1973 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia

cool

barely

i think

Clear

Gasoline

Wow. Someone actually accepted a counter bid best offer from me. Well, actually, they did, but they didn’t. My wife was already packing her bags to meet Annie Lennox in London, via a connecting flight, when I had to sit her down. “They guy thought I had accepted his initial offer.” You see, he is over 50, like me. Poor guy thought he had me for a song. I thought I had saved my marriage. Order cancelled, and here we are again. I offer up, for those not up to date on this ongoing, what I am now calling epic, attempt to sell my 1973 Karamnn Ghia coupe, an ad by ad recap below, in addition to this new copy. It is summer, of course, and average temperatures inside the Ghia during the day hover at around 110 degrees. Add humidity, and you are immediately transported back to the beginning of automotive history, and the reasons why the open carriage, horse drawn vehicles were neck and neck in sales with cars. My mechanic refuses to put air-conditioning in the Ghia. Apparently, it will draw so much power that I would have to get outside of Ghia and push her from destination to destination, defeating the purpose of the air-conditioning in the first place. On a recent test drive, a potential buyer had me simply stop the car, opting to take the bus back to her car, parked 2.1 miles away. …made all the more humiliating because the bus beat me.*sigh* to the recap: How can a car that originally sold for 2250. be on the market for 16000. ? this is a volkswagen, for goodness sake; these cars are used as sandbags in emergencies. A group of neighborhood kids once hoisted a karmann ghia into a treehouse because it was easier than hauling up an abandoned sofa . a well maintained lawn mower can regularly beat a karmann ghia on a straightaway. a common door latch has more inherent technology built into it. the answer is simple. I am out of my mind. Yup. The fact that I even consider this 50 horsepower oddly shaped piece of metal a sports car is cause for, as my wife puts it….”concern.” Every day, as you know from my last listing, she asks, “Have you sold your stupid car yet?” Somebody sent me an ebay message; “Does your wife know you’re asking too much for your Karmann Ghia?” You see? That’s the perception. I am crazy to be asking sixteen thousand dollars for this…this…pedal car. What is it about Annie Lennox and myself that we see what others don’t see? You’ll recall that Annie Lennox recently commented that “I just love the elegance of [ the Karmann Ghia’s ] design. They don't make creatures like this anymore folks!” Apparently, they don’t buy creatures like this anymore, either. Indeed, American industrial designer Walter Dorwin Teague selected a Karmann-Ghia for his list of the world's most beautifully designed products. quite a compliment for a 42 year old car. But really; to that admonishing ebayer that probably drives a Toyota Camry, my valuation is just not…well, practical. Ah! There’s the rub! It IS worth 16000 impractical dollars; we ALL have practical and impractical purchases- I bet that ebayer with the Toyota Camry has heated seats – Hey! Move to California ! Back to Ghia, the impractical purchase. This is pure emotion, from the moment you sit behind the wheel, to the moment you feel the wind through the hand as the car rolls slowly, and I mean slowly, toward the roadway from your garage. The heart pulses. With a 0 – 60 speed of approximately 35 seconds, you have a lot of heart pulsing between you and cruising speed. An impractical, emotional purchase. Let’s throw in impulsive- As all Ghia owers will attest, you never really actually remember purchasing the Karmann Ghia. One day you just….have one . Was it the tequila ? So where does all this leave us ? Are there practical ways to determine the fair price of an impractical purchase ? Turns, out there a fair amount of people just like me – out of their mind Karmann Ghia sellers…and here’s the weirdest thing of all …there are a fair amount of out of their mind Karmann Ghia BUYERS. Look! https://www.hagerty.com/valuationtools/HVT/VehicleSearch/Report?vbe=75832 Above, at Hagerty, my Karmann Ghia is described as ‘Condition 2’: #2 cars could win a local or regional show. They can be former #1 cars that have been driven or have aged. Seasoned observers will have to look closely for flaws, but will be able to find some not seen by the general public. The paint, chrome, glass and interior will all appear as excellent. No excessive smoke will be seen on startup, no unusual noises will emanate from the engine compartment. The vehicle will drive as a new car of its era would. The one word description for #2 cars is "excellent." And, tracking values from 2006 [ when America itself was valued at $ 2250. ], when the Ghia was 10,400. , it has, as of May of this year, tracked upward to 17,000. At NADA classic car valuation site, http://www.nadaguides.com/Classic-Cars/1973/Volkswagen/Karmann-Ghia/2-Door-Coupe/Values there is a range of average price to high price of 12,050 to 23,000. Take THAT, e-bay Eurythmics haters! Impractical purchasers, bid with…with ….oh, heck, whatever. After that wild night, you’re just going to see that Ghia in your driveway, and wonder how it got there. p.s. yes- this is ebay's bluebumpe - feel free to contact me through that name second copy Don’t Bid On This Beautiful 1973 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia coupe No one else has. With Volkswagen itself placing ads in the 1970s