Philosphical question: Why do we own our Deloreans?

[DMC3165]

What is it about the D that so many of us can't get enough of? Styling, History, the novelty of it, The attention?

A number of years back a good friend of mine told me "sometimes the fantasy is better then the reality". As a young kid I was a huge Star Trek fan and a fan of most other main stream science fiction as well. I saw BTTF in the theaters when I was 9. It was the first time I ever saw a D and I was instantly enamored with it. So as a kid I bought books and read up on the car only to find that it wasn't just a stunning car, but it had a fascinating history as well.

Periodically i come across a thread here or a Facebook status update with regards to the constant badgering of BTTF comments or dumb inaccurate comments people make about our cars and how irritating that can be. Even the general comments I get when I drive it to work can be annoying at times, "You drive that everyday?", "Shouldn't that be in a museum?" Sometimes I wish people would just look the other way. Occasionally I spot people swerving on the highway while driving with a cell phone camera trying to take a picture of the car. There was even a comment here one time about some poor guy that got rear ended because the girl behind him was trying to take a pic with her cell phone camera.

In the end I know it's just a car like any other. It would do the same job as Geo Metro. For me it's more about the "feeling" I get while driving it. I suppose it's one of the reasons why I sought this car out for almost 9 years after selling it. I don't know if it's this particular car for me or DeLoreans in general. But perhaps it is the fantasy more then the reality and driving it allows me to live the fantasy in spite of the reality. Closing the door after a long day at work and just listening to the radio on my ride home is the perfect way to unwind. It's a half hour of personal time that allows me to just tune out the outside world and relax for a bit.

But aside from all that 3165 happens to be a very reliable daily driver. It gets good gas mileage and I don't need alot of room to cart stuff back and forth to work. So it's almost dare I say practical to use? Plus living about 5 miles from PJ Grady's dosen't hurt either especially whenever I need parts or if i run into something that may need to be done professionally.

So what's your story, Of all the cars you could've picked why the DeLorean?

[Dracula]

I picked the car because I thought it was the neatest thing that I had ever seen when I first saw one in the Hartford auto museum. From there, I learned of the car. I watched BTTF because it had a DeLorean in it and I've always had an interest in time travel, but that's another tangent...

In the end, I own and drive the car because it makes me happy and suits me well. Sure, I'm sick of the BTTF crap, but that alone won't make me give up the car; besides, there are fewer and fewer people who know of those films every day.

[Kenny_Z]

When I saw BTTF as a kid I loved the Delorean. The angles, lines, and uniqueness just caught my attention. I think it was during a discussion with my 5th grade math teacher about the newly released BTTF3 that I found out that the Delorean was a real car, not a movie prop. I wanted one. I even requested that the school library get a book on Deloreans...they never did. Over the years it became my dream car. I researched more of their history and rarity. I figured it was going to be the one car I'd never get to own.

Recently a coworker told me about the red Delorean he saw for sale on his way in to the office. I did a google search, found the car, and took the rest of the day off. She wasn't my ideal representation of a Delorean (she was red) but still, something about her made me risk it and put down an offer. I left the lot smiling because I'd finally got to touch my dream car and it was within my grasp. A few days later I called the lot and inquired about the car. The owner told me if my offer was still good he'd accept it.

She's been trouble of course. The guys in the office keep saying "never meet your heroes" about her but no matter what she does she has yet to make me regret buying her.

[sean]

For me it has ZERO to do with BTTF or JZD. I flat-out just find the car beautiful. I honestly never associated the car with BTTF until after I bought my first one and the jokes/comments started pouring. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the trilogy and own the original VHS tapes and the latest DVD set but is was a non factor in my love for the car. So history and hollywood fame aside, it comes down to how great the car looks for me.

[DMCNY]

Several reasons:

1) Iconic BTTF car/childhood dream car.

2) Unique design/timeless styling. Only mass produced stainless paneled car, rear engine, gullwing doors.

3) The idea that a succesful automotive engineer would leave a job that could possibly have carried him though the rest of his life without worry and would risk it all to start his own car company to build his dream.

4) As a "car guy" and automotive mechanic I can relate to reason #3.

[Mike C.]

I liked the car because it was a fun car to show. Kids love it, Gen x'ers can relate to it, it's different and a conversation piece. The bttf references can get old, especially when people get them wrong (look! he has a flux compensator!, or 80 miles per hour!).

I bought the car because I wanted one from when I was a kid-- my neighbor's friend had one, and I thought it would be cool to have a car with doors like that. The bttf thing is fun too, but even if the movie never came out, i'd probably still have one. It's one of those "you always wanted one, why not buy one?" deals.

Now that I have, maybe i'll get another car i've always wanted.

[SamHill]

One more absurd favorite thing that makes life worth it.

