Does anyone still truly "Daily drive" their DeLorean?

[DeLorean]

I do not do this with mine... but I am fairly sure my car could perform this task if the need arose, at least for a while...

Does anyone still truly use theirs as a Daily driver? Your go-to car. Grocery story, work, sams club, trips to see granmmy DMV, etc...

Anyone?

[jawn101]

Check out the poll results here:
http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?2120-Daily-Driver-Hobby-Car-poll&highlight=daily+drive

[hollywood2311]

No. In fact, I haven't driven mine in a couple of months. Anytime the weather is nice, I end up driving the MX5.

[DMCBRANDON5873]

I do, I used to use it as a weekend car but for the past 6+ months I've been using it as my daily. Hopefully when I finish school and get a real job I can go back to using it as a weekend car

[dmc6960]

Yes.

When it is not winter.

[stevedmc]

I would say 10,000+ miles a year counts as a daily driver. So my answer would be yes.

[thirdmanj]

I would say 10,000+ miles a year counts as a daily driver. So my answer would be yes.

But you don't rely upon it as such. The milage is immaterial, if the D is part of a multiple car family, and the other vehicles aren't someone else's. Then it's not DD. I'd defiantly not put a 10,000 mile a year car in "garage queen" status either. It's certainly driven. But in this case it comes down to a matter of opinion. I suppose if you drive the D to work more frequently than the Geo, it would qualify.

[stevedmc]

But you don't rely upon it as such. The milage is immaterial, if the D is part of a multiple car family, and the other vehicles aren't someone else's. Then it's not DD. I'd defiantly not put a 10,000 mile a year car in "garage queen" status either. It's certainly driven. But in this case it comes down to a matter of opinion. I suppose if you drive the D to work more frequently than the Geo, it would qualify.

I drive the D to work on Monday and Wed and sometimes Friday. It usually gets driven wherever I go during the weekend as well. I consider it a semi daily driver.

[thirdmanj]

I drive the D to work on Monday and Wed and sometimes Friday. It usually gets driven wherever I go during the weekend as well. I consider it a semi daily driver.

Ok that's fair. It's a pride thing for me. 1258 is mostly a garage queen / weekend fun car, just because of the configuration of my driveway. But I get a kick out of knowing that she could be used as a daily driver if I wanted.

[Chris Burns]

The D is a car afterall. I say DRIVE IT! My car wouldn't have to be perfect, but certainly useable.

[thirdmanj]

The D is a car afterall. I say DRIVE IT! My car wouldn't have to be perfect, but certainly useable.

Agreed dude. The DeLorean should never just sit. She's a beautiful car and meant to be driven. That's what I always said I'd do if I got one. I try to live up to it.

[jfirios]

I drive mine all the time, except when i am working on it. I love driving it. Especially when it is shiny and clean and i am listening to the 80's channel on my xm :) Love this car.

[Iznodmad]

That is the sole reason I purchased a second DeLorean, so yes I DD my (2nd) DMC. I have one for "show" (#5000) and one for "go" (#16128). Either is capable of DD duty (maintained and upgraded), but #5000 is a little too nice to be subjected to the battle that is daily use. Right now DPI has #16128 for some "upgrading", but as soon as I get it back then it will be put to use again. I don't drive it if there is any ice, snow, or salt b/c that is just plain stupid with these cars IMHO. Luckily that doesn't happen too often in North Carolina. I am aware of at least 2 other owners in NC that also have a DeLorean that is used nearly daily, and a bunch more on this list (in other states) that make that claim. Vast majority are fun/weekend cars, and that is what I expect given the age and average condition of the cars out there.

[thirdmanj]

That is the sole reason I purchased a second DeLorean, so yes I DD my (2nd) DMC. I have one for "show" (#5000) and one for "go" (#16128). Either is capable of DD duty (maintained and upgraded), but #5000 is a little too nice to be subjected to the battle that is daily use. Right now DPI has #16128 for some "upgrading", but as soon as I get it back then it will be put to use again. I don't drive it if there is any ice, snow, or salt b/c that is just plain stupid with these cars IMHO. Luckily that doesn't happen too often in North Carolina. I am aware of at least 2 other owners in NC that also have a DeLorean that is used nearly daily, and a bunch more on this list (in other states) that make that claim. Vast majority are fun/weekend cars, and that is what I expect given the age and average condition of the cars out there.

