You don't buy a DeLorean for its handling capabilities. Or for its innovative build quality. At the end of the day, it remains a prototype of which just under 9,000 were built. Almost every DMC-12 is unique. So why would you buy a Delorean? It is, of course, a classic. A legend, even. Even though it is 40 years old, the design is still extremely modern. Nothing draws so much attention without some kind of envy. "If I had cycled around town in a pink bikini on today's sunny day, I would have had less attention!" - says Wouter, our car journalist.
Stainless steel skin, gull-wing doors, never repeated again. Was John DeLorean a visionary or a con man? The internet is full of opinions. And the role of Colin Chapman (who used the development budget donated by DeLorean to Lotus behind the scenes for his Esprit) makes it even more interesting.
The fact remains that despite all the opinions about this car, everybody smiles when when they see a DeLorean in real life. If you get to see one 'in the wild', that is. Because most owners don't drive them, sadly. Even though its driving characteristics are okay. Zero to 100 in 10 seconds, a quietly buzzing V6 behind the bulkhead. You lie rather than sit very relaxed and with the current maximum or approporiate speeds you can keep up with modern traffic. Visibility is good, it is mainly cruising.
But you can also use it as an art object on your driveway, it won't rust anyway. And if you want to buy one, which one? The experts seem to agree that you should have one from 1981. That was the first series with the groove in the trunk. Later this became a flat plate, because it was too expensive to produce. From the 1981 cars you would have to have either a very early one (serial number 501 to approximately 1,000, the very first with the separate fuel flap) or a late 81-car when the company was still full of ambition, production was gaining momentum and the future still looked bright.
From 1982 it went downhill, in 1983 only the leftovers were sold. This has translated into the current prices. If you used to buy a DeLorean "with work" for 20,000 euros, excellent examples copies already go through the 100,000 USD barrier these days.
The car is increasingly being appreciated, even by enthusiasts who have not seen the films. It remains an icon. Is a DeLorean really that bad? Nah. Yes, there are panel gaps. And the ventilation could be better. Some things are clearly less developed than with high volume cars. And at the time, the car was of course far too expensive compared to a Corvette or Porsche. And no, it is not a sports car.
But nowadays the parts are still readily available, there are various upgrades available that make daily use perfectly possible and the technology is easy to maintain by a professional mechanic.
This example was taken from the UK by the owner after 2 years of searching with only 300 miles on the clock from a prosperous Monegaske owner, as good as new. Even the original tires were still on the car. The current owner brought it to the Netherlands himself and eventually drove it for almost 4,000 miles (6,500 km). All miles are documented, the car has been stored in a heated garage and the interior is still as new.
Options
This DeLorean DMC-12 is factory equipped with:
Original radio cassette (working!)
Electric windows
Leather furnishing
Air conditioning (not working - freon gas no longer available)
Modifications
None, this car is completely original, including the original radio cassette (working). Even the original tires are included in the sale (suplied separately).
Remarks
The DeLorean car is in a very good condition. There are only some minor cosmetic points of attention, captured in the photos:
Stainless steel could use a thorough brush, especially around wheel arches
Minor rim damage
Small dents in stainless steel (+/- 3)
Rear spoiler between mufflers - small crack
Air conditioning: this DeLorean is still completely standard, including the air conditioning compressor. The freon gas is no longer allowed and/or available in The Netherlands. For the buyer who intends to drive a lot with this car, an air conditioning modification is available through DeLorean Europe.
Recent maintenance history
This DeLorean has always been maintained by PRV maintenance specialists. Due to the low mileage, the DMC has only had a yearly service before spring. Most recently (March 2021) the following maintenance was carried out at garage Veban, a PRV specialist:
MOT
Spring / damper driver door renewed
Gullwing doors adjusted
Full service including oil and filters
A DeLorean remains a driving prototype, but the technology is not very complex. As with every classic (yes, it's 40 years old) it is useful to have 'a handy mechanic' for the technical part. A professional with a sense of technology. For example Renault / Alpine specialist Tour de Corse in Baarn or garage Veban, who also have a lot of experience with electronics and PRV engines. Spares like stainless steel body parts are still readily available through DeLorean Europe or directly from DeLorean in the USA.
Included in the sale
Two keys
Complete maintenance history including invoices
Photo report of the last 9 years, including photos of all km readings
Original tires (stored in the garage)
Copy of article in Dutch newspaper Telegraaf and Dutch car magazine Autovisie about this car (with 650 miles on the clock at the time)
Car cover
Trickle charger
About the seller
Michel's parents had been driving Cadillacs for years and traveled to the US a lot. From Universal Studios they brought a gift for little Michel, a key ring of THE star of Back to the Future: the DeLorean. This keyring is still on the original key. Years later he found this DMC-12 in mint condition with VIN number 5598.
He had the car put on transport from the UK in 2012, together with famous car collector Evert Louwman's James Bond Aston Martin DB5. He didn't buy it for performance, he drives a C63 AMG as a daily.
NB: as there is quite a difference between a good and an average DeLorean, the auction period will run for 3 weeks. This gives interested bidders ample time to request additional information and/or schedule a viewing or inspection.
The description of this Collectable has been created with the utmost care, based on information from and validated by the seller. The Collectables performs a (pre) selection based on the information provided and consults public sources for any irregularities. However, bidders themselves must ascertain the correctness of the description and can, if desired, have a personal investigation carried out. All Collectables on our platform can be subjected to any possible inspection, investigation or valuation by buyers in advance, of course in consultation with the seller. Please refer to our Terms and Conditions for more details.
