Delorean market analysis opinions

[bttws]

Hello all, I will soon be in the market for a Delorean and have been trying to judge the current and near future markets for Deloreans. I would like to hear some input.

As for the current market I have noticed 2 things as opposed to this time last year.
1: prices are higher.
2: less cars are being put up for sale.

I am guessing that BTTF mania is the culprit here, but its just a guess. I think that as we approach October more people may hold on to their cars who would normally be willing to sell, so they can have it 0ct 21. On the other side people who are wanting a car or maybe rushing into a car without knowing what is involved in ownership are willing to pay more then what is worth ( i see this on ebay a lot ). This might be why there are less available and those that are selling have raised the prices that they are willing to take. I am guessing some of new owners may grow tired of the car after the BTTF craze wares off, which brings us to next spring......

Next spring/summer is my target for purchasing a car ( I want one by DCS 16 ) and here are my thoughts on what will happen....
As we get closer to Oct 21 sales will die off almost completely and most likely will stay slow over the winter ( It seem sales don't happen in the winter especially in the north where this is a large population of owners)
Once we hit spring some of the people who were holding off on selling for BTTF may feel that now is a their time to sell, and on the other side some of the new owners who rushed to buy one in 2015 have learned what its like to own and maintain a Delorean may want out and put their car up for a quick sale.

So, could spring 2016 be flooded with people wanting to sell their Deloreans? If there is a over saturated market, will it cause prices to go down? Will prices stay up? (I don't remember a time when a non running cars sold for $19000)
These are questions I would like your input on.

I am aiming for a budget of about $20,000 but should have a little more to work with, is that going to be enough to be a decent quality car?

Thanks
-Kevin

[Soundkillr]

Been following Facebook? How long has that stupid photo been going around that says, this was the year Marty Mcfly went to the future (and modified to correspond with the current year)? 5 years now? And it's been getting thumbs up, and likes. Point is, the general public has no clue what year Marty Mcfly went to the future, and they probably don't care, so I still maintain that there is no real bttf mania driving up prices. I think prices in general are just on the rise. I don't think there will be a massive sell off in 2016 with prices dropping. I think prices are increasing, and will continue to do so. If there was a new bttf movie coming out, MAYBE, but last I heard that's not happening anytime soon, and if it were, the probability of it being a Prius or something else lame would be pretty high....

[Kane]

I think a lot of people are giving too much credit for BTTF's effect on the market this year. I agree that prices are just finally rising and balancing out in the market.

I have a BTTF DeLorean and I am surprised how people get so excited about the car and then I mention "Oh, yeah. And this is the year they go to in the future" and they're like "Really? Oh I guess that's right."

My point being that the movie has gotten attention for 30 years and won't suddenly be forgotten on January 1st resulting in some mass sell-off. So don't read too much into the market and just look for your car when the time is right for you.

[davidc89]

I think BTTF may be making more people interested, but that doesn't mean they are buying. The people selling these cars for higher prices seem to be the ones that don't really know much about them, or just think they have a goldmine because of BTTF. People that buy DeLoreans are the people that actually enjoy the car. I hear people all the time saying "DeLoreans are cool, but I would never buy one." The prices have gone up, but that's to be expected to a point. Around that 20k mark should get you a decent car, but expect to do some work on it. Do your research and find the best car that suits you. Do not rush into anything or you may find yourself with more work than you expected.

[sdg3205]

I also see no correlation or causation between prices and the movie. None at all.

Prices are rising every year the cars sell for s bit more. This year more than last, and the year prior etc. A year or two from now they will be selling for more, and this BTTF theory will be history. No prudent or prospective buyer would wait for the anniversary if they had the knowledge that prices could/would be higher. Who would want to pay more for a car simply because of the anniversary a movie? Maybe in video bobs world.

People who are keen and aware of the real date Marty went into the future AND who want to buy a Delorean are the only possible demographic we can measure. Then there are the people who like the car, OR the movie. They don't count - it has to be mutually exclusive to drive the prices up to say that the 30th anniversary of the film is causing higher prices. No dice.

