Tips On Buying A DeLorean

[cbateman]

Please Contribute To The List HERE (http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?17529-Tips-On-Buying-A-DeLorean-***SPLITS-BUILDING-STICKY***)

_


I'm looking for options below $25k. "Project cars" are perfectly acceptable if the price is right. Please let me know what you have, the condition, etc. Feel free to PM me. I live in Northern Virginia and don't mind traveling across the East Coast or Mid-West to check out some options. Thanks!

[Michael]

8<
I ended up spending 10k more than I budgeted because I found a great car. Also it might be a little hard to find your car for 25k, 10 years ago the 25k rule was front and center and prices have gone up since, however it's not completely out of the realm to find a decent car both cosmetically and mechanically (not perfect but decent) for 25k (ish). Basically keep your options open, because when one of those unicorn deals does happen to pop up, it doesn't last long. The last time a decent priced runner came up for sale most were asking questions and wanting pictures while the real buyer nutted up and pulled the trigger leaving the timid lukewarm buyers saying "WTH just happened?"

8<

PS: if you do have the extra funds avaliable, 30 to 35k seems to be the new "norm" for a (as James put it) good lookin, good driving DeLorean.

[Riley88]

8<
Do yourself a favor if you want a car youc an drive worry free, and make that budget a little higher. Yes you MAY find a decent car for 25k, but hey i did the same. I spent 23k, and damn im finally happy with my car, almost another 20-25k later lol. It took a long time and alot of work but you get what you pay for remember that.

[SBL]

I would echo the comments about being "proactive". To my mind, you must a) set your priorities as to what you want and B) be ready to travel immediately. I recently saw an 82 auto for sale in Miami. I just made the drive, saw and tested the car, paid, and was gone.

I knew that for me body and frame were the most important. I do not want to deal with dents in a SS body, or a rusty frame. And it needs to start and drive (although not necessarily very well). So knowing that, I could make an assessment and then a decision without a lot of hesitation or needing time to mull it over.

I have spent about $300 on the car. Not much for parts, but, a lot of my time on the mechanics including preventative things like changing all the fluids. But to me that is the fun of the hobby - starting with something that is aesthetically pleasing and putting time into it to take it to the next level cosmetically and mechanically. Each person has to decide where their skill sets reside, the time they can devote, whether they can get help when needed, etc. Then, be willing to travel and strike.

[Michael]

8<
To paraphrase an old quote. The difference between a 25k DeLorean and a 30k DeLorean is about 10,000 dollars.

[dodint]

I planned to spend $32k and ended up spending $40k, but I do not regret it at all. Not saying you have to over spend your budget to get what you want, but I hit the easy button and have had a positive ownership experience so far.

[dodint]

Sounds like we’re on the same page for what our priorities are: Good frame, good body, starts under its own power. Regarding that 82 auto you found, how exactly did you come across it? This forum? I’ve got automated searches on eBay, Autotrader, and Hemmings motors. Craigslist is a little harder since you can’t search nationwide. There’s a third party site “AutoTempest” that seems to search every state but I can’t set up an automated search. What’s your advice on using Craigslist for Delorean hunting?

Might want to have a look at CarGurus as well. Right now there are only a handful on there and they're higher priced, but it fluctuates.

I found my car on eBay of all places, but the car had been previously owned by someone here on the forum so I could read pretty well into its history which was a nice luxury.

[cbateman]

Some great advice here! Also, I'll add cargurus to the list.

[Michael]

Sounds like we’re on the same page for what our priorities are: Good frame, good body, starts under its own power. Regarding that 82 auto you found, how exactly did you come across it? This forum? I’ve got automated searches on eBay, Autotrader, and Hemmings motors. Craigslist is a little harder since you can’t search nationwide. There’s a third party site “AutoTempest” that seems to search every state but I can’t set up an automated search. What’s your advice on using Craigslist for Delorean hunting?

Craigslist is probably your best bet for a "unicorn" ie, a nice car for under market. These are the people who may not be on facebook, ebay, or other online marketing venues. The people who advertise there are still a few years out of "taking an ad out in the paper" types and your barn finds will probably appear there first. No harm in keeping your search options open as long as you are aware that the tech manual states Craigslist is also the most likely place you will find a scam ad.

David Teitelbaum

[leepoffaith]

Thought I'd throw my two cents in since I was in the same position as you roughly this time last year but my budget was only 20k. It took me until November to find a car that fit my requirements and I bought it within 3 hours of getting posted on Facebook for sale.

