Hagerty 10-year prediction for DeLorean

[DMC1890]

I just saw this in my Hagerty newsletter (https://www.hagerty.com/articles-videos/Articles/2017/05/24/predictions) predicting 10-year prices of 50-65K.

[JAS037]

I just saw this in my Hagerty newsletter (https://www.hagerty.com/articles-videos/Articles/2017/05/24/predictions) predicting 10-year prices of 50-65K.

My bet is they will do better than that.

[Dangermouse]

Based on what?

[opethmike]

I'll be absolutely floored if they hit 50k.

[JAS037]

Based on what?

Straight from the article: "Because the Gen-Xers who grew up with such television landmarks as Magnum P.I. and movies like Back to the Future are going to hit their peak earning years in the next decade, and you know what they’re going to want."

To me, that translates into higher demand, which could drive the prices higher.

[Michael]

Well that news will upset a lot of owners. Never have I saw people PISSED upon hearing the news that the car that they own might just actually be worth more than they paid in the future.
51923

[artisticent]

Im seeing them for 50K now. Especially with lower miles and good condition stainless. The reality is that its a specialty car and if most of the current owners demand more for their cars when they come to sell, they will rise in value. Magnum PIs car the 308 was 15K 10 years ago. Now 60K+.

[sdg3205]

$40 - $50k is pretty standard in Canada.

[Michael]

Im seeing them for 50K now. Especially with lower miles and good condition stainless. The reality is that its a specialty car and if most of the current owners demand more for their cars when they come to sell, they will rise in value. Magnum PIs car the 308 was 15K 10 years ago. Now 60K+.

308's were around 30 to 35k ten years ago. I know because I almost bought one before I got my DeLorean. You might find a example in need of service for mid to high 20s but never lower than that.

[DMC1890]

What if there had never been a BTTF. What would our cars be worth then, or would we even be bothered to own one?

[adam_knox]

What if there had never been a BTTF. What would our cars be worth then, or would we even be bothered to own one?
I always figured without BTTF DeLoreans would have the same familiarity/popularity and pricing as a Bricklin.

I agree, that DMC's will go up in value, just as long as there isn't a BTTF nostalgia overkill fatigue.

What I'm curious about is how long the average ownership of a DMC is compared to other classic cars. Do people tend to keep 'em for two years and then move on to something else, or are they being kept for 15 years and only being sold when downsizing? I'm assuming high turnover is better for the marquee overall, as new owners tend to spend money upgrading parts, thus keeping vendors busy/innovating rather than an owner who restored it just once, 15 years ago and only replaces stuff as needed.

Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk

[powerline84]

A lot of people tend to hate on back to the future but I can say without the movie I probably wouldn't own the car. I remember being a kid and seing that thing come out of the back of the trailer and I was hooked. That being said the back to the future references can get annoying but I try to embrace it. I will be a long-term owner but after restoring one, these cars can get on your nerves real fast and also be pretty expensive. I definatly think there is the owner that probably buys the car gets overwhelmed and dumps it after 2 years and there are the obsessed nerds like myself who have books toys and the real deal lol

[DaraSue]

A lot of people tend to hate on back to the future but I can say without the movie I probably wouldn't own the car. I remember being a kid and seing that thing come out of the back of the trailer and I was hooked. That being said the back to the future references can get annoying but I try to embrace it. I will be a long-term owner but after restoring one, these cars can get on your nerves real fast and also be pretty expensive. I definatly think there is the owner that probably buys the car gets overwhelmed and dumps it after 2 years and there are the obsessed nerds like myself who have books toys and the real deal lol

Ditto... The first time I saw BTTF (in the theater in 1985) I knew I had to have one. I was 8 so I also assumed I'd be able to build it into a time machine, LOL.

Ownership has had its moments of frustration (usually when I was finishing a road trip on a flatbed, which was about 50% of the time for the first 5 months I had it) but it was totally worth it. Now that it's actually running reliably I feel like they're gonna have to pry my cold, dead hands off the steering wheel. :rollin:

[Michael]

My first visionof the DDelorean was in 1981 of a Craig Stereo ad. Been hooked ever since.