2 Ds??!! You greedy bastard! :biggrin:

[whocruiser]

Yup, 1662 was a daily driver for all of the nearly 20 years I had her, and an ONLY car for all but 3 of those years. Got her in 1991 with 10,000 original miles driven by the original owner before he traded it in to the Lexus dealer that sold it to me after 6 months languishing unloved on their lot. Put about 225,000 more miles on it myself before trading it in at DMC Florida 16 months ago towards the purchase of 1150, which was a near perfect condition 7,500 mile creampuff and has been nearly trouble free in daily use since working out a few minor kinks in the first month or two (mostly door adjustment issues common on earlier cars)

[Jeff K]

I drive 16245 pretty much daily, weather permitting. I take my Volvo or my Yukon the other times. I like buzzing around in it.

[Farrar]

The milage [sic] is immaterial, if the D is part of a multiple car family, and the other vehicles aren't someone else's. Then it's not DD.

Given this criterion, it seems that you asked the wrong question. Instead, you should have asked "Is the DeLorean your only car?"

Maybe a new poll is needed.

Farrar

[Jeff K]

Given this criterion, it seems that you asked the wrong question. Instead, you should have asked "Is the DeLorean your only car?"

Maybe a new poll is needed.

Farrar

Good question. Having it as your only car would be too ballsey for me! I'm a parent and need a reliable car and/or backup.

[thirdmanj]

Good question. Having it as your only car would be too ballsey for me! I'm a parent and need a reliable car and/or backup.

Exactly Jeff, and good point Farrar. I believe I discovered that error in the pole that I ran last time. We might have had a discussion on it in that thread but I don't recall precisely. The reason I didn't start another one is because I think I got my answer anyway.

The conclusion I drew was that hardly anyone uses the DeLorean as a DD. That being said, I feel an example is in order.

"Joe Salesman is a bachelor and owns 2 cars. A 1981 DMC-12 and a 1998 Chevy Blazer. Joe's relied upon car is the Blazer. He uses the DeLorean about 2 times a week maybe 3 if the weather holds. He keeps it up as best he can, and to his knowledge it's every bit as reliable as the Blazer. But Joe's no fool, he's had the typical D problems (fuel system [no fights please], doors, grounds, and the other problems associated with 30 year old vehicles of any kind. So he primarily drives the Blazer. It's safer, parts are more common and cheaper at the parts store, and this way he doesn't have feel paranoid everytime he drives somewhere, he can also take his friends places and be the Designated Driver. He can pick big items at the Lowe's etc..."

I could spin this fiction for pages but I hope I made my point. A sports car is not a practical car to begin with,but tack on 30 years, and a limited production number, average mechanic unfamiliarity. It gets a bit more tricky. If this sports car were a 370Z it's another story. Is it still impractical? Maybe, yes. But it's newer, under warranty, and the dealership is 5 miles away.

With that said, I'm willing to wager that those of us that own a DeLorean are more like Joe. We take our Ds out as much as we can more often than Jim and his '63 mint split-widow Corvette. But it isn't relied upon.... That's the key in all this. Reliability weather it's a DMC-12 or not, 30 years is 30 years.

[Chris Burns]

Having a D as a daily driver also depends on your mechanical skills. If you take in the shop for everything that goes wrong, you will be drained a lot more that if you do the work yourself. There are some things you can't help, but try to do as many things yourself as you can! Also helps if you get a car thats in decent shape to begin with.:thumbup2:

Although I do envy the owners who bought junker Deloreans and brought them back to life!:approve:

[DMC3165]

For the better part of last year I used my D everyday and YES it was my only car. I had a pickup truck i used everyday and I sold it earlier in the year. I was planning on continuing to use my D daily as I was going through some life changing circumstances (job change, family member illness).

My thinking (and some of you will agree and some will sharply disagree) was with everything going on the possibility of selling the D came up almost daily. But even if i sold it i'd still need a car. So why not just use this. And that's exactly what i did. And like always it performed flawlessly. From day one this car has always stunned me how reliable it is especially when I am really depending on it. It never goes in for service or gets taken off the road unless it's a problem i see looming for a while. Never hits me with a surprise (KNOCK ON WOOD!!!!!) But i put about 7500 miles on it from march to october and then I was able to get another daily driver. Mainly because i didn't want to destroy the D on NY roads in the wintertime.

