Please help in determining valuation of my Delorean

[mikego_34]

Hello all,

So about 17 years ago my Dad bought a Delorean from a lady in New York. The lady we bought it from had bought it for her husband back in 83. He rode it for a couple years and passed away in the mid 80s, he actually only put about 3500 miles on it. So for about 15 years the car sat in a garage till my Dad bought it in 2001. We had it shipped to Delorean Houston and got it running by replacing all the essentials (replaced all rubbers,cleaned out fuel system, and changed all fluids). Thereafter he brought it back home to San Antonio tx, but never registered it (only would drive it in the neighborhood, put about 250 miles on it over the course of a few months). He ended up getting extremely busy and started to neglect it, so it sat in a garage for another 5 years till about 2005. My Dad had always realized I had an interest in the car, so to my great appreciation he gifted it to me as he didnt have time or the money to be investing into the car. So over the course of the last 12 years its been in my hands. From the time of 2005 till today ive only put about 500 miles on it driving around the neighborhoods but never very far as its still never been registered to either my dad or I (still technically a one owner vehicle). The downside is for the last 12 years Ive neglected it as well, its largely sat for these last 12 years with times of actually starting it but never keeping up with it for more than a month at a time (got busy as well). Sorry for the long story cutting it short, for the majority of this deloreans life its been sitting. Only has about 4500 original miles on it, amd it is clean as heck interior and exterior is largely perfect, obviously sitting for the majority of its life so it engine wise it could have probably have benefited from more upkeep. Ill say this though anytime Ive wanted to get it running it has never been a problem for me to do so. I recently became motivated to sell it and I know ill prolly need to put some money into it to clean up the fuel system ( sitting for the a few years). So a couple of big picture items are: HVAC prolly needs some work as well as fuel system cleanout. My question to the forum is realistically/conservatively speaking what $ should I be asking for it once I get it running? Again, its got about 4500 original miles on it and its Vin # is in the 15000 range, late 82 model I believe.

Thanks in advance,
Mike

[David T]

What you are asking for is very difficult for anyone to offer a guess without being able to actually see and touch the car. Your best measure is to compare it against recently sold cars. For that you look at auctions and E-Bay. While the history of the car is interesting the main things are mileage and condition. Since it has been sitting for so long it is going to need all of the usual things and that can cost over $10,000 plus or minus depending on who does the work and how good it is done. Tires, struts, seals, fuel system, cooling system, battery, brake system, clutch system, and A/C just for starters. Of course it will be worth more if all of the work was already done but that is a problem if you don't have the time or the money. A non-runner with low mileage can be worth as much as $25,000 of course depending on condition.

[Mark D]

Post some photos and I think that will give people a better idea of the car's condition. Mileage matters to some people more than others but it's not typically as important as overall condition.

If you've got documentation of the service history and everything else that has been done to the car that will also add value. Having some history on the car from the previous owner played a pretty big role in the DeLorean I ended up purchasing. If you can put that information together in a usable form like an organized binder or enter everything into a spreadsheet that will be helpful to potential buyers and give you justification for a slightly higher asking price than a car with zero history.

Since the car sat for several years at a time and wasn't continuously maintained showing the more recent work will be much more important.

If the car is cosmetically very good or near perfect than it will definitely be worth investing some money into it mechanically to get it up to par before trying to sell it. You'll gain back what you put into it and then some.

[DMCVegas]

It is truly impossible to to place a value on a car without ever seeing it. There is a massively long list of items that must be examined. Far too many to list in a single post. Although DMCH's inspection sheet is a good place to start. If you want to know what it will cost to repair things, then I would suggest that you make a list of problems with the vehicle, and then start pulling up prices on parts from DMCH's website, and then total everything up for your final price. I.e. If you need brakes done, you'll need pads, hoses, and a rebuilt kit for starters. Possibly more depending upon damage. Now while doing this, you need to be honest about your work. Speaking of which...

From the time of 2005 till today ive only put about 500 miles on it driving around the neighborhoods but never very far as its still never been registered to either my dad or I (still technically a one owner vehicle).

