How to maintain your Delorean for less than $500 a year and put 10,000 miles on it

[stevedmc]

There have been many people in the past who have claimed you must spend $1,500 a year just to properly maintain a Delorean.

For 2012 I will attempt to show how it is possible to maintain a Delorean for less than $500 a year and I will log 10,000 miles on the odometer.

Each time I do something to the car that costs money (with the exception of putting fuel in the tank) I will document it here and at the end of 2012 we will see how much it cost me to maintain the car.

I'll even go as far as including the cost of oil changes.

Let it be know that the car currently has 44,074 miles on the odometer. I plan to drive it to DCS and later in the year I plan to take a road trip to the east coast.

Let the fun begin!

[Sidaries]

Good idea. I will follow this thread.

[Citizen]

Good idea. I will follow this thread.

Great idea. I too will follow this thread. But I think you should record your fuel cost too, on every fillup. Include the price per gallon, and where you purchased it. This way, you'll know your MPG for the entire year (with which you can take an annual average). This is what I do.

I'm looking forward to seeing all your expenses as they occur. However, you don't have to bore us on this thread with details of every fill up, but maybe at the end of the year give us your summerized results of your fuel usage.

Just a suggestion.

[Chris Mays]

Great idea. I too will follow this thread. But I think you should record your fuel cost too, on every fillup. Include the price per gallon, and where you purchased it. This way, you'll know your MPG for the entire year (with which you can take an annual average). This is what I do.

I'm looking forward to seeing all your expenses as they occur. However, you don't have to bore us on this thread with details of every fill up, but maybe at the end of the year give us your summerized results of your fuel usage.

Just a suggestion.

Great idea....I would like to see how your (annual) MPG comes out too.

[sean]

. However, you don't have to bore us on this thread with details of every fill up......

+1. We don't need an update whenever you change a fuse or door light. I'd suggest a biweekly or monthly update.

[ramblinmike]

Good idea for a thread. I have no doubt it can be done. I've done it myself with 910! Once the "30-year-old-car-that's-been-sitting" issues were worked out it turned into just another car.

Happy driving!

[Iznodmad]

For clarification purposes, are you only going to tally mechanical type things, or are you going to include any cosmetic work as well?

[stevedmc]

For clarification purposes, are you only going to tally mechanical type things, or are you going to include any cosmetic work as well?

Everything but fuel.

+1. We don't need an update whenever you change a fuse or door light. I'd suggest a biweekly or monthly update.

Bi weekly or monthly shouldn't be a problem since stuff doesn't break daily anyway.

[Michael]

For clarification purposes, are you only going to tally mechanical type things, or are you going to include any cosmetic work as well?

Furthermore, if something does break, and you decide to disclose it even if it destroys your argument, will you fix it yourself and claim no labor charge, or will you take it to a shop?

I personally do not subscribe to the whole premise. The upkeep of a 30 year old car with multiple owners can not be surmised with one owner's experience during the course of one year. If you just want to make a point that your car can do it, go for it, but any amount of money spent on a 30 year old Delorean, no matter how small or great, will differ with each car.

[DeLorean]

Furthermore, if something does break, and you decide to disclose it even if it destroys your argument, will you fix it yourself and claim no labor charge, or will you take it to a shop?

Anyone driving any 30 year old car, much less a DeLorean, isn't taking their car to a shop at the first sign of trouble. Lets say a release cable snaps off? Take it to some mechanic and #1, they might not even be able to fix it, #2 Might damage the car trying, #3 it could blow this whole thing right up with the potential of a $1000 bill.

Fix it yourself, and you know how to fix it, will fix it right and the fix will cost you as much as the cable and the bolt!



Quite likely, I could drive my DeLorean for under $100 a year not including gas. (at this point) - Results not typical