Long distance daily driver?

[Timebender]

So I'm really considering getting a D for my next car, as my current DD is costing me a lot in gas and maintenance- a 13 year old VW new beetle turbo with 203,000 miles.
I commute 300 miles round trip every single day from San Diego to Glendale, and we hope to move up there sometime this summer.
In the meantime, if I get a D and have Danny go over it, and he's said the car can be very reliable and the engine is made for lots of driving, would this really be a good idea vs. some newer car (which from experience nothing new is completely reliable)? With the D I can get one for $9k, put $4k into it at Danny's, and be ahead of the game vs. buying something for $16k and not knowing all the issues it might encounter (like an Audi TT). And knowing the work Danny does plus all the info here, and I feel more comfortable doing small maintenance stuff myself - being that all the old system stuff is updated, it's hard not to lean that way.
Can a good D that's been cleaned and updated (frame and body and interior are all good and engine turns) make a 150 mile each way trip 4 or 5 times a week (when I'm not riding my motorcycle or take the train)?

Greg

[LordFly]

I personally would buy the cheaper car and put the money into it, rather than spend it all up front and hope for the best. Spending $16K up front will probably get you a nicer body, cleaner interior, etc. But a $9K car with $7K spent on engine, drive train, suspension is going to have a lot less unknowns when driving 300 miles/day. It might not look as pretty, but if I had to choose, I would go that route.

I'm not sure I would want to try either option though. 300 miles/day is a LOT. Even with a ton of money dumped into it, it's still a 30 year old car. If I were you, spend the $9K on the DeLorean, put $4K into it so you can drive it, and spend the other $3K on an 8 year old Civic. It'll get you your 300 miles/day without a problem, save you a ton in gas, and not rack up 1500 commuter miles/week on your classic car. At that rate you'll have more miles on your car in a month and a half than mine has gotten since it left Ireland. Now I'm not saying don't take it to work, ABSOLUTELY take it to work! Just not every single day.

[Silverbullet]

"If" you are REALLY asking about saving money... A Econobox is the way to go...Toyota, Honda, ect... Now FUN and STYLE, go with the D.

"Life is too short to drive boring cars"

[Timebender]

Well I'd like something FUN and reliable. Being stuck in a car for 3 hours a pop would be more fun in a D than in some boring econobox.

[Michael]

So I'm really considering getting a D for my next car, as my current DD is costing me a lot in gas and maintenance
... I commute 300 miles round trip every single day from San Diego to Glendale, and we hope to move up there sometime this summer
Greg

A $15k DeLorean would not be my first choice to fill that role....I don't care what the guy who sells and repairs Deloreans for a living says.

[Jonathan]

So it sounds like on your list of wants/needs are:

Fun
Not boring
Reliable
Fuel efficient
Inexpensive

You're right, the DeLorean does fit those categories... some of them anyway.

It is fun, you're right about that. It's also not boring. It could be reliable, depending on condition. And depending on that condition, it certainly won't be boring, and maybe not fun though either unless fun for you is explaining to your boss why you didn't get to work until lunch when your 32 year old car broke down on the highway. Fuel efficient... maybe, compared to an F150, yes, but not to the above mentioned econobox. Inexpensive for certain time periods, not long term overall though.

You might consider compromising on one or more things on your list. That econobox might be the best idea overall. To me it's more fun to do well at work and be on time everyday and get promoted and get a raise and all that jazz than turn a few heads in your car, sometimes while you're driving and other times while you're stuck on the side of the road. My 2 cents can be added to your econobox fund :)

[Timebender]

Well it'd be a mix between that, my bike and sometimes the train... I hate driving every day back and forth..

[Patrick C]

Life is too short to drive a boring car. Go for the DeLorean that Danny has gone over with a fine tooth comb and I think you'll have hundreds of thousands of fun miles ahead of you!

[refugeefromcalif]

My .02 on long distance daily driving.

The Biggest thing that I'd be worried about is, how Comfortable is the vehicle that I'm driving for that many miles a day?

I had a 2005 Grand Caravan that I drove from Alabama to Calif., (and back,) 5 times. I Always had a nice restful trip.
My 2012 Grand Caravan is a different story. In a recent trip to visit my grandmother in Little Rock, I was looking for a rest area after 2 hours because the seat was not comfortable for Long sitting spells.