I stand by a post I made in 2010 on the old .com site. These cars WILL go up in value significantly at SOME point. Right now, nice examples of post WWII vehicles are often maturing in value at a grater rate than a mutual fund of equal value. Give it time.

[mr_maxime]

I'd say 20k is a good start that will possibly drive with some issues. I got mine for $21.5k but it is painted and had a difficult to find fuel issue which was thankfully sorted out by DMCMW. I didn't do to much research and it was the cheapest Delorean by at least 8k I had seen listed. I jumped on it because I just had to have it. I figured I'd run into issues but luckily nothing major has happened so far and DMCMW fixed pretty much the only running issue.

It was a rather reckless purchase on my part and so far I seem to be on the luckier side. It was all I could afford and didn't want to wait longer fearing that by the time I had more money the value would have gone up. To add to that, I was looking at saving for a testarossa back in Oct and when I looked a few weeks ago the price had double. Maybe someone knows why but it just seems like prices can skyrocket at random.

[Bitsyncmaster]

I don't even remember the year I bought my D (about 7 or 8 years ago) but then and up until the past year or two the prices seemed to hold pretty steady. I paid $15,000 for my running D which I drove home (about 250 miles) the evening I bought it. Prices now seem to be $5,000 to $10,000 higher for the same condition car. My guess is the people that grew up about the time BTTF was a movie for 10 year olds now can afford to own a classic car. The recent publicity also has stirred interest owning a DeLorean.

I do not think prices will drop much at all for any classic car. So when you see one you want and can afford, buy it. You can enjoy the car and just keep thinking, it can be sold for at least the amount you paid for it so your ownership cost you nothing. Now if you sink a lot of money into the car (paying someone else to fix things), don't expect to get all that money back.

[Gfrank]

Can't say I've been around a long time but IMO more cars have been poping up forsale recently then ever before

[Dangermouse]

While the general public may not be aware of the BTTF 2015 significance, the pool of potential buyers who are BTTF fans certainly are. How many new owners in the Introductions thread have started off with "of course I am a big fan of BTTF".

Just look at the big increase in BTTF conversions out there at the moment, over double the number that there were 3 or 4 years ago. Remember the days when a new replica was essentially judged (unfairly) on its accuracy by various people. That has now stopped as there are too many to keep track of and they are all different.

There has been a huge increase in BTTF 2015 tie ins and promotions this year keeping the car in the public eye, making it more desirable and therefore driving up the price.

Even in Belfast, home of the car, there was a BTTF car at the workers reunion and when a local artist created an art project, he used a BTTF car as the subject, not a stock car.

Just my opinion of course, but it has to be more than coincidence that the long awaited spike in values is coming in 2015 of all years.

[hmcelraft]

You should be able to find a good running car for around $25,000. Depending on your level of mechanical knowledge and experience you should use care to be sure the $ match the car. A safe way to go would be to go through a DMC shop. DMCH or affiliates or one of the DMC specialty shops like Grady, Beuerle, Industries, etc. They all have considerable experience and knowledge to minimize any issues and may have cars for you to examine for purchase.

[clenet]

If you think about how much a Delorean cost new in 1981 money they are a bargain today. Back in 1981 a new Corvette was 15 to 16k a Cadillac Eldorado was 19k. Today what can you buy for 25k that has the looks and the appeal of a Delorean? New transportation cars cost a lot more and they are just throw away cars. Its about time the Delorean went up in value. Back in the 1970's you could buy a 1963 Corvette split widow coupe for $2000. today they are 50k on up. I do not think a Delorean is going to go down in value.....every young child today knows what a Delorean is and knows its a special car. Just like people know want a Model A Ford is or a 1960's Mustang is.. even the two seat T-Birds. A Delorean is not a car like the Studebaker Avanti that knowone knows anything about and just slips off and is forgotten about. The Delorean is here to stay and will recogniized by the masses.

