DeLorean Owners Directory – Call for Updates

[Citizen]

As you may or may not know, I have been the keeper of the new DeLorean Owners Directory (DOD) since 2011. I was planning on publishing the next issue (#10) sometime in November. There are currently 1391 entries in three categories, Active (1093), Inactive (296), and Pending (2). Since I took over, there has been only a smattering of new entries, maybe 2 per month, only sporadic updates, and essentially no deletes. Many in the Active category have moved, or changed their email addresses and phone numbers. Of course I understand that after a move or the sale of your car(s), updating your DeLorean contact information and/or deleting your entries is the least of your concerns. Thus, many in the Active category, and ALL those in the Inactive category have never been heard from since I took over responsibility for the directory. And so I believe much of the data has become stale.

Currently, the two persons in the Pending category are new, yes, but they have not responded to repeated emails asking for verification. This email verification for new entries is one way to ensure new entries are made by real people. For the Inactive category, I am going to send an email so to see if they come back undeliverable. If so, these will be deleted from the DOD.

But before I send an email or do any deleting of stale data, I am putting out a public plea to DeLorean community to please update your data. It’s easy to do provided you know your password (passwords are unchanged from the old DOD). As I only post on DMCTalk, please let any DeLorean friends you have not on DMCTalk know about this request.

Here is the link to the DOD Home page, complete with a how to if you want to make a new entry. If you want to update an existing entry, select “UPDATE” from the top-navigation and follow the instructions.

Here is a link to a thread here on DMCTalk that tells more about what the DOD actually is and is not: Delorean Owners Directory.


Thank you in advance for updating your data, and for being a member of the new DOD.

Thomas Kidd

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[jackb]

My VIN is listed as active (but I guarantee the information is outdated), and I have no idea what my password is. How do I reset it?

[Citizen]

My VIN is listed as active (but I guarantee the information is outdated), and I have no idea what my password is. How do I reset it?

PM sent.

For anyone else that does not remember their password, please PM me and expect to send some identifying information to verify you own (or have access to) the car in question. I will then reset, and send you your password.

Thomas

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[ccurzio]

If this thing weren't so ridiculously closed-off, I would consider participating. But I don't want to become a member just to look at the directory, and I don't want to give my information to a black hole that I will never see.

Until this is opened up even slightly, I don't have any interest in participating. I don't think I'm the only one.

Sorry.

[Bitsyncmaster]

If this thing weren't so ridiculously closed-off, I would consider participating. But I don't want to become a member just to look at the directory, and I don't want to give my information to a black hole that I will never see.

Until this is opened up even slightly, I don't have any interest in participating. I don't think I'm the only one.

Sorry.

+1

[Citizen]

If this thing weren't so ridiculously closed-off, I would consider participating. But I don't want to become a member just to look at the directory, and I don't want to give my information to a black hole that I will never see.

Until this is opened up even slightly, I don't have any interest in participating. I don't think I'm the only one.

Sorry.

Okay, thanks for that input. But to be honest, I don't totally understand. Please have patience with me while I try to answer:

By "closed-off", I assume you mean that you have to enter a password to be added to the list. Yes, true, but it is a password that you create yourself, and later use to update your own data whenever you want. You don't want other people being able to update your data, right?

I also don't understand the "black hole" and "never see" references. I hope you are not thinking that once you put your data in, you never see it again. Not so, you just have to use your password (that you entered above) to display your data. Further, your entry will be published (except address information) in the directory. To download the directory, yes you have to enter passwords again. But this keeps everybody NOT signed up from printing a copy of the directory.

That said, the directory could be "opened up" slightly. Please make a suggestion as to how. But please know that the reason the DOD is sort-of closed in the first place, is to protect the members that have signed up. Passwords are the only way to do that, that I know about right now. I've made a commitment to those who have signed up to protect their information with reasonable precautions, in return for them signing up. Again, passwords are a common way to help protect information.

I hope this helps. Again, thanks for pointing out your non-interest in participating. Until you made this post, I had no idea there was any discord. By you bringing it up, I can try to address it.

Regards,
Thomas

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[ccurzio]

I think "opened up" might be something reasonable and not privacy-invading. Like say, a list of current VINs and their associated last-known city or state of residence. A really really simple way for someone to see if their VIN is in the directory without going through the hassle of membership or trying to figure out how to navigate the site to get a password.

I'll be honest, it took me way too long to figure out the requirements needed to pull my VIN because the website doesn't really make much of anything clear. And I'm pretty good with these computer machine things.

Thanks for taking the time though. Genuinely.

[Citizen]

I think "opened up" might be something reasonable and not privacy-invading. Like say, a list of current VINs and their associated last-known city or state of residence. A really really simple way for someone to see if their VIN is in the directory without going through the hassle of membership or trying to figure out how to navigate the site to get a password.

I'll be honest, it took me way too long to figure out the requirements needed to pull my VIN because the website doesn't really make much of anything clear. And I'm pretty good with these computer machine things.

Thanks for taking the time though. Genuinely.

Shannon Birdwell provides a PDF of all the VINs and their last known locations. You don't have to be a member of the DOD or enter any passwords to see/download it. Here is the link. Chronology.

And there is a really simple way to find out if you are in the directory. After landing on the Texas Club site, simply point to "Registry", then select "Find My VIN". From that screen, enter your VIN and the resulting screen indicates your last known city/state, and if you are currently in the DOD or not. There are no passwords and you do not have to be a member to see the results.

And of course, you can go directly to the VIN lookup page here, which saves clicks.

I hope this helps, and I appreciate the dialog.

Thomas

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