Anywhere from a couple hundred dollars for a "parts bus"--one that's only fit to be torn down for the parts in it--to $50,000 for a really pristine, all-original 21-Window Bus. The latter one won't ever be driven--it's a show car that lives its life in buildings and trailers.

If you want a good working bus that's a little rough around the edges to use for its intended purpose--carrying happy people, cargo and maybe a surfboard or two--figure $15,000-$20,000 for a Eurovan (4th generation, front engine and watercooled) $2500-$3000 for a Vanagon (3rd generation, rear engine, usually watercooled but sometimes aircooled), $2500-$5000 for a "breadloaf" bus (2nd generation--1969 until 1979; single windshield, always aircooled), and $5000-$15,000 for a split-windshield Bus (1968 and earlier).

Eurovans and Vanagons are sold on condition and options, as are most recent-vintage cars. Of the two, Eurovan is what you get if you want a good reliable car you can get parts for easily. In fact, it's a really good car--it's about midway in size between a Dodge Caravan and a Ford Econoline. It's front-wheel-drive. It can have the VR6 or TDI engines in it, so it moves out very efficiently. But...it's not the old classic Bus we're all familiar with. I used to be on the T2.com email list, where Eurovan is described in the FAQ as "both ugly and off-topic." If you want the engine in the back, the Vanagon has many advantages over earlier buses. It's also largely equipped, since 1984, with the "wasserboxer" engine, which is not-so-lovingly referred to as the "wasserleaker" engine for reasons you will understand once you get one. It's possible to put the engine out of a Rabbit, Golf or Jetta in it, using an adapter kit from Kennedy Engineered Products, the motor mounts out of a wrecked Diesel Vanagon (which had a Rabbit engine in it from the factory) and a huge toolbox.

There are three versions of the Loaf: Any Loaf 1971 or earlier has the same engine the Bug has in it. The advantage here is engine parts are inexpensive compared to later models, and easier to find. The disadvantage is the engines are more fragile than the later ones. Loafs 1972 and later have the "Type 4" engine. This engine was created to fix all the problems with the Type 1 engine. An example: the cooling fan on the Type 4 engine is bolted to the end of the crankshaft. If your belt breaks, your engine won't melt fifteen seconds later, like will happen on the T1. You WILL be running off the battery, because the alternator is still at the other end of that belt, but new batteries are cheaper than new engines. The T4 engine also has more power, and it's always bigger--1700cc to 2000cc. The disadvantage is it's WAY harder to get parts for one, and they're about twice as expensive. In that year range, there are two more distinctions: 1972s and 1973s have two Solex carbs, one over each head. 1974s and beyond all have Bosch L-Jetronic mechanical fuel injection. If the FI system is working right, that's what you want. If it's not working right...well, let's just say some of the parts are no longer available new, like the deceleration valve and the throttle switch. Your saving grace is Bosch convinced so many manufacturers to put L-Jetronic on so many cars, you should be able to find any part you need in a good-size junkyard. Junkyard diving is a skill ALL Volkswagen drivers need, and it's fun too.

Split-window buses are priced based on what they are, and you have to be real careful here--if you go to thesamba.com and look at the prices, you can see $15,000 buses with holes in the floor.

So let's see...Eurovan if you want high reliability, Vanagon or loaf if you want high usability with the engine in the back, and split-window if you want high style.

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