Bus Value Data Point

[hippiewannabe]

We see a lot of ads with asking prices, but we don't often see actual transaction prices or firm offers, so thought I'd share.

I mentioned to someone who noticed my bus that I haven't been using it, and should probably sell it. Apparently he told someone who told someone, and a week or so ago I was working in the yard with the garage door open, and a fellow stops by, saying he had been driving around the area because he heard there was a bus for sale. He asks if it is indeed on the market, and I said well, for the right price, everything is for sale. He asks a few questions, I start it up for him, and he asks how much I would take for it. I say $15K. He says he has $10K in $100 bills on his person, and would love to take it away then and there. Not sure if we could have arrived at a price in the middle if we had worked at it, but that day, at that time, I would have taken 15, and he would have given 10.

[Amskeptic]

We see a lot of ads with asking prices, but we don't often see actual transaction prices
Not sure if we could have arrived at a price in the middle if we had worked at it, but that day, at that time, I would have taken 15, and he would have given 10.

So, a slightly punky 77/78 might have sold for $12,500.00 yesterday in Michigan?

NADA GUIDE
1977 VW Westy Pricing

MSRPP .. Low .. Average ... High
$5,299
10/28/15
............. $6,850 .. $11,100 ... $23,200

09/21/16
............. $7,350 .. $12,250 ... $25,800 + 11 %

05/25/17
............. $8,650 .. $14,150 ... $28,900 + 12 %

09/23/17
............. $9,250 .. $15,300 ... $31,500 + 9 %

01/22/18
............. $9,700 .. $16,200 ... $33,400 + 6 %

07/15/19
........... $10,800 .. $17,500 ... $36,200 + 8 %

[hippiewannabe]

So, a slightly punky 77/78 might have sold for $12,500.00 yesterday in Michigan?

NADA GUIDE
1977 VW Westy Pricing

MSRPP .. Low .. Average ... High
$5,299
10/28/15
............. $6,850 .. $11,100 ... $23,200

09/21/16
............. $7,350 .. $12,250 ... $25,800 + 11 %

05/25/17
............. $8,650 .. $14,150 ... $28,900 + 12 %

09/23/17
............. $9,250 .. $15,300 ... $31,500 + 9 %

01/22/18
............. $9,700 .. $16,200 ... $33,400 + 6 %

07/15/19
........... $10,800 .. $17,500 ... $36,200 + 8 %

Wow, thanks for sharing that. I think I need to add more Westies to my 401K.

[satchmo]

Wow, thanks for sharing that. I think I need to add more Westies to my 401K.

Exactly why I added a 1990 Vanagon Multivan to my retirement portfolio; I get to enjoy restoring it, driving it, and having it appreciate in value. Plus it adds diversity to my investments.

The only other investment that pays off more handsomely is pre-paying your childrens' or grandchildrens' college tuition today while they are young. College tuition tends to increase in cost by 8% per year pretty reliably no matter what the economy is doing. Buy it now if you have little ones. Best investment I ever made.

Satchmo

[Abscate]

Wow, thanks for sharing that. I think I need to add more Westies to my 401K.

Exactly why I added a 1990 Vanagon Multivan to my retirement portfolio; I get to enjoy restoring it, driving it, and having it appreciate in value. Plus it adds diversity to my investments.

The only other investment that pays off more handsomely is pre-paying your childrens' or grandchildrens' college tuition today while they are young. College tuition tends to increase in cost by 8% per year pretty reliably no matter what the economy is doing. Buy it now if you have little ones. Best investment I ever made.

Satchmo

Thats the worst investment advice ever. Okay, my long position on Enron was probably worse.

ASKING PRICE for college tuition has gone up 8% but real college pricing has not. As a veteran of 48 semester tuition bills, not a single one was more than 1/3 of the asked price.

And - the more you save for college, the more you pay. Its a very financially corrupt system, Im sorry to report. If you move to the Empire state in time, though, and make household income under 125000, you can go to SUNY tuition free. Your choice of 65 campuses

[satchmo]

Wow, thanks for sharing that. I think I need to add more Westies to my 401K.

Exactly why I added a 1990 Vanagon Multivan to my retirement portfolio; I get to enjoy restoring it, driving it, and having it appreciate in value. Plus it adds diversity to my investments.

The only other investment that pays off more handsomely is pre-paying your childrens' or grandchildrens' college tuition today while they are young. College tuition tends to increase in cost by 8% per year pretty reliably no matter what the economy is doing. Buy it now if you have little ones. Best investment I ever made.

Satchmo

Thats the worst investment advice ever. Okay, my long position on Enron was probably worse.

ASKING PRICE for college tuition has gone up 8% but real college pricing has not. As a veteran of 48 semester tuition bills, not a single one was more than 1/3 of the asked price.

And - the more you save for college, the more you pay. Its a very financially corrupt system, Im sorry to report. If you move to the Empire state in time, though, and make household income under 125000, you can go to SUNY tuition free. Your choice of 65 campuses

I've made worse investments than Enron, for sure. The college tuition prepay, however, worked out well for me.

But here is how the system worked in Washington State: You can buy today up to five years of college at the current state university tuition rate. The money sits there growing at a rate equal to whatever the state decides to increase the tuition by each year. When your kid is ready to go to college, they can go to a state school tuition free, or use that money to pay expenses at any out of state or private school. Either way, your initial investment grows at a rate that is much better than typical savings, there is minimal risk of losing capital (like in the stock market), and no 'management' fees are taken off the top.

[vwlover77]

It's a nice example, for sure, but here's another data point:

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1972- ... en-bus-13/

[hippiewannabe]

We see a lot of ads with asking prices, but we don't often see actual transaction prices
Not sure if we could have arrived at a price in the middle if we had worked at it, but that day, at that time, I would have taken 15, and he would have given 10.

So, a slightly punky 77/78 might have sold for $12,500.00 yesterday in Michigan?

NADA GUIDE
1977 VW Westy Pricing

MSRPP .. Low .. Average ... High
$5,299
10/28/15
............. $6,850 .. $11,100 ... $23,200

09/21/16
............. $7,350 .. $12,250 ... $25,800 + 11 %

05/25/17
............. $8,650 .. $14,150 ... $28,900 + 12 %

09/23/17
............. $9,250 .. $15,300 ... $31,500 + 9 %

01/22/18
............. $9,700 .. $16,200 ... $33,400 + 6 %

07/15/19
........... $10,800 .. $17,500 ... $36,200 + 8 %

6/2/22
............ Low ...... Average ... High Retail

.......... $13,400 .... $22,800 ..... $48,300

Looks like the trend continues. The guy had been circling the neighborhood for the last couple weeks, waiting for me to return from Florida. He's now ready to go $15K. It's a good driver, but needs a fair bit of work if it is to be restored to original interior and repainted all pretty. That may be a fair price.

[Amskeptic]

In today's inflationary times, hold on to your assets.
Colin