Why are parts on the Samba so freaking expensive ?
 

Every time I go there I see trash or just generally not so nice parts at some Crazy price

Things that are no way worth what they are for beyond ebay pricing

even common parts....
Who is pricing these items

I mean every now and then a decent (not bargain) price pops up
but its just wild

The 2 items I actually purchased both were junk when received
and just walked away from that place....


whats the deal !??

I think even old VWs are getting swept up in the vintage car market frenzy. If true that would really stink - I've always liked the fact that old VWs were still affordable for the average hobbyist.

Only buses are expensive. Westfalias mostly. A clean water cooled vanagon Westy is 25-40 grand.

same actors who are on Ebay asking $3800 for a used MFI pump core, they are trying to set a market price on Pcar stuff
just ignore them, no one pays that kind of ransom bs.

There are a few dismantlers that are running 80% of the ads it seems. sometimes, they are asking more for ratty used parts than the parts can be had new at the dealership. If there were a 'for sale by owner only' filter, Samba would be a great resource. I've bought and sold a lot of stuff there.

the buyers................

I was once told off by a seller here to check ebay if I don't like his prices.

:(

Yeah, and it comes from one of the professional part sellers. If you watch, you can find out who is doing this as a living, and who is just an enthusiast trying to trade parts with other enthusiasts. If you can avoid the pro parts sellers/flippers, prices might come down some.

There really needs to be a way of identifying who is a professional parts trader on here and the Samba. 6 or more adds a year and you get flagged etc.

It's easy to tell my the number of ads and the kinds of parts.

The discerning split bus market was up before the recession and now its back way up. It is not limited to westys although the early ones have taken off again. Anything original paint, 23 windows, 15 windows, barndoors, or otherwise rare are high as well, which is really no surprise. I sold all of my splittys, except for a 60 SO23, in part, due to my first 911. I could be wrong as I spend way more time on this forum than the Samba these days, but the thing that has surprised me is the interest in single cabs, which used to be a lesser brother to doublecabs. Personally, I've always thought the SCs more attractive and functional than the DCs and if I add another split bus, it'll be an SC. Very versatile little trucks.