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United States market

DeLorean DMC-12

1981–1983

Add to Garage
  • Lowest price

    US$31,699

    Since 2020

  • Median price

    US$75,500

    Since 2020 · n=23

  • Highest price

    US$154,000

    Since 2020

  • Sold cars

    23

    All time

  • Sell-through

    100%

    Of 23 lots

DeLorean DMC-12

Based on 23 verified auction results

SELLDepreciatinghigh confidence

US$64,751

Market value · recent verified sales

-41.1%

12-month change

Wait or Sell

Prices declining. Sellers should consider acting; buyers should wait.

Median sold price down 41.1% over the last 12 months. Loss is likely to continue, especially for this segment.

MSRP

Collectibility

7/10

Highly Collectible

3-Year Forecast

US$22,501

-65%

5-Year Forecast

US$16,609

-74%

Market scores

53

Desirability

Thin

30

Liquidity

Poor

10

Resale Outlook

Option premiums

What every option is worth.

  • Manual gearbox

    US$11,611-15%

    14 with · 3 without · low confidence

  • Built ≤ 1981

    +US$5,330+7%

    16 with · 9 without · high confidence

Premiums compare the median price of sales with each option against comparable sales without it, mined from verified auction listings. Prices are adjusted to the model's median mileage before comparing. Sales are pooled across markets on a relative-price basis, so exchange rates and market levels can't skew the split. Options interact in ways a one-at-a-time split can’t capture — treat each premium as directional rather than gospel.

Marque analyst note

The DeLorean DMC-12 has fallen sharply over the past twelve months, with the median price declining from approximately $110,000 to $64,751—a 41 percent drop. This reversal comes despite the car's standing as a highly collectible machine, signaling a meaningful shift in market sentiment that warrants close attention from both current owners and prospective buyers.

The thin liquidity picture reflects real constraints in the market. With only eight transactions recorded in the past year across a total tracked sample of 23 cars, sellers face limited visibility and buyers have few opportunities to enter at any given moment. The absence of active listings at present underscores how sparse the trading environment has become for this nameplate.

DeLoreans carry genuine collectibility credentials: approximately 9,000 were built, and the marque retains its iconic status. Average mileage on transacted examples sits at 21,111 miles, suggesting most surviving cars remain relatively lightly driven. However, moderate desirability and the recent price collapse indicate that nostalgia and production scarcity alone are insufficient to sustain value momentum in the current market.

The three-year and five-year projections paint a sobering picture. The base case forecasts the median price settling near $22,500 within three years (a 65 percent decline from current levels) and potentially falling to $16,600 by year five. These declines reflect a technical deterioration in demand that confidence levels suggest is reasonably well-founded, though any unexpected shift in cultural or collector sentiment could alter the trajectory.

The sell signal and depreciating status are unambiguous: owners sitting with these cars are likely to face further headwinds, and prospective buyers should carefully weigh the sharp recent losses before committing capital at this juncture. The market has effectively repriced the DeLorean, and stabilization—if it comes—remains several years away based on current momentum.

Depreciation Benchmark

  • Current avg valueUS$64,751
  • Annual appr. rate-41.1%/yr
  • Segment average+3.0 to +9.5%/yr

Vehicle History Signals

  • Auction lots tracked25
  • Damage or salvage declared0 (0.0%)
  • No damage declared25 (100.0%)
No damage or salvage declarations found in the titles and descriptions of the auction lots we track for this model. That's a good sign, not a guarantee — always commission a professional inspection and history check before buying.

Est. Annual Ownership Costs

  • Insurance (agreed value)US$600
  • MaintenanceUS$2,010
  • StorageUS$3,220
  • Depreciation— (appreciating)
  • Total annual costUS$5,830
This car has historically appreciated — carrying cost is offset by value growth, not eroded by depreciation.

Market Liquidity

  • Active Listings0
  • Sales Last 12 Months14
  • Sell-Through61%

Market Snapshot

  • Active Listings0
  • Avg Sale PriceUS$79,500
  • Avg Mileage at Sale21,111 mi
  • Recent Price RangeUS$31,699 – US$154,000
  • Total Sales Tracked23

Recent sales

Showing latest 20
  • US$66,000

    mecum · 15 Aug 2026

  • US$47,000

    cars-and-bids · 10 Aug 2026

  • US$51,500

    Bring a Trailer · 6 Aug 2026

  • US$77,500

    Bring a Trailer · 5 Aug 2026

  • US$65,001

    Bring a Trailer · 28 Jul 2026

  • US$56,000

    Bring a Trailer · 20 Jul 2026

  • US$48,800

    Bring a Trailer · 8 Jul 2026

  • US$60,000

    Bring a Trailer · 3 Jul 2026

  • US$52,001

    Bring a Trailer · 26 Jun 2026

  • US$75,500

    Bring a Trailer · 20 May 2026

Indicative only — not investment advice. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future value.