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Old 04-05-2009, 05:13 PM   #11
ed1
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Re: Buying used - need advice

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Originally Posted by JoeyNick
If that calculation is for the base model, you also need to know what other options it has, if any. Starcool, 2000W inverter, bumpers... It would all factor in if it has any.
But only if you actually want those options.

Here is how I look at it.... if your plan is to use it primarily for winter camping then I would not calculate in the value of a starcool, but would calculate in the value of a furnace. On the other hand if used only in the summer I would calculate in the starcool but not the furnace. Might mean I pass on a lot of rigs, but why pay for things that you're not going to use.

I think $20K for a van that is 11 years old with 90k miles that had an original price of $34K is way too high.

$14 K or 40% of the orginal price for 11 years of use and the 90k best miles great deal for the original owner.

There is a reason why the van has a book value of only 25% of what it cost 10 years ago. The fact is the best miles are behind it. It won't start as smooth today as it did 10 years ago. It doesn't have a warentee. How many miles and years does the van have left before the body rots or it needs a new engine? Do you know?

This price suggest 60% of the useful life of the van is ahead of it and that there is zero value in choosing your own options, having a warentee, or in getting to own it new.

Do you know how well it was maintained? Odds are it has been being driven very close or over its GVWR for those 90k miles. The OO had a warenttee on both the van and the rest of the systems for the first 2 or 3 years he owned it. If the engine goes after 1000 miles that van just got much more expensive. There is a reason why folks don't buy 10 year old vans and bring them to SMB for a conversion, year or two old maybe but not 10 years old.

And even if the engine does go another 100K without issues, you have an 11 year old fridge, 11 year old microwave, 11 year old hot water heater, etc. None under warentee. How old are the batteries?

I think it is seriously over priced. Not to say that doesn't mean the seller won't find a buyers. And the value of anything is the price a willing buyer is willing to pay an willing seller. Being there are so few used SMB on the market (as compared to other used RVs) he might get it.

But for me the best thing about a new SMB is getting to customize it, I won't pay the customization premium on a used one. Which means in this buyers market if I go used it will probably not be an SMB. But I haven't decided if I am going new or used yet and if I go new, it probably will be an SMB.

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Old 04-05-2009, 06:29 PM   #12
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Re: Buying used - need advice

Supply and demand.


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Old 04-06-2009, 10:11 AM   #13
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Re: Buying used - need advice

when i bought my 2000 it came out to be about 25 after all said and done

check the used prices of vanagon westfalias and vw eurovan campers - a 85 vanagon still fetches quite a bit and the are notorious for having head gasket problems
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Old 04-06-2009, 11:06 AM   #14
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Re: Buying used - need advice

I agree with stiggs! I still see VW Syncros selling for more than $50 thousand!

Like what Herb says,"supply and demand"!
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Old 04-06-2009, 04:37 PM   #15
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Re: Buying used - need advice

All calculations aside, it boils down to the old market economy principle, supply and demand, as Herb says. As for supply, there isn't much of it.

Having owned two Westfalias in the past, I can do without their same-day acceleration or burned pistons.

Someone else might buy the van while I'm trying to decide whether to part with my 20 grand. Oh well.

On second thought, I'll offer the seller 18 and see.

Thanks folks for your great inputs. I'll keep you posted on any developments.
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