What is your opinion on the Delorean?

55

Asked by Chris May 02, 2008 at 06:40 PM about the 1981 DeLorean DMC-12

Question type: Shopping & Pricing

18 Answers

545

quite possibly the greatest car ever made by any company ever....well people get all down on you della-nooch and try and tell you that they're uncomfortable, crappily made cars....you just gotta remember....its a delorean, and once that thing hits 88 miles per hour your going for quite a trip....So I say go with your heart

1 people found this helpful.
15

I've had the opportunity to drive one for quite some time. If you like to work on cars (And if you like Delorean, you most certainly do) You will not experience any problems. It is not a car for an average user that just hits the gas, and do not read the dash. It's the same as an 80's Jaguar XJ-6, if you take care of him, he will take care of you. Plus, think about it, is concidered an Exotic car worlwide, and costs how much? Tadaaaa!!!

Very cool unique car, it defines the 80s, unfortunately it was improperly powered. I believe it was a Peugot 2.8L V6, and was very underpowered. The car needs like an LS1 in it.

55

You can get them with a Stage 2 performance upgrade from DMC. It has 197 hp and 192 pounds of torque. There is also a Stage 3 coming out with even more power.

55

Thanks man! I hope to own one one day. I loved them ever since a neighbor of mine had one when I was very young. He let me sit in it one time with the doors closed. I have a picture of a Smokey Yunick Delorean with a vapor powered engine and a Delorean with a twin turbo engine.

1 people found this helpful.

But it's my understanding that because the car is stainless, that it's pretty heavy. I just think the car looks like it should have 400 hp. 197 is very respectable out of the V6 though, especially being nearly 30 years old. I think a V8 sound would suit the car though.

55

The car only weighs 2900 pounds. The stainless panels are over a fiberglass underbody with a Lotus frame and suspension. Most cars have a steel underbody.

Well personally I think that's a bit heavy for under 200 hp. I drive a 3300 lb. car with 380 hp, and it's nowhere near fast enough. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying anything bad about the DeLorean, it is what it is, because it was built in an era where performance was drastically sacrificed for emissions purposes. All I'm saying about the car, is that there are improvements that could be made, like any other car. It's personally one of my favorite cars as well. I love the style, slightly similar to the Countach in the flatness of the body. I hope to own one someday as well.

195

Greatest car ever made. Now you need a flux capacitor and some plutonium and you are set! lol

1,365

I enjoy the cars very much very different and was very cutting edge when built and its a volvo v6 no peugot but I've seen people drop 350 v8 in em like it was made for it and hey the body will never rust or and the same man who gave birth to the delorean is the father of the muscle car he also came up with the first GTO for GM

55

Well the engine is a PRV 2.8 and it wasn't the best, and it had k-jet which sucks even more...but besides that it's a great car, very comfortable. You can free up alot of that power on that v6, by getting rid of that crap stock exhaust, basically a big cork.

655

Please bear in mind the year it was made (1981). The Porsche was only ~150hp and the Corvette at the time was ~180. Having driven both a stock (what I own) and an Island Twin Turbo version, It has sufficient power to get it up and going if you play the gears right, and know your power ranges. Additionally the renault transmission will not handle over (i think it is) 280 hp before you start having problems. I have seen a few replacement engines added to the vehicle, yeilding higher horsepower numbers, but in the end you are changing the original design... Would be like adding a new ford 351 to a 1957 t-bird (replacing the long block 312). It would be a whole lot more efficient, yet in my humble opinion destroy the esthetics of the car. Additionally with the engine (2.81 PRV) that is presently in there, I still get about 23mpg on the highway.

2 people found this helpful.

I definitely understand your point. But personally, I want a car to be the best that it can be for me. I don't so much care about keeping the car original. I'm not trying to knock the DeLorean at all, since Back to the Future, it's been one of my favorite cars, and always will be. If I ever own one, I still think I'll swap engines, either V8 or Buick 3.8L turbo. I don't see it as destroying the car, but rather, building it the way DeLorean should've built it, or would've built it with today's technology. How are the cars for handling and braking?

45

I own it, I love it, It breaks a lot. I've busted the trans shift linkage while going 55. I've cleaned doggy puke out of my ancient leather interior. I've been frozen inside temporarily and had to ram the driver's gullwing open during a Michigan winter once. What can I say? Live the dream. She's worth it! -Johnny VIN#10715 Weston, MO

655

To answer your question on the Handling and braking, you have to ask the question if the road is wet or not. On a Dry road, you will have great handling and decent braking - No 2007 Porsche Carrera S, but still not bad. Have never had to lock the brakes (thank goodness), and no antilock crap here. Handling in and of itself it pretty good. I am confident that it can out handle my Focus, again, no Porsche but I can take the roundabouts near my house at about ~37 miles an hour. In comparison, my mazda6 took the same ones at about 40, My Focus ~32, the Freestyle about 30 (max), my thunderbird about 30. You can feel the road (the ride is not too rough either, you can take a 7 hour drive no problem). It would probably handle a little better if the front to rear weight ratio was a little better) Put the car on water, and it is whole different ballgame. It is a rear-engine car, so the weight ratio is around 65/35 rear/front (or is it 60/40 rear/front - either way not 50/50). While you do have disk brakes in the back, they are not as grabby as the front. On water (and I will also assume the same for snow and ice) the car will tend to slide a little, and you will not have as much control (handling wise) in the front, as it is light. Ways to improve handling. Having driven lowered a Delorean, I have found that it does corner better. Adding wider wheels and low profile tires (but then ultimately losing the great looking stock wheels) will also help. Have been told to look at the WRX Turbo (AWD) engine, as it would make a great match, and not put too much horsepower in front of (so to speak) the transmission.

1 people found this helpful.

I have an 81 Delorean with a turbo engine. It hasn't run for about 10 years and is sitting in my garage under car covers and blankets. The speedometer reads under 10,000 miles and one day I'll get it running again. Would love to do an engine swap out. Maybe stage 2 or 3 engine or something entirely different. Love this car and think the body style is absolutely beautiful.

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