People do love to whine about the airlines, don’t they? What you mentioned I’d just a fraction of the cost. There’s insurance, maintenance, crew, landing fees, etc, etc. People forget that the US has the BEST aviation system in the world.  ... View more

So you’re saying that “every single manufacturer” has decided that a small regular cab truck is not worth building, but you disagree. Perhaps there’s something they know that you don’t? Re-read my post. You’re the tiny segment of people that they choose to ignore because what you want would be a poor seller, despite what you think. Manufacturers won’t waste time on stuff they don’t think will sell. ... View more

The Bricklin and the DeLorean look nothing alike. The Bricklin resembled a Corvette. If anything the DeLorean owes credit to the Porsche Tapiro, Mercedes 300SL, and the Allegheny Ludlum stainless-bodied Fords (the Mercedes and the Fords were acknowledged by DeLorean to be inspirations for his car). ... View more

Ace Frehley owned a DeLorean. IIRC he got pulled over in it while driving near White Plains, NY. It is in private hands now and currently undergoing restoration. ... View more

Nice catch on the SVX style windows on the development car. Giugiaro penned both the Subaru SVX and the DeLorean, which has similar windows. Was he involved with the Lada as well? ... View more

Sharp looking car. I really like the layout of the center console. ... View more

Very cool. I’d drive it! ... View more

Maybe, maybe not. The thing is dealers are aware of what they can sell, and what will sit on the lot forever. At a dealership I used to work at I was amazed that we never seemed to have the top of the line version of a certain model. I asked the sales manager why and found out that most people who want that model, want the cheap one. The few loaded models we had took forever to sell. So, we stopped ordering them. In my experience, the buying public is to blame for your lack of options. ... View more

I agree that enthusiasts can be problematic buyers. Just reading the comments on this site you’ll see variations of “If only (insert just about any car manufacturer here) would build a XYZ with ABC and DEF and GHI and this and that and this........then I’d buy one.” Or my favorite: “This manufacturer must hate true car fans, otherwise they’d make ABC.” Car manufacturers are smart. They see what sells, and what does not. The next time you see a car that does not have every tiny little detail that you would like, realize that a car like that would probably have a tiny sales potential. That’s why the manufacturer doesn’t make it. People vote with their wallets, which is one of the reasons the manual transmission is a dying breed. The vast majority of buyers (not dreamers) don’t want them. ... View more

The Ascent does not use the 2.5 NA engine. It uses the 2.4 turbo engine that the higher end Outback’s use. ... View more

Great video. I’ve never had to tap anything so this was interesting to watch. I’m surprised he didn’t use safety glasses though. A friend of mine caught a piece of metal in his eye one day while working on his car. The process to extract it was excruciating. He’ll never make that mistake again. ... View more

I really like the interiors of these cars. Very classy. ... View more

Such a beautiful car. One of the best looking cars of all time. Excuse me while I purchase some lottery tickets. ... View more

Ha! Here I was thinking “man, that Steve McQueen was a real jerk.” Well played, Hagerty. ... View more

Nice article. I enjoy following Miss Artioli on Instagram. She is passionate about cars and driving. ... View more

“I still haven’t figured out what “Year before designated year of manufacture” means...” I believe what they are getting at is when you purchase a car the year before the model year. For example, you purchase a 2022 Mustang in 2021. Of course, I could be wrong. Massachusetts was always a weird state with their wacky taxes and laws coupled with awful winters. I left it behind more than 10 years ago and don’t miss it at all. ... View more

As someone who sold auto parts for many years, I can tell you from experience that the cheap aftermarket converters are exactly that: cheap. The OEM converters are expensive because they are better built, will last longer, and will do a better job of reducing emissions. As far as the parts markup that you mention, it’s usually higher on the aftermarket side. ... View more

I don’t think batteries on an EV can be removed easily. I think Tesla builds them into the chassis. ... View more

I completely understand. I feel the same way about my DeLorean. It’s been modified, and has a few extra ponies than it left the factory with, but you’ll never beat anyone in a race. And I couldn’t care less. It’s small, wide, lightweight, and low, and a blast to drive at any speed. I like it so much that I drive it more often than my ‘19 Mustang. ... View more

That is a beautiful bike. I’m glad someone rescued it. I hate when people set projects aside for years (or decades) knowing full well that they’ll likely never complete it, instead of selling it and letting someone restore it and enjoy it. ... View more

Very cool story. It’s a shame about the crate though. This would have been much more interesting if it was the original crate. ... View more

