Re: delorean pricing, first time driver

[danh@xxxx]

When I was shopping for my D last spring I did a lot of thinking and 
research on the cost vs. condition question. I found a few Ds in 
great shape for 17-20k, but I opted to buy a D that wasn't in perfect 
condition for $11k (cracked windshield, some minor scratches and 
dents). My reasoning was this, when buying a used car you NEVER know 
for sure what's wrong with it; so paying a premium for a "perfect" 
car is kinda silly since you don't know for sure if it's "perfect." 

Also, if you plan on driving the car a lot, it's likely that you'll 
collect a few scratches, or dents yourself; if you paid $20k for a 
perfect car these day to day problems will likely give you an ulcer. 
Only pay a premium for a D if you're a collector.

-M


--- In dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxx, Mike Substelny <msubstel@xxxx> wrote:
> Mark Noeltner wrote:
> 
> > Other people on the list have mentioned the $20,000 rule. You can 
either
> > buy a good D for $20,000, or you can spend $10,000 for one, plus 
another
> > $10,000 to get it into shape (substitute any two numbers adding 
up to 20,000).
> 
> While I mostly agree with this, I want to point out is that it is 
possible to find
> a reliable DeLorean in the $12,000-$15,000 price range that has 
only cosmetic
> faults. You can drive a car with dented stainless, sagging 
headliners, cracked
> leather, a faded dashboard, or ripped carpeting. Unfortunately, 
when you find a
> car with these cosmetic faults it is very likely to have some 
hidden mechanical
> problems. Either way, you can put off cosmetic repairs as long as 
you can stand
> to look at the faults.
> 
> If anyone is considering a DeLorean as a daily driver, also 
remember the $1,600
> rule: budget at least $1,600 in parts and labor every year to keep 
your daily
> driver running. If you spend less than that this year, plan to 
spend more next
> year. Sometimes a lot more. If you plan to do restoration work 
while driving the
> DeLorean daily (restoring at a leisurely pace), you should probably 
double that
> figure.
> 
> > I strongly recommend having a 2nd reliable car to drive, [SNIP]
> > since they are almost 20 years old, they are going to need a lot 
of work to
> > get them there just like any other car that old.
> 
> Absolutely. If you plan on driving *any* 10+ year old car every 
day, you had
> better assume some unscheduled down time for repairs. If you have 
another car for
> winter driving, you can improve this by doing some maintenance and 
repairs during
> the winter.
> 
> - Mike Substelny
> VIN 01280, 7 years