Nube looking for advice

[powerline84]

Hey guys,

My name is Jimmy and I am new here lol. I am sure this has been discussed a million times, but looking for some advice. I am in the early stages of researching and purchasing a deLorean. I have always been a gear head and currently have a fully restored 70 c-10 that I am going to end up selling to purchase a DeLorean. I am just curious though, has anybody actually purchased through one of the DeLorean(New) dealerships? I know the prices are high, but I like the idea that they sort out a lot of the common problems before purchase. Just looking for some thoughts on this. I have purchased the "illustrated guide to buying a DeLorean", and have been doing a lot of research myself, but it seams I cant really find any info or thoughts from people who have bought from them. The only thing I have really settled on is that I want a 5speed. Sucks because I live up here in NY, and I see a nice looking car just went up for sale that is an auto. I am going to be down in Alabama for work this summer, and I plan on driving to the DMC in Florida just to check it out. I rode in a DeLorean when I was a kid, but not as an adult lol...I am 6' tall but judging from DeLorean himself being what.....6'4"? that shouldn't be a problem. Anyways any thoughts or help would be gratefully appreciated.
33350

[RoyHinkley]

Good luck with your search. Don't settle for an automatic if that's not what you want. A friend of mine is over 6 feet tall and he fits no problem.

[Jonathan]

Welcome Jimmy.

First thing, find a car local to you (or on your travels) and sit in it (or drive it) to make sure you fit. 6' tall is likely fine, but it depends on whether your height is in the legs or in your upper body. I'm 6'3" tall and fit fine, but I know others who are shorter than I am and they don't fit well.

Going to DMCFL is a good idea. So too would you going to see Rob at PJ Grady's. He's in NYS too. Seeing a bunch of cars all lined up (for sale or otherwise) will give you some good insight to the varying condition of these cars.

You mentioned being a gear head and restoring vehicles already. A big factor on whether people enjoy owning these cars is whether they can do some/most of the work themselves. You sound like someone able to do most of the work yourself? That's good as the cars will have issues over time. What you get from a vendor sold car is one that has most of the issues sorted out. Not all the issues necessarily because they also have cars that aren't quite finished yet and you can buy those too.

Good for you to begin researching and learning about the cars before buying one. That's important. If a new owner dives right in by buying a car that has issues, it can be overwhelming and hurt your chances of enjoying the experience. For those people, I would suggest the vendor route. As with any of the cars you might buy, find the car that is in the best condition for the money you have to spend.

If you have a budget, spend the higher percentage upfront on a car you know (through research and asking the right questions to the right people) to be in good shape and not the surprise car that's got a lower purchase price because you'll end up putting more money and heartache into it in the long run. Aim for a car that was stored well over the years and not one with pine needles in the engine bay or rusty brackets and fittings all over or just generally in a state of disrepair.

Reading James' book is good. Car season is just about here. I'd suggest you go look at the auto car you mentioned near you and at least chat with the owner and get a feel for what the cars are all about. You don't have to buy the auto, or the first one you see regardless, but seeing it or others at a local tech day in your area will help fill in the blanks.

[powerline84]

Awesome,

Thanks for the feedback. Yeah I have always done my own work. I find that I am a perfectionist and am never quite happy with other peoples work. My truck is my baby and I built her myself(except for the paint job). It will be hard to let her go so I am definitely taking my time and doing a lot of research before I decide to sell her and get a Delorean. I have had a lot of fun with the truck, but have loved Deloreans since I was a kid. I just did an LS swap in my truck and will probably just enjoy the truck this summer, but I have just become bored with it. It's time for a change. I am going to visit DMC florida this summer, because I will be in Alabama for work and that trip will probably have a big impact on my decision. I am guessing I am going to get super excited like a little kid and that is gong to seal the deal lol. I rode in one when I was a teenager but haven't been near one since. I really just want to make sure I fit in it comfortably. My Chevys cab is a little small and I fit in that fine, so i don't expect any issues.

[Spittybug]

Welcome.

If you are capable enough to be doing engine swaps etc, then I would suggest that perhaps you DON'T spend the majority upfront. Our cars are now ~35 years old and the fuel systems in particular are starting to really show their age. O-rings, rubber, plastic, injectors, etc... are all wearing out and the K-jet system, while reliable when in good shape, can be very challenging to diagnose and then fix. Many end up chasing one problem then the next, then the next.....