[Ryan King]

I drive my car every single day. Full up at least once every two weeks and I put as many miles on it as I possibly can. Yes, it's a daily driver.

[thirdmanj]

Well there's two! Kudos guys!! That's most impressive. :cheers:

[jfirios]

i agree with knowing how to do things. Mine was in decent shape when i got her but damn, the PO was an idiot and a smoker. She is coming back to life and is looking great. Well, her insides are all out rebuilding the interior. Lots of work but work of love.

[DMC_PRIME]

Nope, not at all.... Actually I don't get it out nearly as often as I would like to. The car isn't at my 'main' house. Long story.....

I have had it for 10 years exactly in a few days, wahoo!!

[Dangermouse]

I've been waiting for 'nullset' to read this but no luck yet. So I'll toot his horn, so to speak.

He drives his every day. It is his DD and only car (well technically that's not strictly correct - he has his second D that has been under restoration since the day he got it, as well as his LeMons car, but neither could be considered a backup)

He Drives it rain or shine here in Atlanta traffic, even in last years snowpocalypse.

I drove mine at the start of 2011 as a DD without a dedicated backup (apart from stealing my wifes car) while I decided on a new DD. Best thing for it to be honest.

[Kenny_Z]

I drive the D as often as I can. For a couple of weeks recently she was my daily driver since the Monte and the Mustang were both off the road at the same time. I drive her more often than I drive the Mustang. Better gas mileage and isn't dangerous in the rain. The Mustang has too much power for its lousy traction.

Once I get my van back on the road I won't have a daily driver, I'll just have a daily decision of which car to drive.

[DeLorean]

Interesting, I appreciate those that do daily drive their cars. :thumbup2:

In my case, very likely I could drive mine daily - I just don't have to.

[dmc6960]

Ugh, so I need further documentation I drive mine daily, because I own another car? From salt-free to salt-flies (which can be March-Dec) I drive my DeLorean to work, 5 days a week, 52 miles round trip. I'll drive it every evening I need to go somewhere and can go without my kids, an ill still take it on pure joyrides 2-3 times a weekend.

Daily enough for ya?

[dmc6960]

And further, I've been doing this daily driving since getting the car, in August, 2000, to present. Subtract 1 1/2 years from that total for my engine rebuild and OCCASIONAL maintenance items. NONE of which were ever K-Jet related for those doubters out there.

[WelmoedJ]

I'm a junky considering driving the D.
6.5k miles is not much in regard to the mileages of Americans (our country is only 300x150 kms).
Yet this is only with the D, my other car clocks about the same mileage a year.
I consider my D an almost DD as I use it whenever I get the chance, rain or shine.

Tomorrow I'm off for a one day trip into Belgium (300 miles roundtrip) even though the weather is not promising: temps around freezing point, mostly dry, perhaps snow showers (5%).

The car can handle it, so why not go and enjoy it to the fullest?

[Dracula]

I use mine as a near-daily driver; whenever it's NOT winter, I tend to drive it. Granted, I own a fleet of cars, but the DeLorean gets the most use out of any of them for a multitude of reasons. There are times when I can't use it; like transporting an engine, towing a trailer loaded with the remains of a car to the scrapper or transporting 3 people, but as long as there's no snow on the ground, my car will be driven. This is mostly due to the fact that driving the DeLorean in snow is a horrendous experience because its so small and the front end wants to break free, though, it's better than a Crown Victoria.

[The_Reverend]

Living in Arizona allows me to drive this every day... still have a few issues to work out such as no heat or air... or any air flow at all. I hear the fan come on.. but nothing.

[ramblinmike]

Living in Arizona allows me to drive this every day... still have a few issues to work out such as no heat or air... or any air flow at all. I hear the fan come on.. but nothing.

I bet your blower motor is spinning backwards. Try reversing the leads on the blower motor.

[The_Reverend]

The delorean wiring and mechanics are all new to me. I really need a service manual. I had one before, but when I sold it and bought it back, it dissapeared. :facepalm:

[Totally 80s]

My Delorean is way to nice to drive it daily. The drivers here have no respect for vintage automobiles would turn my car into the "Dent Mobile" in a year or two if I drove it daily.

I only drive my car if I know I can park it in a safe place. Otherwise no way.