[SoCalDMC12]

As previous posts stated, I don't think the movie's anniversary has much to do with the increase in prices. More likely, its the (slowly) recovering economy. As long as there is steady economic growth, I think all classics will continue to increase in value.

[Jonathan]

My guess is the people that grew up about the time BTTF was a movie for 10 year olds now can afford to own a classic car.

My 2 cents:

I'm on board with what Dave here said. The theory that if there is an increase (and the jury seems to still be out on whether car prices are going up because of something specific of just because another year went by) that it may be related to people that were the ear to ear grinning kids when the movie first came out and are now in a financial position to own one.

The age at which those 1985 ten year olds can afford a classic car seems to change too. I have heard the theory that when a certain era of old cars start getting big dollars at auction, it can be traced back to when the guys that are now in their 60s, have some extra cash because their kids are gone, the house is paid for, the "golden years" have arrived... AND.... they now are going to finally go get the car they couldn't have when they were a teenager. This recently has been that late 60s muscle car segment of big engine Camaros and Chevelles and the like.

The generation that were kids in 1985 are not retirement age yet, but that's where the interesting twist of the young breed comes in. Many around that age (born in the 70s or even early 80s I guess) put career first over family and so might already have enough cash to go for it. Or maybe they never got the family part and there has been ample cash already. Or it's part of "generation now" or the YOLO type thinking and they don't care if they have the cash, they're buying one anyway (we often see the "did you finance your DeLorean?" thread, right?).

And then you take all of that and add to it that these cars are not really all that expensive compared to wanting the cars from the "justification for higher education" poster and it's no wonder so many new owners are no where near 60 years of age. What we might keep seeing is this rise in poor condition cars because if someone in that formula above wants to get in the game, either they need to keep having a little bit more money on day one as the years go on, or the condition of the car for that set amount of money keeps getting worse. If the typical demographic can swing $20k but no more, maybe that's why we see a big hike in prices and less inventory for sale of the project/train wreck cars and not as much movement in the high end $35k and up condition cars.

Something in the economy could change to bring a wave of buyers to the market capable of spending $35k on their childhood dream, but that could be another 15 years or so until those teenagers from 1985 really are at retirement age (assuming there is still an economy left and the world still runs on gasoline).

[DMCVegas]

Quick version: Prices are going up because there are less cars for sale.

About 17 down to about 14 years ago, we had a market FLOODED with barn find cars. People just started dumping them on the market. I'm sure that Y2K did it's own part to help with that too from what I recall on CCTOL. Then as word started getting out, we saw more people go after them when they learned more about the parts supply in Houston.

Drop down to about 8 years ago, and we saw many people selling off their toys because of the economy which resulted in another small bump in cars for sale and perhaps a small dip in prices, but not all that much.

Give it another 5-7 years, and we'll see the next big bump as sadly we start to see the majority of deaths of the first owners and investors that bought cars (baby boomers). We'll see a slight dip again in prices given how many are for sale, but save for another financial crisis if one were to happen, the next big dip will be in about another 30 or so years as Generation X starts to die off. And unless DMCH has some SERIOUS marketing (which they might thanks to the replica car bill), most of our cars that have survived up until that point will probably be in museums by that time, never to drive again. Though they are DeLoreans: The car that will not seem to die. There ALWAYS seems to be someone that gets enchanted by them and keeps them going.

Otherwise, I wouldn't bet on prices ever going down again. You've got not only inflation, but we're at the point where 2nd & 3rd owners have our cars and we're not giving them up until personal crises or death. Which dries up the market and drives prices on available cars up.

[? ? ? ?]

My 2 cents:

I'm on board with what Dave here said. The theory that if there is an increase (and the jury seems to still be out on whether car prices are going up because of something specific of just because another year went by) that it may be related to people that were the ear to ear grinning kids when the movie first came out and are now in a financial position to own one.