like, “You’d lose,” what’s the point? I mean, it looks like a sports car. But it isn’t. It’s barely a lawnmower. Yes, it’s designed by the House of Ghia; you know, the ones who live in Turin, Italy, and designed for Ferrari. So what ? Volkswagen called the Karmann Ghia a house-broken tiger. Broken. It’s like your kid brother that went to Harvard; he’s still your kid brother. So what am I to do ? I have tried to sell this for about a year on ebay. Nothing. I have heard from Ghia owners, proudly displaying their Karmann Ghias. You want to hear a funny thing ? They love their Ghias! What? It is as though they are introducing me to a child of theirs. Speaking of children, they actually love this car, too. Kids line up in front of mine in parking lots, thinking it is some sort of supermarket ride that goes up and down. But sell this ? I can’t give it away. I’ve tried to explain this to my wife. Speaking of Italy, all she sees in this is vacation money. Frankly, she is embarrassed for me; a grown man driving around in a bumper car. What am I going to do ? Truthfully, I, like all the other Ghia owners, love this car. I admit, it’s hard to explain. I lie awake at night, trying to figure it out. What’s….wrong with me ? Every day, the first thing my wife asks is, “Have you sold that stupid car yet?” No. So, all I am asking is that you indulge me a bit. At least inquire. Come on, car enthusiasts; you know, more than anyone else how hard it is to explain such automotive passions to your wife. Someone out there, help me show my wife at least some interest. Recently, I proudly showed my wife an article quoting Annie Lennox, calling the Karmann Ghia “elegant.” My wife asked me if I had sold the Karmann Ghia yet. So please, everyone. Flood me with ...’interest.’ I know you’d never buy it in a million years, but I have to keep my marriage together. I love my wife. And, if you happen to know someone who knows someone who know Annie Lennox, tell her I will give her this Karmann Ghia if she just takes my wife on an “elegant” trip to Italy, starting in Turin. first copy: i purchased this 1973 karmann ghia coupe in 1989, in los angeles California; I am the second owner, the first owner having put approximately 63,000 miles on the Ghia. thus a 25 year relationship between car and man flourished; this car is a family member, with all of the requisite joys, disappointments, and surprises any familial relationship affords. I have travelled across America twice in Ghia; I have delighted in every single ride in Ghia, regardless of whether Ghia has, from time to time, not been able to get me all of the way home [ gas pedal cable break, shift cable snap, out of gas, and, indeed, just outside of Beaver, Utah, during BeaverFest [where grown men dress up as beavers], a blown engine ]. Sometimes, Ghia was beat up at the playground [ the challenges to keeping a perfect Ghia 'nose' are not to be exaggerated ]; I have always taken care of Ghia [ most of the records of maintenance, repair, and bodywork have been kept ] interestingly, Ghia has been earning her keep in recent years; Cooper Classic Cars in New York has regularly 'hired' Ghia for a variety of print and film work, including the J Crew Catalog, Target, and countless fashion shoots -- true provenance ! The unique aspect of this particular Ghia is that it is extremely well maintained as well as being a driven vehicle; granted, ever since the purchase of a Volvo C30, I have averaged a 10 mile trip about town once a month or so, this car is not locked away in some museum-like environment; it get outs, to see and be seen. Every little thing, from a faulty light, to the occasional mysterious noise, is lovingly fixed, or coddled , by Gene's Foreign Car Service in Broomall, Pennsylvania, Ironically, Gene's is the best 'doctor' Ghia has ever had; no California repair shop can even come close to the expert maintenance offered at Gene's. The fact is, it is time to allow this family member to fly the nest. I am not able to give over to Ghia the time it deserves to continue to see the world and be seen. I have given it one last spa treatment, overseen by Brent Morgan Motor Cars, in West Chester, PA. Ghia is absolutely glowing now. . .and I am ready to hand it over the lucky individual who will no doubt be celebrating Ghia's 50th year in 2023. With Ghia, you will blink and the years will fly by. . 4. A $1,000 non-refundable deposit is required within 48 hours of close. This deposit reserves the vehicle and removes it from the market. Acceptable payment types for deposit are: paypal. 6. I have represented this vehicle to the best of its ability. 7. Please be aware that all pre-owned vehicles, regardless of age, mileage, or manufacturer are subject to cosmetic wear and mechanical failure. I encourage buyer to have a personal inspection completed prior to delivery to help ensure your satisfaction. Third party inspections are to take place prior to a vehicles shipment or delivery. 8. All vehicles are sold "AS IS" and with no warranties expressed or implied. 9. Final price does not include shipping, tax, title, or registration fees. It is the purchaser's responsibility to provide for any state or local taxes and shipping expenses resulting from the sale. 10. I assume no responsibility for damages or delays incurred once vehicle is in a shipper's custody. 11. I bear no liability and shall be held harmless for any complications, expenses, or damages resulting from a failure to meet these terms as they have been set forth and established herein.