Will the DeLorean become the next Split-Window Bus?

[Timebender]

Here's my question - and this may have been covered in another thread, but here goes.

I love my DeLorean, but have the chance to sell it, and if we did I could make a nice profit on it, and then use that to pay off some credit cards, or invest in a park model RV that we could have on our land and eventually rent out for extra income.

But I love my DeLorean and it took me forever what seems like to get one.

So I don't know if I should sell it (we have other means to get cash for the park model home or pay off debt), as I made the mistake of selling my 1963 23 Window VW Bus for a good profit years and years ago - way before they became $120,000+ collectible vehicles. Mine was one of only 20 1963 23 window busses in the world that were running and registered.

I bought that for $6,000, did some work to get it running well and safely, replaced parts, rubber, and it was about 50% restored but a nice daily driver. And then I decided to sell it to pay off some debt (my work is on/off as a designer), and sold it for $23k, which wasn't bad. Had I put another $15k into it I could have sold it for around $75k, and that was only 10 years ago give or take. Had I known then what I know now, and held onto it, I could get $120,000 or more easily.

So here I am with the DeLorean wondering the same thing.

Easy money now, or hold onto it as the numbers are dwindling, and maybe in 10 years it'll be worth $50k, $75k or more as BTTF keeps celebrating anniversaries, and foreign buyers like Japan suddenly become DeLorean crazy.

Thoughts?

[SIMid]

Just guessing here, but with the current stock of spare parts, enough to build "new " DeLoreans, I don't think the value will increase dramatically.

They will be worth more in the long run, but by how much is undetermined. Also to take into account the demand for them will also dictate the price. If owners are smart enough and say, well, DeLoreans in average condition are now worth $25K compared to $18K, then it will push all prices upwards.

As for the Combi you mentioned and several other classic cars like the Ferrari Dino and Countach have all gone ballistic, possibly around 400+% in the past 5 years.

I think they will be worth something, they have already hit rock bottom so prices should rise. By how fast will only be determined as I have said before, demand and supply.

[16949]

I believe that the market for these is just coming into it's own financially. As people that grew up with BTTF (like myself) have kids moving out and we get some discretionary savings, there will be more and more people able to afford *and want* these cars. The nostalgia group is just starting to have the assets to purchase these cars. That being said, it's countered by the DMC new builds, even if they can only build 500 more, it doesn't help resale values. On the other hand, we're down somewhere around 6000 cars and every month I'm sure that shrinks.
Ultimately, it's supply and demand and so as long as new builds don't flood the market, then we, the sellers, can control the pricing, by not selling for say 15k. Circumstances sometimes require otherwise, but the more that buy-and-hold'ers become owners, the better the market price. There was probably a 5% BTTF day premium, but it also brought a lot of awareness to people that may now want to buy them.

I think the excellent condition ones will fare far better than the rest. But if you hold it long enough, it will be worth money.

If you think you'll pay off cc debt with the funds, and then buy another delorean down the road, then don't go that route. It will be hard than you think to make that happen. If you don't care if you never drive it again, then it just depends on the cc interest rate and the other opportunity costs you will forego by holding on to it.

You make money when you buy, not when you sell. If you bought cheap enough and don't have much money in it, then you will make money. If you don't love it, then sell it and get your money's worth out of it. Otherwise, I think most will be worth 50k in 10 years. If you have 25k in it now, that's a 7.2% rate of return in 10 years.

[mr_maxime]

I was told last weekend by a shop that it wouldnt go up much because it's not a high demand car especially with it being powered by the PRV. I somewhat disagree with him, it's still a really unique car and engine swaps seem to be fairly common among the options of upgrading the PRV. Even with newly built cars, they arent original cars and probably wont affect the value of the original much.

As long as it ends up going up in value more than the interest I paid for the car, Ill be happy.

[Soundkillr]

I was told last weekend by a shop that it wouldnt go up much because it's not a high demand car especially with it being powered by the PRV. I somewhat disagree with him, it's still a really unique car and engine swaps seem to be fairly common among the options of upgrading the PRV. Even with newly built cars, they arent original cars and probably wont affect the value of the original much.

As long as it ends up going up in value more than the interest I paid for the car, Ill be happy.

The guy at the shop was just wrong. There are MANY cars out there (not even a low build amount) that are both slow, and would have never been considered a collectible car, that are now worth BIG money. A perfect case in point is the vw bus. It was economical, very large build numbers, shaped like a brick, slow as hell, and suddenly became very rare, and very sought after. Who would have EVER guessed people would pay 6 figures for a BUS of all things that cost what 3k new?
Weird things happen. I know the Delorean was never fast, but I think that will have little effect on our overall collectibility. I think one day, and sooner than later, these cars are gonna take off in value. They have had a very steady climb over the last few years, and it's only a matter of time for it to take off...