[jmettee]

Born in 1978, my earliest experience in seeing a DMC was in BTTF in 1985. Loved it both for the movie & design. I also have always been a fan of Fieros & various hatchback styles of the 1980's (Dodge Daytona, Toyota Celica/Supra, Maxda RX-7, etc). Even the 1987 Camaros are pretty spectacular in my book. The DMC (to me) is the most "sporty" looking as it is low, flat, & wide....while not really a hatchback, it's shape resembles the iconic style of 1980's cars.

Honestly, I got the car because I had always loved the style & had never sat in one until 6 months before I purchased mine. Never had even seen one in person standing still--had only seen 3 drive in the other direction through my first 28 years of life. While I expected some attention before I got it, I did not fully appreciate how much of a spectacle the car is to the general public. Not saying I don't like the attention, but I did not expect as much as comes with ownership.

So in summary, for me it is the general style & uniqueness of the doors & lack of paint....but since owning one, I LOVE the unique characteristics of the drive that are absent in the "numb" cars of today. I tell a lot of people I drive my DMC like a motorcycle....constantly watching other drivers & their actions (cell phones, distractions, tailgating, etc). The bonus of manual steering, manual transmission, & a absurd weight distribution make it more like operating a "machine" than driving a car as we know them today.

[DeLorean]

Style, uniqueness, history, exclusivity, and the attention you get while driving it.


The performance for the price is shit. For about 15-20K, you could get an older BMW 335is or older STI.

Having said that, a properly sorted DeLorean is not a bad drive at all. Handling is better than average, and acceleration is "good"

[tyb323]

Because I'm a glutton for punishment

[louielouie2000]

I think it's always been the uniqueness, the quirkiness of the car & it's history which drew & kept my interest. The unique & still futuristic styling is definitely a plus. The unusual materials, construction, & layout of the car is a draw. The fantastic history of the car, including but not limited to: the company, it's creator, subsequent movies, etc. There's just something special about these little lemons. They just have a presence & soul when you're around them that almost no other car possesses. It's a cool feeling to own a DeLorean... it makes you feel like an individual, someone who eschews typical car values in favor of something more intangible.

[Renee_1632]

Why do we own our Deloreans?

Because we're bat-sh*t crazy?

Personally, I like the doors. I like how much I've learned from this car, and the history fascinates me. Also, like DMCNY said the fact that someone would gamble their whole good name on this car...well, there must be SOMETHING special about it.

[ramblinmike]

Because I'm a firm believer of, "If you're going to do it, why do it like everyone else?"

[TTait]

For me the first car was half personal history, half rescuing the car.

I worked for about 5 years on the BTTF Ride - which in itself was a lot of fun, but not enough in itself to push me to seek out the car.

I first saw my car in '93 on the back lot at Universal Studios where it was to be a pristine raffle car to given away on opening day of the ride in Hollywood (the car was stock, not in BTTF form. The winner had the option of the car or its cash value - and they took the cash. Universal then had a second raffle for the car, again, the winner took the cash.

My car was literally one they couldn't give away - so they parked it. They stacked pallets on it, leaned jet skis up against it, made it a home for rodents, bashed out the glass so it could rain into the car, and spray painted it here and there...

I visited the back lot often enough to watch the decline of the car over the next 10 years - and it really upset me. I finally made an offer to buy the car to save it. It took another 2 years to actually get them to agree to sell me the car.

I got the car to save it, but without the BTTF link, it probably never would have happened...


The second car we got because my wife liked mine so much, she wanted her own...

Tom
10902
03238

[Rhsxo]

1. It was the time machine in BTTF (my favorite movie growing up).

2. I've wanted one for a few years now, and I had a friend make me an offer I couldn't refuse (see signature).

3. I finally got a job that pays well enough to so I could purchasing a D and pay my bills.

4. Gull Wing Doors

5. I enjoy it!

[Dangermouse]

Y'all know the tune:

In West Belfast born and raised
in Dunmurry where I spent most of my days
chilling out, maxing and relaxing all cool
and all kicking some football outside of school
when a couple of guys they were up to some good
started making DeLoreans in our neighborhood
I saw one drive by when on my way to school
and I knew I gotta have one cos they were way cool

[sean]

Y'all know the tune:

In West Belfast born and raised
in Dunmurry where I spent most of my days
chilling out, maxing and relaxing all cool
and all kicking some football outside of school
when a couple of guys they were up to some good
started making DeLoreans in our neighborhood
I saw one drive by when on my way to school
and I knew I gotta have one cos they were way cool

:hysterical: Nice!