I picked up my DeLorean from DMC Florida and drove it over 700 miles to it's new home.
Not once did I feel uncomfortable with how I felt while driving. (And never have since)... :cool:

George

[Dangermouse]

Are you a glass half full person? Yes? - then buy the D.

Otherwise, buy the Honda :)

As a side thought, who maintains the Beetle? I ask because you will be hitting David Ts 3000 mile fluid change every two weeks so you will need to be doing that yourself every other weekend - or trusting someone else with it.

With a Honda/Beetle, jiffy Lube would do fine, and you could really extend the intervals if it is all highway.

[Jonathan]

Life is too short to drive a boring car.

Agreed.

...and,

Life is too short to spend 3+ hours in the car five days per week. That realization will come for you at some point in the future. It does for all of us.

[refugeefromcalif]

Life is too short to spend 3+ hours in the car five days per week. That realization will come for you at some point in the future. It does for all of us.

Very True!
Before I left Calif. I was driving 2-4 hours to and from work. I made the move to a Slower, (and Closer), pace here in the southern states... :)

George

[TTait]

In so-Cal you might count on getting 22mpg average in a Delorean. 300 miles / 22mpg = 13.6 gallons per day * $4.15 per gallon = $56.44 a day, or $282 per week or $1,128 per month.

If you purchase a 2010 Prius you will get 45mpg. $550 a month in gas. If you pay $300 a month on the Prius, that leaves you $250 a month to put into the Delorean. Alternately, moving to Glendale gives you about a $1000 a month to pay into the mortgage there. More if gas prices go up.

If you are staying in San Diego for now, get the Delorean, and the Prius. The money the Prius saves you on the weekend, when you choose to drive it over the D, will more than pay for the added insurance.

If you factor in your time, maybe you get the Tesla S. Talk them into installing a charger for you at work, and half of your electricity is paid for by the office. The other half costs you less than $100 a month. That lets you put $1000 a month toward the car payment, and you can drive in the car pool lanes (granted, where they exist on your route). The time saved in the car pool lanes could be perhaps 5 hours per week, or more. Depending on what you time is worth to you, that is hundreds of dollars a month as well. Add to that the reduction in standard maintenance. The Model S will ultimately require tires, wiper blades, and in several years, maybe an AC service. The service interval on the brakes should be two to three times that for an ICE car. There is just nothing else to wear on the thing.

I'm doing this myself with my Chevy Volt, which is analogous to the Model S for my 70 mile R/T commute. I don't burn gas at all during the week, so I will burn perhaps 30 gallons of gas all year and do an oil change just because. In 2015 I plan on replacing the wiper blades, and maybe tires toward the end of the year.

The D is a fun car to drive, and people love it. However, the clutch can be heavy, you are low and out of view for many drivers, it does not nave ABS or airbags. Even with properly working brakes it will not stop as fast as even a modern minivan. You are more likely to have an accident in your D by any accounting when you put in that number of miles. When was the last time another driver was speeding up to shoot a video of you with his cell phone while in your DD? People drive dumb around our cars, or they don't see us. Either way, you drive defensively 100% of the time.

None of this is a reason not to get and enjoy the Delorean. Get it, drive it and enjoy it. My only point is there are a lot of formulas you can choose from to find whatever will ultimately make you happy.

[jackb]

I drive ~120 miles a day round trip for work, so I'm in a similar situation as you.
I commute with a Civic (05 5spd coupe, paid 7 grand cash for it)
Gas - Civic wins (great gas actually, 32mpg is the worst I've ever gotten)
Comfort - Draw (the D is not uncomfortable, but it's the small things- sunvisors that move to the side, cruise control...).
Safety - Civic

It's a lot of miles to pile on a D as a commuter car. I drive my D on weekends and on fun trips, not for the daily grind of back and forth. I've driven it to work occasionally, but those times are the exception, not the rule.

