Woman paid $3,200 for an abandoned storage unit — what she found inside was worth ten times more
For many years, the television show 'Storage Hunters' drew millions of viewers as bidders competed for abandoned storage spaces in the hopes of getting their hands on some forgotten treasure. Across four seasons, that aired on truTV from 2011 to 2013, one of the most thrilling moments was when a woman spent $3,200 on a storage unit, only to get tenfold the amount back.
In a 2015 episode of 'Storage Hunters' UK version, bidders got a peek inside a mysterious storage unit that seemed to hold nothing more than a car covered by a tarp. At first, many thought it might be a muscle car. The condition of the car was a big question mark for most, but one woman decided to take the risk and spent $3,200 on the unit. When the cover was finally pulled, the crowd gasped in surprise, as inside was a classic 1980s DMC DeLorean. After a quick jump to the engine, the car burst into life, as reported by Unilad.
The car became popular after 'Back to the Future' chose it as the time-traveling machine for Marty McFly and Dr. Emmett 'Doc' Brown. As the story went viral, netizens flooded the comment section in awe of the discovery. On YouTube, a person (@frankesposito2182), commented, “A Grestly designed automobile by Lotus and the idea of making it out of stainless steel was brilliant. Good luck with it matey!” Another person, who goes by the username @nor4277, wrote, “I love those cars. They hold their value and you can still buy new ones and still get parts for it.”
Others however were skeptical of the discovery. A netizen, @jakers181, wrote, “As a young apprentice mechanic, there’s no way in hell that a car sits for 20 years and just starts right up in a flash like that. You’d have to fill the tires (which are full apparently after 20 years) or put new tires on, change the oil and the oil filter, replace the old gas with new, and change the battery out along with the fuel filter.” Similarly, another person (@babayega_) noted, “20 years, and the tires are like brand new, still inflated, and started with a quick jump. Not that the oil in the engine would have been worse than swamp water or anything.”
The British version of the popular television show stayed loyal to its original concept where fortune seekers bid on abandoned storage units. Filmed across various locations in the United Kingdom, the show did well in ratings. Created and produced by T Group Productions in the U.S., as reported by Variety, and the UK version was brought to life by North One Television. Catherine Catton, UKTV’s senior commissioning editor, served as the executive producer.