[Rhsxo]

Y'all know the tune:

In West Belfast born and raised
in Dunmurry where I spent most of my days
chilling out, maxing and relaxing all cool
and all kicking some football outside of school
when a couple of guys they were up to some good
started making DeLoreans in our neighborhood
I saw one drive by when on my way to school
and I knew I gotta have one cos they were way cool

LOL!!!!
Did the license plates say FRESH and it have dice in the mirror?

[uhhair]

1. It was in Back to the Future
2. It was in Back to the Future Part 2
3. It was in Back to the Future Part 3 (Seeing a trend here).

I'm not ashamed to admit it, if that car wasn't in that movie I could have cared less about it. However, as a child that movie captivated me, and if I couldn't manage to have Marty McFly's boyish good looks, I guess the coolest car on earth will have to be a close second :)

[SamHill]

LOL!!!!
Did the license plates say FRESH and it have dice in the mirror?


OK. Here's the situation.
My parents went off on a week's vacation and...
they left the keys to the brand new D
would they mind? Mmm, well, of course not.

[Farrar]

Saw one in the "Backing Up Classics" museum in NC when I was a kid and was hooked ever since.

Farrar

[Dangermouse]

LOL!!!!
Did the license plates say FRESH and it have dice in the mirror?

Indeed.

I was the Fresh Prince of Bel-Fast :woot:

(now there would have been a title guaranteed to get me beaten up back then !!)

[blackbird876]

movie aside, the Delorean really is a time machine. Every time I sit in mine I am 16 again. No parachute pants this time around or acid washed jeans but with some hair metal on the radio, its just as good and the memories keep coming.

Chris
5216

[DMC3165]

movie aside, the Delorean really is a time machine. Every time I sit in mine I am 16 again. No parachute pants this time around or acid washed jeans but with some hair metal on the radio, its just as good and the memories keep coming.

Chris
5216

Couldn't have said that better
;)

[DeLorean03]

I don't think there's any "one" answer to this question.

For me, it's all about being for the underdog. The DeLorean is a orphan car - slow and a basketcase of parts from other cars. Everyone loves it as a time machine, but no one seems to love it as a "sports car." And in the world of sports cars, it's all about the power you have as you accelerate. That's one of the big reasons I love the DeLorean - it fights that stigma. It's a "cruiser" - it is not - not not not not - a 0-60 in 3 seconds sports car. I love that it doesn't have the speed but still gets everyone in the parking lot to stop and look.

You know as an owner, people who come up to you are interested in both the car and you. They want to know the kind of person it takes to own one of these cars. Something about owning one separates you from all the other cars in the show or on the parking lot. Anyone can own a Corvette or a Camaro. True heart is owning a DeLorean and keeping it up to speed.

It's simply just a unique and beautiful automobile. There's nothing even close to it in this day and age. You know what I love? I love it when you hit a huge and busy intersection and everyone else is stopped at the red lights - and there is no one next to you in front or behind as you blow through a green light. You know as you blow through the green with no traffic around you and everyone else is stopped at the red lights, everyone just watched the car drive by and most had cameras out or their jaw down. No Corvette does that from the last 20 years.

I see almost all other modern-day vehicles as cookies out of a cookie cutter: some have sprinkles and others have chocolate chips. In a world of cookie-cutters, I'll take my EClair (DeLorean) any day.

[Chris Burns]

I love the Delorean, because it was one of my 1st automotive loves and a friend of the family had one when I was 11 (In fact they still have it!). It's a beautiful car, fun to drive, and good on gas. It's fun to show up with something different at car shows when everyone is accustomed to the same old hot rods and muscle cars. Sure the V8 guys give you hard time sometimes (but that's because your Delorean gets more attention than their car!).

Even if the car hadn't of been in BTTF I still would of loved it. After driving 3 of them I now love them even more than I did when I was 11!

[pezzonovante88]

Don't own one yet. VERY soon, but I will gladly blabber on of why I love them so much. They have that special 'something'. To me, they are very aesthetically pleasing (lines, stainless and matte black, doors, interior, tail lights, etc.). I also love them because they are very unique and rare. They just "click" for me. There's no logical reason why I like them really, but for what ever reason, I'm very drawn to them and always have been. The first time I became familiar with the D was in a 1985 Special Edition 100 Years of the Automobile issue of Automobile Magazine in which there is a half-page picture of one. When I was very young, I was always drawn to that picture. Can't explain why. Then I saw BTTF and then my love was confirmed. From then on I have obsessed over the car so much. My friends and family think I'm nuts, but I like swimming upstream and that may have something to do with it, also. Anyway, the main reason, but certainly not the only reason I love the D, is its aesthetics. Its just gorgeous.

[SIMid]

My father told me about a car called Delorean one evening back in 1980-81(?) that a man named JZD built a car out of SS and had gullwing doors. He showed me a pic from either a magazine or newspaper and my jaw dropped. Then I saw a documentary on the telly not long after regarding the car, don't remember anything that was said, was too excited watching the footage. I was 10 years old back in 81.