To help that theory, I was one of those grinning kids that fell in love with the car thanks to the movies and was finally able to afford one last year. In fact I made an extra effort to buy it last year specifically because I wasn't sure if BTTF would affect prices this year.

[mr_maxime]

Lol I'm one of the young people that financed the car. Wanted a classic car for too long. I didn't want to wait for them to go up in value and fork over more money when I'm retired.

[David R]

Count me in as a lifelong fan of BTTF who is at least planning on buying a D soon. Had I not gotten married and decided to buy a house I'd have bought one by now.

[Rich_NYS]

Lol I'm one of the young people that financed the car. Wanted a classic car for too long. I didn't want to wait for them to go up in value and fork over more money when I'm retired.

Some say you shouldn't finance a DeLorean, but I disagree. Anyone who was/is waiting would've been money ahead by now if they financed a year or two ago.

[aotmfilms]

Some say you shouldn't finance a DeLorean, but I disagree. Anyone who was/is waiting would've been money ahead by now if they financed a year or two ago.

And you would be right.

For me I am a combination of both worlds. I am "financing" mine, but also have the cash. Divorced/Single with no kids so the D will be my kid. In order to get the cash I am "borrowing" against my retirement. So I'm kindof paying myself back with interest. Almost like an IRA but with no penalty.

I liked the Delorean in 1982 before BTTF came along. BTTF was just icing on the Delorean cake!!!! :rollin:

--Doug

[mr_maxime]

I forgot that the previous owner who was a baby boomer bought it new in 82. He passed away and it was sold on commission by a dealership.

[SKnight]

Add me to the list as one of those kids who was introduced to the car through BTTF. I decided to buy one while I was young and single as opposed to waiting for retirement and most likely having to pay a lot more. I'm also one of those that financed.

[Farrar]

If you can save $160 a month, you'll have $25,000 in just over three years.

[Bitsyncmaster]

If you can save $160 a month, you'll have $25,000 in just over three years.

Can you check that math?

[Timebender]

If you can save $160 a month, you'll have $25,000 in just over three years.


Wow, that's impressive! I got only $5,760 when I calculated it. That's why I pulled money from stocks that were performing horribly. If i saved $160 a month over the next 13 years, I don't think I could get a nice running, albeit project, DeLorean for $25,000.

[Farrar]

Ha! Sorry, I meant $160 per week.

I made that mistake, then went off to cook supper. LOL Anyway, I think everyone knew what I meant.

[Gregadeth]

There's something I never quite understood, so hopefully you guys can clear it up for me. Aside from those who are trying to sell their DeLoreans, why are some owners so hellbent on driving up the values of their cars?

It's been said on here before, but when the values go up, so will the cost of insurance and parts and service. And with the domino effect the cars get driven less and less, and end up in collectors' hands and in garages, instead of people who will actually drive them and work on them. And isn't the point of owning your D, to use it and enjoy it?

To somewhat address the OP: If you ask me, the reason why there are so many cars priced above 30k these days is because they generally aren't selling. Yeah that's right. Although it's true that prices have been on the rise, I do believe the current figures are exaggerated. Cars with asking prices in the $20-29k and lower range seem to be changing hands relatively quickly. Whereas for the $30k and $40k cars, I see the same ads getting reposted on Craigslist, Ebay and Autotrader over and over, month after month after month, some even for longer than a year and still on sale. The reason is because nobody's buying. Asking price doesn't dictate values, selling price does.

[Soundkillr]

I dont think people are hell bent on driving up values, its just happening. These posts certainly arent people driving values up, just stating what they think are going to happen. As far as higher priced cars, several of those genuinely are not worth the 40k they are asking. Ive looked at a few of them (online) and didnt take it any further. In some cases owners simply will not sell unless they get exactly what they want. Example, in my case (and im sorry to previous attempted purchasers) ive had my car sold several times now once at 35k and once at 37k and just couldnt pull the trigger. That was on me, not them. Ive also had several offers around those, and im just not selling unless i get what i want, that makes it worthwhile to say goodbye to the car forever. I know several guys with high end cars (non delorean) who dont need the money, and will not sell a car for less than they are asking. Some of those delorean sellers may fall into that case.



