Do you ever get to a point where you swear up and down you’re done exploring new projects and vehicle types, content to stick with what you know? I get that way more and more, especially since what limited time there is for projects gets even more limited by the week. However, every now and again you see a vehicle that makes you chuck that practical mindset out the window, and you’re ready to dive down a new rabbit hole all over again. In the case of the Volkswagen Doka pickup, I’ve always loved these and with room for a family and their gear, it’s actually a little bit practical, too. They come up for sale rarely, so check out this 1987 Doka listed here on craigslist for $32,000. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Tony Primo for the tip.

Curiously, this Doka appeared on Bring A Trailer not all that long ago, where it sold for a bargain basement price of $16,000. If you read into the comments, it seems the winning bidder was waiting for an email from the seller, which may have never happened. Given the price was absurdly low and the Doka was listed with no reserve, I’m guessing this was a case of seller’s remorse and he’s decided to list it for the price he thinks the VW is worth. However, if you look back through other T3 Doka listings, the two-wheel drive models tend to sell for the upper teens and low 20s, so while the final bid was low, it wasn’t out of line.

This seller was in California when the Doka went onto BaT; now, it’s in Vermont. It’s hard to tell what exactly is going on, but there’s little doubt that this truck is minty inside and out. The seats have been replaced in the recent past, and the interior also features smart upgrades like a Blaupunkt CD stereo, and a 12-volt charging outlet. The best thing about the Dokas, in my view, is the usable back seat and having three proper doors to make it easy to enter and exit the cabin. Since these trucks were never sold stateside, any Doka you see here in the states have been imported by a previous owner, which hopefully means all importation and customs paperwork is in good order.

The Doka is powered by a 1.6-liter diesel inline-four, and since this is a European-market example, it also gets the engine options that weren’t available in the U.S. at the time. While I’m sure it is laughably slow, a diesel seems like the right engine in a workhorse like this. It makes around 50 horsepower and 71 lb.-ft. of torque, so plan your merges accordingly. The coolest thing about this particular truck is the wild Vindic hard-shell bed cover that was previously sourced from Finland! While it’s hard to say what transpired on BaT between the seller and supposed buyer, it’s clear this T3 isn’t going to go cheaply.