[mr_maxime]

I told him I thought he was wrong. He was basing it off of other british built cars. My personal car probably wont be a big ticket one because it isnt stock. Oct 21, 2015 may have passed, but that doesnt change how iconic the car is.

[Dangermouse]

The guy at the shop was just wrong. There are MANY cars out there (not even a low build amount) that are both slow, and would have never been considered a collectible car, that are now worth BIG money. A perfect case in point is the vw bus. It was economical, very large build numbers, shaped like a brick, slow as hell, and suddenly became very rare, and very sought after. Who would have EVER guessed people would pay 6 figures for a BUS of all things that cost what 3k new?
Weird things happen. I know the Delorean was never fast, but I think that will have little effect on our overall collectibility. I think one day, and sooner than later, these cars are gonna take off in value. They have had a very steady climb over the last few years, and it's only a matter of time for it to take off...

I will respectfully disagree with Ben here.

The average sales price on ebay for cars has been about 20k over the past 18 months/39 sales (from collectorcarpricetracker.com) I don't see a gradual rise, even allowing for a BTTF spike. Of course this is just ebay sales and not Craigslist, or forum, or whatever, but it is one verified sample pool

I just can't see it taking off in price. 10/21 was it's big chance to do so and that didn't particularly materialize, and I would think that anyone who was close to owning one in 2014/15, and a BTTF fan, would have made it happen through loans financing etc. i time for the "big day". Cars being sold over the next 6 to 9 months will struggle to find a buyer, imho. Specifically talking about good condition drivers, not budget priced project cars or top end restorations.

I was told last weekend by a shop that it wouldnt go up much because it's not a high demand car especially with it being powered by the PRV. I somewhat disagree with him, it's still a really unique car and engine swaps seem to be fairly common among the options of upgrading the PRV. Even with newly built cars, they arent original cars and probably wont affect the value of the original much.

As long as it ends up going up in value more than the interest I paid for the car, Ill be happy.

I wouldn't worry about that last one too much. Almost certainly you will have paid out more in maintenance/repairs etc on top o the purchase price, than you will ever get back when you sell it.

[Soundkillr]

I never go by ebay pricing. Especially with a delorean. My past experience has been, several sellers with deloreans, don't know what they have, and the ad reflects that. Poor photos, poor information, and in most cases, a poorly kept car. Also buying a car sight unseen plays into effect. Case in point, viper searches. I can always buy a viper cheaper on eBay, because buyers are afraid to put a top bid on a car they can't see. I have a spend limit, of what I will spend on a car sight unseen. After that amount I am out. That effects any marque I think.
How about Houston cars? When I made my comment, prices are going up, I based it on Houston cars, as well as used cars posted here. I have seen several at around a 25k mark sell here, and some as quickly as a weekend. Years ago it would have taken a 17k car to move like that. Houston's consignment cars (in all fairness) are probably nicer than most cars on eBay, and usually bring mid 20s to 30s.
Now in all fairness to DM, I don't have exact figures, just ballpark numbers I have shoved into my head, but the prices are climbing.
That said, I also base my assumptions on the trends of simple cars, that are now starting to bring bigger money. An example of that, are several old school Japanese cars. These cars are being snapped up by people left and right. Back when I was a kid, people would laugh at a first gen celica and go straight for a mustang. Now people are passing a mustang and grabbing the celica. 15 years ago, a clean 1st gen could bring 7k, 10 years ago 10k, and 5 years ago 15k. Just heard one sell a few months ago for right at 20k. Weird stuff going on out there.

[Michael]

Ebay is where people go to find the lowest price DeLoreans. Try factoring in the sales from the vendors like Tony, Dave and Stephen and you will have the upper end of the spectrum(and the upper end of quality). Going on ebay sales alone is like going in Barret Jackson sales alone. You will not get a true median unless you factor in all major sales. Ebay is a big part of that but not enough to tell the whole story.

[Dangermouse]

As we often say round here, it's the sale price, not the asking price, that matters. Sure, hemmings/DMCx have a higher asking price, but do they get that price?

That's why I used ebay numbers as they are published sales numbers. If DMCx wish to add their sales numbers to the discussion, that would be great . Same with cars listed here - did they get their asking price?

Don't get me wrong, we, as owners, should do everything in our power to encourage the values to go up, and not knock sellers who stretch the envelope (sorry future owners).

As Ben says, in my head, the average asking price has gone up a good ten grand over the past year and hopefully that will at least plateau, but I don't see anything that will trigger the cars going 6 figures.