There's something I never quite understood, so hopefully you guys can clear it up for me. Aside from those who are trying to sell their DeLoreans, why are some owners so hellbent on driving up the values of their cars?

It's been said on here before, but when the values go up, so will the cost of insurance and parts and service. And with the domino effect the cars get driven less and less, and end up in collectors' hands and in garages, instead of people who will actually drive them and work on them. And isn't the point of owning your D, to use it and enjoy it?

To somewhat address the OP: If you ask me, the reason why there are so many cars priced above 30k these days is because they generally aren't selling. Yeah that's right. Although it's true that prices have been on the rise, I do believe the current figures are exaggerated. Cars with asking prices in the $20-29k and lower range seem to be changing hands relatively quickly. Whereas for the $30k and $40k cars, I see the same ads getting reposted on Craigslist, Ebay and Autotrader over and over, month after month after month, some even for longer than a year and still on sale. The reason is because nobody's buying. Asking price doesn't dictate values, selling price does.

[Jonathan]

Good point on what they sell for and not what they list for. Same kind of thing for real estate. You can see a house listed and what that number is, but buyers don't always get the same access to sold figures. And you're right about the amount of time it spends for sale. If anything is priced high, it doesn't move. Houses, cars, comic books, etc. None of these same ads we keep seeing post a "well, this is what it actually sold for" and yet that's what is more important to know. "Amazing car, one of its kind, rare, rare, best example we've seen, $40k" and then months later you realize it finally sold and the place got $28k for it (or never sold it thinking he's sitting on a gold mine).

[DMCVegas]

There's something I never quite understood, so hopefully you guys can clear it up for me. Aside from those who are trying to sell their DeLoreans, why are some owners so hellbent on driving up the values of their cars?

Embarrassment.

It's a DeLorean. It's not a "prestigious" car with a pedigree. It's been referred to quite often in the past as a "Poor Man's Ferrari". You're not showing up to the country club in one and have it impress the other people there very much. In fact, they're more likely to make fun of it and you for buying one.

So the best people can hope for is to finally be able to brag that they're driving an expensive exotic with classic status that the average joe is finally priced out of to try and gain *some* exclusivity for the marque. Because for many insecure people, that's easier than standing up to their peers by rejecting their criticism. It's been going on for well over 30 years now.

[Tillsy]

Add me to the long list of people that fell in love with the DeLorean at age 10 when seeing it for first time in BTTF, then after focussing on career > house > kids was then in the position to do something about it.

There is definitely something to the theory about generations satisfying their dreams at various stages of life.

[OverlandMan]

Add me to the long list of people that fell in love with the DeLorean at age 10 when seeing it for first time in BTTF, then after focussing on career > house > kids was then in the position to do something about it.

There is definitely something to the theory about generations satisfying their dreams at various stages of life.

I skipped the kids part and went straight to the DeLorean 8)

[aotmfilms]

Embarrassment.

It's a DeLorean. It's not a "prestigious" car with a pedigree. It's been referred to quite often in the past as a "Poor Man's Ferrari". You're not showing up to the country club in one and have it impress the other people there very much. In fact, they're more likely to make fun of it and you for buying one.

So the best people can hope for is to finally be able to brag that they're driving an expensive exotic with classic status that the average joe is finally priced out of to try and gain *some* exclusivity for the marque. Because for many insecure people, that's easier than standing up to their peers by rejecting their criticism. It's been going on for well over 30 years now.

I have to respectfully disagree, on the way back with my D rolling thru Berkeley Michigan a gentleman in a 2016 Mercedes AMG GT S: http://www.mbusa.com/mercedes/future/model/model-All_New_2016_C190_AMG_GT

Gave me a Thumbs up when he could as well flipped me off. So there are people that have cars that could outmatch the D, but still respect the D. So not to argue, but I have to respectfully disagree with your assesment.