[Jimmyvonviggle]

The delorean wiring and mechanics are all new to me. I really need a service manual. I had one before, but when I sold it and bought it back, it dissapeared. :facepalm:

There is a complete upload of the manuals somewhere on this site in PDF. Check the resource section.

[ssdelorean]

OK, a few years late to this thread (I've been "offline" for a while) but yes. Since my purchase in 2003 it has been my daily driver (sans the Snow/Salt/Idiot Trifecta that happens a few months of the year here in Ohio).

And as of earlier this week 16506 is now over 200,000 miles!

449184491944920

This is the 3rd time it’s odometer has seen all zeros! And technically it has about 300 more on it than what is currently showing due to all the angle drive deaths/failures.

People always question me or try to tell me about the car’s bad reliability. I say 'oh yeah!', then show them how many miles I have. :-)

Get those DeLoreans out and drive them everybody!

Maintain. Drive. Enjoy. Repeat.

[Michael]

Some people who drive daily feel "superior" to others, while the ones who have garage quees think they are on the right track by keeping the car low mileage. Blah Blah Blah.

The point of owning a DeLorean is to bring make YOU happy. If it makes you happy to drive it everyday so be it. If it makes you happy to drive it around making others happy to see it, fine too. If it makes you happy by NEVER driving it, perfect.

The point is no matter how much or how little you drive your car, be it 5 miles a year or 50k miles a year, as long as YOU are happy then the car is doing it's job. Just make sure you enjoy it by YOUR measure of happiness and nobody else.


Now to anwser the original question, No, I drive mine about 1.5 to 3k per year. No chance of rain, moderate temps. Never in the winter with the roads salted and I am 100% correct because I am 100% happy with it.

[dmcnc]

Some people who drive daily feel "superior" to others, while the ones who have garage quees think they are on the right track by keeping the car low mileage. Blah Blah Blah.

The point of owning a DeLorean is to bring make YOU happy. If it makes you happy to drive it everyday so be it. If it makes you happy to drive it around making others happy to see it, fine too. If it makes you happy by NEVER driving it, perfect.

The point is no matter how much or how little you drive your car, be it 5 miles a year or 50k miles a year, as long as YOU are happy then the car is doing it's job. Just make sure you enjoy it by YOUR measure of happiness and nobody else.


Now to anwser the original question, No, I drive mine about 1.5 to 3k per year. No chance of rain, moderate temps. Never in the winter with the roads salted and I am 100% correct because I am 100% happy with it.

Amen to that. I drive mine everyday and I'm very happy with that. I'll also garage the Delorean more often in the future and I'm sure I'll be happy with it then as well. I enjoy driving it everyday, but I admit I'm much more conservative with this car than usual as you would expect. I usually keep plenty of distance between me and other cars both on the road and while parked. As long as your honk horns are good, trucks won't miss you either. Driving it everyday understandably requires more consistent maintenance and care, but I don't think anyone in this forum would have issues with doing the latter. Garaging it in the future will at least give me the peace of mind of not having to worry about other drivers as some have mentioned as well. If you have the option to drive it every day and want to, great! If you have the option to not drive it everyday and choose to keep her indoors, that's great too!

-Rafael

[ssdelorean]

Some people who drive daily feel "superior" to others, while the ones who have garage quees think they are on the right track by keeping the car low mileage. Blah Blah Blah.

I'm far from superior, just proud to prove the naysayers wrong.


The point of owning a DeLorean is to bring make YOU happy. If it makes you happy to drive it everyday so be it. If it makes you happy to drive it around making others happy to see it, fine too. If it makes you happy by NEVER driving it, perfect.

Bingo!

[dn010]

Never in the winter with the roads salted.

This was my biggest mistake ever with my D. Anyone who drives on salted winter roads should get a "winter car" and just leave the D parked.

As far as daily driving, I used to drive daily from 2002-2010 minus my years in the Army. Now I drive it occasionally, and that is because I am still working on tuning and I'm still missing exhaust tips. Once I get it tuned, I may drive it a few times a week to work but I doubt daily.

[kings1527]

OK, a few years late to this thread (I've been "offline" for a while) but yes. Since my purchase in 2003 it has been my daily driver (sans the Snow/Salt/Idiot Trifecta that happens a few months of the year here in Ohio).

And as of earlier this week 16506 is now over 200,000 miles!

449184491944920

This is the 3rd time it’s odometer has seen all zeros! And technically it has about 300 more on it than what is currently showing due to all the angle drive deaths/failures.

