Re: [DML] Fixing up a D: Is it worth it?

["Joseph Molino" <foxmul@xxxx>]

 I agree but I have to say that buying a Delorean that needs nothing for
around $20,000 and then fixing mine up to match the $20,000. I would pick
mine because of all the fun and you're overlooking one important thing. My
Delorean is much better than any other one in terms of updated safety. My
brakes are 2003. most parts of my electrical system is 2003 and my cooling
system is 2003 and my zillas are 2003 and my tires are 2003 and my bearing
and shocks are 2003 and my seats are 2003 and etc. most components that I
have replaced are better than the other $20,000 cars for this reason. Those
cars MIGHT have 20 year old systems still in them. That's my humble
opinion.That's the extra I paid for. My systems might last another 20
years. I am very confident whenever I go out even to the store.

Joseph
vin 2850

Joseph
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dave Stragand" <dave.stragand@xxxx>
To: "'DMC News'" <dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, May 28, 2003 3:10 PM
Subject: [DML] Fixing up a D: Is it worth it?


> Hi All,
>
> I've seen my name come up a few times in the last week about restoring a
> D. Here's my standard advice: Are you looking for a project car so you
> can get a D at a lower price? If so, that's false logic. It just
> doesn't work that way. In fact, it's exactly the opposite. I'll
> explain:
>
> An important bit of wisdom was imparted to me early on in auto
> restoration: "The difference between a $15,000 car and a $20,000 car is
> around $10,000." It's strange but true. You can almost always get a
> better deal (when all told) by buying a car that is great to begin with,
> than by fixing up one that needs work. I'm at around $22,500 into the
> Vixen project, and I'm not done yet. The "Rule of 20" has been just
> about right in my case. The "Rule of 20", if you are unfamiliar with it,
> is Cost of DeLorean + Cost of parts and service = $20,000. That's about
> $5,000 more than a D in nice shape to begin with...
>
> Now I, on the other hand, bought -my- car for the express purpose of
> fixing it up. The process itself is what I'm interested in, more than
> the end result. Will I have a $25,000 car if I spend $25,000 restoring
> it? Most likely not. And to make financial matters worse, I will have
> invested a couple-thousand- hours of work to boot.
>
> Sometimes though, the journey is better than the destination. My '58
> Plymouth has around $30,000 invested in it, but is still only a $17,000
> car. Where did the $10k go? It bought one heck of a lot of fun. A LOT of
> fun. And it's worth it, IF you can afford it.
>
> I see a lot of posts asking for a cheap D, by someone who will finance.
> Originally, that's how I approached the original owner. I did pay him
> cash though when the deal was struck - I wanted to start with a clean
> slate. I do remember what it was like to be young, and dreaming of that
> perfect car. You'll do nearly -anything- to get it. However, trust me on
> this one: DO NOT BUY A COLLECTOR CAR UNLESS YOU HAVE THE MONEY TO MAKE
> IT RUN AND KEEP IT RUNNING. Now it doesn't have to be perfect at first,
> but at least drivable. If you spend every cent buying a car that'll need
> tons more money before it's streetable, you will stress yourself to
> death. You'll start to see the car as an endless drain on your wallet,
> and it may be years before you ever get to drive it. Besides, it's a
> race against time. The longer it sits, the more it will need.
> Eventually, you end up selling the car for less than you layed out, and
> you'll be depressed & broke, as well as carless. This is what my friends
> call the "Project Car Spiral". Avoid it.
>
> I'm at a point in my life where I have most of the cash and time I need
> to responsibly restore a car. If you don't have enough of both to begin
> with, then you won't be happy when you get the car. It took me -12
> years- to finally get my '58 Plymouth. It took -15 years- to get my D.
> If it's worth doing, it's worth waiting, and that advice works on a lot
> of levels.
>
> Trust me. I've been there, and done that.
>
> -Dave Stragand
> VIN #05927
> <http://www.projectvixen.com/> http://www.ProjectVixen.com
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
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