1. Have cash in hand and be ready to pull the trigger immediately if you find a car that fits your needs. At the same time, don't buy something just because it fits your budget. A LOT of people have horror stories from buying bad cars. I was extremely fortunate to get a halfway decent car and have had several great mentors from DMC Talk help me along the way.

2. I read on Facebook that John Hervey from DeloreanAutoParts.com (located in Texas) has 5 cars for sale ranging all the way down to $17k. You might want to give him a call. Personally I have had very good experiences with him and feel he is an honest person.

3. DMC Florida posts cars for sale on their Facebook page, which is where I bought my car. Like their page and put it so you get notified when they post cars. Cars in the price range you are looking at sell extremely fast. I called them 3 minutes after they posted my car and drove 1.5 hours to Orlando to see it. By the time I got there they said they had 2 more serious inquires who wanted to see it if I didn't buy it.

Be patient and you will find a car that is right for you. Good luck!

~Lee

[David T]

The real problem here is that you must educate yourself so you don't pay $25K for a car worth $10K and when you see one for $25K that is worth $30K you can recognize it. Or get someone who can help you value the car BEFORE you buy it. Never buy and spend more than you can afford, you will regret it when you don't have anything left to spend on it to fix the inevitable things that will happen to an old car. Always buy the best car you CAN afford, it is cheaper in the end. Expect to spend money on the car during at least the first year of ownership to get things the way you want them to be. For instance tires, struts, fluids, filters, tune-up, and some cosmetic stuff. Don't forget fees like Title, plates, insurance, and sales tax. You do need to go into this with a budget but don't think you will buy a beater for $10K and spend $15K and now you have a car that is worth $25K. To make that $10K car worth $25K will take more than $15K. Especially if you don't do the majority of the work yourself. This applies to any classic car, not just Deloreans.

[Hill Valley PD]

Another thing you can do is check with the DMC vendors out there to see what they might have for sale not on their websites. That's how I found my car at DMC Midwest. Odds are their prices will be much higher than 25-30K, but you typically get what you pay for with these cars. The vendors do sell project cars sometimes all the way to concours quality cars and everything in between. Might be worth a shot to give a few a call and see what they have.

Another thing you need to decide is what features are important to you. Do you want a manual or auto? Gray, black or two-tone interior? Gas flap hood, grooved hood or flat hood? Do you like your antenna in the windshield, mounted on the fender or a power one that folds down and is hidden? Do you prefer the dark gray or light gray wheels? Do yourself a favor and purchase the DeLorean Buyer's Guide by James Espey. Great resource, and you will notice that while these cars did not change a ton during production (styling remained same) many minor running changes were made throughout the production. I scratched the surface with what I listed above. Happy hunting, but do as much research as you can on the front end!

[Spittybug]

Whatever car you end up with, make darn sure the roofbox has been addressed. It is becoming more and more of an issue and anyone that claims theirs is 'fine' without having physically checked is is delusional. 40 years of door stress on rusting steel is a recipe for disaster. Any water that gets past the upper door/T panel seals (and it does, that's one why there is also an inner door seal) can keep the hinges and sides of the roof box wet. Wind driven water goes up the windshield and can go under the upper finisher to the roofbox area. The epoxy joint between the roofbox and the body chassis starts to come apart...... 40 years..... Make sure it has been screwed/bolted and make sure the entire roof box has been inspected/treated and new seals applied or YOU will be having the fun of doing so.

Most everyone looking for a Delorean is well aware of K-Jet joys, the things to watch for with the frame, trailing arm bolts, electrical challenges and under engineered front suspension, but the roof box is becoming the new elephant in the room of maintenance that MUST be addressed sooner rather than later.

[Michael]

8<
When you get that car that "spins freely" and you realize just how much time and time money it will take to make a DeLorean that has sat for 30 years not just drivable but dependable, remember you could have been driving and enjoying your car from day one.

8<
You think injectors and lines will be the end of it? Nooooo my friend, look at rebuilding the entire fuel system for starters, then hope there is nothing major wrong with the engine internals, cooling system is no doubt trashed, electrical gremlins always surface later, then let's not forget about shocks will most likely need replacing along with almost every rubber bushing, tires, brake pads are probably crystalized, calipers need rebuilt, jeez I could go on for days. In short bringing a DeLorean to life that has sat for 30 years could go very easy(if properly put into storage) or could be very expensive and laborious. Most are the latter.
Don't let a few hundred miles and/or the cost of freight deter you from a nice sorted out car vs. one that has sat for 3 decades.
8<