[DMC3165]

I am currently using my D daily and I have to say it has been very reliable and economical in it's gas milage. The dowside is the attention is EXTREMELY annoying. I enjoy driving the car but the constant gawking is rediculious. I don't mind chatting with folks at the gas pump but I have narrowly avoided a few accidents just from stupid people too busy looking at my car and not where they're going. It can be entertaining at first but after a while it really gets rediculious!

[Kenny_Z]

I did this type of commute years ago for college. Two words made it tolerable: cruise control. I put so many miles on my Monte. The poor girl is paying for it now. Well, was until I rebuilt the top end. While I would definitely would have loved to rock the DeLorean around campus once or twice a week I was glad to have a good, reliable, comfortable driver. Are you aiming to get an auto or manual? I love my 5 speed but sometimes it's great to have the car do the shifting for me. Ever left work sick and had to drive yourself home?

A DeLorean could do it, no question. The problem comes down to parts. With a Honda you can go to your local parts store to get something you need. Not always the case with the D. I know you're in Cali so it may be easier for you to get things. Here in backwoods USA, not so much. No matter how well built a car is things wear and the miles wear them faster.

[Jonathan]

Good points on the safety piece. The D comes out the loser on this both because of 32 year old technology (brakes, etc.) and that people do dumb things around your car, upping your chances of getting whacked.

Same goes for comfort on long drives. Power seats to make little adjustments, heated seats, auto dimming mirrors, cruise control, etc.

And on that idea of having a car for fun drives versus the daily grind drives to and from work, isn't there a saying where you don't want to necessarily do your passion as a job? Meaning, the guy who is a great chef doesn't like to cook as much once he gets home, or similar for an artist perhaps, or hobby carpenter... heck, maybe even someone who works on, sells, and services cars might not enjoy the fun side of them as much anymore? The fun might be replaced by annoying if you're doing 300 miles every day in the D.

[Timebender]

Thanks for all the input so far everyone. One of my daily drivers in the past was a 1963 23 window VW bus. That had drum brakes, no airbags, zero crumple zone (My knees were the crumple zone), it was loud, noisy, hot in the summer and cold in the winter, rain would come in like a waterfall behind me through the canvas sunroof, and my commute was 100 miles round trip everyday and I always had tons of gawkers on the road as well as lots of questions at gas stations or anywhere else. Drove it like that for 5 years then had an offer I couldn't refuse to sell it.

So the D would be a major step up from that. Plus I really don't trust cruise control. Have it on my big and rarely use it. I love the feeling of driving the car, not it driving me. ::)

Anyway, getting it next week then it's off to DMC California.

[Starglider]

Life is too short to spend 3+ hours in the car five days per week. That realization will come for you at some point in the future. It does for all of us.

I wouldn't want to do it for a decade or more, but sometimes it makes sense to sacrifice to get that killer job that will seriously advance your career or earn enough to relocate to the area you want to be in etc.

Putting all that mileage on a DeLorean or any sports car just for boring highway driving seems like a waste though. I would get a really cheap late 90s or early 2000s second-hand luxury barge and just discard it for a new one if any major mechanical problems cropped up. In fact this is pretty much what I am doing, I have a 2000 Audi A6 Allroad for commuting & errands and the DMC-12 for road trips & special occassions.

[OverlandMan]

To me it's more fun to do well at work and be on time everyday and get promoted and get a raise and all that jazz than turn a few heads in your car, sometimes while you're driving and other times while you're stuck on the side of the road.

Jonathan brings up an interesting point that I'm going to add a nugget onto.

I'm a relatively private person at my place of employment when it comes to my extra-curricular activities. A fair amount of folks at my office don't even know that I have a DeLorean. I don't drive it to work, or at least haven't yet. My rational to this is the idea that I don't want to give off the impression that I'm "rollin' in stacks of $$". The folks on this forum know that this car doesn't demand Ferrari money but the common public is not as educated.

We don't know what your employment situation is other than you drive a long way back and forth. Maybe your boss is a family member or friend. In that case perhaps some of the above doesn't apply. But if you're like most folks out there, it's something to consider. When it's time for a raise, your boss may say to himself/herself: "Who should I give this raise to?.... The guy who drives a DeLorean to work everyday?"

I guess in the end it just depends on what kind of person you are. If you like to scoreboard the world with your life, then buy a D and drive it hundreds of miles to work, etc.

