Buying a Delorean on Ebay - not too scary!

We've all seen them - haven't we? That shiny body - those lovely gull-wing doors - will you click the bid button?

The usual thoughts go through your mind, can I afford to run it? Can ? get parts? Can the AA fix it?Let's begin by laying to rest some myths. The Delorean is not a complex car. Parts are readily available, many off the shelf in Halfords. Any garage familiar with the Peugeot, Renault or Volvo cars of th 1980's will know what he's looking at immediately he opens the engine compartment. Think about that bext time you're tempted to buy a 'cheap' Ferrari or vintage Lambo - you won't get any 5,000 service bills with the Delorean.

As to the body panels, they are exotic but easily fixable, or replaceable. There are Delorean panel specialists in the UYK, scratches are very easily fixed using a blending pad (like a Scotchbrite pad). There are at least two Delorean specialist garages in the UK, Delorean Motors and PJ Grady - both of whom know all there is to know about the cars and can rectify any of the usual faults and supply any part- you can also get any aprt online from DMC texas, amongst others.There are a lot more cars in the USA than here. Although the dollar isweaker than the pound, you'll find by the time one adds in import tax, vat (it's a real killer), shipping and the rest the dollar price is the pound price by the time it sits on your driveway. (i.e $25,000 sale price will equal 25,000 by the time it's here)

My suggestion is (unless you're very mechanically competent) as with all classic cars, by the very best one you can, ideallyin the UK. No problems with SVA or registration or importing. That's not to say importing is at all difficult - it's surprisingly easy -but a good UK car will be just as cheap and will save much hassle.Cost? My rule of thumb is that any Delorean will cost you 18,000. 18,000 will buy you a more-or-less mint car with all upgrades done. 12,000 buys you car needing 6,000 worth of work. And so on.Over 18,000 will buy a concours low-mileage model. Be prepared to spend at least 25,000 on one of the handful of original RHD conversions. There are RHD conversions which have been done since; these are of variable quality to say the least, the Delorean was conceived and built as a LHD. If money is no object, Delorean Motor Cars Houston, Texas will build you a 'new' Delorean for upwards of$45,000 to your spec; they also have a selection of pre-owned cars.The Delorean Owners Club (not just for owners) is a good place to start and the club know most of the limited number of Delorean's in the UK. Delorean's are as cheap to run and maintain as any other classic of similar vintage. The are appreciating steadily although the appreciation will simply balance out the cost of running and insuring the car. They are rare, exotic and believe it or not, practical. There's room for two large adults and storage space under the bonnet and behind theseats.You can get out of the car with 14 inches between you and the car next to you (or the garage wall). That's because - contrary to myth - the doors lift 'up', not 'out'.I've owned one for about four years now and I can honestly say (flat battery aside) it has never broken down. So come on into the pool of Delorean owners - the water is lovely!