Do you park your DMC in popular places with lots of foot traffic?

[AgentDL]

So I'm still less than a week into DeLorean ownership. Last night I took my car out to a very high foot traffic nighttime spot and parked it on the street. Needless to say, it got tons of attention the minute I rolled up, and as I walked away from the car, I unexpectedly had a little bout of paranoia because I was worried about people molesting it. As we walked around the area, I did pass by the car numerous times and every single time I saw people taking pictures of it, but once I had to shoo a girl away for leaning on the car while someone took a picture of her.

I really like making people happy, so it's gratifying to see people enjoying admiring it and taking pictures of it. Should I just bear all the attention with a smile, and wipe the fingerprints away the next morning? Or do you folks have a bunch of horror stories about people screwing with your car while it's parked somewhere?

[Iznodmad]

It is a risk you take leaving the car unattended, especially in a high traffic area. It seems to me the Delorean is a car that begs people to "molest" It, especially with the doors open. There have been a few reports of vandalism over the years. In one case, the car was parked near a college campus and someone walked over the car, smashing the louvers in the process. Be careful out there!

[John U]

I avoid leaving my delorean unattended...eventually you return to some dickhead lying across the hood while his buddy takes a photo!

[Jonathan]

No.



.... I could write a lot more on why, but it will always circle back to the same answer.

I thought one day recently about how sometimes we're asked the question "Do you enjoy driving your DeLorean?"

And I can honestly say my answer is definitely 'yes.'

The catch is, I'll follow that answer up with saying that I enjoy driving the car, but I do not enjoy the part where you need to stop and park it somewhere. Coffee shop, gas station, busy downtown street while going for lunch, etc. The only place I enjoy parking my car is back home in the garage with the door closed. Everywhere else for me is a recipe for feeling anxious, and that's not enjoyable.

So, drive the car and park it at home. That's the extent of my DeLorean's life and it's what works best for me at the moment.

Selfish? Perhaps. But I bought this car for me and if I'm in a good frame of mind to enjoy it with others, than so be it. My enjoyment comes first though. This can be hard for many to understand, especially non-DeLorean people. Thankfully there's only ever one person that needs to be okay with the justification.

There are many previous owners that no longer own their cars because they couldn't find a way to put themselves first in this context. These are tricky cars to learn how to own and enjoy them and no one solution is going to work for everyone. Hopefully reading about other people's experiences helps you figure out how to enjoy yours.

[vwdmc16]

I used to, but I found it would be very easy for some ignorant person easily cause thousands and thousands of dollars damage to the body. do you think they would pay for it? No they would probably just runaway and leaving you what a horrible dents in your car and wallet.

[refugeefromcalif]

I tend to use my D as a DD so, it's a gimme that it's going to be parked in and around the places I shop at.
So Far, (Knock on Stainless), I haven't had any issues with damage caused by the average spectator. People around here have been very respectful, (In my sight of them and my car).

While I DO worry about what people might do in a parking lot, I worry More about them when I'm driving.
You know the ones I mean. That Idiot you see in the rearview driving in a very unsafe manner just to catch up behind you, (or beside), for a picture. (Don't even start me on the people that Slow Down just so you'll catch up with them)...
These people scare the Hell out of me because they're not only putting me, (and my car), in jeopardy, they're also risking others around them.

The first weekend I had my car, I was stopped at a red light. Next thing I know, the car beside me, (neither of us had cars behind us), was hit Hard from behind by a pickup truck. Was the driver of the truck looking at my D instead of the stopped car in front of him? I don't know. I wasn't involved so I left.

Yes, I worry about leaving my car unattended in a public place but, it's just a Car, and I intend on driving it.

George

(OK, I admit it, I've even parked at Wally World numerious times only because I had too)...

[DL4567]

AgentDL, I can tell you're new here, and to DeLorean ownership, so I'm gonna cut you a break, today. (just kidding, hope you get the reference. There will be plenty more of those headed your way)

It's a great question, and there will be many different opinions. People's personalities range from "it's just a car" to more OCD protective types, who will go out of their way to make sure it's never in a situation where something might happen to it (other than driving it, of course). There are guys who post pictures of their Ferrari with women on the hood wearing high heels, and when others scold them, they say "it's just a car". I guess those guys have money to burn and probably don't keep any car for very long.

Anyway, in a perfect world it would be the best fun for everyone if we were able to park our DeLoreans in a heavy foot traffic area, leave it unattended and not worry about it -- most people will be respectful and just take a picture of the car or stand *next* to it while someone takes a picture of them. But we don't live in a perfect world, and unfortunately lots of people are stupid. Too often their parents didn't teach them to respect other people's things, or they are jealous. Eventually some idiot will come along and sit on the front fascia or worse - on the hood, and then get their picture. It is because of this small percentage of idiots that abound in all places, that you can never be sure your car is 100% safe.

I'm more in the OCD protective mindset with my car, and try to park it only at friends' houses driveways, or somewhere where I can keep an eye on it (like sitting outside at a restaurant). Occasionally I'll do a retail store parking lot that is not very busy, for a short period of time. A busy Walmart would be the last place I'd leave it unattended.

[ccurzio]

AgentDL, I can tell you're new here, and to DeLorean ownership, so I'm gonna cut you a break, today.

You sound like a damn fool when you say it wrong.

[jwrayth]

Well, not to make your paranoia worse but if people really want to get at your car they will. I live in the city and this was in my previous "secure" storage;

1398756_591486077895_498471704_o.jpg

I've found a safer place to keep her now, and replaced the lock (fortunately they never actually got in the car). I think the DeLorean will always attract attention and you just have to weigh up the risks of each individual place. Most of the time it's fine, but there are assholes' all round the world who do not respect personal property.

[John U]

You sound like a damn fool when you say it wrong.

Hahahahahahhahaha