RESET 07-08-2019: Average cost of the AVERAGE DeLorean Daily Driver In Today's Market

[Ron]

I was thinking DD usually means runs well/reliable too. And that "average" would allow for most of the differences/balance things out.

Looks like I need to reword it and add higher values anyway -- Suggestions?

[Spittybug]

Asking a bunch of owners how much their cars are worth to sell onto someone else? Marketing 101 tells us that the answers WILL BE SKEWED upwards..... Human nature.
Post this same poll on any other board in the universe and the responses will be lower.

Again, I'm not knocking the value of the Deloreans. I'm pointing out the human trait of overvaluing what one already owns....... The market sets the price in the end.

[Ron]

Asking a bunch of owners how much their cars are worth to sell onto someone else? Marketing 101 tells us that the answers WILL BE SKEWED upwards..... Human nature.
Post this same poll on any other board in the universe and the responses will be lower.

Again, I'm not knocking the value of the Deloreans. I'm pointing out the human trait of overvaluing what one already owns....... The market sets the price in the end.

Hehe, I didn't ask, "How much would you sell YOUR daily driver for?" I am wanting to know what the members of our DeLorean community thinks a DD would cost. Not what they are "worth". Not what THEY would give. Just a reasonable estimate derived from their observations of the current market, fair market values used by insurance companies, tax office, etc.
I'm sure the result will be skewed because cost doesn't equal worth, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and some will skew the pool for their own amusement. But we all know that...

Seriously- How about, "What price should the Sticky 'Please read before posting I want a cheap DeLorean or Project Car Wanted threads' say for a DD"?

[Parzival]

I was talking to a few others in the Delorean community and after looking at a few recent sale prices we seemed to agree that if you are paying much more then something in the mid to low 40s it better be for a reason. Something like, Very low miles, and or High level of originality (High level Concourse Originality) not something that lends it self to daily driver reliability. (original tires anyone?)
Keeping that in mind I think high 30s or low 40s is the ticket for DD cars. You can easily by a car for 35 and still need to put 10k into to get it to be a reliable car. And complete wrecks seem to be going for 20k now.
Do I think its a bubble? I don't think it is, there is a limited number of these. Its not like the housing market where easy to get loans will inflate the market, and then people who shouldn't have gotten loans default and the market gets flooded causing the bottom to drop out. There is just simply no way to flood the market with Deloreans, the only way I could see anything similar is if a ton of people jumped in, and then all at once realized they were in over head on repairs and up keep, and all toghether decided to sell, and with only 6000 cars out there I don't see it happening, and even if it did, with the low number of cars it would be a short lived dip, and a few folks might get lucky then back to business as usual.

[Rich_NYS]

I was talking to a few others in the Delorean community and after looking at a few recent sale prices we seemed to agree that if you are paying much more then something in the mid to low 40s it better be for a reason. Something like, Very low miles, and or High level of originality (High level Concourse Originality) not something that lends it self to daily driver reliability. (original tires anyone?)
Keeping that in mind I think high 30s or low 40s is the ticket for DD cars. You can easily by a car for 35 and still need to put 10k into to get it to be a reliable car. And complete wrecks seem to be going for 20k now.
Do I think its a bubble? I don't think it is, there is a limited number of these. Its not like the housing market where easy to get loans will inflate the market, and then people who shouldn't have gotten loans default and the market gets flooded causing the bottom to drop out. There is just simply no way to flood the market with Deloreans, the only way I could see anything similar is if a ton of people jumped in, and then all at once realized they were in over head on repairs and up keep, and all toghether decided to sell, and with only 6000 cars out there I don't see it happening, and even if it did, with the low number of cars it would be a short lived dip, and a few folks might get lucky then back to business as usual.

+1

[Hill Valley PD]

Prices have indeed gone up the last few years, but I still think it is possible to get a well running, driver quality car with some cosmetic defects for under 35K though that ship might be sailing. 40K give or take seems to be the sweet spot between something you can show with pride, yet not be afraid to drive. A super low mileage, $60,0000 concours car with original tires, rubber fuel lines, plastic overflow bottle, etc. is cool, but you really can't use it as intended. Owners will always tend to overvalue what they have because they know better than potential owners what it takes to keep a DeLorean in well running, reliable condition. Time and money.

This poll also is about 50/50 right now with half believing the car you described in your original post can be bought for around 25-35K, while the other half thinks 35K or more is what it takes now. The former pricing is the exception now when it used to be the rule.

[andyo]

Where are the data on recent sales coming from? Just wondering, not trying to sound like a punk, i just don’t know where to look besides eBay for actual sales prices. I know eBay isn’t exactly the end all be all, but i fell its likely a good ball park for what a reasonable/average person in the market for a Delorean would pay for one. Looking at completed listings, there are many around the $35k, some higher and some lower. So i think its pretty reasonable to expect to pay $30 to $40k for a good to excellent example. Outstanding cars being more than $40k. Personally, i would expect a near perfect car if I’m paying over $40k.

[Ron]

Lots of great input from everyone! Thanks!!!

Current results:
DD_Poll_080519.jpg

From the input and results, it looks like I should stress the word "average" and make the choices range from $30K to $45K then reset the poll.

What do you guys think?

[lazabby]

Wasn't someone keeping track of sales? It would be nice to see a list of sales for the past year or so. Actual sales prices, not asking prices.

[ssdelorean]

. . . and with only 6000 cars out there I don't see it happening, . . .

"6,000" cars left out of just under 9,000 is another number that needs to be updated. I have been hearing the 6,000 number since 1996. But how do you update that number? You probably don't and just make an educated guess based on the couple VIN lists out there just as the original 6,000 number was based (guessed) upon.

. . . something you can show with pride, yet not be afraid to drive. A super low mileage, $60,0000 concours car with original tires, rubber fuel lines, plastic overflow bottle, etc. is cool, but you really can't use it as intended. . . .

Other than the low miles and original tires one can use the car as intended with original rubber fuel lines, plastic overflow bottle and gasp - the dreaded k-jet system! My DD is proof it can be done. Now angle drives, radiators and water pumps are another story.