As a suggestion, look/ask/search for a solid frame, suspension and interior car that may be in need of some fuel/ignition work. With today's EFI capabilities, many of us have made the conversion and are enjoying the reliability. Even the vendors are migrating that way as they realize the limitations of K-jet for boosted cars. Parts for K-jet are getting harder to find and more expensive all the time. Do your homework by searching these threads and you will see great progress is being made by individual vendors on making virtually plug and play EFI. It will get there. IMHO, much of the expense of a "vendor car" is in fixing up the fuel system. Face it, brakes, steering, bushings, etc are all pretty straightforward for any shade tree mechanic. The specifics of a car's ignition and fueling are the time and money consumers. You may very well find that your willingness to embrace the newer technology will allow you to buy someone else's K-jet abandonment at a very good price.

[davidc89]

I am 6'2" and I fit fine. I am a new owner of a DeLorean and let me tell you, it's a lot of fun. You have to be a people person, though, if you own a DeLorean. Everyone will come up and talk to you and ask questions. Expect your short trips to the gas station to take 15-30 minutes. That being said, DeLoreans were not perfect off the assembly line so you will tinker with it from time to time. Just do your research and don't be in a hurry to buy one. DeLoreans are the kind of car that everybody likes, but not a lot of people want to buy. So even though they are rare and unique, there are still a fair amount for sale. You can buy a really nice car for $30,000, but like any car you can buy junk for $30,000. Documentation is your friend! Parts are available, but there are only a handful of vendors and your major parts you will have to get from DMC.

That being said, I say go for it! They really are a fun car that not many have. You are sure to bring joy to everyone who sees it.

[Rich_NYS]

I'd suggest you go look at the auto car you mentioned near you and at least chat with the owner and get a feel for what the cars are all about. You don't have to buy the auto, or the first one you see regardless, but seeing it or others at a local tech day in your area will help fill in the blanks.


+1

:thumbup:

[powerline84]

Rich I will definitely take you up on that, I would love to drive out next month if you still have the car and just talk deloreans if you are cool with that. Thanks for the continued input guys!

[Rich_NYS]

Rich I will definitely take you up on that, I would love to drive out next month if you still have the car and just talk deloreans if you are cool with that. Thanks for the continued input guys!

Absolutely, I think it's your best bet to become most familiar with what you're looking for.

[PJ Grady Inc.]

Hi Jimmy,

Where are you in New York? We are in Long Island and have cars in a range of prices and conditions for you to consider. We are the only original factory authorized Delorean dealer still in existence. I've been working on these cares since day one and can give you all the in's and out's of owning a Delorean. There is no need to drive all the way to Florida to check things out unless you just enjoy long drives.
Rob Grady (800)350-7429



Hey guys,

My name is Jimmy and I am new here lol. I am sure this has been discussed a million times, but looking for some advice. I am in the early stages of researching and purchasing a deLorean. I have always been a gear head and currently have a fully restored 70 c-10 that I am going to end up selling to purchase a DeLorean. I am just curious though, has anybody actually purchased through one of the DeLorean(New) dealerships? I know the prices are high, but I like the idea that they sort out a lot of the common problems before purchase. Just looking for some thoughts on this. I have purchased the "illustrated guide to buying a DeLorean", and have been doing a lot of research myself, but it seams I cant really find any info or thoughts from people who have bought from them. The only thing I have really settled on is that I want a 5speed. Sucks because I live up here in NY, and I see a nice looking car just went up for sale that is an auto. I am going to be down in Alabama for work this summer, and I plan on driving to the DMC in Florida just to check it out. I rode in a DeLorean when I was a kid, but not as an adult lol...I am 6' tall but judging from DeLorean himself being what.....6'4"? that shouldn't be a problem. Anyways any thoughts or help would be gratefully appreciated.
33350

[powerline84]

I live in Clayton ny just north of Watertown.

[congerz83]

I live in Rockland County. It's about 5 hours from you. Rob's place (PJ Grady) is about 1.5 hours from me. If you come down to see him, let me know. I'd be happy to let you get acquainted with my car. If you like it, Rob can help you find a car in good shape.

[powerline84]

That's awesome man thank you

[bfloyd]

Jimmy, I'm relatively new to the DeLorean world myself, as I purchased mine from a retired college professor back in November of 2014. It had been sitting in his basement garage since 1995, but frame-wise, body-wise, and interior-wise, I ended up with what I feel is a pretty decent car. No rust on the frame, body panels are straight, and the only issue on the interior is a crack right down the center of the binnacle. It was very well cared for by the two previous owners. Loads of documentation, shop manuals, parts manuals, etc. all came with it.

