8k for an 81' Delorean that needs minor work, good deal?

[ShevyPri]

I wasn't entirely sure where I should have posted this and I'm assuming this is the right section for it. If it isn't I'm hoping a mod can be kind enough in moving it into the right section.

Anyways, I've been looking for a Delorean for a while and being on a budget of less than 15k I was trying to find something that was of course not perfect, but not too beat up. So I found an 81 Delorean that needs a complete interior and has a small dent on the front right wing of the wheel. It's got 22k miles and it doesn't look like the best of condition either, but I was definitely wondering what you guys think I should do....

19558
19559
19560

[LEVY]

I wasn't entirely sure where I should have posted this and I'm assuming this is the right section for it. If it isn't I'm hoping a mod can be kind enough in moving it into the right section.

Anyways, I've been looking for a Delorean for a while and being on a budget of less than 15k I was trying to find something that was of course not perfect, but not too beat up. So I found an 81 Delorean that needs a complete interior and has a small dent on the front right wing of the wheel. It's got 22k miles and it doesn't look like the best of condition either, but I was definitely wondering what you guys think I should do....

19558
19559
19560


You will need a lot of money to fix that car.

LEVY

[LEVY]

Look at this thread:

http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?4862-Purcahsed-Vin712-My-God-What-Have-I-Done-

If you can get it for $5000.00 You will be OK

LEVY

[Michael]

Someone here once said:

"The most expensive DeLorean you will ever buy is a cheap DeLorean"

[thirdmanj]

Someone here once said:

"The most expensive DeLorean you will ever buy is a cheap DeLorean"

Straight dope ^^ :werd:

[ShevyPri]

Look at this thread:

http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?4862-Purcahsed-Vin712-My-God-What-Have-I-Done-

If you can get it for $5000.00 You will be OK

LEVY
What the....? That's the same DeLorean. I'm don't think I'll be able to get it under what I have and now that I've seen the interior I don't even want it for what we agreed on. Thought something was a little weird with this one, thanks for the help and insight before I got myself too deep.

[LEVY]

What the....? That's the same DeLorean. I'm don't think I'll be able to get it under what I have and now that I've seen the interior I don't even want it for what we agreed on. Thought something was a little weird with this one, thanks for the help and insight before I got myself too deep.

Try go get it cheap, it is a early VIN delorean. Don't pay any money until you see it in person.

LEVY

[LEVY]

What the....? That's the same DeLorean. I'm don't think I'll be able to get it under what I have and now that I've seen the interior I don't even want it for what we agreed on. Thought something was a little weird with this one, thanks for the help and insight before I got myself too deep.


Sorry for the bad news!

LEVY

[LEVY]

Ah!, and welcome to the forum. :dunno:

LEVY

[Michael]

After seeing the other pictures I can safely say a few things

A: That car does not need "Minor work"...it's not even close

B: From a financial standpoint, if you are buying it to restore and drive, it's a lost cause. If you were actually given that car, you might...(I doubt it), but you might spend 25k on it and have a 25k car when you are done. If you get some thrill from long hours of work restoring or happen to be an employee of a DMC franchise, then that's a whole different story...I'm talking dollars only here.

C: 4-5k tops and you might make a few grand parting it out....again, what's your labor worth to you?

[ShevyPri]

Sorry for the bad news!

LEVY

I'm just glad I got to know more about it's history before making a 2hr drive (I know it isn't really much, but....) and being disappointed. Where would you recommend I search for a DeLorean and is a working DeLorean under 15k realistic? Sorry for the questions I'm just trying to get a little more knowledgeable on the buying.

[NightFlyer]

I'm just glad I got to know more about it's history before making a 2hr drive (I know it isn't really much, but....) and being disappointed. Where would you recommend I search for a DeLorean and is a working DeLorean under 15k realistic? Sorry for the questions I'm just trying to get a little more knowledgeable on the buying.

Re-posting of a post I made for another forum member a few days ago, thus I don't know if all these cars are still available or not:

http://fresno.en.craigslist.org/cto/3789417824.html (those BBS wheels actually don't look too bad on a red D)
http://nashville.en.craigslist.org/cto/3792828848.html (looking to trade - may be what you're looking for)
http://onslow.craigslist.org/atq/3817381692.html (only $5,000 seems too good to be true, but you never know until you find out, right?)
http://houston.craigslist.org/cto/3731713102.html (looking for cash only, but if you sell, should be more than doable)
http://rockford.craigslist.org/cto/3797876820.html ($15k is a little more than what you're looking for, but close, and this one looks nice)

[Ron]

... I was definitely wondering what you guys think I should do....