[artisticent]

As the time goes on and having had the cars I've had over the years being gmc syclones, Porsche 911's, various specialty cars the closer you can keep them to original the better off you are in resale. It's nice to have upgrades but the more honest a car is the better. I look at having a time machine D as a car id have in my showroom garage with KITT the A team van and dukes of hazard.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using Tapatalk

[DMCVegas]

What if there had never been a BTTF. What would our cars be worth then, or would we even be bothered to own one?

That is a damn good question, and one that is properly phrased.

I do believe that a significant amount of credit is due to BTTF for keeping the DeLorean in the public eye. But I really do not believe that most people who have purchased DeLoreans that were first made aware of the car because of the movie, ever made their purchases because they wanted to have that same car from the movie. The minority of that group that did want the movie car are probably people that have time machine conversions.

As a kid, I remember seeing the movie, and I loved it. But the time machine was just a movie car like the Batmobile, KITT, or other vehicles; it wasn't real. The car was just a fantasy, a movie prop. So I never had that infatuation with the movie car. It wasn't until years later when I saw a stock DeLorean slowly drive past in the wild that I got bitten by the bug and had to have one. THEN I discovered that it was the same car from BTTF. I just didn't recognize it because of all the props they installed on the car.

But once I saw the unmodified car, I knew I had to have one. Then I researched and studied the car. And I think that for many people that did catch that infatuation with the movie and car, and who then wanted to learn more about it, they ended up learning about the stock car and then did the same with studying it. There are different paths we took to learn about the car, and yes, BTTF was a big one that probably accelerated the appeal by keeping the car visible.

Would prices and demand be the same today had BTTF not have been made? Yes and no. While BTTF certainly spread awareness of the marque, it also helped many of us snatch up all of those project cars that first generation investors started liquidating 20 year ago. That spike in demand certainly helped sell those cars quicker to eliminate the supply faster.

At the same time, we knew this new demand was coming regardless. The second generation investors are now upon us. Sure, since the first luxury horseless carriage, people have yearned for the unobtainable automobiles of their youth. But, since the Baby Boomer nostalgia started coveting and buying up 50's cars, it's been a systematic process ever since with investors then getting involved to seriously cash in on the mass produced vehicles as the nostalgia demand for them increases. Once the 50's were all bought out, we then moved on to the 60's. And boy, have those prices skyrocketed! Yeah, there was some 70's malaise. So quite a few cars there were ignored which helped further fuel demand for the muscle cars. But even as demand peters out, not necessary because of enthusiasm, but because the enthusiasts are now priced out of the marques, the investors have to move on. So they start looking at other vehicles to flip. While there are certainly some rare gems from the 80's that were not quite household names, there were still some good cars with practical potential such as the F-Body & Fox Body vehicles that are now coming around.

And just as Generation X now has more people with money to spend on those cars, the interest and subsequently the demand for them goes up. But there's the thing: investors are always looking for the next big thing to flip. If you've paid attention, you'll see that Porsche in the past few years has been hit really hard with investors. The price of those vehicles has just skyrocketed. And it happened because the then lack of demand kept prices low, which made entry into the marque a very affordable buy-in. Once people realized that, prices shot up, which spurred demand, and now results in the huge increase in value for those hand-built cars.

Once Porsche is done, where do they go next? That Hagerty list is the perfect example of what do we buy next to flip? I believe that even without BTTF, the DeLorean would have ended up on that list anyway. It's not nearly as low-production as the Bricklin, not to mention that JZD also had connections to Pontiac & GM which is why he was already known. But even if prices were lower because interest was lower thanks to BTTF never having existed, we probably would have seen just as high of a valuation percentage increase. Mass produced 80's car with unique features, cheap price, and a HUGE parts supply? Oh yeah, buy those things up as the next investment cars. All this was a long time in the making, and would have happened regardless of BTTF, or any other movie tie-ins.

[artisticent]

What if there had never been a BTTF. What would our cars be worth then, or would we even be bothered to own one?
Great question. It could be broken down in to two parts. What if there was a bttf movie but the movie car didn't have the accessories, would we want one? Or is it the lure of the accessories used in the movie that makes us want the car at all. For myself I wanted the car because of its connection to the movie. I just prefer to drive one that is all original

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using Tapatalk

[BladeBronson]

If I were to go back in time and prevent the movie from ever being made... if I became aware of the DeLorean at all, I'd probably think it was cool, but wouldn't consider owning one. For instance, I think original Mustangs are cool, and rat rod Model As are cool, but I don't feel any desire to own them. I was at a very impressionable age when BTTF came out and everything in that movie was cool. Guitars were cool (I play guitar), skateboarding was cool (I skateboard), and that frickin car was cool (I own that frickin car).