I've always loved these cars, but never have been much of a gear-head. My mechanic skills have always been limited to spark plugs and oil changes. Here it is 5 months later and I've got the engine of the car stripped down to the block, the entire fuel system, cooling system, and such torn out of the car and slowly cleaning and replacing parts as I go. I've probably got one of the cleanest non-running DeLoreans around these parts! What I've seen so far on parts is, they're not really that expensive.... there's just so many of them to replace. My goal for my car is to have it up and running by mid-summer (June or July) and hope to haveit show-ready by October.

I have found that the folks here on this forum are extremely helpful, and most are willing to lend advise as needed.

[powerline84]

Barry,

thats a cool background story for your car lol. I hope I find a car with a cool story. I own a house in Clarksville and love Tennessee. You should post up a pic of your car. :nana1:

Jimmy

[5875]

I live in Clayton ny just north of Watertown.

Hi Jimmy, welcome to the forum. You and I are actually pretty close to one another. If you care to venture across the border, I'm just a couple hours from you in Ottawa. If you're in the neighbourhood (or neighborhood as you would say :-), feel free to pop by for a coffee and talk DeLoreans. My car comes out from hibernation in about a month.

[powerline84]

that's awesome man thanks for the invite...I will prolly have my chevy on the road in about a month as well.

[refugeefromcalif]

Hello Jimmy,
What part off Alabama will you be in this summer? I live outside of Tuscaloosa and would be happy to meet up with you if you're, (reasonably), close by.
I'm 6' tall and fit in my D just fine. I bought my car from DMCFlorida and while it was a bit on the Expensive side, (I bought one of their cars with a one year warrenty), it has been a Great one for me.

George

[powerline84]

Awesome I'll be by ft Rucker . How was your dmc Florida experience .

[mluder]

Welcome to the club... Good luck in your search.
One bit of advice, while the many DMC affiliated shops do great work and have tremendous knowledge, buying from them is no guarantee that you won't have problems, even in the first year of ownership. These are 30 year old cars and not everything that can go wrong can be anticipated. I've heard too many stories of restored cars having issues even though they were "certified." It's no knock on the shops, just the reality of owning an old car.

Cheers
Steven

[powerline84]

Well Big step today guys, I officially posted my 1970 Chevy truck "Kat" up for sale on Hemmings. Delorean ownership is on the Horizon.

[Jonathan]

Well Big step today guys, I officially posted my 1970 Chevy truck "Kat" up for sale on Hemmings. Delorean ownership is on the Horizon.

Do you have a link to your truck's for sale ad? A friend of mine is looking for one of those.

[powerline84]

Can I post it here?

http://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/cars-for-sale/chevrolet/cst10/1834434.html

well here it is anyhow, sorry if this is not cool I am sure a moderator will tell me lol.

Jimmy

[Rich_NYS]

Can I post it here?

http://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/cars-for-sale/chevrolet/cst10/1834434.html

well here it is anyhow, sorry if this is not cool I am sure a moderator will tell me lol.

Jimmy

How dare you post that here?! -haahaha....!

[smcguiga]

Hey Jimmy! I am in Alabama and bought mine from DMCFL last November. I would definitely give them a call first and talk with Tom about what you are looking for and check their price ranges to see if they have one for you. Making sure the frame is in the best shape possible is definitely one of the top things to look for. I didn't get one that was under warranty like George did but it was in great shape cosmetically and started and ran fine. Since then I've had a few mechanical issues that I have had to fix but they were pretty minor and now its running great! (new accumulator, new fuel Injector, O2 sensor, spark plugs, belt tension bearing, readjust mixture/dwell) Also, I just recently had the governor rebuilt due to some shifting issues. So unless some of this stuff has already been done recently to the car you purchase, you might have to do some of these. At least a general tune-up and oil change.

[powerline84]

Thanks for the advice! I am working a lead on a car right now from a private seller...hopefully it works out. I will say that When I toured DMC Florida last year I thought their prices were a bit High. However, Tony was top notch and gave me a great tour and answered a lot of questions. However being able to do my own work and enjoying the restoration process of cars, I am hoping to fix one up on my own.

[powerline84]

didn't work out...back the the drawing board. At this point I think I will just wait to my truck sells and then go to a vendor.