BTTF came out, well, icing on the cake for me. I think I watched it at the movies probably 8 times before they removed the screenings from the cinema. I actually watched it twice in one day as well at 2 different cinemas (once and only time I had ever done that).

Saw a Delorean on Hong Kong which I think was promoting the movie, but some Asian guy ended up crashing into the driver's door while parked outside the cinema. Twat. We drove past it, so I couldn't see it up close.

My father nearly bought one 15 years ago in Hong Kong, but pulled out cause he was worried about getting parts (internet was just coming into effect).

I was offered to buy a RHD one from Queensland 6-7 years ago, but didn't have the money at the time.

Craved for the car for eternity till last year when I went "f**k it, I'm going to get one."

Now I do, living the dream. :)

But the appeal was purely cosmetic. The shape was futuristic. Square headlights were to me, the future, moving away from round headlights. The doors were just way too cool. The rubix cube taillights were just so 80s retro. The contrast between silver and black made her look super modern, moving away from chrome highlights. Didn't care at the time regarding performance or reliability. It was a car that could easily sit in the driveway for me to grab a drink / snack and sit their admiring her beauty.

[thirdmanj]

First of all I'm amazed this thread has remained civil for 3 pages! I read the title and thought, "oh shit here we go". But I'm loving these responses and reasons!

OK then, well, I guess I'm with Renee it's one of three cars that I know of that looks good with gullwing doors, and of those three, the only one I can afford.... That last part could still be debated I suppose. "We're batshit crazy" works pretty well too, at least for me. But you've got to admit it takes a very different person to track down and buy a DeLorean, and an even more different kind of person to keep one past past the 5 year mark.

For me, I have what could be described as a very unhealthy love for the car. It almost always consumes my thoughts. I'm online a lot looking and reading up on it. I spend money that could most certainly do better in other places on it. Ever notice that? You've got no qualms with dropping 500 bucks on the D, but loath spending it on the daily driver?

I just really love this silly 80s throwback. The look on kids faces, they're still getting exposed to BTTF, the boyfriend/girlfriend freaking out on their date because they're seeing one for the first time in real life (completely ignoring the other in the process). Nothing tops this car for that, it "out performs" everything else on that scale. It's just, call it an overused word, EPIC!! The expierience of owning one, the goods and bads of it all. It'll change a person. I think Farrar said it, but it's like the VIN imprints on you!

Damn, I'm just rambling now, but you all get it don't you?

[lazabby]

Why do we own a Delorean?

We are gluttons for punishment. We like for an inanimate object to reach into our wallet any chance it gets and rob us. We like for it to draw blood merely by getting too close to do harmless work. It makes us beg and plead to let go of that rust nut. It drives us to our knees when begging it to start. It laughs at us while we swear at trying to reach in inaccesible places to remove a part. It dares us to make an impossible upgrade. We like for it to torment our dreams at night. We like it to break down on the side of the road so passer-bys can laugh at us. This car makes Christine look like an angel. :deviltail:

Other than that, it's the cool factor.

[Spittybug]

Because my stainless steel dishwasher is slightly too cramped for two people to fit in and the single door on it inconveniently flips down and not up.

:smoke1:


That and like David vs. Goliath, I enjoy the challenge of taming such an unruly piece of history into submission.

[Farrar]

Is it practical? No. There's almost no luggage space, visibility is pretty bad, and I wouldn't trust its handling in an emergency.

Is it as fast as it looks? No. And it never was.

Is it reliable? If you're willing to go over it with a fine-toothed comb, fix anything lacking when it came from the factory, beef up certain components, replace others, and keep a careful watch on still other bits and bobs, then sure. Which basically means no.

Can it be your only car? If you don't mind using public transportation or a bicycle while you wait for parts to arrive, sure. Which basically means no.

After thirty years are there a lot of mechanics who are able to work on it? No. I took it to a shop once and learned my lesson -- never do it again.

Is it easy to work on? No. Whenever I work on the car, I come across ements of the design that remind me just how badly things can turn out if they're thrown together at the last minute and made to work by sheer force of will. What's more, I find myself buying tools I never thought I'd need just to perform simple modifications and fixes.

Does it get you lots of chicks? If you raise chickens in it, yes. So, no.

