[Closed] A perspective

Mark, I agree about the negativity. Take the new '58 Squarbird.

For years now, many guys have repeatedly begged for this car. So far everyone is very much enthused that DM has decided to bless us with their normal attention to scale and execution of details. It will, no doubt, be a knockout.

But...sooner or later...guys will start complaining about the choice of color or something else. What is is with us? We finally get something we've really wanted and then we start picking holes.

Some guys have already said they wish DM had done a hardtop. This is more of an observation or comment rather than a complaint but it does slightly diminish the thrill for me of finally seeing this car.

We all want stuff right now and I'm sure DM will offer the Squarebird in hardtop and maybe even other colors once they see the enthusiasm this model will generate.

Sorry if I offended anyone with this but I am just as guilty as any when it comes to color choice. I am usually never happy with the colors they choose. But that's just me. I'll be content with the blue Squarebird.

Mark, I agree 100%. I almost left this board about a month ago because of negativity towards me.

I am not a negative person, and, rarely do I say something negative about our diecasts. And NEVER say anything negative towards anybody here. If anybody notices, I NEVER get involved in any of the argumentative or abusive posts. I wish these would disapear. As Dan pointed out below, people are already complaining about the up-coming 58 T-bird, and, DM not offering a hardtop.I welcome this model with opened arms (and opened wallet) We have been asking for this car for soooo long, please don't shoot it down already. It's going to knock your sox off, I bet.
So, please, stop the bickering, and, lets all try to get along and, enjoy our little toys. PLAY NICE CHILDREN. :o)

I realized something this past weekend...

I know it will seem obvious, but..
I went into a diecast store, and you know, there are dozens of manufacturers producing 1:18s. Yes, the detail isn't there for the most part, but model after model comes rolling out. They are selling. Their market must be enthusiastic.

On the other hand, there are we 1:24 self-proclaimed connoisseurs who depend upon four or five outfits to produce our babies. Face it, guys, our market is limited, yet we seem to have this sense of entitlement to dictate exactly what we want. Yes, they depend upon our wallets to survive, but people don't like to made to jump through hoops. So, let's see, there are fewer of us, and we often appear to be hypercritical. Yep, there's a market I'd want to plunge into. Plus, look at the prices and the "no sales" on the auction. Seems to me we're not in a really stong place to be making picayune demands.

Have we ever thought that maybe people look at us as a reference on the Internet? If we keep bandying about words like "substandard," "not perfect," "wait for a different version," do we encourage people to get into the hobby? Do we encourage them to support the manufacturers we depend upon? Or do we chase them away?

Food for thought.

Great post Mark ...I too have noticed some absolutely amazing 1:18ths...they have come a long way in a very short time. I used to really not like 1:18ths they all seemed too large and clunky and plastic...but now I have seen a few Auto Arts and Highway 61's and they are absolute GEMS. This is mostly what I will personally collect now. This may be the trend?

Mark nice to see you here, Spoken like a true gentleman!

I agree 100% with all that you said! I have been tied up with a personal situtation for the past two years that came to a boil 6 months ago and am now on my feet again and will be moving into my new (we'll new to me the house is a 1929 model LOL). This had to do with me not posting for sometime, but I DO read this bulletin board just about everyday and kind of know what you mean. I also have meet some truely wonderful (and VERY patient) Gentlemen here and will still continue to interact and contribute to this forum real soon. Being that this is still a free country, I don't think that this forum should be censored nor posts deleted unless they include profanity, or sexually explict comments or things that really are NOT appropriate on such a Forum. I will admit that I have had dealings with most all the known people here INCLUDING Randy May without any problems. I've dealt with Vickies Gifts (SUPERIOR TO deal with), Roy R (Always a gentleman), Dennis of Tinderbox, Both Bobs, and several others ALL without a hitch or problem. Several of these people have gone above and beyond what a seller has to do INCLUDING Legacy! I once bought a D4C LECCIV from a member here after seeing one and not being a member at the time. I bitched about the stripe not lining up on the left rear door and was told to contact Legacy. I then shipped them the "defective" model and they shipped one to me and didnt even ask for me to pay for shipping to them! Keep in mind that I didnt buy it from them, but "second hand" Then I examined the model and noticed that the stripe was just about the same and tried to get another one! After taking it all in, I felt like a real A_ _!!! This was my turning point in my collecting that made me realize NOTHING is perfect in life and to enjoy the OVERALL picture. After doing this, I can say that I've enjoyed collecting these little cars far greater. Please remember folks that this IS a hobby and it shouldn't become an obsession nor your WHOLE life. If it does let it be in a positive way as not to get aggrevated over models that cost $120-$200+ Last ... I don't like to argue with people either and fail to understand how or why a retailer WOULD get into such arguments with people on such a well known place as this is. If you get in on the right foot this site could be a Gold Mine to a retailer, but on a sour note you will undoubtedly lose MANY customers. You've ALWAYS been great to me and to deal with, so I think that if you let your gentlemanly side shine through you will be far greater off, then to get involve with the diatribes here! No names mentioned as the person knows who he/she is. Enough said, back to moving and my hobby God Bless!!!

Well said, Mark. I must admit, I'm one who voiced a preference for the 58 T-bird to be a hardtop. However, let me say that I was voicing a personal preference, I'm not downing DM for making a convertible. And since it is a regular issue, I know I will probably buy it later on.

But, I must agree with you all on this point. I NEVER get into personal attacks. I don't like conflicts. This is a hobby...not life or death. And Mark is right about real cars, I bought a 2004 Dodge Intrepid, and at 17,000 miles it went into the shop to have a environmental EPA gizzmo (a technical term) replaced because it made the "check engine" light come on.

