Where did you find your car?

[sdg3205]

My car floated around eBay and Craigslist in Gilbert Arizona for a long time. It was originally listed at $15 and kept dropping every time the ads and auctions were renewed. I was down in Az on vacation in 2009 and convinced my wife driving from Scottsdale to Gilbert to see the car would be fun. I was right, the drive was fun, but she didn't enjoy me poking and prodding the car in the hot desert for an hour.

Looked at a few others in the pacific north west but ended up going with the desert car because of the lack of rust. So glad I did. Like others, I didn't know about this forum or other resources before the purchase.

[DMCMW Dave]

I found first (now only) in the local paper (this was a LONG time ago). I didn't look any farther, and bought the first one I ever looked at. It was a runner that I drove home.

[BladeBronson]

I first found Dave S ^^^ through dmcnews in 2000. I hadn't sat in a DeLorean since I was a kid and didn't know how well I'd fit being 6'4". He invited me to a car show at a college so I could try on his car. The DMCMW group helped me find a car for sale in southern Illinois. It was cheap and rough. I daily drove it for 5 years and poured tons of money into it.

Last fall, I posted a wanted ad here on dmctalk and got a response from an owner who had almost exactly what I was looking for (a few vins away from the range I really wanted). I'd learned enough from my first one to spot a good one when I saw it. I sent photos of the car around to a few DMC friends, flew to Philly to test drive it, and bought it. So far so good.

[DaraSue]

Thanks everybody who's responded!

My car was sitting under a tree for fifteen years. I would walk by it while walking with my first born and say "I'm
Gonna inquire about that some day". Later on in life , I was
Walking with my second born and the guy was outside so I said
"You ever gonna sell That Delorean"
He said
"Why do you want to buy it?"
I said "I don't want to pay tens of thousands of dollars ."
He said "how about $5000"

20 minutes later he signed the title Over to me.

I didn't even know about the forums until After I bought it.

OMG, that's awesome! But how many zillions of hours/dollars did it take to get it roadworthy again?

I bought my first two DeLoreans from DMC News members. DMC News was an email list-serve that preceded DeLorean message boards such as DMC Talk. Anyway, it's my goal to buy another DeLorean next year, and I hope to purchase from a fellow forum member when that time comes as well. I just like the idea of buying a car that is owned by a known enthusiast. You get a better idea of the cars individual strengths and faults, how it was maintained & restored, etc. When you look at dealer-sale cars, you can't get any sort of an honest answer on how often the car was driven, how it was maintained, how the DeLorean-specific faults were dealt with (or if they were remedied at all), where replacement parts were bought & who installed them, etc.

(...)

As an example, 99% of Beverly Hills Car Club DeLoreans not only rock their original electrics, but also run their original belts, hoses, and even tires. There is a reason why they advertise their cars for so much less than everyone else; most of their cars will just barely move under their own power. BHCC isn't alone in this, either. The majority of DeLoreans for sale at any given time are in such a condition. (...)

Moral of the story: don't get in a rush to buy, and don't buy a car just because it's nearby. These cars trade hands pretty often, so wait for the appropriate one for you to come along. Even if it isn't near, you'll find fellow owners will gladly go look at the car for you & report back. Trust me, we don't mind doing it- it's always fun to go see a newly surfaced DeLorean in your area.

Yeah, that's the conclusion I'm rapidly drawing, too. I feel pretty good about the ones I've got my eye on currently b/c they were both driven regularly and maintained by DMC and/or an authorized shop for the major stuff. I'd rather pay $30k for one that's in decent shape than get one cheap that's going to end up costing the same or more by the time all the stuff that's been rotting in storage is fixed. Another member recommended doing the full checkout by DMC anyway so maybe I should reconsider my plan to just pick it up and drive it back and try to temper my desire for instant gratification.

[DaraSue]

I first found Dave S ^^^ through dmcnews in 2000. I hadn't sat in a DeLorean since I was a kid and didn't know how well I'd fit being 6'4". He invited me to a car show at a college so I could try on his car. The DMCMW group helped me find a car for sale in southern Illinois. It was cheap and rough. I daily drove it for 5 years and poured tons of money into it.

Last fall, I posted a wanted ad here on dmctalk and got a response from an owner who had almost exactly what I was looking for (a few vins away from the range I really wanted). I'd learned enough from my first one to spot a good one when I saw it. I sent photos of the car around to a few DMC friends, flew to Philly to test drive it, and bought it. So far so good.

What makes a certain VIN range preferable to others? Did later ones have more of the bugs worked out (or have more issues due to the company being on shaky ground?)

[BladeBronson]

What makes a certain VIN range preferable to others?

Various changes were made throughout production of the car. I wanted the later features of the 1 piece bolster and integrated pull handles, but with the earlier grooved hood. I can't remember the details now, but there was a very brief period of time when that combination was being made.

[SKnight]

Various changes were made throughout production of the car. I wanted the later features of the 1 piece bolster and integrated pull handles, but with the earlier grooved hood. I can't remember the details now, but there was a very brief period of time when that combination was being made.

I have the same features, love the grooved hood and integrated pull handles. This was a late 1981 combination, made from about October to November I believe. In December, they switched over to the flat hoods for the 1982 model year.

To add to the main thread, I thought I'd end up getting my car through Craigslist or from a for sale ad on this site. One day I went to DMCNW to look at the cars they had on sale and ask questions, I left about 2 hours later with an offer on the table and then a week later I drove my new pride and joy home.

[BladeBronson]

I just found my notes. #5993 introduced the door pull strap, #6093 introduced the 1 piece bolster, and #7199 was the last with the grooved hood. I ended up buying #10644 because it had everything that I wanted except for the hood, but also had a Stage II engine and had been very well taken care of.

[AugustneverEnds]

I first saw 10287 at a car show and my Mom noticed a For Sale sign on the parcel shelf. We jotted down the number and I called four weeks later, test drove it, first one I ever drove, made a deal on a piece of notebook paper and now it has been four highly enjoyable and educational years. I have learned massive amounts by working on the D and haven't spent a ton of money but plenty of sweat, nerves and cut knuckles

[Kerichbe]

As some may know, my father was the original Managing Director of the company. When he passed, I was determined to get a Delorean simply for the memories. My mother left me enough money to purchase a car, so I started looking. I found one about 10 minutes away that was for sale and made appointment to look at it. By time I went to look at it, it had sold. Being pissed I went online and found one in Saint Louis at a Toyota dealership. I picked up the phone and being totally clueless, bought it. It has run and been a solid car for the passed 4 years, boy oh boy was I lucky. If I were to repeat the adventure, you bet I would check it out before taking the plunge! As it is, I have been very pleased with it, and the previous owner(s) took fairly good care of it.