Good price ??

[81Delorean]

Hey all, I posted in the introductions with my latest purchase a 1981 DeLorean. The question on my mind is did I get a good deal or pay what the car is worth? I am totally new to the DeLorean and have never even driven one until I brought mine home. Little history on the car. it has 18,000 miles never been in rain in the last 18 years. has always been stored and serviced every year to maintain a great running car. Has no problems and needs nothing. Its got the extra fuel door and black interior. I was just wondering if i got a deal or payed too much. I didn't really have time to research the cars as this car was literally a garage find and was not for sale before i purchased it. Through friends knowing of the car I got a hold of the owner offered him some $ price crept up and low and behold it is now mine. I payed under 30k for the car but not too much. Doing some internet searching they seem to hoover between the 20k and 40k range . 40k being top dollar less then 1k mile cars. Any input would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you all and Happy Holidays

[SamHill]

I payed under 30k for the car but not too much.

Is it fair to say that you paid between $25K and $29K?

We need frame pictures and to know how many miles you've put on it. Cosmetically it looks good, but that's half the story.

(Pics are http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?1354-Introductions!&p=33381#post33381)

[Ron]

18,000 miles...no problems...needs nothing...payed under 30k.

Thank you all and Happy Holidays
That be the case, you're good.

Santa early this year?

[81Delorean]

It now has 18,000 miles underside is perfect, cant get any pics car is away for storage. But I will post really good pics once it is out come spring

[Chris Burns]

It's a nice Delorean for sure!:thumbup: Not in the market at the moment, but I hope to be soon!!

[SamHill]

It now has 18,000 miles underside is perfect, cant get any pics car is away for storage. But I will post really good pics once it is out come spring

They don't really like completely "dead" storage. At least start it and let it idle for 30-40 minutes once a month. Anyway, it does look nice. Good luck.

[dmc6960]

They don't really like completely "dead" storage. At least start it and let it idle for 30-40 minutes once a month. Anyway, it does look nice. Good luck.

What? No no no, don't do that! Leave it be until you drive it regularly again, or if your going to start it once a month (really not necessary) you'll want to give it a really good drive too. Not recommended if there is ANY salt on the roads.

[Jonathan]

The question on my mind is did I get a good deal or pay what the car is worth?

If I could give you one piece of advice from my own experience... don't ask others this question. It only matters if YOU think you got a good deal. Only you know your own financial situation, and other details of life to determine whether it was too much or too little. You can't go back and change the price you paid, so let it be.

I posted this exact same question after I bought mine in 2007 and all it did was stir negative emotions. Sure I would go back and change a variety of details for when I bought my car, whether that be the price I paid, or the condition of the car, or whatever, but I can't do that. In the end, I am happy with my car and where I am TODAY with it.

There will never be a definitive consensus on exactly what you SHOULD have paid for the car. That number will never be the same for any two people. If you are happy with the car, and your finances agree, then all you need to do is ask yourself how big the grin is on your face when you talk, walk, and drive your DeLorean :)

[stevedmc]

It looks like a really nice car. If the car truly needs nothing done to it then I'd say yes, you got a pretty good deal. Unfortunately only time will tell if it needs work done to it. If you attempt to drive it regularly, you will find out in the first year whether or not you got a good deal.

[SamHill]

What? No no no, don't do that! Leave it be until you drive it regularly again, or if your going to start it once a month (really not necessary) you'll want to give it a really good drive too. Not recommended if there is ANY salt on the roads.

My car's problems were compounded by that approach. But then, I don't live in Minnesota. OP, what state do you live in?

[Rich]

I agree with Jonathan. Enjoy your car now that it's paid for. The market for DeLoreans is hard to predict. The car is worth what a willing buyer will pay for it.

Yet your general question is asked a lot - usually before a transaction. Some rules of thumb for price/condition as of last summer from one of our fine moderators:

http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?371

Welcome to the community!

[DMCTek]

Sounds like a fair price. That being said I have yet to see a DeLorean that truely needs nothing.

[thirdmanj]

Nah man, you WAAAAY over paid... but its ok I'll take the car off your hands for 5 bucks so you can cut your losses now, and get out on top.... 8)

[Mike C.]