I, too, have made friends on this BB. Some I hope to meet "in the flesh" one day. But there are those, well, I'll leave it there.

I think many of us have gotten caught up in a collector kind of madness. That these cars must be perfect and absolutely accurate to the actual car. We forget they are models. And I recall many times when building a model kit, I can assure you, it was less than perfect.

Mark makes some interesting points. And they make you stop and think. Thank you, Mark.

*Remembers why I like Mark...*

Thanks for the post, Mark. I think you've hit the bullseye.
Everyone collects for a different reason, but to confuse one's disappointment with a 1:24 issue with a deeper sense of disappointment isn't right. I often feel that there are *some* on this BB that are just unhappy fellows who aren't satisfied by much in life, let alone a diecast.
I'm not entirely comfy with the idea of censorship as a solution, either, it seems frankly un American, the idea that we don't allow the expression of certain ideas we disagree with. They're not shouting 'Fire!', afterall. Maybe a bit of behind the scenes 'conversation' between the offending party and the moderators might be in order?

Mark------Philip...........Your command of the English Language and your ability to transfer it to the written word is awesome. I've touched on many of the same things that you guys have said here today. BUT, the way your's comes out is most elegant and thought provoking. Thank You very much.....

Mike, When I said people were already wishing for a hardtop, I didn't mean there was anything wrong with that.

I do it myself. If they came out with a '54 Mercury convertible, my first reaction would be ...Wish they did a hardtop instead. if they said they were making a yellow hardtop, I'd be wishing for black.

What I'm trying to say is our interests are so different sometimes it seems nothing the makers do will make everyone happy.

This is not wrong...just an explanation of how some of the discussions that sound like complaining can arise.

This is normal stuff.

What shouldn't be here is long drawn-out details of private deals. There's two sides to every story but we don't need to hear them.

Nice to see you back!

Several of us have been wondering where you have been. Please conact me fwkern_1@netzero.com

PHewwwwwww!

I thought you were going to say my grammar was poor, or I had run-on sentences or mispelling! LOL Truth be known that I am a really terrible speller. I do, however, try to proof read everything I post so that I don't come across as being ignorant or uneducated. Thanks for the kind words!

LOL, Phil! I, too, am glad to see you back but I will admit that your posts leave me exhausted! This is all in fun, you understand, but to see what I mean, just check your post above...no blank lines, no paragraphs, just one huge block of text!

I would like to be able to take a breath when I read your posts...they wear me out! You don't come across as uneducated or illiterate...just exhausting! LOL!!

Hope all is well with you and that your life gets back to normal, although I don't know why you should be any different from the rest of us. It seems to me that adults with this addiction can never be quite "normal," whatever that is!

Rick

I know that, Dan, and like you I was just expressing a personal preference.

I know a lot of folks love converibles, I'm just not one of them. I don't know, maybe it was the way I grew up. My parents always had a big Chrysler 4 door sedan. I just love them "tanks". I do love MoPar Muscle, too, but I do love them "tanks". Maybe that's why I own a Dodge Intrepid.

But whatever you like in cars (models), it's your money.
You like it..more power to ya....and so on.

And as I've said before. Danbury, Franklin, and others are taking measurements and other info from real cars. So the model, color, trim, ride height come from that. And after all, what is a model car.....a replica of a real car.

So, I understand. To each, his own.

And I don't think there's anything wrong with that.

The wishes for color, body styles, different years are all fine. After all, I don't think any of the manufacturers intend to ever market just one version of a car...that's economically inefficient. So ideas for additional releases can potentially help.

And some complaints are legit. Why would you release a model of a car without one of its identifying features, such as a hood ornament or a prominent badge?

But, guys, there's constructive and destructive criticism. I'm an English teacher; picture the student who produces the assignment I asked for, who sweated details, who did a stellar job, and my reaction is, "Well, this is good but you misspelled a word in your fifth paragraph. Getting sloppy?" Now, we all know people who have done that to us at one time or another. Maybe some of us are thick-skinned enough to say, "Hey, I know I did a good job and I get good grades, so who cares?" But I think a lot of us would be discouraged, and discouragement is not the best way to encourage someone to produce more or better, from my experience.

If all I do is gripe to my wife about her cooking, sooner or later she's gonna tell me to go to Burger King (or some place warmer). If she says to me, "Honey, I made you a beautiful apple pie," and my reaction, before I even taste it is, "Oh, good, but I like French apple better; I wish you had made that instead," well, I might not have meant it negatively, but I haven't exactly been positive. And she just might say one day, "You know, I'm gonna go cook for someone who appreciates me...find yourself another chef."

I know this is an imperfect analogy, but as Phil said above, you can get so caught up in this hobby that you lose your enjoyment.

So let me say, "Wow, DM, thanks for doing the 58 T-Bird. And I love the idea of the removable rear bumper...cool innovation! Can't wait to see this one, and I'll be looking forward to more variations in the future...keep 'em coming!"

And I'll take the opportunity to add something more...I am lucky enough to have one of West Coast's 59 Impala prototypes in my home right now...it's headed for the Hershey Museum for a bit. It is truly, truly wonderful, and that's just the prototype!

And I also recently got the GMP orange GTO drop-top, and I am blown away by it. Yes, there were problems with the white, but there were problems with the turquoise Lincoln, which we bought anyway and fixed. And there were problems with the DM New Yorker, which we bought and fixed, or which DM fixed and/or replaced for us. Gee, did we stop buying FM? Did we stop buying DM? Did we run them into the ground and swear we'd never buy another?

Can we give people a chance here?