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