The tendency to expect every old-school Volkswagen Bus to be a grand slam on eBay can leave us unprepared for spotting one at a potentially reasonable price point. You get so accustomed to someone asking for the sun and the moon in terms of a price that you might not even click on the listing. But in the case of this 1959 Volkswagen Bus, the seller seems to be starting from a reasonable price point, at least compared to what some sellers try to justify for an asking price. This Bus features the desirable split windshield design and a somewhat are paint scheme and is listed here on eBay for $12,500 or best offer.

Now, this is a shame: that awesome color combo of Mango Green over Seagull Gray has been covered up by some clearly home-brew paint job, likely when this Bus was just a throwaway item from a local hippy sleepover camp. There are a few guys in the air-cooled space who will openly admit they parted out or otherwise destroyed vintage Buses back in the day because they were relatively worthless. I can’t say I blame them, as there are plenty of vehicles I know I’ll look back on and wonder what was I thinking for selling it for what I did. But you can’t hold onto everything, nor can you spend years holding onto vehicles you don’t actually want under the premise of them potentially being worth more someday.

The Bus has clearly seen some things in its lifetime, as it’s effectively trashed in places. However, there’s also plenty of good news, including that the frame is said to be in good shape with just surface corrosion, and that the engine still runs, albeit with a remote fuel source hooked up. That’s to be expected if you don’t want to suck all sorts of old junk from the gas tank into the engine. The interior will need total restoration, just like the rest of the car, and some of the Bus-specific components have gotten hard to find. Fortunately, with a robust network of air-cooled enthusiasts still occupying almost every corner of the globe, you should be able to find spare parts without issue.

The seller further notes that the Bus rolls and steers but warns us not to get attached to the wheels shown in the pictures as it sounds like he’ll be keeping those wheels and the new tires they’re mounted on. You’ll still get something to roll on, but it likely will be quite a bit older than what’s shown here. There are no rear seats, either, which is one of those hard-to-find items. The seller does note the front and rear bumpers will be included, and that you’ll have to bring your own elbow grease to continue stripping off the awful blue paint. The factory color combo is quite attractive, and this Bus will look beautiful when it’s done.