Re: [DML] Re: WAS John Delorean and Reliability..NOW saving the cars (VERY LONG)

[kayoong@xxxx]

Folks:

Again, I would like to share my experiences.

IMO... Mr. John Z. DeLorean engineering abilities are great. Look at the 60s 
Pontiac's GTO and the other improvements he made for the different GM lines, 
when he was there.

The DMC-12 is a well engineered and laid out car in the 1980s. For all it 
problems that is does have, it does perform well from the new and small 
company in the 80s. Remember, it was only in the business of three years. I 
am sure if the company were to be in operation for an additional three years, 
they would have upgraded and corrected many of their problems and weakness, 
which haunts it. Besides, how many US, European or Asian cars in the 1980s 
are still on the road and in demand like the DMC-12 today for its price 
range? What other vehicle in the 1980s was so radical and had so many frills 
like the DMC-12. I can't remember any US made car that did for the money. I 
do remember the US car market was getting their pants kick out of by the 
Japanese cars. The DMC-12 in Japan is revered by car enthusiasts and very 
sought after. 

All cars have problems or "quirks." Porsche, Lambo, Ferrari, RR and Bentley, 
BMW, NSX, Lotus, and etc for example all have their quirks and problems and 
yet they are STILL sought out and own by various car enthusiasts and 
collectors. No matter how much work and money one invest into them, they are 
plague with problems just like the DMC-12 and maybe more. It is matter of 
living and dealing with them. Do remember, when the DMC-12 came out in 1981, 
it was a decent car and it did compete and held it own against many other 
sports cars in its class comfortably, so, why are some of you people trying 
to compete or compare a 1981, a twenty-year-old car to a current one? It is 
like buying a house. A twenty year old home most likely won't compete or 
compare with a present built home. Time and technology changes things ... so, 
enjoy the homes and the cars for its worth and keep up with their maintenance 
in both the same way.

I have owned or co-owned many cars -- exotics as well as luxury and the lot. 
I like the DeLorean for all it problems ... and all of them I have corrected. 
All it takes is time, money and the desires to keep up with it. I do find 
the original DMC-12 underpowered, other then that is okay in all respect. I 
do find it very easy to drive long hours without getting "driving fatigue." 
I driven many exotics and luxuries and some cars I can't drive for more then 
four hours and I must stop to take a break and to stretch my body. The 
DeLorean is one vehicle I can drive for twenty hours without getting severe 
driving fatigue. Last weekend, as part of my work, I have driven on Friday 
from NYC to Columbus, Georgia, a 970 plus miles, sixteen-hour trip one way 
and the return trip on Sunday. A 2,000 miles round trip including driving 
around town. In the last six years of ownership of my DeLorean, I have made 
this trip four times, beside other trips several times a year to Barrie, 
Canada; Detroit, Michigan, Maine, Washington, DC, Boston, Virginia Area, 
Alabama and etc. I can come out of the DeLorean and BE ready to work even 
after a 20 hours of driving.... I can't say that for many other exotics and 
luxury cars that I have driven ... they are good for the ego, while adding 
stress and tiring my body and mind.

When I first brought my DeLorean it had 10,000 miles. In six-year time I 
have driven my DeLorean 75,000 miles, the odometer now reads 86,000 miles. 
My DeLorean have been very reliable. In the second year I had it, it had 
failed me once.... It had a bad left hub and it did let go on FDR East River 
Drive Highway, Manhattan, NYC. This hub was already questionable when it was 
serviced a week earlier for I had the left rear bearing changed at that time. 
Rob had brought it to my attention that I "should" replace the hub ... he 
did warned me and the option was mine to make.... I told him the "cheaper" 
way. I told them to used the back the original hub, the questionable part... 
It was my bad decision on my part. The sad thing is I knew better not to! 
Anyway, it cost me. MORE in towing ($50.00 for the hook up and $7.00 per 
mile for the next 60 miles), a new hug, a new rear bearing (again) plus labor 
(again) and aggravation. Lucky at that time there were no other damage to 
the DeLorean, to me or my young daughter who was riding at that time. One 
good thing during that incident, that a fellow tenant at my garage where I 
park, saw me and offer me favor to drive my daughter home, while I had a tow 
truck take my DeLorean to PJ Grady that Sunday night at 9 PM. Rob's 
workers, Pat opened up the shop to accommodate my DeLorean at 12 AM Monday 
morning when the tow truck and I got there. Pat is a friend in need and a 
friend in deed. Thank you Pat! I did had my DeLorean towed a second time a 
year later. I had miscalculate and ran into the sidewalk corner's curb, 
instead of the ramp's driveway... Anyway, that incident made the early 
decision to change to the heavy-duty brass radiator as the new replacement, 
which I was going to do -- Just the extra cost in the towing, on Labor Day. 
Again, Pat opened up shop at 1 AM. That was getting to be a habit in the 
middle of the night.

Before my DeLorean, I had fancy and driven daily an older Bentley for 24 
years -- also constantly maintained. The fuel economy, the fun and easy to 
drive the DeLorean had retired the Bentley as my daily car, beside the RRs 
and Bentleys are not well received by people at the present. The DeLorean is 
a very cheap and easy car to maintain and through the six years of ownership, 
I had all the upgrades and other goodies that are available from the vendors 
installed onto #5508. I am just short of installing a turbo system (which 
requires extra maintenance), or the Northstar engine at a $20,000 price tag 
(waiting for its reliability and performance specs report and is it worth the 
bang for the bucks?) or the engine from James Espey's DMC company (still 
waiting for the performance specs to be posted). Anyway, I have always kept 
up maintenance with my DeLorean as well as my other cars. Maintenance is a 
must and an "X" amount of money must be set aside annually for all cars as an 
investment. This practice will eliminate troubles that can arise due to 
neglect.

Again, the DeLorean it has its quirks ... but I love it and it is fun. Six 
years ago, my feeling for the DeLorean was different. I thought it was just 
another car and let me drive it the same as any other car. I grew into the 
DeLorean and my opinion is different now. I am ready to drive my DeLorean 
anywhere, anytime as long as time permits. It makes my trips and work fun, 
comfortable with a majestic relaxed feeling and I don't need to be starchy 
... and with no ego, no overtures, no hated ugly stares from on lookers which 
are commonly associate with the exotics and expensive motorcars, especially 
when you get out of these cars. 

BTW, my next trip, if is it is still scheduled tomorrow Friday is to New 
Hampshire..... And my DeLorean #5508 and I are ready to go...... so, see you 
on the road "on the go" and not from the side of it. 

Kayo Ong
#5508
Lic 9 NY


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