People always question me or try to tell me about the car’s bad reliability. I say 'oh yeah!', then show them how many miles I have. :-)

Get those DeLoreans out and drive them everybody!

Maintain. Drive. Enjoy. Repeat.

Excellent drive history. What's been your secret to engine longevity? Anything in particular?

[Riley88]

I daily drive mine, but lately i just got a miata as a daily so i have been driving that. Only cause I have needed a new steering rack and money upfront has been tight. Engine in my 79 porsche 924 seized so im trying to get that fixed. damn money pits

[Morpheus]

Practicality reasons aside, I don't think I would DD my DMC because of:

-My commute goes right through several construction zones.
-My downtown parking garage is a nightmare to navigate without power steering and a tight turning radius and is full of idiots.
-My collector insurance policy frowns on it, not just for the mileage but because it's "not insured for daily use".
-Idiots that can't drive in FL, especially when it rains. (Which is every afternoon in summer)

I could go on and on, but those are the main reasons.

I still bring it in to work once in a while, and I drive it on the weekends when I'm not working on it.

[Nicholas R]

-Idiots that can't drive in FL, especially when it rains. (Which is every afternoon in summer)


This is the biggest issue I run into. The problem is compounded even worse given that I work on Disney Property, so EVERYONE I drive passed is a tourist on vacation. I end up as just one more tourist attraction while people are driving down the road. Believe me, when people are on vacation, they feel 100% entitled to get a picture of you driving no matter what it takes. I've seen people cutoff resort buses, been followed into backstage areas, even had someone follow me to my office building parking lot.

The rain just makes it even worse. If I'm in the mood to drive it to work, the first thing I do is ask Siri if it's going to rain today. If she says yes, it stays parked. It's not that I mind it getting wet, it's that people drive even worse (though still feel entitled to a photo), and the traction is terrible, especially with the extra power. Central Florida may be one of the few places where people actually drive their cars less in the summer than the rest of the year, as a result of the daily rain.

[DMCVegas]

This is the biggest issue I run into. The problem is compounded even worse given that I work on Disney Property, so EVERYONE I drive passed is a tourist on vacation. I end up as just one more tourist attraction while people are driving down the road. Believe me, when people are on vacation, they feel 100% entitled to get a picture of you driving no matter what it takes. I've seen people cutoff resort buses, been followed into backstage areas, even had someone follow me to my office building parking lot.

The rain just makes it even worse. If I'm in the mood to drive it to work, the first thing I do is ask Siri if it's going to rain today. If she says yes, it stays parked. It's not that I mind it getting wet, it's that people drive even worse (though still feel entitled to a photo), and the traction is terrible, especially with the extra power. Central Florida may be one of the few places where people actually drive their cars less in the summer than the rest of the year, as a result of the daily rain.

Tourists definitely can be a hassle. The distracted driving aside, the worst is when someone wants a picture of The Strip while driving down I-15. And they forget to turn their flash off, which panics everyone because they think a cop has just flashed someone to pull over. Overall though, even in a city like Houston, I was pretty lucky that Vegas wasn't as bad as most other places when it comes to drivers. They mostly get confined in Vegas to the Resort corridor and Downtown.

Out of curiosity though, what is the temperature rating on your tires? I had Yokohama AVS Intermediates when I first got my car, and they were complete and utter garbage in the rain. It doesn't rain often in Vegas, so the streets were even worse with the buildup of oil that never gets washed off. But the AVS' never had decent traction in the rain. After I swapped them out for the lowered temperature rated B Cooper Cobras, the problem went away.

[Lwanmtr]

Hmm...mine has driven 4 miles in the last 11 months...garage queen..well, maybe, simply cause Im still getting her to a drivable condition.... But once its all sorted and drivable, it will be my daily driver and spend most of the time outside..insurance quotes so far have been good. My feeling is that cars are made to be driven, not sit for months in a garage, no matter which car...Though, yes other drivers out there make me nervous, so I can see why folks only drive them on occasions.

[ssdelorean]

Excellent drive history. What's been your secret to engine longevity? Anything in particular?

Alex,
Sorry for such a late reply. I was not meaning to be a buttwad by ignoring you, I just never saw this post until now. I guess better late than never?

I would say driving the car regularly has been the best thing for it. That and fix little items that come up before they have a chance to turn into big items. The previous owner drove it from new to 51K miles between 1983-2003. Obviously he drove less than what I do but he always keep it in good shape.