Check this out for a good start:
http://dmctalk.org/archive/index.php/t-371.html?

[Michael]

Check this out for a good start:
http://dmctalk.org/archive/index.php/t-371.html?

That post should have been the forward in James' buyers guide.

[Dangermouse]

I have to wonder if the first price category in that excellent post should be updated. Two non-running bear-got-loose-in-the-interior cars sold recently for $7k each.

Not to say that the other categories increased also because I don't think they did, just that the entry point seems to have changed.

[Roman Legion]

Re-posting of a post I made for another forum member a few days ago, thus I don't know if all these cars are still available or not:

http://fresno.en.craigslist.org/cto/3789417824.html (those BBS wheels actually don't look too bad on a red D)
http://nashville.en.craigslist.org/cto/3792828848.html (looking to trade - may be what you're looking for)
http://onslow.craigslist.org/atq/3817381692.html (only $5,000 seems too good to be true, but you never know until you find out, right?)
http://houston.craigslist.org/cto/3731713102.html (looking for cash only, but if you sell, should be more than doable)
http://rockford.craigslist.org/cto/3797876820.html ($15k is a little more than what you're looking for, but close, and this one looks nice)

Maybe he will have more luck getting a reply, even a simple no from a single one of those sellers. Not a single one replied to my attempts to email them. Good luck withthese OP.

[ShevyPri]

Maybe he will have more luck getting a reply, even a simple no from a single one of those sellers. Not a single one replied to my attempts to email them. Good luck withthese OP.
I wish I could pick up that one for $5,000, but unfortunately I'm in LA so I'm not so close.

[Roman Legion]

I wish I could pick up that one for $5,000, but unfortunately I'm in LA so I'm not so close.

Don't feel bad, I'm fairly certain the $5k one is a scam. I saw those exact same pictures used in another craigslist ad listed in New Jersey. This ad is in North Carolina, but he poorly edited out the New Jersey plates. The other ad didn't bother marking out the plates and such a nice looking car for only $5k, yeah right. I could be wrong, but my insticts tell me this..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4F4qzPbcFiA

If you want to contact that guy, again, hope you have better luck with that list of sellers than I did, not one replied. If that NC DeLorean is for real, you could always just get it shipped, maybe ask nicely if a member near that listing can check the car out, so it's existence can be verified. Good luck to you, I'm still searching for one as well.

[LordFly]

Where would you recommend I search for a DeLorean

Two words: Chris. Burns. ;) If there is a DeLorean for sale, he knows of it. Check out "DeLoreans For Sale" on Facebook. I think he's taking a week off to let his brain cool off, but it'll give you a pretty good idea of what kinda price range people are asking for on cars in various conditions. And you'll get a lot of owners chiming in with comments about prices being insane, or things that look wrong or out of place, etc.

[NightFlyer]

I wish I could pick up that one for $5,000, but unfortunately I'm in LA so I'm not so close.


Don't feel bad, I'm fairly certain the $5k one is a scam. I saw those exact same pictures used in another craigslist ad listed in New Jersey. This ad is in North Carolina, but he poorly edited out the New Jersey plates. The other ad didn't bother marking out the plates and such a nice looking car for only $5k, yeah right. I could be wrong, but my insticts tell me this..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4F4qzPbcFiA

If you want to contact that guy, again, hope you have better luck with that list of sellers than I did, not one replied. If that NC DeLorean is for real, you could always just get it shipped, maybe ask nicely if a member near that listing can check the car out, so it's existence can be verified. Good luck to you, I'm still searching for one as well.

First off, it's a far different experience when contacting owners with a pocket full of cash instead of asking if they want to trade straight up for a 2006 Ford Mustang GT with reported frame damage.

Second, what's the deal with all of you 'I really want a DeLorean' people that can't seem to make the effort to scout or buy the cars in persona???

Seriously!?!?!

When I bought my car, I drove a 1,200 mile round trip twice. In the first trip, I scouted a total of five cars that were for sale along the route. After deciding to purchase the car at the very end of the route, the second trip involved pulling a trailer both ways with my Dodge Ram 3500 Cummins Turbo Diesel Dually. The DeLorean was running and in perfect original condition, however, I purchased my car in March, thus there were still salt covered roads in the north, and seeing as how my new DeLorean had never before seen a salted road, I didn't want to be the first to introduce it to such.

