1981 Sports-GT's - Value retention of D's and similar cars

[Rich]

How well have DeLoreans held their value? Here's a look back in time, so to speak, surveying the original prices of some sports-GT cars one could have bought in 1981, including the DeLorean, then comparing each inflation-adjusted price to the estimated current value of each car.

With the exception of the Lotus' original price and the inflation factor the numbers all are taken from the NADA guide, Classic Car section. Today's value is for NADA's "Avg Retail", which to them is a well-sorted, cosmetically fine car. The values are rounded to the nearest $100. While the chart indicates a 30 year span of time it's true that DeLorean production started 31 years ago this month.

The DeLorean comes out on top in terms of % value retained. No comment here about NADA's accuracy, car performance or the 30yr cost-of-upkeep (a 308GTBi motor is hard to come by), just basic info showing that for what was to become an orphan car a D measures up well in terms of % depreciation.

The market data show that what the original DeLorean team pulled off was remarkable, that the parts supply situation out of the bankruptcy was fortuitous and that the vendor/repair/forum community has been a big plus for DeLorean owners to this day.

[aludden]

Very interesting data. Thanks for posting!
I actually liked the Porsche 928. I'm glad I didn't buy one! :jawdrop:

[Chris Burns]

I have been in a Porsche 928 and a Ferrari 308 GTB. The Porsche 928 is inexpensive to buy, but a P.I.T.A. to fix! The Ferrari 308 is a comfy car with a smooth ride (least the one I was in was). If I had one it would probably be Magnum PI's.

[pezzonovante88]

Very nice. Thanks for posting.

I always find these 'inflation calculators' to be a little misleading. For instance, in 1981 an entry level Ferrari V8 (ie. 308 ) was equivalent to $119,000 today. But today, an entry level Ferrari V8 (ie. 430 or 458 ) is about $250-$350k. A Porsche 911 today goes for well over $100k, unlike the ~$70k shown in the data. A car like a DeLorean would then be considered to be about a ~$100k car, rather than ~$70k. And, show me a brand new 2012 Corvette for ~$40k. Its a $70k+ car today.

[qwerk]

The base price of a 2012 Corvette is around $50k, actually. Just saying.

[ccurzio]

Very nice. Thanks for posting.

I always find these 'inflation calculators' to be a little misleading. For instance, in 1981 an entry level Ferrari V8 (ie. 308 ) was equivalent to $119,000 today. But today, an entry level Ferrari V8 (ie. 430 or 458 ) is about $250-$350k. A Porsche 911 today goes for well over $100k, unlike the ~$70k shown in the data. A car like a DeLorean would then be considered to be about a ~$100k car, rather than ~$70k. And, show me a brand new 2012 Corvette for ~$40k. Its a $70k+ car today.

I don't think you quite understand how inflation works.

[Rich]

Very nice. Thanks for posting.

I always find these 'inflation calculators' to be a little misleading. For instance, in 1981 an entry level Ferrari V8 (ie. 308 ) was equivalent to $119,000 today. But today, an entry level Ferrari V8 (ie. 430 or 458 ) is about $250-$350k. A Porsche 911 today goes for well over $100k, unlike the ~$70k shown in the data. A car like a DeLorean would then be considered to be about a ~$100k car, rather than ~$70k. And, show me a brand new 2012 Corvette for ~$40k. Its a $70k+ car today.

Glad you liked it.

If it simplifies anything one can ignore the inflation factor of 2.5 that was applied equally to all of these original prices, then just compare today's market value to the original price. Or apply some other factor. The individual percentages/ratios will each change but the ranking of the vehicles will remain as shown. DeLorean still "wins".

This data has nothing to do with prices of any new cars, as interesting at that may be. Thankfully, nobody's making cars they way they did 30 years ago, with the possible exception of Morgan. Some makes have moved upmarket, as the numbers suggest. That can be for a different thread, perhaps.

This data is about what DeLorean managed to do relative to their competition in 1981. I chose '81 "base models" that were sold in some volume; stayed away from premium models like the 512BB, 930, Esprit Turbo. For those with sharp eyes, Esprit S2's went away in 1980, so the correct Esprit to compare to is the '81 S3. The percentage is still about right.

[pezzonovante88]

The base price of a 2012 Corvette is around $50k, actually. Just saying.

True, I suppose in the US. In Canada cars are still significantly more, in fact the 'vette starts at $60,050. CAN. Just looked it up :) Ergghh, damn those lower US prices ;)

[pezzonovante88]

I don't think you quite understand how inflation works.