A lot of folks say how un-reliable the Bosh K-Jet system is - and to a point I would agree but the real cause of issues is driving habits - or lack there of :-) which lead to fuel issues from sitting too long. My car is proof that the system is great if the car is used on a frequent basis. My daily work commute is 32 miles one way and 28 of those miles are highway miles.

[David T]

Two main reasons driving a Delorean as a DD is not practical. First is insurance. You can't use classic insurance and if you use "ordinary" insurance you can't insure it for full value. Second is parts. If you need to do any repairs and you have to order parts it means you can't fix the car quickly so you have to have another car to use while you fix the Delorean. You CAN make the car reliable but no matter how well you take care of the car, things will wear out and break. On the plus side, you can buy a good Delorean for a LOT less than a new car, fix it up and drive the wheels off it and still save money and have a really cool car to drive.

[ssdelorean]

Two main reasons driving a Delorean as a DD is not practical. First is insurance. You can't use classic insurance and if you use "ordinary" insurance you can't insure it for full value. Second is parts. If you need to do any repairs and you have to order parts it means you can't fix the car quickly so you have to have another car to use while you fix the Delorean. You CAN make the car reliable but no matter how well you take care of the car, things will wear out and break. On the plus side, you can buy a good Delorean for a LOT less than a new car, fix it up and drive the wheels off it and still save money and have a really cool car to drive.

My 17 years and over 176,000 miles (227k total) of driving the DeLorean as a DD say otherwise.

[CFI]

Well since this thread has been resurrected I’ll chime in. I drive mine on a regular basis, at a rate of approx 5,000 miles per year. If the weather is nice, I’m probably driving it. I find it more fun to drive then my new Mustang (and I love that Mustang). The DeLorean offers a driving experience that can’t be matched.

[Hill Valley PD]

Given the age and collectibility of these cars, most people would not daily them. If one lived in a nice climate without winters (salt on the roads), one could daily a DeLorean easily. It would be most unwise to daily drive in the winter due to the frame rust/rot that would occur. I have heard from a few people that some really clean cars have been found in the Washington/Oregon area since they don't get beat on by the sun like in California or Arizona. Apparently, driving in rain isn't too bad on these cars. I have a record going that each time I'm on my way home from DMC MW it rains hard. So far my car has not melted.

[ssdelorean]

Given the age and collectibility of these cars, most people would not daily them. If one lived in a nice climate without winters (salt on the roads), one could daily a DeLorean easily. It would be most unwise to daily drive in the winter due to the frame rust/rot that would occur. I have heard from a few people that some really clean cars have been found in the Washington/Oregon area since they don't get beat on by the sun like in California or Arizona. Apparently, driving in rain isn't too bad on these cars. I have a record going that each time I'm on my way home from DMC MW it rains hard. So far my car has not melted.

Just to clarify since I am in Ohio, I daily drive but my car hibernates during the salt season (typically Nov 1 thru Feb). As soon as the Spring rain washes the salt away, 16506 is out & about.

[nullset]

I daily drove mine for many years, but eventually got something more practical. Also, it started to need some engine work so I let it rest for a while. Now that the engine is fixed up, I'm going to be driving it more.

[David T]

The biggest problem using the Delorean as a Daily Driver (D/D) is insurance. Classic insurance usually sets limits on mileage and specifically prohibits using it as a DD or to commute. Using "ordinary" insurance usually does not allow you to set the value, it gets set by "Blue Book" or some other independent method that doesn't give you full value. If you intend to drive the car regularly you MUST discuss this with your insurance company or agent and fully understand the policy and how it works. You do not want to find out after you have a claim. Same goes for the plates. If you have classic or historic plates there are rules that limit your use. All of this changes State by State and insurance company by insurance company. You HAVE to do a little homework if you want to D/D your Delorean. Worst case your car gets some damage, the insurance company says it is worth $5,000 because it is so old, the damage exceeds $5,000, they total it and take it away.