Like artisticent, the car is cool enough by itself without all the props that I prefer it over driving a time machine. Similarly, I don't own the exact guitar and skateboard that Marty did.

[Lwanmtr]

What if there had never been a BTTF. What would our cars be worth then, or would we even be bothered to own one?

I saw a little segment on 20/20 before the car was actually released and knew I wanted one...the doors were the thing that hooked me..and even before BTTF was released I saw one sitting for sale (after the all the legal crap)..if I had $5000 I woulda gotten it...Some people I'd tell that I wanted a Delorean would say 'a what?'...at least after the movie came out, I was able to say 'that...' lol

[Timeless]

My bet is they will do better than that.
50-65K is now reality just 5 years in. (2017-2022)

[DMC-81]

50-65K is now reality just 5 years in. (2017-2022)

True enough. I remember seeing this thread.


Straight from the article: "Because the Gen-Xers who grew up with such television landmarks as Magnum P.I. and movies like Back to the Future are going to hit their peak earning years in the next decade, and you know what they’re going to want."

To me, that translates into higher demand, which could drive the prices higher.

This is me, so when I bought my car in 2013, I figured the cars would at least hold value throughout my generation's curve, but what I didn't count on was the strong interest from Millennials. Now with the possible re-emergence of the car and brand, who knows where it will lead for our car's value in the future.

I know this, I have seen the marque's elevation in spectator opinion just since I owned the car. Part of that is a noticeable increase in the quality of the fleet at car shows, and that is partially a function of the increase in the car's value.

All good things IMO.

[Helirich]

Funny how a lot of people determined the reason for the increase in value is the movie. I think the movie definitely makes the car more “known”, but I don’t think it influences buying the car. I like this car because of the styling, doors, SS skin and engine placement. (In that order) The movie had no effect on me buying the car. Being more “known” is almost a detriment to me. But I did buy the car to drive. I suppose people that buy for a collection or investment have different motivations.

Are Yellow Camaro’s going to sell in the future as kids growing up watching transformers age?

[Bitsyncmaster]

I also bought my D without the movie aspect affecting my purchase. When the cars were announced, I said "Someday I will own one". I was lucky to get mine for 15 K before the value shot up. Don't think I would have bought the car at today's prices.

The movie does make most people know it's a DeLorean and they love getting a photo with the car.

[louielouie2000]

what I didn't count on was the strong interest from Millennials.

I'm an old millennial... born in '82. The cars are definitely ingrained into the culture of anyone born in the 1980s. What's really surprised me since buying my current DeLorean is the fact the Gen Z kids (born post 2000) flock to to my car everywhere I go. Between the cars and BTTF movies being so very far before their lives I didn't expect them to know the car at all, but they do and love it!


Funny how a lot of people determined the reason for the increase in value is the movie. I think the movie definitely makes the car more “known”, but I don’t think it influences buying the car. I like this car because of the styling, doors, SS skin and engine placement. (In that order) The movie had no effect on me buying the car. Being more “known” is almost a detriment to me. But I did buy the car to drive. I suppose people that buy for a collection or investment have different motivations.

BTTF is what initially drew my attention to the cars as a child and no doubt influenced my decision to eventually purchase 3 of these precision automobiles. That being said, it was the design that caught my eye... not the whole sci-fi aspect. Pretty quickly after I bought my first car the whole BTTF thing definitely faded into the background as the history and design are what has kept my interest all these years. The constant BTTF references annoy me pretty badly because the real story & car are just so much more interesting. However, I know that the movies absolutely kept the cars from fading into obscurity like the Bricklin & others.


I was lucky to get mine for 15 K before the value shot up. Don't think I would have bought the car at today's prices.

I definitely get this. I paid $11k for my first one back in 2001 and nearly 5 times that for my third one 21 years later. While these cars will always be my one true passion I just don't get $50k worth of joy out of mine.

