Agreed. This is a Want to Buy not a seller's post. Unless I'm reading the rules wrong...Originally Posted by LEVY
Location: Rowlett, TX
Posts: 1,533
My VIN: 5482
Agreed. This is a Want to Buy not a seller's post. Unless I'm reading the rules wrong...
Jeff
Location: Eglin AFB, FL
Posts: 1,603
My VIN: 3299
You guys were right. My fault - I wasn't paying proper attention.
My apologies to the OP.
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Actual snippet of a conversation from Sept 2013:
Me: Eddie, I can't wait to get the car back when you're done with it.
Eddie: Yeah, you'll be able to give the car gas, and it won't be - like - embarrassing....
Location: Lexington, NC
Posts: 791
My VIN: #5000 (Grey, manual, SS chassis, intercooled twin turbo), #16128 (Grey, auto, efi twin turbo), #888
Club(s): (DCVA) (SEDOC) (DCUK)
Find a car with significant repairs and a paper trail of recent work done. Also a car that has been proven to be daily driver status used. Those are hard to come by b/c those are usually not for sale and are being loved by the current owners. These type cars are not "cheap" either. I know of such a car for sale. Call DPI.
Location: Rowlett, TX
Posts: 1,533
My VIN: 5482
Cyberflexx,
What are your intentions with this car (ie: daily driver, Sunday driver, garage queen, etc.)? I think that will dictate how you proceed in your hunt. I'll agree w/ others that you should read Jame Espy's book and if possible have a local D owner assist you if you're going to inspect a car in person. Also, I'd say regardless of whether its a $15k car or a $50k car, expect repairs and such outside of routine maintenance. You'll save more $ if you learn to do some of the work yourself.
Jeff
Posts: 4,808
My VIN: 3937
Hey Jim,
As was mentioned, being realistic is important.
You said a car with no issues and that you couldn't do any major repairs yourself. I think you can aim for a car with no major issues right off the bat, but you may need to have a plan for resolving small issues as well as potential new major issues.
Finding a car that is currently driven every weekend for 100 miles and has been for a few years is a nice description. Like mentioned though, they are harder to find as the owners enjoy that car and a buyer will need to put up bigger bucks to get it.
A couple names come to mind of new owners who are no longer owners as they expected it to be a hands-off hobby. The car will have issues in it's future and having a realistic way of handling them is important. Owning these cars is not a good fit for everyone or every kind of person. That's not a sign that you or anyone else is good bad or in between, it's just life.
If you're still learning and unsure, this summer I would look forward to seeking out a local owner somewhere near you and go and spend time with him and see what the cars are really like. Not just meeting him at a car show, but hang out at his garage/house, ask questions and see what he is working on, how complicated it is and how much it is costing. Ask what kinds of previous projects he's done and why. There are always exceptions but you'll start to see some patterns and consistencies.
Sept. 81, auto, black interior
Location: Huntington, WV
Posts: 31
My VIN: not yet available
My intentions are weekend driver, something to play with and have fun, maybe drive to work once a month or so and maybe take to local car shows. I'd like to have peace of mind that if I drive the car to Cincinatti on one of my trips to BassPro Shops, that the car will get me there and back. Last few summers I have been going to shows and been asking others if any one with a D ever shows up. They all tell me there has never been one at any of the shows they have been to. I know of one D that is in supposed to be in an airplane hanger and probably hasn't been started since 82. The owner is a wealthy elderly man and I do not know him. I can do some smaller work on the car, like oil changes and basic stuff but valve jobs, fuel systems and tune ups would have to be done by someone else. My step father in law owns a garage but he said he really didn't want to work on the car. I think he is afraid of them and keeps calling them junk.I should be able to replace belts and relays and maybe brake pads. I also know I am going to have to learn as I go. The more I think about it, the more I am inclined to buy one from DMC, that way I know it has been gone over by an expert. I'm really just confusing myself...
Posts: 4,808
My VIN: 3937
Talking it out or writing it down is a good way to help yourself figure it out. It can be confusing making sense of it all, but you're going in the right direction with what you wrote here.My intentions are weekend driver, something to play with and have fun, maybe drive to work once a month or so and maybe take to local car shows. I'd like to have peace of mind that if I drive the car to Cincinatti on one of my trips to BassPro Shops, that the car will get me there and back. Last few summers I have been going to shows and been asking others if any one with a D ever shows up. They all tell me there has never been one at any of the shows they have been to. I know of one D that is in supposed to be in an airplane hanger and probably hasn't been started since 82. The owner is a wealthy elderly man and I do not know him. I can do some smaller work on the car, like oil changes and basic stuff but valve jobs, fuel systems and tune ups would have to be done by someone else. My step father in law owns a garage but he said he really didn't want to work on the car. I think he is afraid of them and keeps calling them junk.
