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+--- Thread: I want to buy a Delorean (/showthread.php?tid=1545)
- Darren C - 20 May 2008
Hi Chris,
There are always exceptions to the rule!
I've been in the motor trade since 1982, and bought literally hundreds of cars. But turned down far more. You get a feel for the OCD owned cars, the tarts and the dogs.
The photos are consistant with damp storage, as most of the fixings show "surface" rust I'd be surprised if there were any structural degredation.
Never buy blind unless you know the guy better than your wife; hence my comment on getting it checked out.
I nearly bought a new R-R Phantom last year with delivery miles until I discovered from the chassis record at the factory it was in New Orleans during the flood and was submerged for a week. Photos looked perfect at 150 miles on the clock!
Buyer beware!
Best regards
D
- bozzzydmc - 20 May 2008
That aside Darren... why has this low mileage... low vin car had its chassis painted in a black paint ?
There are parts on this car that from storage alone i wouldnt expect to be in such poor shape ... just my opinion based on the D's i have seen... some that have spent many years outside and in our UK weather...
Hopefully we will see some chassis and suspension pictures
Regards
Mike
- Darren C - 20 May 2008
Hi Mike,
My balls are steel not crystal.
I have no idea why this car has a painted chassis?!I don't disagree with any of your comments, and would welcome some chassis pictures.
For a guy who took 100 pictures of the car for ebay, you'd think they'd be one of the underside.
Just expressing my 2 penneth, no offence intended.
Best Regards
D
- bozzzydmc - 20 May 2008
Darren C Wrote:Hi Mike,
My balls are steel not crystal.
I don't disagree with any of your comments, and would welcome some chassis pictures.
For a guy who took 100 pictures of the car for ebay, you'd think they'd be one of the underside.
Just expressing my 2 penneth, no offence intended.
Best Regards
D
LOL.. Balls of steel
Im sure as with Chris we have seen / heard some right horror stories with chassis on D's over the years ... just cant help thinking something doesnt add up with this one thats all..
Hey no offence taken ... its good to read everyones views matey
Cheers
Mike
- Darren C - 20 May 2008
Cheers Mike,
Although I have to say, surface rust is always a concern with steel balls!
D
- RichardH - 20 May 2008
Hello again - not looked for a few days and now this post is onto 3 pages! wow
anyway
from speaking to PJs the other day it looks like manual cars are selling well and there are not many about for sale (at the moment, or unless i find a few extra grand!) - automatics however there are
what do you think of automatics?? I have no problems driving them but I have no experience with the gearboxes - is there anything to watch out for considering the age etc?
- bozzzydmc - 20 May 2008
4 years plus ....no problem with my mighty Auto
... cant see me going for a manual if i was to replace it. Its great in Traffic.. ask Glen... his is an Auto and after driving his car in a parade at 2 miles an hour for 3 hours im glad it was !
- hana 5284 - 21 May 2008
so whats going on with ebay.com at the moment you hardley ever see a painted delorean but at the moment ther is a blue ,red,and yellow one on there is the colour thing catching on or what?or are thay just knackers that have been filled all over and painted?
- JamesRGUK - 21 May 2008
RichardH Wrote:Hello again - not looked for a few days and now this post is onto 3 pages! wow
anyway
from speaking to PJs the other day it looks like manual cars are selling well and there are not many about for sale (at the moment, or unless i find a few extra grand!) - automatics however there are
what do you think of automatics?? I have no problems driving them but I have no experience with the gearboxes - is there anything to watch out for considering the age etc?
It's like all the other parts on the DeLorean if it's been looked after the auto box should be trouble free.
Chris Parnham has owned both stick and auto, I've driven both and have no real preference (mine's an auto).
I would think that any serious problems would show themselves on a test drive.
James
- Rich Hanlon - 21 May 2008
I have an auto - originally wanted a manual but this one came up, which I eventually bought.
Nice red transmission fluid - no worries. (Clear red stuff, like the strawberry sauce from Ice Cream vans. Do not use this as a ttop up fluid, however!)
Black transmission fluid means wear in the clutches/ brake bands and you COULD be looking at a rebuild at some point down the line.
Mine has pulling up black fluid when I first bought it, but lasted three years and about 8,000 miles before a £900 rebuild last year. Now the fluid stays nice and red, and should do for the next 30,000 or so.
The other thing to watch for on Autos is governor computers. Original ones WILL fail at some point: I think it's something to do with a lack of Zener diodes in the circuit (meaning the voltage comparator chips aren't protected against the collapsing field from the coils in the hydaulic valves). Early indications of failure are a reluctance to shift properly for the first few miles of a journey, a problem which worsens progressively). However, when this happens, it isn't the end of the world, electronics places can rebuilt them and protect against future failure, or replacement ones are available from Houston).
So - all in all - I like my Auto, it's a little bit different. Driving a LHD is different anyway. There are a few things to watch for, but the potential difficulties you might face are often taken account of in the sometimes lower asking prices for Autos relative to comparable manuals. That's what I found when I bought mine in '04 anyway.
I'd have another IF the gearbox was good and the computer was behaving. Having sorted mine out, I certainly wouldn't swap it.
But at the same time, having briefly driven a manual, that was good too, and you can feel a bit more 'in control' going up and down the box and make the engine play different tunes depending on your driving style. You can't really rev an Auto at the lights to impress the chavs either!
Just my 2p.