As for what the next 5-10 years holds for values, it's anyone's guess. I think a lot of the spike that happened the past few years was due to covid. Folks were stuck at home with all this extra money and that drove up classic car values and restorations sharply. I have to imagine we've hit a plateau with rising interest rates, folks being back at work and out in the world spending money again, inflation, etc. I can't imagine this new DMC really having an impact on values, either. It's not the same people, not the same factory, not the same country, not the same time, and not the same vision. I think folks are able to differentiate between the original and whatever this new situation is. I can't see this whole new company working out, but wish them the best regardless.

[Helirich]

However, I know that the movies absolutely kept the cars from fading into obscurity like the Bricklin & others.

Delorean is often compared to Bricklin, I guess because of the doors and some styling ques. While I like Bricklins, they never really got the styling right. It always looked like a kit car to me. A cool kit car, but a kit car nevertheless.

The Delorean and the Lamborghini Countach are my dream cars. I don’t think I’ll ever own a real Countach and it’s tough to find a good replica. (That doesn’t look like a kit car) So I guess I’m stuck with the D. It’s funny, I like both cars about equally. (Considering the price difference)

[SonnyV]

Delorean is often compared to Bricklin, I guess because of the doors and some styling ques. While I like Bricklins, they never really got the styling right. It always looked like a kit car to me. A cool kit car, but a kit car nevertheless.

The Delorean and the Lamborghini Countach are my dream cars. I don’t think I’ll ever own a real Countach and it’s tough to find a good replica. (That doesn’t look like a kit car) So I guess I’m stuck with the D. It’s funny, I like both cars about equally. (Considering the price difference)

The comparison is because journalists are lazy. It's a superficial similarity in gullwing doors, unique body material, namesake creator, 2-seater, and "failure" sports car. That sounds like it would be a great basis for a comparison, but if you have the two side-by-side you'll see that they have very little in common.

The Bricklin people like to criticize the DeLorean and say that it's only famous because of the movie and that it wouldn't be popular without it. Bricklin owners can see the speck in a DeLorean owner's eye, but not notice the log in their own. The Bricklin is what you would get if you were to try to build a Corvette kit car out of a Mustang II. Poor build quality is what dooms the Bricklin to low-value obscurity. It's not a good car.

[Mark D]

Speaking of Bricklins, here's one on BAT w/ 62 miles. It's pretty awesome to see one so well preserved.

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1974-bricklin-sv1-6/

Even in like-new condition though, you can still see the less than ideal fit and finish on a lot of the parts. Uneven body gaps all around, misaligned panels, etc. I always felt the interior on these cars were a let down, and here you can see even as-new the center console doesn't fit quite right and there is fabric pulling up around the edges. The molded dash board has hard edges that always seem to have the color wearing off as well. Looks like this one even with less than 100 miles has also suffered the same fate. And the plastichrome trim surrounds around the center vents is peeling off pretty much every car I've seen, including this one..

Not saying DeLoreans were perfect either, but by comparison you can see the level of design and engineering that went into our cars to make it look like a true production car and not kit-bashed together.

[DMC-81]

Funny how a lot of people determined the reason for the increase in value is the movie. I think the movie definitely makes the car more “known”, but I don’t think it influences buying the car. I like this car because of the styling, doors, SS skin and engine placement. (In that order) The movie had no effect on me buying the car. Being more “known” is almost a detriment to me. But I did buy the car to drive. I suppose people that buy for a collection or investment have different motivations.

Are Yellow Camaro’s going to sell in the future as kids growing up watching transformers age?

Well, I don't know. What I do know is that I love the 1969 Camaro, and when I heard GM was retro-styling the 5th generation after the '69, I wanted one. The appearance of the car on the 2007 Transformers movie sealed the color that I wanted.

https://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=60072&d=1558053878


https://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=60070&d=1558053692

Apparently this 2010 Camaro SS Transformers edition makes #4 on this list:
https://www.hotcars.com/camaros-soon-worth-fortune/

The car already gets compliments, but I mostly enjoy driving it.

[Timeless]

The comparison is because journalists are lazy.

Poor build quality is what dooms the Bricklin to low-value obscurity. It's not a good car.
21st Century journalism is tragic...... True statement about Bricklin.

[Mark D]

Just a follow up on that Bricklin on BAT with 62 miles... It sold for over 100k, shattering the previous record by around 40k.