So why do you own the damn thing? Because I possess a strange passion for beautiful cars -- a desire that John DeLorean counted on to sell the thing in the first place. This desire, bereft of all reason, sprung up inside me as soon as I first saw the car, and I said "That's the car for me." Every owner of a DeLorean had a similar reaction, whether years ago or weeks ago, which led them to buy the gorgeous, unique, underpowered and overpriced antique basket-case of an "executive-class sportscar," whatever the hell that is. As much trouble as the car can be -- as much of a black hole for our money as it can be -- as many dumb jokes and ignorant comments as we have to sit and listen to -- when we sit behind the wheel and hear the engine behind us... when we sling the car down a curvy road with our butts four inches off the ground... when the perfectly-counterbalanced doors open with a slight pull of the handle and we feel we're being invited inside... we have no complaints, and no regrets.

That's why I own my DeLorean.

[dvonk]

...when we sit behind the wheel and hear the engine behind us... when we sling the car down a curvy road with our butts four inches off the ground... when the perfectly-counterbalanced doors open with a slight pull of the handle and we feel we're being invited inside... we have no complaints, and no regrets.

That's why I own my DeLorean.

well said, sir. bravo.
one day i will experience this as well. :smile:

[sean]

well said, sir. bravo.

Damn straight, the wordsmith nails it again! :thumbup:

[stevedmc]

Because I want to.

[Karin]

As I still don't own one in real life just yet, the reason I "own" a DeLorean in GTA San Andreas is for the obvious reasons. In GTA, it knows how to get away from the cops and it knows how to attract people despite of it not being able to have hydraulics. When in reverse and turning, it can easily straighten itself to move forward in the other direction. Only hydraulics can be installed in the time machine though.

[Victor]

I really could not have said it more accurately than DeLorean03

Right on!

[StainlessSteelDream]

There's no reason or reply you can ever give to non-car people that will convince them.

"Car-guys" get it .. your collector car is like your wife ... sometimes you wonder what people see in their spouse, ... but you totally understand the love. The why, not the what.

You can have a perfectly reliable "transportation appliance" .. but you'll never love it like a car with a "soul".. foibles and issues that make it unique.

[Kenny_Z]

Is it easy to work on? No. Whenever I work on the car, I come across elements of the design that remind me just how badly things can turn out if they're thrown together at the last minute and made to work by sheer force of will. What's more, I find myself buying tools I never thought I'd need just to perform simple modifications and fixes.


I find it a lot easier to work on than the majority of other cars. Obviously I don't mean the distributor but it's really the only gripe I have had. There's room around components even though the Delorean is a small car. I think that's why Red has been promoted to my daily driver while my Monte sits in the weeds waiting for me to fix it.

[ccurzio]

Because I want to.

This is pretty much it right here. I've always loved the car and promised myself I'd have one eventually. Not for anyone but me. Well said.


the reason I "own" a DeLorean in GTA San Andreas is for the obvious reasons. In GTA, it knows how to get away from the cops and it knows how to attract people despite of it not being able to have hydraulics. When in reverse and turning, it can easily straighten itself to move forward in the other direction. .

...the hell?

[Kenny_Z]

Is it practical? No. There's almost no luggage space, visibility is pretty bad, and I wouldn't trust its handling in an emergency.


Reading this post was one of the last things I did before leaving the office tonight. I remember thinking "I hope none of us have to figure this out." Well, I figured it out tonight. I was coming off a main highway onto a side road that had a gas station. A young girl in a silver Honda pulled out in front of me, not looking my direction at all. I was just starting to accelerate on a downward grade. There was no way even a modern car with anti-lock was going to stop in time. I decided to speed up, I figured that even if she didn't look my way I'd get enough speed to get around her. She had to leave a driveway with a terrible bump that the D nearly bottoms out on so it would keep her slow. I'm happy to say that not only did she look and stop in time Red was able to handle the swing needed to get around her without as much as a tire squeal. Had someone been in that turn lane though I might have been hurt and I know Red would have been severely damaged.

And I NEVER want to do that again.

[Chris Burns]

Holy crap!:ohcrap: You were very lucky. Not something you want to experience in any car.

[DMCVegas]

Why I own my DeLorean probably isn't even half as interesting as to why I've kept it all these years.

I honestly don't remember the first time that I ever saw one. My mother does as I looked out the side window as a small child and saw a brand-new one drive by us. The first one I ever remember seeing was on Interstate 5 northbound near Scott Rd. in Burbank in the summer of 1989. I remember how I just happened to look in the side mirror and saw the car slowly pull up, pass, and drive off into the distance. That was a day that I'll never be able to forget. It was the day that I learned what obsession meant.

