1985 VW Wesfalia Pop-top camper in very good condition.  My wife and I bought this a little over a year ago thinking we'd use it for some weekend camping trips, but just haven't done it, so it needs to go.  We’ve ended up buying a cabin on the river instead of having this more mobile option, simply a better fit for us.  We have had some real fun bombing around the countryside just for drives here and there... Gets lots of looks and "thumbs up" from folks!

The pictures are those from the listing in April 2013… the prior owner was a lot more adept at digital photography than I am!  But the van has been garaged ever since then, and I doubt we’ve put more than 600 miles on it since we bought it (including the 340 mile drive from Dayton, OH to our farm), so it’s all the same.

Speaking of mileage, the odometer is broken at 62,450 miles, but prior to buying it I did a little investigating regarding that, and here’s what I can tell you:

I believe we are the 5^th owners.  The prior owners were a middle-aged couple who owned two prior Westfalias before this one, and knew the vans well.  From what the wife told me, her husband was really meticulous about his vans, but unfortunately a short time after buying this one he passed away (heart attack), and they never really used it… I think she said they’d been out in it twice.  She kept it for about two years after he died, and had a friend drive it every month or so, kept it serviced, etc.

Because her husband had been the “van guy” and she didn’t know a lot of the particulars, she put me in touch with the owner prior to them, a nice gentleman in Colorado.  He was very helpful over a couple of email exchanges, and answered several questions about the van.  Here is what he wrote to me about the mileage:

Me: How long did you own it (approx time and miles)?

Him: We purchased the van in Feb/Mar 2010. I posted a want ad on Craigslist in Denver and a lady responded with photos of a van she used once a year for a camping trip approx 500 miles round trip. The van had 72,XXX miles on it and everything in tact. (Odometer working) She bought from the original owner and kept it in great shape.  We drove the van from Colorado to California - Washington - back across to Ohio. 

Dayton, OH is where we picked up the van.  So take 72,xxx miles, add in the trip described above (4000-4500 miles?) plus a couple hundred miles for the owners prior to me, less than 600 since we bought it last year, and the actual mileage is probably pretty close to 78,000.  I know this is open to speculation since the odometer isn’t working, but all I can tell you is that the third owner seemed like a very reasonable person to me, and since he didn’t own the van anymore at that point, had nothing to gain by making things up.  One other thing I’ll mention is that the odometer is actually currently stuck at 62,450, not “72,xxx,” so if the third owner had a mistype in his email to me, or misremembered the mileage when he bought it by an even 10K, it could actually have 10,000 miles less on it.  Again, don’t know, just giving you data points to consider.

Other details:  The fridge needs a new gasket on the door.  We never tried any of the appliances, i.e. fridge, stove, sink, because we’ve never really used it other than to drive around, but the prior owner told us her husband had.  The pop-top works great, and the canvas is in reasonably good shape.  Very good tires.  This van runs great!  I’d drive it cross-country tomorrow.

The week we picked it up the prior owner had it checked out at her regular mechanic’s.  They put in a new battery, new belts, and changed the fluids.  As soon as we got it home I took it to our mechanic (of nearly 20 years) to have them take a thorough look at it in case it needed anything, and everyone at the shop was amazed at what great shape it was in for a 1985 vehicle… the manager said they were all fighting over who got to work on it!  I’d be happy to put you in touch with him if you have any questions that a mechanic could answer, and if you are truly interested, happy to take it back up there for them to look at anything in particular you want to know about mechanically.

I also have $1100+ dollars worth of goodies I bought from GoWesty to put on this, but just never did.  I can forward you the email detailing that order… everything from new “Westfalia” sticker for the pop-top, stuff to clean and freshen the top, a new hook-up package (water, electric, water tank filler), new lights, sound deadening material for the floors and door, just lots of stuff I bought wanting to really spiff it up.  It’s all included with the sale price.  I also put in a nice new stereo and speakers.

Bottom line is that this was one of those “boys and their toys” moments that just didn’t pan out for me.  So time to let her go.

Email or call with any questions.  By the way, I have 54 pictures total in a DropBox folder that I can send you access to.  Just email me.

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