Valuation - DeLorean is "one of the hottest collector cars"

[dodint]

I agree with this somewhat, but the same would go for any auction to include eBay, Mecum, Barrett Jackson etc. The point is DeLoreans have been on the rise the last few years in price, and some really nice examples went through BAT. Basically, it reinforces the that the old Rule of 25 is more like the Rule of 35-40 nowadays.

BaT also has buyers fees of 5% of the auction value, up to $5,000. So if you're looking to see what the market will bear for the sale of a particular car you'll need to factor that in as well (final price + 5% to find equivalent private party price). That's not unique to BaT, but for eBay sales those fees are charged to the seller so they're not directly comparable.

BaT is just a weird and closed culture in and of itself and I don't think it's representative of how the real world works. But I know people that (and have not) listed on there so maybe I'm too close to it. I wouldn't discourage anyone from listing or buying on there; I just see it as a novelty.

[MrChocky]

I read through the BHCC thread - car from there is probably not for me.

Meanwhile, I found this search:

https://www.autotempest.com/results?make=delorean

Which combines many of the obvious sites. If you also click though all the CL links, then there's a lot of cars topping 40K.

[MrChocky]

I said a trusted member!

Seriously, Rich's car (when he decides to put it up for sale) would be absolutely ideal for you as it has been properly converted to a carbed setup.

Yeah, I just went through his restoration and driving threads. It's easily the nicest car to date I've seen. No doubt he's going to want a pretty penny for
it - and quite rightly! Just have to find a way to trick him or something (out loud voice).

[Michael]

Yeah, I just went through his restoration and driving threads. It's easily the nicest car to date I've seen. No doubt he's going to want a pretty penny for
it - and quite rightly! Just have to find a way to trick him or something (out loud voice).

Tell him you are Bill Robertson's cousin and you work for YouTube seeking talent to co star in "Cobra Kai".

[Hill Valley PD]

BaT also has buyers fees of 5% of the auction value, up to $5,000. So if you're looking to see what the market will bear for the sale of a particular car you'll need to factor that in as well (final price + 5% to find equivalent private party price). That's not unique to BaT, but for eBay sales those fees are charged to the seller so they're not directly comparable.

BaT is just a weird and closed culture in and of itself and I don't think it's representative of how the real world works. But I know people that (and have not) listed on there so maybe I'm too close to it. I wouldn't discourage anyone from listing or buying on there; I just see it as a novelty.

Yeah, it's a fun site to browse. I also factored in the 5% fees into my pricing analysis as stated in my post. We can crunch numbers all we want, but it all comes down for what someone is willing to pay. I agree to try to find a private party seller on here rather than a random dealer. The vendors can also be good sources for cars. I ended up getting mine through Mike at DMC Midwest. However, if you can find the seller before they co-sign with a vendor, you'll save yourself 10%. Happy hunting!

[Rich_NYS]

Here's a link Mr Chocky & I have been discussing. Follow the link at the bottom of the listing for several undercarriage pics and post your valuation opinions of the car.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1981-DeLore...2080%7Ciid%3A1

[Hill Valley PD]

Midwest car all day. Lots of surface rust in random places. Seller mentioned the frame being restored/repainted. The rear engine cradle looks like it has a darker finish than the rest of it. The valve covers look corroded, and engine bay looks a bit ratty. I bet the frame was pretty bad on this one before the POR-15 and repairs or whatever they painted it with. The interior looks decent as does the body. The fascias were redone and too dark. There is evidence of the high stripe that's faded away or been removed if you look closely, which is indicative of car with some time spent outside. The "DMC" is all that remains of it. It's a driver quality car for sure and probably won't reach 30K. Bids are at $26,300 now.

[MrChocky]

Here's a link Mr Chocky & I have been discussing. Follow the link at the bottom of the listing for several undercarriage pics and post your valuation opinions of the car.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1981-DeLore...2080%7Ciid%3A1

For all the faults of that car, it's the only one up for auction. I'm betting some last minute excitement by over-eager bidders. $29500.

Separately, I've been looking at all the cars available. There's something of a "glut", if that could be said in a low volume
market. Cars from $14K up to $52K, and about 15 cars available right now. I'm seeing a lot of relisting, which
suggest me it's the slow season, but I haven't been watching the market long enough to really judge this.

[Rich_NYS]

Midwest car all day. Lots of surface rust in random places. Seller mentioned the frame being restored/repainted. The rear engine cradle looks like it has a darker finish than the rest of it. The valve covers look corroded, and engine bay looks a bit ratty. I bet the frame was pretty bad on this one before the POR-15 and repairs or whatever they painted it with. The interior looks decent as does the body. The fascias were redone and too dark. There is evidence of the high stripe that's faded away or been removed if you look closely, which is indicative of car with some time spent outside. The "DMC" is all that remains of it. It's a driver quality car for sure and probably won't reach 30K. Bids are at $26,300 now.

A bit different than my assessment...I'd say it's a Northeast car driven on salted roads. I have a lot of other observations I'll mention after others weigh in. I agree bidding won't [or, shouldn't] reach 30K.

[Jonathan]

A bit different than my assessment...I'd say it's a Northeast car driven on salted roads. I have a lot of other observations I'll mention after others weigh in. I agree bidding won't [or, shouldn't] reach 30K.

Yikes. That's a lot of work coming to whoever wins that auction. $30k? Wow. It'll be close to double that before everything on the car gets sorted out. Existing issues and probably some rework from poor attempts at fixing things by previous owners or shops.

I wonder how that driver's door alignment is without the front striker pin in place?
Oil leak? Sure, rear axles. Easy enough. They might have mentioned the coolant leaks too as they look to be in abundance. Hopefully that's the only reason the fuel tank closing plate looks like it's got more bolts missing than installed.
Some odd wiring in and around the ballast resistor. Same goes for the hose routing. Charcoal canister sitting out behind the A/C compressor for reasons unknown. Nice drip down drain hose hanging out the back just above the muffler.
Air filter duct is missing on one photo and back installed in another.

This car would be kinda fun to get sorted out. Just not fun paying for it.