I actually do understand what the data indicates and how "inflation works". However, I was just using a 'real' example, for interest sake, to point out what the equivalent amount of money can buy nowadays compared to what that equivalent amount of money could buy in the past. I know this data has nothing to do with "real" new-car prices, and is purely a demonstration of the cars' relative current values to their values when new compared to some of their competitors and that the DeLorean has done the best. I was just emphasizing my amazement of the effects of inflation on consumer goods. Maybe I just wasn't too clear.

[Totally 80s]

Show me the guy paying $14,800 for a 81 Corvette. :hmm:

[sean]

Very interesting data. Thanks for posting!

+1! Pretty neat perspective right there.

[Dangermouse]

Good info. I can see someone printing that out for car shows :)

Now, I wonder what the total cost of ownership for each of those cars would be over 30 years .

[dvonk]

Show me the guy paying $14,800 for a 81 Corvette. :hmm:

hm, yeah--i had an 1986 Jaguar XJS i purchased in 2001. excellent condition with 56k original miles... it cost $8k. unless theyve markedly increased in value, i think you might be hard-pressed to spend $12k for one, but i could be wrong... :dunno:

stilll cool that the DeLorean holds its value! :headbang:

[Ron]

Seems a year later and the trend is the same...

http://www.nadaguides.com/Classic-Cars/1981/Delorean/DMC-12-Gullwing/2-Door-Sports-Coupe/Values

I noticed is says autos are bringing $500 - $1000 more...

[Rich]

Updated for 2013 - DMC-12 spurts ahead in value retention race:

Picking up on Ron's note in May and on the Jag XJ6/XJS retained-value chat here is what www.nadaguides.com says this year about the same 8 cars we compared last year, including the D.

NADA tells us that the current avg. retail value of a DeLorean is up by $3K to $29K. Feel free to debate that - I'm only reporting their numbers.

The updated graph of those numbers shows that buying a DeLorean would have been by far the best investment one could have made 32 years ago among the selected cars - even if today's D goes for less than $29K. Rankings based on % of the inflation-adjusted value retained, not ranked by prices.

Yes, the '81 D's MSRP is still a bit off. It's the number NADA uses it and these are all NADA's numbers.


Enjoy your investments in precious metal - stainless steel!


Link to .pdf: 20770


20769

[Silverbullet]

Well,

As we all know, not all Deloreans are created equal... Some have sat for a long time... People get them running, and do just what is needed... and they drive until it has a problem, then fix it, and drive till the next issue...

Others, have replaced everything, the Brake system, Clutch, Cooling, Fuel, all at the same time, and added Stage 1 Stainless Steel Hedders, and Wings Aloft... Makes for a really fun dependable car... I have taked with a lot of owners, and like me they have about $30,000-$40,000 into the car, so the $29,000 is not really a stretch.

Craig

[Rich]

.....$29,000 is not really a stretch.

Maybe you and NADA are right. In which case I need to think about upping the stated value of the car with my collector car insurance company.

Again.

[ALEXAKOS]

I have owned all those models except the lotus and the jag. In fact I still own the corvette and the dmc.

Best car to drive in terms of speed stability and friggin awesome power is the 928! I loved it and it had given me the smoothest top speed driving at 230+ Km/h for longer periods ( in germany) with a train stability feeling, holding the steering wheel with just one hand.
All other vehicles were unreliable over 180km/h making the drive a stressful situation.
Of course I am referring to stock cars with no mods.

The 928 was Porsches muscle car designed for the US market and remained the biggest engine, until the dawn of those ugly SUVs the Cayenne.

An overall affordable value for money.

Will post a thread on my 928 restoration ;)

[DMCVegas]

Very fascinating chart. Also not surprising that the DeLorean, Corvette, and Porsche are at the top of the list and the 928 at the bottom, all continuously. The factors involved would be reliability, parts availability, and support network, which the DeLorean just tops out on across the board with the support network being the biggest. The DMC marque has 3 major message boards, Corvettes have numerous ones as well as it's a popular car, and Porsche has Pelican. The differences though that separate them of course and that pushes the DeLorean ahead are really production numbers and public popularity, and the fact that since there are preceding and proceeding model years to choose from, the rarity factor really helps drive up the D's price.

On the opposite end of that spectrum are the cars plagued with inherent mechanical problems affecting their reliability and high parts prices. That will always drive the price down into the dirt. However, why do we go from an S2 to an S3 model comparison on the Lotus?

[Rich]

However, why do we go from an S2 to an S3 model comparison on the Lotus?

Good eyes spotting that change v last year's chart.

The page for 1981 Lotus models in the NADA guide shows the S3 now, not the S2: http://www.nadaguides.com/Classic-Cars/1981/Lotus