Has the bubble burst???

[marcher]

I'm just seeing if anyone else thinks that the bubble may of burst??? I have sold a few vans in my time, but never had to work so had and it keep lowering the asking price.
I have seen and know of vans that have been reduced countless time and still dont sell.
I know that money is tight for everyone at the moment and there seems to be even more people trying to sell imports (which is fine) but even these dont seem to be moving??

With summer around the corner i thought that "van" market would be up a flying by now.

Maybe it's just me :?: :lol:

 

[aspro]

It's definitely a buyers market at the moment. Markets always move in cycles. Same thing happened back home about 2 years ago. You couldn't give away a bay. Now people are asking top $ again and getting it. If you can afford to hold out for a while, it might be a good idea. I'm just not sure how long.

 

[CHILDSEY]

I think in some cases the asking price is unrealistic.
I`ve just got Volksworld and Camper and Bus magazines, looking through classifieds there are vans (bays) for sale at close to £20,000.
I bought my van 3 years ago for £8000, now to buy a similar van would be nearly double that :shock:
However as mentioned the asking price and what they actually sell for, can be two very different things :?
Anyway i`m off to pop a for sale sign in the window of my van
Cheers Paul.

 

[ZedBed]

The strongest market is for late bay campers - that's what your newbie wants - a 2L engine, disc brakes and a pop-top. - they don't know earlies even exist as something different. Nor are they aware that there are panel van conversions and factory window ones. They just want to camp, have fun and not break down. They want them finished completely and usually prefer a more modern interior. It's not the classic car market as with EB's - something else.

They do not want slammed to the floor narrowed beam and a monster engine. Shame as there are bargains on here that fit that description. They also want RHD. People do still buy done up Aussie LB's for £30k+.

 

[marcher]

The strongest market is for late bay campers - that's what your newbie wants - a 2L engine, disc brakes and a pop-top. - they don't know earlies even exist as something different. Nor are they aware that there are panel van conversions and factory window ones. They just want to camp, have fun and not break down. They want them finished completely and usually prefer a more modern interior. It's not the classic car market as with EB's - something else.

Thats what i was selling :lol: :lol: couldnt sell it, nor did anyone even come to see it??
Year MOT/full Westy interiour/ few "used"marks sold it for sub £6k :roll: and that was a stuggle

 

[ZedBed]

The strongest market is for late bay campers - that's what your newbie wants - a 2L engine, disc brakes and a pop-top. - they don't know earlies even exist as something different. Nor are they aware that there are panel van conversions and factory window ones. They just want to camp, have fun and not break down. They want them finished completely and usually prefer a more modern interior. It's not the classic car market as with EB's - something else.

Thats what i was selling :lol: :lol: couldnt sell it, nor did anyone even come to see it??
Year MOT/full Westy interiour/ few "used"marks sold it for sub £6k :roll: and that was a stuggle

And yet I get people calling all the time asking if know of any for sale because they can't find a half decent one for a fair price!

It seems like a buyers market when you're selling and a sellers market when you're buying doesn't it? :lol:

Maybe too cheap made people suspicious? It's all a bit of a mystery to me. I generally chat to all my customers and ask what they paid and when - I'm nosey! There is no sense to it at all. I see £30k ones that are no better than £6k ones, £6k ones worth £500, a £4k one I'd have paid £10k for, the list goes on. Possibly, people are more clued up now than a few years ago and as the price has risen, think a bit harder about their purchase? Not saying that doesn't just lead to more confusion though. :lol:

One trend I have spotted is bright airy and modern inside with a flashy hob is a seller - nice curtains and clean seat covers, no chips in the furniture. Not everyone is keen on bedding down on a 40 year old bit of foam that's seen who knows what action and looking up at a grubby roof. :lol: Same as modernising the inside of an old character building - it's what a lot of people want.

One mans meat is another's poison though, I'm just hypothosising (speling?) and as baffled as you are.

[Edit] Oh Dear - I have a late devon to finish and sell. Still, I've just talked myself into what I need to do. Luckily the pop-top's all good as the rest will have to go in a skip if I want to sell it. :lol:

 

[Pete B]

Think Zed is pretty spot on. Twice this week I have had to stop myself from smacking someone in the chops for their 'are you doing it up?' and 'that's a hell of a project but sure will look good when it's done' comments. The world seems to be full of brainless cretins who have no concept of history, character, the mechanics of classic vehicles and dare I use the word, 'patina'? Personally I would hate to sell any 'proper' VW to these ignorant ungrateful souls and would steer them in the direction of water cooled Danburys. To be honest, these are the folk who have no comprehension of early/late/air/water cooled and would probably be more happy with a Traffic/Vito/Transit based conversion. Lets be honest, a lot of people want a camper van and just follow the stupid fairy stereotype image of the vw (splitscreen!) as being the best way when we all know if you want something to actually use, pretty much anything else more modern will do a far,far superior job.
Prices, yep, when I want to buy, the prices go silly high even though common sense says when I want to sell they will drop through the floor (not that my bus is for sale, my boy would dissown me!)

 

[Clem]

I'd say the credit crunch/recession is now affecting a wider spectrum of people who rode the early storm out with regular income ... Spending habits have changed as the financial crisis has continued and shows no sign of recovery.

One thing I think is that a couple of years back people would happily sling a bus on the mortgage knowing that property equity would soon pay for it, that's no longer the case and it's unlikely they could borrow it, at a reasonable rate, anyway .... It all has an effect.

