Want a DeLorean? This 1981 Example Just Hit Auction

A 1981 DeLorean DMC-12 has launched on Cars & Bids and is already drawing plenty of notice. The car is in Maryland, with 28,400 miles on the clock (or thereabouts, since the odometer wasn’t working at one point), and it’s currently sitting at about $33,000 with a big crowd at the auction.

It’s exactly what you’d expect to see in a traditional DeLorean: a stainless steel body, a gray interior, gullwing doors, and your standard 2.9-liter V6 with a 3-speed automatic. Nothing fast, nothing fancy, but definitely recognizable.

The Carfax starts in 1993 and doesn't show any accidents. This particular car has a few changes. It features an aftermarket exhaust, an upgraded alternator, Eibach suspension components, a JVC head unit, an aero kit, and two-tone seats.

The A/C compressor is missing, and you have a few broken spots here and there, such as cracked weatherstripping, worn tint, a tired steering wheel, an inoperative passenger window motor, and tires from 2012. Roughly 10 years ago, some nice work of restoration was done on the car—rust repairs, new hoses, fuel lines, pump, radiator, front panels, and refurbished wheels.

The bumpers were also repainted. More recent maintenance involves an oil change, coolant top-up, and a new brake master cylinder. It’s not a time capsule at the museum level, but it isn’t a disaster, either. It’s a solid driver with some updates and a few quirks—which is all pretty standard fare for a DeLorean this age. Which is why there’s still interest.

People do not purchase these for performance. They buy them because they look like nothing else on the road and have an attached story. If you’re down for something different that doesn’t blend in with modern traffic today, that’s one.