And the "Poor Man's Ferrari" would be the Fiero, not the Delorean. :) https://www.google.com/search?q=fiero+ferrari+kit&biw=1680&bih=934&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=tBqdVeL_CYvhggSLkIHwCQ&sqi=2&ved=0CB0QsAQ&dpr=1

--Doug

[aotmfilms]

I skipped the kids part and went straight to the DeLorean 8)

ME TOO! Kids are overrated lol jk

[Alan]

I have to respectfully disagree, on the way back with my D rolling thru Berkeley Michigan a gentleman in a 2016 Mercedes AMG GT S: http://www.mbusa.com/mercedes/future/model/model-All_New_2016_C190_AMG_GT

Gave me a Thumbs up when he could as well flipped me off. So there are people that have cars that could outmatch the D, but still respect the D. So not to argue, but I have to respectfully disagree with your assesment.

And the "Poor Man's Ferrari" would be the Fiero, not the Delorean. :) https://www.google.com/search?q=fiero+ferrari+kit&biw=1680&bih=934&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=tBqdVeL_CYvhggSLkIHwCQ&sqi=2&ved=0CB0QsAQ&dpr=1

--Doug
I agree. On the way back to Mpls with 1121 we got a thumbs up from a couple in a McLaren. I don't know about flipping us off, but they certainly didn't need to acknowledge us at all.

[Farrar]

Maybe it's just me, but I enjoy telling other people that it's the most affordable exotic car. When I tell people what they cost, most of them get a look in their eyes like "Wow, that's something maybe even I could afford." A neighbor of mine with a classic Dodge Charger was amazed that he paid more for that than I paid for my DeLorean. He seemed almost disappointed that he spent more money on a less-rare and less-cool-looking car. Maybe he will sell his Charger and join our little community! :)

[OverlandMan]

Maybe it's just me, but I enjoy telling other people that it's the most affordable exotic car. When I tell people what they cost, most of them get a look in their eyes like "Wow, that's something maybe even I could afford." A neighbor of mine with a classic Dodge Charger was amazed that he paid more for that than I paid for my DeLorean. He seemed almost disappointed that he spent more money on a less-rare and less-cool-looking car. Maybe he will sell his Charger and join our little community! :)

I'd put the Lotus Esprits right there with it, maybe even more affordable from an initial purchase price perspective. Hagerty has some of them sub $20k. I bet that would baffle a lot of folks.

[aotmfilms]

I agree. On the way back to Mpls with 1121 we got a thumbs up from a couple in a McLaren. I don't know about flipping us off, but they certainly didn't need to acknowledge us at all.

I know, but I live around Detroit and for some it's a love/hate relationship with JZD. He pissed some older people off here and pleased others so you never know what you will get. Just today I drove by a major hub of the UAW, before that, the GM Tech Center. For some people that I grew up with, if you were employed by, say, GM, you had better buy a GM. I know people that will not marry someone based on what they drove (Ford, GM, Chrysler, Foreign).

It has gotten better but still.

As far as the D, I have gotten nothing but postive complements. I always give the Previous Owner credit though since I just bought it. It is DD worthy, but I'll just use it for Friday/Saturday driving if its sunny out.

--Doug

[mr_maxime]

Its not that deloreans are prestigious exotics, but a rare car unlike anything on the road. Many muscle cars are fetching prices much higher than the delorean but aren't as rare or unique. How many mustangs, chevelles and corvettes do you see at car shows?

I'm glad that the price is rather low. There is no car nearly as cool for the price.

[DannonWeb]

I fit the age example mentioned in this thread to a T. Born in 1975, just turned 40. Fell in love with the movie and the car. Not wanting to finance, I've built some savings on top of a house, kid, etc. Turning 40 was the milestone, so this year is time to buy. However, the $20K I finally have ready to go has turned out to not be enough. So now I'm one of the sad searchers. Ha ha. But my chin is up and I'm still looking dammit!