Experts disagree with you: https://theicct.org/sites/default/files/publications/EV-life-cycle-GHG_ICCT-Briefing_09022018_vF.pdf ... View more

I bet people had a similar reaction when Ford announced the end of the Model T. ... View more

That may have been true at one point, but I’m pretty sure recent studies have proven that is no longer correct. ... View more

That’s because a top fuel dragster power train is not practical. An electric power train is. ... View more

My goodness! Why don’t you tell us how you really feel, lol. A well sorted DeLorean is fun to drive. Out of curiosity, what cars do you like? ... View more

The electrical issues are easy to fix, and the parts to do it are readily available. ... View more

I guess my DeLorean didn’t get that memo. It’s fun to drive, easier than my 19 Mustang to get in and out of, and the stainless is virtually care free. I bought it for its unique styling and the fact that it’s part of automotive history. No, it’s not fast, but few cars back then were (fun fact: the DeLorean has more horsepower than an 81 Mustang GT). Attention? Please. The Dodge Charger/Challenger/Hellcat guys are the kings of “Look at me!” with their burnouts at every stoplight. ... View more

That’s just a function of the design of the gauges. They “jump” when the vehicle is turned off. It’s normal. ... View more

You are correct about the door lock mechanism. It can operate electronically or mechanically, and will work just fine without electricity. Having said that, it is possible to get stuck because of an electrical problem. The central lock module can inadvertently send a constant “lock” signal to the door lock solenoids. This would be very difficult to overcome manually, as the solenoids are strong. However, as the battery (or the solenoid) wore out, you’d eventually be able to manually unlock the door. You could also disconnect the door lock module, or the battery. My door lock module was removed long ago to prevent this. ... View more

I get what you’re saying, but you’re comparing two totally different cars. The BRZ was designed for handling. The Mustang was not (although the newer rear end helps). A base BRZ is $28,845. A base GT is $35,880. The Mustang will win on the straights, the BRZ will embarrass the GT in the curves. The BRZ is aimed at the folks that prefer smaller, lighter, better handing cars. The GT not so much. As a side note, having owned cars from both manufacturers I can tell you that the Subaru is better built. I like my Ford, but quality is most assuredly not Job #1. As for HP, it is but a small part of the overall price, not the majority factor. ... View more

The full size version is geared more for the serious off-roaders. In the meantime, this wannabe will be purchasing the Sport as my all weather commuter. ... View more

No. Even the full size Bronco will have a turbo charged engine. ... View more

I love it! I’ve been looking for an all weather vehicle for my long commute that can also hold my bicycle and a kayak on the weekends.  ... View more

About 20 years ago I was given the opportunity to drive an Esprit X180R for the day. It was owned by my brothers employer who had loaned it to him for a few days. I remember the racing seats being very uncomfortable and the rotated RPM gauge was annoying. Also, in true Lotus style, the Lucas electronics would act up occasionally while driving, triggering every warning light. No worries though, as simply turning the car off and then on again “fixed” it. Still, it was very fun to drive and at the time there were very few cars on the road that could out accelerate it. ... View more

I don’t have a story about “the one that got away” as I’ve been pretty fortunate in my car buying experiences. However, I do have a comment about your model car collection. I see that you have both a DeLorean and a 300SL model. Did you know that John DeLorean adored the 300SL? He owned one, and the decision to build his cars with gullwing doors came from his love of the Mercedes. ... View more

Very impressive!  I’m not a fan of the Beetle, but I bet that thing is an absolute blast to drive!  ... View more

What a great story! ... View more

Good article. Bill Collins is not the only thing that the Vixen has in common with the DeLorean. It also used the same manual transmission! ... View more

What a fantastic story! I’m so glad you found a way to bond with your son and create lots of lifetime memories as well. ... View more

I own both a DeLorean and a Bricklin. The DeLorean’s fit and finish is much better (although the quality of the early ones wasn’t that great). By comparison, the Bricklin very much has a “kit car” feel to it, especially the interior.  Still, both cars are interesting. The DeLorean rides better, and is more fun to drive, but the Bricklin has more power (I’ve got the AMC powered version). The DeLorean’s torsion bar and gas strut door system is vastly superior to Bricklin’s hydraulic door system, even if it’s been converted to pneumatic. People LOVE the DeLorean. The Bricklin usually just gets weird stares, and is commonly confused with a Corvette with aftermarket gull wing doors. Parts are easy to get for both. There is a company that makes fiberglass panels to replace Bricklin’s acrylic versions , and although nobody is stamping DeLorean panels anymore there are plenty of leftover panels from when the factory closed (one notable exception being the left front fender, which you can find used easily enough for a price). Both cars used some parts from other companies, which helps with availability.   To dispel some of the myths I see about DeLorean v Bricklin: no, DeLorean was not influenced in any way by Malcolm or his car. DeLorean decided on gull wing doors because he loved the Mercedes 300, not because Malcom did it. The stainless steel panel idea came from the Allegheny Ludlum cars, not because Malcolm had used rust proof panels. Malcolm was simply a guy with money who wanted to build a car. John DeLorean was an automotive engineer and had been a car guy his whole life. He had nothing to learn from Malcolm.   ... View more