If you can do the basic stuff like oil changes and perhaps belt replacement, relays and brake pads, you are certainly ahead of a number of current owners right there. Not everyone out there is some technical DIY guru and you don't need to be. If you can handle those things you listed, there are a lot of other little similar things that you'd have fun with. And you said you know you'll have to learn as you go. That's a great thing to realize right there.
Your step father-in-law may just need an education on the cars. It's not that uncommon for people to think that. Maybe take it as an opportunity to go looking for a local owner and bring him with you. Many people seem to have an opinion on something they've no experience with themselves and all it takes is a little time to understand them. At the end of the day, it's just a car. Four wheels and a seat as Neil Page would sayIf you get to a point where you need a door adjustment or stainless repair, then seek out a DMC guy. But most everything else is just brakes, suspension, spark plugs, etc. like every other car.
The old guy and his car that hasn't started since '82 would be a good one to avoid even if it is close. With what you've described, that's not a good fit for you. The mention of the DMC car though might be a much better idea. You know your budget better than anyone and spending it on Day One for a car that you expect has as many issues resolved as reasonable is a better idea than saving some money on the purchase price with a mystery car and keeping that money in your "surprise repairs" jar.
Sept. 81, auto, black interior
Location: Rowlett, TX
Posts: 1,533
My VIN: 5482
If you can do the maintenance jobs you described above, you'll be fine.My intentions are weekend driver, something to play with and have fun, maybe drive to work once a month or so and maybe take to local car shows. I'd like to have peace of mind that if I drive the car to Cincinatti on one of my trips to BassPro Shops, that the car will get me there and back. Last few summers I have been going to shows and been asking others if any one with a D ever shows up. They all tell me there has never been one at any of the shows they have been to. I know of one D that is in supposed to be in an airplane hanger and probably hasn't been started since 82. The owner is a wealthy elderly man and I do not know him. I can do some smaller work on the car, like oil changes and basic stuff but valve jobs, fuel systems and tune ups would have to be done by someone else. My step father in law owns a garage but he said he really didn't want to work on the car. I think he is afraid of them and keeps calling them junk.
Your step-father's attitude is one of ignorance. Not that uncommon from folks who don't know anything about the car or worse, those who think they know about the car but really don't. Like Jonathan said, at the end of the day it is just another car.
You should give Josh at DPI a call. He's only about 3.5 hours North of you. The closest DMC location to you is probably DMCMW outside of Chicago. These vendors would likely be able to assist you in finding a nice example of what you're looking for.
You're also not all that far from DCS in Dayton, OH this summer. I'd recommend checking that out as well.
Jeff
Location: Huntington, WV
Posts: 31
My VIN: not yet available
A couple days ago I sent Josh at DPI a message on this forum here asking if they sell cars or anything and told him I was a prospective new owner but I never received a reply. A couple weeks ago, I called DMCF and talked to a salesperson, then later that evening Toni the president called me at my home and we talked for a good 30 min. and he emailed me some information. I am going to try to go to DCS in Dayton this year. It's about 4 hours away. I did buy one of the raffle tickets as I did last year. What day and time is the actual car show?
Last edited by cyberflexx; 02-17-2014 at 02:32 PM.
Posts: 4,808
My VIN: 3937
Hey Jim,
I definitely don't know your neighborhood as well as you do, but the 2013 version of the Owners Directory I was just looking through shows 5 cars in WV and another 5 in KY. It's not my place to give you their names or numbers so I'll let them contact you. Anyone in the directory could give one of these guys your name and number as someone who wants to learn and chat though. The closest one I see is an hour away in Charleston and a couple more two hours away in either Lexington or Parkersburg. All of these directory entries indicate they are open to coffee, chatting, and some offering technical help and or tools available. None of them are flagged as being "contact in an emergency only." I wouldn't go all creepers on them, but explaining who you are and why you want to learn or see their car and I'd be surprised if you weren't in touch pretty quickly or even standing in their garage.
Sept. 81, auto, black interior
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