[louielouie2000]

As previous posts stated, I don't think the movie's anniversary has much to do with the increase in prices. More likely, its the (slowly) recovering economy. As long as there is steady economic growth, I think all classics will continue to increase in value.

Agreed. I also think this is why some other cars have unexpectedly gone through the roof the past few years. For instance: prices on 90s Japanese cars, and other such former underdogs, have completely taken off. Since these cars were more in the working-class end of the spectrum vs blue chip collectibles, they have picked up steam right with the economy.


Quick version: Prices are going up because there are less cars for sale.

About 17 down to about 14 years ago, we had a market FLOODED with barn find cars. People just started dumping them on the market. I'm sure that Y2K did it's own part to help with that too from what I recall on CCTOL. Then as word started getting out, we saw more people go after them when they learned more about the parts supply in Houston.

Fascinating theory, and I think you're right. When I first started looking for a DeLorean to buy 15 years ago the amount for sale was staggering compared to now. You could pick up a local hard copy of Autotrader or the local newspaper classifieds, and invariably see one or two for sale. I looked at probably a couple dozen cars without going more than a handful of hours away from home. I can't tell you how many cars I looked at which were for sale by their original owners, or their estates, too. Nowadays, you really have to look nationally when you want to buy. There aren't as many long-term mothballed cars that come up for sale, either.


Lol I'm one of the young people that financed the car. Wanted a classic car for too long. I didn't want to wait for them to go up in value and fork over more money when I'm retired.


Some say you shouldn't finance a DeLorean, but I disagree. Anyone who was/is waiting would've been money ahead by now if they financed a year or two ago.

I've been shouting this point for years, too. What DOESN'T make sense is to finance something that depreciates- ie: a new or late-model car. Even with interest paid, those who have financed DeLoreans within the past few years will likely come out ahead of those who are simply saving to buy in cash over the course of several years.


Good point on what they sell for and not what they list for. Same kind of thing for real estate. You can see a house listed and what that number is, but buyers don't always get the same access to sold figures. And you're right about the amount of time it spends for sale. If anything is priced high, it doesn't move. Houses, cars, comic books, etc. None of these same ads we keep seeing post a "well, this is what it actually sold for" and yet that's what is more important to know. "Amazing car, one of its kind, rare, rare, best example we've seen, $40k" and then months later you realize it finally sold and the place got $28k for it (or never sold it thinking he's sitting on a gold mine).

This is something the DeLorean community has NEVER seemed to grasp. You can list any object you own for any price, and that has absolutely zero relevance to it's value.

For instance, a friend of mine recently looked at a house that was listed for nearly $600,000. Austin's real estate market is white-hot, and homes here often sell for over asking in all-cash deals. My friend ended up paying $380,000 for the house, despite the fact comparable homes in the area supported the $600,000 asking price. Any object is only worth what someone will pay for it.


You should be able to find a good running car for around $25,000. Depending on your level of mechanical knowledge and experience you should use care to be sure the $ match the car. A safe way to go would be to go through a DMC shop. DMCH or affiliates or one of the DMC specialty shops like Grady, Beuerle, Industries, etc. They all have considerable experience and knowledge to minimize any issues and may have cars for you to examine for purchase.

I have known several people who have bought cars from the various vendors, some being former rebuild cars. These cars have all had the same old DeLorean issues. While I agree there is a certain peace of mind buying from an expert, it certainly doesn't make the vehicle immune to costly & unexpected problems.


Maybe it's just me, but I enjoy telling other people that it's the most affordable exotic car. When I tell people what they cost, most of them get a look in their eyes like "Wow, that's something maybe even I could afford." A neighbor of mine with a classic Dodge Charger was amazed that he paid more for that than I paid for my DeLorean. He seemed almost disappointed that he spent more money on a less-rare and less-cool-looking car. Maybe he will sell his Charger and join our little community! :)

I agree. I always rather loved the underdog quotient DeLoreans enjoyed. To me, it perfectly matched the personality and story of the car itself. I also thought it was really fantastic that the DeLorean was an honest to goodness exotic that any true enthusiast could procure- not just collectors who want the latest trophy.

