Considering buying, want fun ownership experiance

[steve.s]

Hi Guys
they are fantastic carsand we are ture fans here...

although with a Delorean, it is not 'if' you break down, more so 'when'.

you cant expect modern day relabilty for a 30 odd year old car....but what do do get is class and style, every journey is like being a film star....

it just way outclasses any modern car you can buy, and would be a zero loss purchase for depreciation...

steve
ex owner vin 1621

[Soundkillr]

You can't be casual and last very long in ownership. Based on what you've said, overall, I think its a bad match for you. If you're not nuts about it, you will probably be disappointed.

I agree with this. Even if you are nuts about it, it will let you down.

[Lwanmtr]

Im not a mechanic either..I do some minor things...but since I got mine I've been doing more of the things I'd never have done on any other car (but mines a lil different as I'm restoring her). If you dont want to do work yourself, then it could get costly to own even a 'fully sorted' car.

[Col Bennett]

Im not a mechanic either..I do some minor things...but since I got mine I've been doing more of the things I'd never have done on any other car (but mines a lil different as I'm restoring her). If you dont want to do work yourself, then it could get costly to own even a 'fully sorted' car.

I'm the same. My car is luckily in great shape but like everyone, there's always a list of stuff to do. To save money, I'm doing the basics myself but if you have issues, it's going to be costly to get a reputable expert to work on the car. At least with an expert you know the work is being done properly, but as they say - "you get what you pay for". I don't like the idea of taking it into "Joe Mechanics" and have them scratch their head as they fumble around making guesses and potential shortcuts.

One note for obsessive perfectionists like me. There's no such thing as a perfect DeLorean. You may find one that's close but once you go down the rabbit hole of perfecting every last detail, it can become a costly pursuit. Sure, parts are available from DMCH etc. but they're expensive and quickly add up. I've spent a lot of money on my car. Would I do it again? Absolutely - but be prepared to continually spend on the car and spend WAY more than you imagined.

Our beautiful 36 year old cars aren't getting any younger and as time goes on, chances are something that hasn't failed yet will probably fail at some point in time.

My 2c.

[Rich]

Our beautiful 36 year old cars aren't getting any younger and as time goes on, chances are something that hasn't failed yet will probably fail at some point in time.

+1

Well said!

Owners can stay ahead of most degradation (pay attention to clutch and brake fluid flushes every 2yrs, coolant every 3yrs, ALL safety checks like TABs, ball joints, electrics/lighting) but even when they were new these cars were not as reliable as most of today's cars.

And neither were the Porsches, Jags or Corvettes they competed with at the time!

[dn010]

She hated my Lotus Elise (because it was too uncomfortable to get in and out of

If this was her complaint with the Lotus, it will likely be the same exact complaint with the DeLorean. I've noticed many people comment on how difficult it is to get out of my car when they sit in it just to say they've sat in one.

[sdg3205]

I agree with this. Even if you are nuts about it, it will let you down.

Interesting. Can you elaborate on this?

I love my DeLorean, I really do. I still wouldn't trade it for a super car like a lamborghini or a ferrari, that's how I know its the right car for me. As a father of two and after having my daily driver impounded for speeding and paying thousands in fines I can safely say my days of pushing the envelope on the roads are over. The only thing i miss is the magic, mystique and excitement that comes from daydreaming about someday owning a DeLorean - that's special. Now and then if a long period of time accumulates between drives I still get that a piece of that feeling when i get out on the highway, especially if I'm with a couple other DeLoreans.

In terms of reliability, my DeLorean has never let me down. Shocker right? It took 18 months during the restoration/teething period to work out the kinks, but it's absolutely rock solid. I've done 3,000 kms (2000 miles) in two days without hesitation. Just did an epic rally with 90 other classic cars first weekend in may pushing 500 miles per day in the mountains, loaded down with tools, fluids, spare parts etc. It was a champ.

The BTTF, cocaine jokes, and general misinformation can be exhausting, especially if it comes at the wrong time. If i get one or two jokes a day and Im in a good mood, it's totally fine, but if it's the 25th joke in 3 hours and I'm trying to follow the directions on a gas pump, I'm not quite as tolerant. This literally happens - Im following the prompts on the gas pump and some will will walk up and say "How much did it cost?" I reply with "How much did you spend on your wife engagement ring?" or something equally arbitrary that drives home the point about how inappropriate the initial question was.

When it comes to DeLorean ownership there are great things and bad things. You'll learn as an owner how to maximize the former and minimize the latter. I don't frequent car shows anymore, but I'm involved with or organize large drives with other classic or sports car owners which is really a thrill. I also rent it out for weddings and movies. This almost always ensures the environment will be both grateful and positive and it helps offset (big time!) the cost of ownership and upkeep.

Support your local DeLorean vendor. It's the right thing to do. They put a lot of time and energy into developing new products and offering free technical support, often any hour of the day or night.

Oh, and get a spec 1 exhaust - it's a whole different car afterwards.

The DeLorean; not what you dreamed it was gonna be, but still a pretty damn great car to own.

[Soundkillr]

Dave, to try and minimize my post, I'll just say my last Delorean was a good one. I rarely had issues with it, but I also knew how to work on it and what possible problems may be lurking. Had I not known what to look for, or how to work on cars I would have sold it long long before I did. And I was crazy about it. My first Delorean was junk, and always left me stranded. I was crazy about it as well. Ownership is usually great, but what I got so sick of was the constant jokes the car would procure, by crowds loved or not. I got tired of anemic power, albeit mine was turbocharged and way faster than others. I don't want to come off as knocking the car, so long story short, I got burned out.
Love the car, still do, but I know going into it, if I ever got another one, I feel safe to say, I would be let down with it as well (one way or another.) I love the delorean, but all owners must be willing to accept the car for what it is. I'd hate to see people buy this car for the novelty and then dump it off because it isn't what they thought it would be. I guess that it what actually spawned my advice to this potential buyer.