[Timeless]

The biggest problem using the Delorean as a Daily Driver (D/D) is insurance. Classic insurance usually sets limits on mileage and specifically prohibits using it as a DD or to commute. Using "ordinary" insurance usually does not allow you to set the value, it gets set by "Blue Book" or some other independent method that doesn't give you full value. If you intend to drive the car regularly you MUST discuss this with your insurance company or agent and fully understand the policy and how it works. You do not want to find out after you have a claim. Same goes for the plates. If you have classic or historic plates there are rules that limit your use. All of this changes State by State and insurance company by insurance company. You HAVE to do a little homework if you want to D/D your Delorean. Worst case your car gets some damage, the insurance company says it is worth $5,000 because it is so old, the damage exceeds $5,000, they total it and take it away.
So? It's not as big of a problem as you state. I'm sure most owners discuss the car with their agents and have a policy to cover the car adequately.

[David T]

As I said, it varies by State and in some States either you cannot get agreed value or if you try to set it, the premium is just too expensive. On top of that there will be a deductible. To reduce or eliminate that it will cost even more. You would be surprised how many owners do not know enough about their policies. While it is rare to have a car totaled, it does happen. If you think I don't need a lot of insurance, if the car gets hit I will just get it from the other driver's company. That assumes you get hit by another car, you catch him, the owner has insurance, and that insurance company doesn't total the car "out of the book". Probably more likely the car will be consumed in a fire. Then it is on you and your insurance company. Most classic/historic cars claims are related to storage damage like stuff falling on the car. Most D/D claims are small fender-benders and glass. Even a small fender-bender could add up to enough to total out a Delorean. Typically if the claim is within 10% of the car's value they total it. Ask your agent how much they think your car is worth. Classic insurance is very inexpensive and you can insure it for a lot, like $40-$60K and no deductible. Try doing that with an "ordinary" policy and see what it costs.

[JETS 81 DMC]

As I said, it varies by State and in some States either you cannot get agreed value or if you try to set it, the premium is just too expensive. On top of that there will be a deductible. To reduce or eliminate that it will cost even more. You would be surprised how many owners do not know enough about their policies. While it is rare to have a car totaled, it does happen. If you think I don't need a lot of insurance, if the car gets hit I will just get it from the other driver's company. That assumes you get hit by another car, you catch him, the owner has insurance, and that insurance company doesn't total the car "out of the book". Probably more likely the car will be consumed in a fire. Then it is on you and your insurance company. Most classic/historic cars claims are related to storage damage like stuff falling on the car. Most D/D claims are small fender-benders and glass. Even a small fender-bender could add up to enough to total out a Delorean. Typically if the claim is within 10% of the car's value they total it. Ask your agent how much they think your car is worth. Classic insurance is very inexpensive and you can insure it for a lot, like $40-$60K and no deductible. Try doing that with an "ordinary" policy and see what it costs.


Make sure to read the policy and fine print for any limitations and restrictions. Some only allow use to and from events, parades and specific annual mileage. I had a policy that only allowed that and they stated no joy rides or stopping at a store. This was for a vintage Corvette and I quickly changed companies.

Again, read and understand the policy coverage. What the agent tells you may different from the fine print. :cheers:

[Michael]

As I said, it varies by State and in some States either you cannot get agreed value or if you try to set it, the premium is just too expensive. On top of that there will be a deductible. To reduce or eliminate that it will cost even more. You would be surprised how many owners do not know enough about their policies. While it is rare to have a car totaled, it does happen. If you think I don't need a lot of insurance, if the car gets hit I will just get it from the other driver's company. That assumes you get hit by another car, you catch him, the owner has insurance, and that insurance company doesn't total the car "out of the book". Probably more likely the car will be consumed in a fire. Then it is on you and your insurance company. Most classic/historic cars claims are related to storage damage like stuff falling on the car. Most D/D claims are small fender-benders and glass. Even a small fender-bender could add up to enough to total out a Delorean. Typically if the claim is within 10% of the car's value they total it. Ask your agent how much they think your car is worth. Classic insurance is very inexpensive and you can insure it for a lot, like $40-$60K and no deductible. Try doing that with an "ordinary" policy and see what it costs.

If you drive your car, make sure you have the proper insurance. This way you can use the insurance to cover the associated costs. Also if you do get into an accident make sure you unfasten your seatbelt before leaving your vehicle.

Michael the Guru

[Mark D]

If you drive your "car", make sure you have the "proper insurance". This way you can use the "insurance" to cover the "associated costs". Also if you do get into an "accident" make sure you "unfasten" your "seatbelt" before leaving your "vehicle".

Michael the Guru


Fixed that for you.

Now you're a "guru".

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