[Timebender]

All good points. Actually the car has been sitting at my new job for the past 12 years, and they (owners and others) have been hoping someone would come along and buy it and get it running. The majority of my co- workers and my bosses are ex-Disney Imagineers or worked in the special effects industry. They all know what the DeLorean is and that it's not a fancy driver more or less, but a cool car. To be honest they would live to help me convert it into a time machine, or into a flying D (as in flying car). There are people I worked with who worked with Kevin Pike and on the effects crew for all 3 BTTF films, as well as other blockbusters. The guy who built all the robots for Robot Combat League is a co- worker. We're all just a bunch of geeks getting to design and build really cool stuff for real world applications.

That's why I commute everyday, and hopefully when something becomes affordable living wise, we'll move up. I'd love to end up in Disney Imagineering and retire there, but for now this is a very cool amazing job.

[LordFly]

Wow, that's awesome! I just killed a few hours watching Robot Combat League. If that is what you consider "work", I don't care how you get there, just get there!

[Jonathan]

I'm all for sacrifices to get to where you want to go in life. You won't likely get there if you don't sacrifice something. I just felt the original question of this thread seemed to conflict that general intent.

A D as a 300 mile per day DD is more expensive, less safe, and potentially risky in terms of reliability or getting into an accident. The better sacrifice to me would be to not concern yourself with the fun and not boring aspects, but focus on the job and your family. An econobox could be a great idea, and so could renting a room in someone's house near your job for $100 per week or so, instead of this $1,000+ on gas per month as someone already showed you in the math. Save money while focusing those extra hours you're not in the car at your new job or something else productive after hours, come home to your family on the weekend, and then move the family as a whole when it makes the most sense for all of you.

If the thinking here was a bit different, or as supposedly advertised, I don't think this thread would have even been started.

[Timebender]

Believe me, I know what sacrifice is- 300 miles a day because the job market for what I do in San Diego is sucky at best. So I'm gone from my wife and kids 14 hours a day give or take.
I really appreciate everyone's thoughts and input. I'd LOVE to have the D that's here as a daily driver, but in reality that isn't a wise choice. So for now I'm going to probably lease a TDI ($299 down and $199 a month). I know leasing is bad if you drive a lot of miles, but a TDI lease is most likely good from what I've found out due to it holding it's value. That means though no D at least till Summer, but the one here hasn't moved at all, and most likely will be here still. I might buy a car cover at Costco so I don't have to see it rotting in the sun- the owner agreed to sell it for $9k, and the engine does turn over. But I'll have to wait and hope for the best.
As far as moving up here, we plan to, but can't until Summer when my son is out of his junior year of high school- not much sense in pulling him out of school and putting him in another mid-semester. Until then it's commute by train, automobile, and tele...

Then we need to find something affordable to rent up here (HA! right...) that'll let us have our dog (Boxer). So far everything is over $2500 a month- hard to swallow when our 3200 sf house on 5 acres is $1300 a month mortgage. Anything comparable up here in LA is around the millions...

[Michael]

I'd LOVE to have the D that's here as a daily driver, but in reality that isn't a wise choice. So for now I'm going to probably lease a TDI...

Idea just went from bad to worse.

[OverlandMan]

Idea just went from bad to worse.

Not necessarily... from my experience it depends on the residual value of the car negotiated at the time of the lease. You have 2 options. (1) You lease the car and stay within the mileage limitations, returning the car at the end of the lease. *Make sure there are no turn-in fees in the lease. (2) You make the lease payments and decide to keep the car regardless of the mileage. You finance the balloon amount at the end of the lease (the residual value). I did this with one Audi I bought years back. I ran the numbers and I actually came out ahead leasing and then buying out the lease residual amount versus if I'd have financed the same vehicle over a similar term.

There are times to lease cars and there are times not to lease cars. It all depends on the residual value. I also advise folks not to put much if anything down on a lease. The problem is, most of the advertised lease promos have a substantial amount due at signing. Those that don't may have a significant turn-in fee.

Point being --> do your homework ahead of time and you'll make better decisions (hopefully).

And good choice on passing on a D for your long-distance daily driver.