[ShevyPri]

First off, it's a far different experience when contacting owners with a pocket full of cash instead of asking if they want to trade straight up for a 2006 Ford Mustang GT with reported frame damage.

Second, what's the deal with all of you 'I really want a DeLorean' people that can't seem to make the effort to scout or buy the cars in persona???

Seriously!?!?!

When I bought my car, I drove a 1,200 mile round trip twice. In the first trip, I scouted a total of five cars that were for sale along the route. After deciding to purchase the car at the very end of the route, the second trip involved pulling a trailer both ways with my Dodge Ram 3500 Cummins Turbo Diesel Dually. The DeLorean was running and in perfect original condition, however, I purchased my car in March, thus there were still salt covered roads in the north, and seeing as how my new DeLorean had never before seen a salted road, I didn't want to be the first to introduce it to such.
As much as I appreciate your effort in buying your DeLorean, not all of us have the time to pull off a 1,200 mile trip. I'm just waiting for the right one to pop up in my area, I'm in LA so it shouldn't be too much longer till' a good one pops up.

[dmc6960]

As much as I appreciate your effort in buying your DeLorean, not all of us have the time to pull off a 1,200 mile trip. I'm just waiting for the right one to pop up in my area, I'm in LA so it shouldn't be too much longer till' a good one pops up.

I'd hate to break it to you, but if you don't have time for a cross-country trip to buy your car, then buying anything less than perfect will burn you out. The amount of work needed to fix "seemingly" minor issues can be astronomical. 15k will not quite get you there. Get another 5k, and you may be alright.

[Ron]

I have to wonder if the first price category in that excellent post should be updated. Two non-running bear-got-loose-in-the-interior cars sold recently for $7k each.

Not to say that the other categories increased also because I don't think they did, just that the entry point seems to have changed. Depends on what and how much "rot" to me.

[Dangermouse]

Depends on what and how much "rot" to me.

Agreed. At present the lowest grade is priced at $2-5k. I'm suggesting that it be changed to $2-7k.

[Jeff K]

Someone here once said:

"The most expensive DeLorean you will ever buy is a cheap DeLorean"

I could not agree more!

[JohnZ]

"The most expensive DeLorean you will ever buy is a cheap DeLorean"

Ahah so simple and yet so true! I don't own a DMC yet, but I'll keep this quote in mind!

It sounds like a commandment :biggrin:

:thumbup:

[NightFlyer]

As much as I appreciate your effort in buying your DeLorean, not all of us have the time to pull off a 1,200 mile trip. I'm just waiting for the right one to pop up in my area, I'm in LA so it shouldn't be too much longer till' a good one pops up.

So, let me get this straight - you're dropping $15k on something used that you're jonesing for badly, but don't have a day to check it out in persona?!?!

Yeah, that makes perfect sense to me :banghead:

[ShevyPri]

So, let me get this straight - you're dropping $15k on something used that you're jonesing for badly, but don't have a day to check it out in persona?!?!

Yeah, that makes perfect sense to me :banghead:
I do have time to check it out in person, but just leaving that state puts me at an awkward state (no pun intented). Nevertheless I'm still searching and as days progress I'm considering more and more to just drive across the country finding one :rofl:

[NightFlyer]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/DeLorean-1981-/111089161005?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item19dd6e132d

I've personally seen this car about 5 years ago at a show and talked to the owner. Frame looked OK (not perfect, but not that bad either) and the car appeared to be a good runner at the time. Looks like it needs a windshield, some cosmetics, and more likely than not a multitude of ""seemingly" minor issues" addressed. Back when I saw it, it had the original wheels on it, so not sure when the aftermarket rims came about. I also can't remember why the owner changed the hood, but I do remember discussing the subject with him.

All in all, not a bad car and price range is what I believe to be fair.

[ssaleen]

Get lots of pics if you find one far away then ship it. Shipping a car really isn't that bad.
When I bought my 2000 saleen, it was in Ohio. I flew there to look at it and went for a ride in it, came back here, got the loan the had it shipped. Ohio to Washington state was $1200 and took a week.

[eagle-co94]

I had my 1972 Chevelle wagon trucked in from California about 3 weeks ago and it only cost me $1000. That's about 2750 miles.