be able to sell it for four-ish anyway without too much trouble

eyebrows63

seeing as this is a panel van converted, will it need a d.o.e every year or an engineers report. also would it be easy to get insurance on this, regards.......