[Timebender]

The thought with the TDI is to keep it at the end of the lease - we're the kind of people who buy something and drive it til it won't run anymore, or to where it's eventually worth a couple grand at the most. My 2000 Turbo Beetle is at 203,000 miles (almost), and worth $2k - at least. KBB is in there (interior looks almost new), but lots of kids are looking for cheap cars to get around. Until we can move, I'd like something that's not killing my wallet with commuting costs. A TDI can go and go and go. My thought with a D is eventually do a swap for an M-TDI engine too, and being an engineering think tank, there has to be a way to swap out the brakes for a more up-to-date anti-lock brake system. No money needed for labor, just parts.


Now if I could do the TDI and get the D then I'd be a happy fellow.

[Jimmyvonviggle]

The thought with the TDI is to keep it at the end of the lease - we're the kind of people who buy something and drive it til it won't run anymore, or to where it's eventually worth a couple grand at the most. My 2000 Turbo Beetle is at 203,000 miles (almost), and worth $2k - at least. KBB is in there (interior looks almost new), but lots of kids are looking for cheap cars to get around. Until we can move, I'd like something that's not killing my wallet with commuting costs. A TDI can go and go and go. My thought with a D is eventually do a swap for an M-TDI engine too, and being an engineering think tank, there has to be a way to swap out the brakes for a more up-to-date anti-lock brake system. No money needed for labor, just parts.


Now if I could do the TDI and get the D then I'd be a happy fellow.

That's like having the wife and the girlfriend too. Sometimes it just can't be done as bad as you might want it.

[Timebender]

Having not done that - EVER, I can't really relate.
Now if you said it's like having a nice daily driver and a $24k limited production run motorcycle, then I might get it, but then I have both and the wife is happy....

Just have to figure out the economics..

[Jimmyvonviggle]

Hey relax there mr moral just making a joke.

[Timebender]

Hey relax there mr moral just making a joke.

I know you were and got the gist of it. :)

[Doogie]

[QUOTE=Timebender;98146]
I really appreciate everyone's thoughts and input. I'd LOVE to have the D that's here as a daily driver, but in reality that isn't a wise choice. So for now I'm going to probably lease a TDI ($299 down and $199 a month).

I have a 2001 VW New Beatle TDi that just turned 213,000 miles, runs like the day I bought it used when it had 36K on it. Granted, I'm probably due to replace the OEM clutch this summer, and I assume the Turbo is about due to, but I get 49 mpg on a 12 year old car that still runs great and keeps running! I drive 'em until they are dead. This one ain't dead! :-)

I also have #3589 that rested in a garage for 25 years that is back on the road. Would I want to drive it 300 miles a day? Sure. I would WANT to drive it that far, but WONT, due to not know what is going to break next. I hate being stranded by the side of the road, even with a cell phone. I got crap to do, not sit by the side of the road waiting for the tow truck all whilst listening to passerbys making busted Flux Capacitor jokes!

Get the TDi, maybe get a used one. And then get the Delo and make is a fun car, take it back to work every now and again after you get it running. We'll help ya!

[DeLorean03]

[QUOTE=Timebender;98146]
I hate being stranded by the side of the road, even with a cell phone. I got crap to do, not sit by the side of the road waiting for the tow truck all whilst listening to passerbys making busted Flux Capacitor jokes!



*snickers* July 4th seems like yesterday (:

[Kenny_Z]

I got crap to do, not sit by the side of the road waiting for the tow truck all whilst listening to passerbys making busted Flux Capacitor jokes!


Yep, been there. I wasn't waiting on the tow truck though. I was poking the engine a lot trying to figure out why she stalled, bad grounds.

[Timebender]

I actually did find some used TDI bugs for a good price, though they were all salvage titles and unfortunately can't get a loan on a salvage title...

Otherwise I'd get one in a heartbeat.

[Timebender]

Well, looks like I get the cake and get to eat it too. I'm getting a 2013 TDI Beetle (which is pretty cool), and I can get the D sometime this summer - the owner only wants to sell to me and can wait for me when I have the cash to buy.

[TTait]

Outstanding - I had to wait about 2 years to get mine - its worth the wait!

[Timebender]

I've been waiting for about 15 years and this is the closest to reality.