Over the years as I became older and the obsession grew, many people tried to put me off to owning a DeLorean. Except one person, my father. Which was always odd to me because he was the furthest thing from being a "Car Guy". He detested sports cars as useless, and always said that a car wasn't meant for anything other than transportation or utility. I wasn't done with my saving up for a DeLorean until after he passed away. It was quite sad because I was so proud of the car and really wanted to show it off to him. It became even more bitter when I found out that he himself had wanted a DeLorean when they were new. He once saw a Lotus that he loved, but really wanted to buy a D. After I was born he had even gone down to Star Ford in Glendale to look at buying a new one, but couldn't because it was only a 2 seater. What was worse was that I found out later on that he had tried to go down and buy a used one for me. The man who hated sports cars had actually tried to buy one for me. Something that we could even have shared together, not just the car but the common interest itself. And I never knew. A week before my uncle passed away I visited him and he shared a story about how he had regretted selling a car to prove his love to a women he eventually wound up in a miserable shotgun marriage of 30+ years to. Once he too learned I wanted a DeLorean I learned that he as well had wanted one and never got to get one because of his wife. A week later he died. A week after that my own father died as well.

I originally set out to get a DeLorean because it was my dream car that I obsessed over. Later on it became a way to defy people. Both those who said I couldn't do it, as well as those who said I wouldn't be able to keep it once I had it. It was a mix of rebellion, ego, defiance, and just doing something for me. I also felt it was a car that also represented me on quite a few levels: Eccentric, temperamental, and different. Although since owning it it did almost get me killed once when the inertia switch malfunctioned, but it also has saved my life quite a few times when I wasn't driving as safely as I should have been. The handling is amazing on it. But I did also change my life. I embarked on my career because of this car, and even met my wife because of it.

Years later after I learned the stories about my father, and recollected the exchange I had with my uncle and the many other men who had frighteningly similar tales as well as the same encouragement to keep the car no matter what, the reasons why I have kept it have changed greatly. I have kept it because my owning a DeLorean isn't just my dream, but it turns out that in some ways it's the dream that others had for me as well. One day I'll have children, and I also think that leaving them a car as an heirloom is a helluva lot cooler than old furniture or jewelry. But even if they don't keep it, I'd just love for someone else to take over when I'm done to keep the car on the road. You can't take it with you, so in the end I like everyone else here is just the current keeper of our cars.

[Cory W]

Everything that matters while driving is within my reach. I have found that exact "sweet spot" for seat positioning that offers me comfortable seating position, proper pedal actuation, clear visibility in all directions (well, as good as it gets in a DeLorean), and even a clear view of the gauges. The door isn't awkward to open or close, from inside or out. The shifter fits my reach perfectly. The switches and instruments are logical and intuitive to me, to the point I find myself looking for the headlights in the center console on other vehicles I drive, or reach for the parking brake in other vehicles with my left hand. Speaking of which, the parking brake in my particular example doesn't even impede my access or egress. It's like the car was tailor made, something I've never felt in any of the other vehicles I've driven or rode in.

It fits me so well, I'm certain it closely resembles my personal "fetal position". Come to think of it, I bet my ultrasound pictures show me in my DeLorean driving position.

[DL4567]

Bttf.

[Jimmyvonviggle]

Why I own my DeLorean probably isn't even half as interesting as to why I've kept it all these years.

I honestly don't remember the first time that I ever saw one. My mother does as I looked out the side window as a small child and saw a brand-new one drive by us. The first one I ever remember seeing was on Interstate 5 northbound near Scott Rd. in Burbank in the summer of 1989. I remember how I just happened to look in the side mirror and saw the car slowly pull up, pass, and drive off into the distance. That was a day that I'll never be able to forget. It was the day that I learned what obsession meant.

Over the years as I became older and the obsession grew, many people tried to put me off to owning a DeLorean. Except one person, my father. Which was always odd to me because he was the furthest thing from being a "Car Guy". He detested sports cars as useless, and always said that a car wasn't meant for anything other than transportation or utility. I wasn't done with my saving up for a DeLorean until after he passed away. It was quite sad because I was so proud of the car and really wanted to show it off to him. It became even more bitter when I found out that he himself had wanted a DeLorean when they were new. He once saw a Lotus that he loved, but really wanted to buy a D. After I was born he had even gone down to Star Ford in Glendale to look at buying a new one, but couldn't because it was only a 2 seater. What was worse was that I found out later on that he had tried to go down and buy a used one for me. The man who hated sports cars had actually tried to buy one for me. Something that we could even have shared together, not just the car but the common interest itself. And I never knew. A week before my uncle passed away I visited him and he shared a story about how he had regretted selling a car to prove his love to a women he eventually wound up in a miserable shotgun marriage of 30+ years to. Once he too learned I wanted a DeLorean I learned that he as well had wanted one and never got to get one because of his wife. A week later he died. A week after that my own father died as well.

I originally set out to get a DeLorean because it was my dream car that I obsessed over. Later on it became a way to defy people. Both those who said I couldn't do it, as well as those who said I wouldn't be able to keep it once I had it. It was a mix of rebellion, ego, defiance, and just doing something for me. I also felt it was a car that also represented me on quite a few levels: Eccentric, temperamental, and different. Although since owning it it did almost get me killed once when the inertia switch malfunctioned, but it also has saved my life quite a few times when I wasn't driving as safely as I should have been. The handling is amazing on it. But I did also change my life. I embarked on my career because of this car, and even met my wife because of it.