There are still folk spending, but just less of them to go around.

 

[Rosie]

The world seems to be full of brainless cretins who have no concept of history, character, the mechanics of classic vehicles and dare I use the word, 'patina'?

Yup. 'fraid so. And not just about vans/buses either. ;/

 

[ZedBed]

Excellent replies.
But not giving a monkeys quite what you've got, and actually enjoying the thing instead of talking about it and polishing it's original patina paint doesn't make you a brainless cretin does it. :lol: - quite the opposite IMHO.

 

[Pete B]

Perhaps my choice of phrase was not the most intelligent, diplomatic or accurate. It had been a long day, rather stressful and the bottle of red was rapidly being depleted!!!
Everyone is different (thank God!) and have different priorities.
Prior to purchase of my bus, No.1 on the list was 'air cooled VW, as old as possible' hence the brief appearance of a '63 Bug. Further on the list would have been any air cooled VW, closely followed by any old interesting car or van. It just so happens I went down the EB route.
I think the 'other' folk have 'camper van' as their No.1 on the list with VW a spot or two below, and a Danbury/Vito/Transit would equally meet their requirements, a fairly different outlook to mine that's for sure.
Neither is right or wrong, just different and it would appear that perhaps the market (buyer) is changing?

Still get wound up by the questions/comments from those who deem a nice new Ikea sofa superior to a worn antique chaise longue......

In the rear window of my bus it says, 'If I have to explain, you wouldn't understand'..... 'Nuff said.

 

[ZedBed]

"I think the 'other' folk have 'camper van' as their No.1 on the list with VW a spot or two below, and a Danbury/Vito/Transit would equally meet their requirements, a fairly different outlook to mine that's for sure."

You didn't quite back-pedal enough there Pete!
You are coming over (to me at least) as a bit of a snob!

If what you say were true, there is no way any of these people would choose a T2 over a nice warm reliable "camper of uncertain origin". Why should they have a transit, when they want a cute and amusing a/c dub to camp in and meet other like minded folk? Are you suggesting they are somehow not deserving? It's just a van - there are millions of them.

Maybe I should have a transit too? After all I've customised my interior so maybe "ruined" it? And I once burnt a Devon interior.

Big from me on this post and a good :lol: - I haven't opened the wine yet. :mrgreen:

Z

 

[matt-me]

I'd say the credit crunch/recession is now affecting a wider spectrum of people who rode the early storm out with regular income ... Spending habits have changed as the financial crisis has continued and shows no sign of recovery.

One thing I think is that a couple of years back people would happily sling a bus on the mortgage knowing that property equity would soon pay for it, that's no longer the case and it's unlikely they could borrow it, at a reasonable rate, anyway .... It all has an effect.

There are still folk spending, but just less of them to go around.

Wise words Clem. Perhaps there are less people to go round willing to commit money in these uncertain times, but also are there more vans coming in? There are some good buses for sale at the moment. It makes me laugh when i see wanted ad's when there is such a good choice right there, i can see where marcher may be coming from. Also, we are in a recession so it's all about head down and working harder isn't it?

I've just had a great weekend at the Meadowlands festival outside Lewes and there were a good few vans there, all sorts, and a good cross section of standards, everyone enjoying the festival and their vans. That's what vans are all about, and if there are more on the road, all the better. Van ownership (and especially for me EB), whilst you have to keep on top of them, is one of life's simple pleasures.

Al

 

[ZedBed]

It's been a bit of an "in thing" in the past 5 years, leading to silly prices really. Maybe most people who want one have got one now and we can get back to paying £5K tops which, lets be honest, is all they're really worth...

 

[RICH-I-AM]

It's been a bit of an "in thing" in the past 5 years, leading to silly prices really. Maybe most people who want one have got one now and we can get back to paying £5K tops which, lets be honest, is all they're really worth...

Yours might be.
Mines worth 40k, honest :mrgreen:

 

[ZedBed]

It's been a bit of an "in thing" in the past 5 years, leading to silly prices really. Maybe most people who want one have got one now and we can get back to paying £5K tops which, lets be honest, is all they're really worth...

Yours might be.
Mines worth 40k, honest :mrgreen:

Mine isn't.

 

[sparkywig]

It's been a bit of an "in thing" in the past 5 years, leading to silly prices really. Maybe most people who want one have got one now and we can get back to paying £5K tops which, lets be honest, is all they're really worth...

Yours might be.
Mines worth 40k, honest :mrgreen:

Mine isn't.

Mine is, the insurance valuation says so......

 

[Geeze]

Sideways vote in favour of the 'non-scene' veedubbers.
Friends of ours (other parents from the school) have one - a late bay westie - and yes there's a strong element of the isn't it lovely.

But also it sleeps four, fits in the garage / multistorey / anywhere else and has cooker, fridge cupboards etc.
They looked at replacing it last year for something more economic (acknowledging it would be a more boring alternative) but couldn't find anything. Bongos are just seats and beds, most transits / ducatos / etc are hightop or coachbuilt and pretty much everything else they looked at either wouldn't have slept four in comfort or didn't have a proper forward facing bench in the back with seatbelts for the kids.
In the end, they found themselves looking at TD wedgies and then figured that they may as well keep the bay for the sake of a few more mpg

 

[ZedBed]

Mine is, the insurance valuation says so......

Would you like me to come and nick it then? You'd be quids in - I've seen the pics.

 

[sparkywig]

:lol: