Tips On Buying A DeLorean

[cbateman]

EDIT:

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**** HELP BUILD A LIST OF TIPS FOR POTENTIAL BUYERS ***
The split below developed into an excellent start for a Sticky in the Resources Section.

Contributions to the collection solicited!
Duplicate info/OT/etc. will be resolved as it grows.

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I'm looking for options below $25k. "Project cars" are perfectly acceptable if the price is right. Please let me know what you have, the condition, etc. Feel free to PM me. I live in Northern Virginia and don't mind traveling across the East Coast or Mid-West to check out some options. Thanks!

[Michael]

Know a guy with a nice 82 auto for sale but he is firm at 26k.

[cbateman]

Consider me very interested! I'm still new to the community and the rules for this forum, so I'll just PM you to continue the conversation.

[Michael]

Yeah but you said less than 25k...so....

[cbateman]

It's only 1k more than I'd like to spend, I think I can work with that. Is the car close to Virginia, or atleast on the east coast?

[Michael]

It's only 1k more than I'd like to spend, I think I can work with that. Is the car close to Virginia, or atleast on the east coast?

Rules are rules

Without rules, we have chaos

[Spittybug]

Whatever car you end up with, make darn sure the roofbox has been addressed. It is becoming more and more of an issue and anyone that claims theirs is 'fine' without having physically checked is is delusional. 40 years of door stress on rusting steel is a recipe for disaster. Any water that gets past the upper door/T panel seals (and it does, that's one why there is also an inner door seal) can keep the hinges and sides of the roof box wet. Wind driven water goes up the windshield and can go under the upper finisher to the roofbox area. The epoxy joint between the roofbox and the body chassis starts to come apart...... 40 years..... Make sure it has been screwed/bolted and make sure the entire roof box has been inspected/treated and new seals applied or YOU will be having the fun of doing so.

Most everyone looking for a Delorean is well aware of K-Jet joys, the things to watch for with the frame, trailing arm bolts, electrical challenges and under engineered front suspension, but the roof box is becoming the new elephant in the room of maintenance that MUST be addressed sooner rather than later.

[Michael]

Thanks ��, but it’s not the the north west. Plus I have found one in Canada in my price range. But thanks for the information

Well if it's the one you referenced earlier then there are a lot of red flags in that reply he sent but OK, best of luck to you. When you get that car that "spins freely" and you realize just how much time and time money it will take to make a DeLorean that has sat for 30 years not just drivable but dependable, remember you could have been driving and enjoying your car from day one.

Sounds like he bought the car in hopes of getting it going, realized it takes more money to restore than anticipated, so he decided to sell it to someone else to "finish it up".

You think injectors and lines will be the end of it? Nooooo my friend, look at rebuilding the entire fuel system for starters, then hope there is nothing major wrong with the engine internals, cooling system is no doubt trashed, electrical gremlins always surface later, then let's not forget about shocks will most likely need replacing along with almost every rubber bushing, tires, brake pads are probably crystalized, calipers need rebuilt, jeez I could go on for days. In short bringing a DeLorean to life that has sat for 30 years could go very easy(if properly put into storage) or could be very expensive and laborious. Most are the latter.
Don't let a few hundred miles and/or the cost of freight deter you from a nice sorted out car vs. one that has sat for 3 decades.

If your car is not the same one you referenced the same applies to any car not running and has sat.