Years later after I learned the stories about my father, and recollected the exchange I had with my uncle and the many other men who had frighteningly similar tales as well as the same encouragement to keep the car no matter what, the reasons why I have kept it have changed greatly. I have kept it because my owning a DeLorean isn't just my dream, but it turns out that in some ways it's the dream that others had for me as well. One day I'll have children, and I also think that leaving them a car as an heirloom is a helluva lot cooler than old furniture or jewelry. But even if they don't keep it, I'd just love for someone else to take over when I'm done to keep the car on the road. You can't take it with you, so in the end I like everyone else here is just the current keeper of our cars.
What a great story. I too feel that I am just the caretaker for my car, and one day will gladly Give it to my son.

[Kerichbe]

I bought my Delorean because of my father, He Joined with DMC as the managing Director of the plant in Dunmurry At this time I was heading of to college in the states, and my mother decided she had had enough of dad marriage to the business and she moved back to the states as well. As a result we really did not see much of dad after that. Skip ahead 20 odd years, I got married, my father returned for the wedding, and moved back in with my mother. It was at this point, I thought I might learn more about his days at Delorean, sadly he would not talk about it. He passed away a couple of years ago from a stroke, on the same day as JZD but 5 years apart, at the same age (creepy !) Any how I was hoping that purchasing the D might bring me closer to his memory, and something to share with my children.

[Jacko]

Once I was in Kroger waiting in line to check out. I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around and a young man in his twenties said "It's you ain't it?" "excuse me?" I said. He said "you're driving the Delorean aren't you?" " Why, yes I am." I said. He told me he was driving by, saw the Delorean in the parking lot, decided he would go in the store and pick out who the owner was ...

That never happened to me when I was driving a Corvette ... or a Pantera ... or a Jaguar ...

Edit: That young man probably had tapped everyone in the store before he got to me ... I like to think I was the first ...


10432

[Horology]

so fun ! !

[Henrik]

Because it's just b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l.

[jawn101]

Everyone's already said the same things I probably would - it's iconic, it's beautiful, it's a piece of automotive history. It's actually a darn good car when properly upgraded, and treated and maintained well. Wanted one as a kid, fell in love, worked my whole life to afford it. Interesting that we all have such similar stories :)

But it strikes me that the question is "why do we OWN", not "why did we buy" our DeLoreans? The answer is actually poignant in my case. I'm no mechanic. I'm technically minded but never had any experience doing anything more advanced than replacing the stereo on a car before I got this one. I had no training and no particular knowledge of automotive theory or specific system functionality. I can be clumsy and get hurt easily due to that clumsiness - a car made of knives was perhaps not the wisest choice for me and the insides of my doors bear the stains to prove it :lol:

The answer is actually surprising: This forum. That's why I own the car. Without the assistance and knowledge of the people here, this car would have depleted my resources and patience long ago. I've met some fascinating folks through this little community, some of whom I'd now regard as real friends - people I can count on for things outside the DeLorean world and enjoy those other interests with.

The car is amazing and I love it. I was fortunate to find an example in good enough condition that it was within my ability to learn how to work on it. But you guys are to thank for the rest! Through the repairs, upgrades and modifications that Clint and I have done on my car (and his, not like he really needs my help) I have learned a huge amount. I won't be earning my living at this any time soon, but I feel more than comfortable and competent troubleshooting and repairing systems that might as well have been voodoo to me two years ago.

Besides all you forum guys and the local crew (especially Clint) who have been so accomodating, helpful and friendly to me, I owe a huge debt of gratitude to our vendors for providing quality parts and friendly assistance, sometimes at weird hours and I'm sure at the expense of their own free time.

And of course, Tamir and the mods for supplying us with this forum and making it possible for the DeLorean community to be the tight and helpful family that it is.

That's why I own my DeLorean. It might not be why I bought it, but it's why I own it.

Hey, you wanted philosophical, you got it :cool1:

[Chris Burns]

Everyone's already said the same things I probably would - it's iconic, it's beautiful, it's a piece of automotive history. It's actually a darn good car when properly upgraded, and treated and maintained well. Wanted one as a kid, fell in love, worked my whole life to afford it. Interesting that we all have such similar stories :)

But it strikes me that the question is "why do we OWN", not "why did we buy" our DeLoreans? The answer is actually poignant in my case. I'm no mechanic. I'm technically minded but never had any experience doing anything more advanced than replacing the stereo on a car before I got this one. I had no training and no particular knowledge of automotive theory or specific system functionality. I can be clumsy and get hurt easily due to that clumsiness - a car made of knives was perhaps not the wisest choice for me and the insides of my doors bear the stains to prove it :lol:

The answer is actually surprising: This forum. That's why I own the car. Without the assistance and knowledge of the people here, this car would have depleted my resources and patience long ago. I've met some fascinating folks through this little community, some of whom I'd now regard as real friends - people I can count on for things outside the DeLorean world and enjoy those other interests with.