No, it is not a one owner vehicle. Your dad bought it making him the second owner. Now that you own it, *technically* it would be a 3-owner vehicle. But it is definitely not even legally a one-owner vehicle. And I'm not saying this to be a jerk, but if you sell the vehicle as only ever having "one owner", you're going to open yourself up for a lawsuit. Aside from whatever owner registration cards may exist (if applicable to your VIN), you have the paper trail of vehicle registration files and even your own words being printed here on the site. Saying something like "it runs great!" is open to interpretation, and at worse may be a breach of buying a car in good faith. Depending upon your state's rules for private sales of course. But a factual claim such as "one owner" is not interpretive. That can come back on you as fraud, and that is a slam-dunk case where you will loose. Just be honest about things, and don't let the hopes of making things sound more appealing cloud judgement.

[David T]

What you CAN say is it has been in the family since the mid-80's after being bought from the original owner. Sounds better and is is the truth.

[steve.s]

Hi Mike

thought it was worth a post...i am looking for a project ~D and desperate to get back to ownership.

i imported 1621 into the uk some 6 years ago, restored her but had to sell when work plummeted..

i am now in a better position to buy a D.

however i cannot afford to buy a well sorted D, so want a project i can buy and restore in my own time spending smaller amounts of money at a time (wife wont notice as much lol)

so looking for a Delorean, any interior, shifter, year.

preferably a non runner, needing lots of work, preferably complete ish...but some missing parts are okay.

if you were interested i would be buying without spending a penny on her...

i have imported cars before to UK, was an onwer of UK DOC, number 370, reliable and Chris N knows me....

i want a car to drive (eventually!) and enjoy, not for profit. was looking at the car on Beverley Hills car club at $7500, but is is salvage and missing so many parts...., your car obviously is worth quite a bit more!!.

anyway if interested drop me a PM, and/or let me know the sort of money you are after. you could spend many $$$ on getting her running, fuel system etc, wheras i realise any project is likely a non runner needs everything doing (fuel system, injectors, brakes, clutch etc).

also cheaper to Uk for me means i pay less import tax..

it would not be right to advise you on a value but if you have an idea of figure please let me know.

Thank you

Steve
near Birmingham, UK
ex owner vin 1621

[mikego_34]

Thanks for all the help thus far. I received an offer on the Delorean from Delorean of Houston. They are offering $15,000 as is currently stands. They did mention that the vehicle is in good condition, with the only item being that there is an undercarriage spray which he said is not typically desirable. In talking with the service manager they said to get it running it would probably be about $3000 bucks. Only problem is it might be tough to come up with $3000. Anyone think it would be more beneficial to do a private sale and spend the $3000 to make it more desirable for prospective buyers? $15000 doesn't sound like to bad an offer to me, obviously with the caveat being if I'd be able to get in excess of $20,000 for it on a private sale.

[GCMW Deloreans]

Thanks for all the help thus far. I received an offer on the Delorean from Delorean of Houston. They are offering $15,000 as is currently stands. They did mention that the vehicle is in good condition, with the only item being that there is an undercarriage spray which he said is not typically desirable. In talking with the service manager they said to get it running it would probably be about $3000 bucks. Only problem is it might be tough to come up with $3000. Anyone think it would be more beneficial to do a private sale and spend the $3000 to make it more desirable for prospective buyers? $15000 doesn't sound like to bad an offer to me, obviously with the caveat being if I'd be able to get in excess of $20,000 for it on a private sale.

I believe I had private messaged you a bit ago. Let me know your thoughts on that. I believe I sell more Deloreans than most and our Automobile Dealership is very well known for the condition of our cars.

Mike

[DMC-Ron]

Not much risk in trying eBay. No cost to list the car. You can put a reserve price representing the minimum you will accept ($20K ??). It will cost you $125 to eBay if you get a successful sale.Capture.jpg

[Riley88]

Post some photos it would def help. If it is as clean as you say 25k should sell np. Ive seen TERRIBLE condition ones go for 20+K on bev hills car club and we are talking dents and many interior pieces missing