I agree with Jonathan. Enjoy your car now that it's paid for. The market for DeLoreans is hard to predict. The car is worth what a willing buyer will pay for it.

Yet your general question is asked a lot - usually before a transaction. Some rules of thumb for price/condition as of last summer from one of our fine moderators:

http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?371

Welcome to the community!


:D

Welcome to the board, 81Delorean!

The quote of the price in the $40k range really holds true to maybe 1% of the cars out there, and that is if you have a specific buyer looking at that precise moment to buy a privately owned car for that kind of scratch. Yes, the vendors tend to sell refurbished/warrantied cars in those figures, but off the street prices I still hold my guns right where they are at. If you paid just under 30k, you did good but paid on the high side. But especially off the pics I saw in your welcome thread, you got a nice car out of the deal, especially if all updated, stored inside, started and allowed to drive regularly, etc.

I look at purchases like yours in this light. You wanted a car that would need nothing, and one that has been stored indoors all this time. It's pretty specific what you are looking for, and you will pay the sellers premium. It sounds like the seller had his field locked right where he wanted. Id be more concerned if you crossed that 30k line. Enjoy your car!

[Dangermouse]

From you other thread, you implied that the car came with a bunch of parts. Which could of course be anything. It could be a $25k car with $5k of parts (any fenders or torsion bars in that haul?)


p.s.

can you go here and add your info to the community list?

http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?1594-VIN-Chronology&p=33373#post33373

[81Delorean]

Thank you all for every reply. I was just getting a feel of the market for these cars. I really love it and its originality. Id like to find a high mile less attractive one to do some cool things like an engine swap too. But for now this car is going to be a nice show and weekend driver for me and the family.

[Michael]

:D

Welcome to the board, 81Delorean!

The quote of the price in the $40k range really holds true to maybe 1% of the cars out there, and that is if you have a specific buyer looking at that precise moment to buy a privately owned car for that kind of scratch. Yes, the vendors tend to sell refurbished/warrantied cars in those figures, but off the street prices I still hold my guns right where they are at. If you paid just under 30k, you did good but paid on the high side. But especially off the pics I saw in your welcome thread, you got a nice car out of the deal, especially if all updated, stored inside, started and allowed to drive regularly, etc.

I look at purchases like yours in this light. You wanted a car that would need nothing, and one that has been stored indoors all this time. It's pretty specific what you are looking for, and you will pay the sellers premium. It sounds like the seller had his field locked right where he wanted. Id be more concerned if you crossed that 30k line. Enjoy your car!

The only thing I could add to that is you could have easily paid much more by getting the wrong(read cheap) car and spent the purchase price and more trying to restore it. The important thing is do you think you got a good deal on her, and don't just look at the dollor factor, look at the fun you and your family will get out of her in the years ahead. Also take solice in the fact that you will get most(if not all or more) of your money back when/if you decide to sell it in 5 or 6 years...how many Accord/Camry/Maxima owners can say that about their cars?

[LEVY]

As others already mentioned, if $29999.00 USD is a good deal for you,then it is all that matters.

If you ask me, you overpaid way too much!

Why? because I only paid $1000.00 USD for mine.

But then again, I might need to spend $29999.00 USD restoring my car to make it look like yours, then I end up paying $1000.00 USD more than you did, not counting the time my car would be out of service!

Being said that, my guess is that you did good.

Anyways, it is too late for this question, it should be asked before the buy!

Levy



Hey all, I posted in the introductions with my latest purchase a 1981 DeLorean. The question on my mind is did I get a good deal or pay what the car is worth? I am totally new to the DeLorean and have never even driven one until I brought mine home. Little history on the car. it has 18,000 miles never been in rain in the last 18 years. has always been stored and serviced every year to maintain a great running car. Has no problems and needs nothing. Its got the extra fuel door and black interior. I was just wondering if i got a deal or payed too much. I didn't really have time to research the cars as this car was literally a garage find and was not for sale before i purchased it. Through friends knowing of the car I got a hold of the owner offered him some $ price crept up and low and behold it is now mine. I payed under 30k for the car but not too much. Doing some internet searching they seem to hoover between the 20k and 40k range . 40k being top dollar less then 1k mile cars. Any input would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you all and Happy Holidays