[OverlandMan]

I pulled the May 2016 Hagerty values and noticed the Oct 2015 peak, followed by a correction, followed by a rebound. If you draw a straight line from Sept 14 to Jan 16, you can see even with the bubble, the car is relatively flat. A modest increase from January of this year to May indicates slow but steady growth. Over the past 10 years, a condition 1 car (the top line) went from $30k to nearly $40k. Even more interesting to me is the larger recent gains in condition 3 and 4 cars.

Anyways just thought I would update and share.

42140

[Rich_NYS]

I pulled the May 2016 Hagerty values and noticed the Oct 2015 peak, followed by a correction, followed by a rebound. If you draw a straight line from Sept 14 to Jan 16, you can see even with the bubble, the car is relatively flat. A modest increase from January of this year to May indicates slow but steady growth. Over the past 10 years, a condition 1 car (the top line) went from $30k to nearly $40k. Even more interesting to me is the larger recent gains in condition 3 and 4 cars.

Anyways just thought I would update and share.

42140


Looks encouraging; last year when I bought 4728 I knowingly "overpaid" a bit, speculating that I was buying it at a "2016 price" so within a year I'd "break even."

Based on the Hagerty chart and other indicators I've seen, I'm right on (or above) the mark. :cheers:

[Jonathan]

Looks encouraging; last year when I bought 4728 I knowingly "overpaid" a bit, speculating that I was buying it at a "2016 price" so within a year I'd "break even."

Based on the Hagerty chart and other indicators I've seen, I'm right on (or above) the mark. :cheers:

Beauty! And don't forget about that "-5% for an automatic" you won't lose now on your value, according to Hagerty that is. Rubbish!! lol

[Rich_NYS]

Beauty! And don't forget about that "-5% for an automatic" you won't lose now on your value, according to Hagerty that is. Rubbish!! lol

Ya.....I agree that "-5% for an automatic" is bogus. An auto trans will be + or - depending on the buyer. Auto trans was almost a deal-breaker on the first D I bought and I know of a few guys currently holding out for a 5-speed, but I also know that sometimes an auto trans is a bit of a "requirement."

I just noticed this in the description of a Long Island DeLorean currently for sale on Craigslist: "Rare automatic transmission model with transmission cooler." -lol

[OverlandMan]

Beauty! And don't forget about that "-5% for an automatic" you won't lose now on your value, according to Hagerty that is. Rubbish!! lol

Yea not sure about that one... a $30k 5spd equals a $28.5k auto; all other variables being equal?? :screwy:

Though I'm sure some auto-haters would say it's valid, for them. I've said it before and I'll say it again, the gearbox was not a factor in my purchase other than operational status of course. If I want to drive a manual-shift, I take out the 308 or my wife's car.

[Soundkillr]

I don't get the argument. It has always seemed to be that manual cars are more desirable and command more money, but it's only a couple thousand dollars. Who cars? Then (as has already been pointed out) there are those who simple can't drive manual, or are to lazy.... Those cars will be more appealing to those buyers...

[OverlandMan]

I don't get the argument. It has always seemed to be that manual cars are more desirable and command more money, but it's only a couple thousand dollars. Who cars? Then (as has already been pointed out) there are those who simple can't drive manual, or are to lazy.... Those cars will be more appealing to those buyers...

I guess my point was its all in the eye of the beholder and I didn't let the gearbox factor into the decision even though I have other manual-shift vehicles in the household. And to that, I think the 5% is rubbish like Jonathan mentioned.

But the original point, more importantly being that current indicators look good for our cars (sticks, autos, grey interiors, black interiors, gas flaps, etc.) Basically everything sans the gold cars.