Why did the Delorean(Back to the future car) fail?

Dennis Toy · Post by **Dennis Toy** » 2004-06-30 01:15am

I always wondered why the Delorean DMC 2 car fail to sell in the US. Was it the advertising, the car itself or the man John Delorean?

Post by **Gandalf** » 2004-06-30 01:17am

I heard they were just vastly unreliable. Breaking down on the way back form the dealership and such.

Shaidar Haran · Post by **Shaidar Haran** » 2004-06-30 01:17am

It wasn't a particularly good car and was overpriced. Add onto the problems with the company and the owner and it was destined to tank.

Post by **Kuja** » 2004-06-30 01:20am

Damn, that sucks. I always loved the look of that car.

kojikun · Post by **kojikun** » 2004-06-30 01:21am

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeLorean

Apparently only 8,000 were ever made. I don't know if this is because of the sales problems, or the cause of them.

Patrick Degan · Post by **Patrick Degan** » 2004-06-30 01:22am

It also doesn't help when you try to finance the company with a cocaine deal.

Dennis Toy · Post by **Dennis Toy** » 2004-06-30 01:25am

i read that the delorean actually wasn't a sports car but a overpowered sedan. The delorean was badly constructed at that also.

Slartibartfast · Post by **Slartibartfast** » 2004-06-30 02:22am

I think according to some TV documentaries, the first ones produced were pretty good but later the production went to shit and most of the later units were crap. Can't remember why.

Vertigo1 · Post by **Vertigo1** » 2004-06-30 02:33am

not to mention the engine was quite underpowered...

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2004-06-30 06:38am

the fact that the factory was in Belfast and crewed by both IRA and Ulster Orangemen didn't help things. All those cars, not enough semtex. Just working together without blowing up the factory was an accomplishment.

Sarevok · Post by **Sarevok** » 2004-06-30 07:01am

Except for the doors I dont like the DeLorean. It looks too much old fashioned for my tastes.

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2004-06-30 07:11am

evilcat4000 wrote:Except for the doors I dont like the DeLorean. It looks too much old fashioned for my tastes.

well, it was made in the early 80's. For the time it was pretty funky.

Chardok · Post by **Chardok** » 2004-06-30 08:16am

Col. Crackpot wrote:
evilcat4000 wrote:Except for the doors I dont like the DeLorean. It looks too much old fashioned for my tastes.
well, it was made in the early 80's. For the time it was pretty funky.

I agree. After about 1990, cars stopped having character at all and they started looking like 200 mile-an-hour Jellybeans. Back in the 80's, every single car was distinct, and had their own schtick (Excepting the K car) and the DeLorean was the dstinctess.

His Divine Shadow · Post by **His Divine Shadow** » 2004-06-30 08:42am

Chardok wrote:I agree. After about 1990, cars stopped having character at all and they started looking like 200 mile-an-hour Jellybeans. Back in the 80's, every single car was distinct, and had their own schtick (Excepting the K car) and the DeLorean was the dstinctess.

I would excempt the 91/92 models of firebirds because they still kept the third generation look originally devised in 1982, damn they're fine.

Otherwise I agree, new cars simply don't have any appeal to me, they're sometimes outright ugly and at the best I find them mediocre/acceptable.

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2004-06-30 09:07am

His Divine Shadow wrote:
Otherwise I agree, new cars simply don't have any appeal to me, they're sometimes outright ugly and at the best I find them mediocre/acceptable.

MEDIOCORE?
i offer the following rebuttal:

His Divine Shadow · Post by **His Divine Shadow** » 2004-06-30 09:23am

No, doesn't really do anything for me, it is my honest opinion that my car looks better.
That car is also horribly over the top, to the point where frankly I think it looks silly.

Even if I had a billion dollars I would not sell my car, I'd just use my nigh unlimited funds to give it all the best care and parts and such.

Sure I'd have a few other cars, other firebirds, corvettes and camaros mainly, I'd probably start collecting them.

Durandal · Post by **Durandal** » 2004-06-30 10:14am

I think that most people got tired of having their side-view mirrors broken off whenever a Delorean owner opened up his doors in a crowded parking lot.

LapsedPacifist · Post by **LapsedPacifist** » 2004-06-30 11:12am

Direct throwback from the 60s. Doesn't count as a modern car.

Col. Crackpot wrote:

MEDIOCORE?
i offer the following rebuttal:

Frank Hipper · Post by **Frank Hipper** » 2004-06-30 01:05pm

Nostalgia for cars of the eighties? I think I'm going to be sick...

LapsedPacifist · Post by **LapsedPacifist** » 2004-06-30 01:09pm

Frank Hipper wrote:Nostalgia for cars of the eighties? I think I'm going to be sick...

On that note I was browsing the web last night and found this . And I think I know what to get myself for my 30th birthday.

Of course I'd leave off the hoodscoop and paint it like the prisoner's car...

LP

His Divine Shadow · Post by **His Divine Shadow** » 2004-06-30 01:13pm

Frank Hipper wrote:Nostalgia for cars of the eighties? I think I'm going to be sick...

Yeah sure, whatever.

General address:
Now this here is a sweet end to the 80's, the Turbo Trans Am:
http://www.thirdgen.org/newdesign/broch ... oTA_Ad.jpg

beyond hope · Post by **beyond hope** » 2004-06-30 01:15pm

"It's better than gold. Gold weighs more than that, for God's sake."

-John De Lorean on the merits of bartering with cocaine.

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2004-06-30 01:21pm

here's one for you HDS, one of my favorites from the 80's. The Buick Grand National GNX:

His Divine Shadow · Post by **His Divine Shadow** » 2004-06-30 01:24pm

I think the Turbo Trans Am engine came from a Buick GNX, it was a V6 with twin turbo's.

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2004-06-30 01:26pm

His Divine Shadow wrote:I think the Turbo Trans Am engine came from a Buick GNX, it was a V6 with twin turbo's.

3.8L intercooled twin turbo, it was the same engine. I just like the looks of the Buick.