When the dust settled after his trial, DeLorean admitted that pride was one of his downfalls. Supposedly, in his last few years on this Earth, he was a humble man. ... View more

I know it sounds counterintuitive, but you actually want damage when your car hits another car. Two cars hitting each other creates a lot of energy that has to go somewhere. Ideally, you want that energy used up by bending metal instead of breaking bones. Newer cars may look worse after an accident but they actually protect their occupants better than a vintage car, by redirecting that energy. Airbags, seatbelt pre-tensioners, whiplash protection, etc also help. ... View more

Good article, but unfortunately it’s apparent that several myths of the DeLorean live on.   The car is not slow. It is average compared to other cars from 1981. It had better 0-60 times than a Datsun 280ZX, Mazda RX7, Porsche 924 Turbo, BMW 320i, Mercedes 380SL, and the Ford Mustang GT (it also put out more horsepower than the GT, 320i, and RX7). It’s about 1/2 second slower than the BMW 633 CSI and the Pontiac Firebird Trans Am, and about 1.5 seconds slower than a Ferrari 308.   It is not heavy. Since when is 2,700-ish pounds considered heavy for a car? A 1981 Ferrari 308 GTSi outweighs the DeLorean by almost 700 pounds, and the Mercedes 380 SL outweighs it by almost 900 pounds. The DeLorean has a fiberglass body clad in a very thin layer of stainless steel. I think the myths stem from the fact that the DeLorean is heavier and slower than what was originally planned.....but that doesn’t make it heavy or slow. The company had to make concessions in order to start production and turn a profit. The twin turbo would have been their next move, and according to testing done on Long Island in late 1981, it would have blown the doors off the competition. As for reliability......what can I say? It’s got Lucas electronics. The good news is that all of the problems are well documented and easily fixed. Let’s not forget that the world only ever got the DeLorean 1.0. The company was working to right the wrongs but they simply ran out of time and money. We never got the more polished version that was planned. ... View more

Excellent article! You are absolutely correct about community (“ Want to make new friends? Just drive a vintage car into a public place and smile”). I drive my DeLorean everywhere and I’ve met so many nice people because of it. Just today I had it parked at a local coffee shop. Within a few minutes a father and son had walked over to get some pictures. I walked back to the car to greet them and let them sit inside. It made their day, especially the young boy. The smiles on their faces and the excitement in their voices is partially why I keep putting money into it: so everyone can enjoy it.  ... View more

Great article! I’m fortunate in that my spare parts collection is rather small (for now) and does not take up much room. I have sold a few things though, and like the author I refuse to play the “what’s your best price?” game online. I do my best to research what that part should reasonably cost based on a new one, plus what other used ones sell for. I then usually price mine below any other one that is for sale. So I consider it rude when someone’s very first communication with me is basically “what can you do for me?” ... View more

I’m surprised the author doesn’t mention John DeLorean. He was fed up with how badly GM cars would rust after a few years. He decided that his car would have a fiberglass body with stainless steel panels for exactly that reason. Neither of those ideas were new, but he was the first to combine both. I really thought that stainless would have caught on as a car building material but apparently it is much more difficult to work with (and more costly) than aluminum. ... View more

It is a thing of the past, as far as failing prior to 100,000 miles in a Subaru is concerned. That being said, no head gasket lasts forever. Sooner or later, every car needs one. ... View more

Sajeev, according to Wards Auto the Ecoboost Mustang easily outsells the GT: “ And yet, Wards Intelligence data confirms for the first six months of the ’19 model year, more than 53% of Mustangs have sold in the U.S. with this 310-hp 4-cyl., handily outpacing the 41% take-rate for the 5.0L V-8 and 6% for the 5.2L V-8 in the Shelby GT350.” ... View more

I agree! As an owner I am constantly amazed at the love that people have for the DeLorean. It’s not a time machine, it’s not a speed machine, but it absolutely is a SMILE machine. ... View more