The car is amazing and I love it. I was fortunate to find an example in good enough condition that it was within my ability to learn how to work on it. But you guys are to thank for the rest! Through the repairs, upgrades and modifications that Clint and I have done on my car (and his, not like he really needs my help) I have learned a huge amount. I won't be earning my living at this any time soon, but I feel more than comfortable and competent troubleshooting and repairing systems that might as well have been voodoo to me two years ago.

Besides all you forum guys and the local crew (especially Clint) who have been so accomodating, helpful and friendly to me, I owe a huge debt of gratitude to our vendors for providing quality parts and friendly assistance, sometimes at weird hours and I'm sure at the expense of their own free time.

And of course, Tamir and the mods for supplying us with this forum and making it possible for the DeLorean community to be the tight and helpful family that it is.

That's why I own my DeLorean. It might not be why I bought it, but it's why I own it.

Hey, you wanted philosophical, you got it :cool1:

Well put!!

[Phantome]

I was about 3 when BTTF came out, and my parents said that every time the DeLorean was on screen, I would sigh this dreamy sigh and and whisper "it's so beautiful!" When we got the movie on VHS, I would pause it when the D was onscreen and sit and stare at it until my parents made me go outside to play (whereupon I would line up shoeboxes and pretend that they were my collection of DeLoreans and I was trying to decide which one I wanted to drive that day). I made a DeLorean out of cardboard and tinfoil for my Barbies, then eventually quit with the barbies altogether and systematically made a fleet of D's (papier mache, clay, plush, painted, papercutting, pumpkin carving, model cars, etc) to play with instead.

While I love BTTF (mostly for the DeLorean) and find the history of the car fascinating, I love the DeLorean because it may be one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. Automotive artistry, fantasy realized in steel, intriguing, unique, full of personality. Plus, I'm never opposed to being the center of attention and am always drawn to the the unique, and I relish the idea of turning heads. I remember when my parents got the internet back in 1997 on a Packard Hell POS with dial-up, the very first thing I typed in to the AOL searchbox was "DeLorean." I was disappointed by the results, and I remember thinking "one of these days" when I slumped back into the chair. Anyway, I've pretty much loved the car as long as I can remember!

[DashEight]

I bought my Delorean beacuse I have always liked the shape of the car. They have hit the low watermark in value awhile back and are on their way up. It was the right time for me to get a nice one for a affordable price as I'm sure they will continue to rise. I have a few cars that I am thankful I bought earlier on before they increased in value and have since priced me out if I were to buy any of them today. I look forward to this being the case with the Delorean also. I also dream of someday my grandchildren asking, "grandpa what cool cars did you have growing up?" and me replying, "We had a few, lets go out to the shop and take a look."

[Jeff K]

Great topic!

I always wanted to restore a car as a bucket list thing. I actually asked my son what care we should do. He said DeLorean. My reply.. "That's Crazy!". The more I looked into it, the more I got into the idea.

The retro cool factor. The uniqueness. It's a fun hobby. It's like driving down the street with a celebrity. Also, pulling that door down to get in makes me feel like a jet pilot!

Jeff

[Victor]

Wonderfull. I think restoring cars with the people you like is a wonderfull activity.
I feel the reason why this particular car is an now an icon is because it was an icon from the start. It's an embodiment of perfection, as far as creative design is concern apply to a car. We can thank Giugiaro for this and JZD of course. But it is also an ensemble of little details as well. The design, the sheeting, the doors, the fact that the front wheels are smaller than the rear (same as some lotus), the design of the wheels itself, a rear engine... The fact that it is in stainless shout: ''I want to live longer than any car !''... So maybe a reason why we own a Delorean is because we want to own something that will stand the test of time, something that is timeless, like a Monet or a Stradivarius. Owning perfection...

For me, Tamir website did facilitates and contributes for me a lot about making this dream comes true.

[Jonathan]

Because...

I've always loved cars, smiling, feeling like a kid again, and reminiscing about the past.

And also because I can. Life can change in an instant, and when I bought mine in 2007 the timing was right, and I wasn't sure if it would ever be that way again.

For me there is no other material object (car or anything else) that puts a grin on my face (and many other people's faces) like the way the DeLorean does.

Well, that and I couldn't find a Millennium Falcon for sale :)