@chav With roughly 340 million people living in North America, why wouldn't Chinese and Australian manufacturers not care about that market? It is my understanding that the 1:24 market was healthy in N. America before all the QC problems began showing up. At that time DM prices weren't cheap, that's for sure, but reasonable for the quality of model received.
CMC just closed their office in the US, and I am sure US is great market for them. If you operate in the US you have to pay licensing fees and understand the market. So there are many obstacles for foreign manufactures. The credit environment currently is bad for the business, credit card debt is at all time high, borrowing cost is 8%. If no one did it 5 years ago, why would they do it now?
DM and FM did not demise because of quality issues, the quality issues started because they had bad margins and poor profits. It was a bad business, the demand was declining, so DM did not want to raise the prices, that squeezed further the Chinese, they couldn't pay their obligations, the Chinese government came closed the business and melted the dies. DM figured out that their diecast business is a "dead cat" and swiftly closed it. The DM cars we actually "cheap" considering the cost to build, but perhaps expensive for the consumer.
@chav With roughly 340 million people living in North America, why wouldn't Chinese and Australian manufacturers not care about that market? It is my understanding that the 1:24 market was healthy in N. America before all the QC problems began showing up. At that time DM prices weren't cheap, that's for sure, but reasonable for the quality of model received.
Back in the days I was corresponding with Raffi, and he also mentioned the challenge for the toy manufacturers with skilled assembly labor moving to higher paying cell phone assembly jobs.
You hit Jack; DM's diecast problems initiated with their Chinese contacts and contracts. A switch to a more viable vendor went unfulfilled and they dropped their primary diecast line. They continued on with second party vendors to sell 1/18th product - primarily ACME brand cars.
And to make it even worse when DM folded, the next car up on their schedule was the gorgeous 1953 Ford Victoria HT. What a shame!
@100ford2003 Hi Steve the yellow car is a 1972 Holden (GMH) HQ Monaro. DDA seem to becoming more prolific in 1/24. They are producing multiple colors, engines and body types from each tooling, and introducing new toolings, most recently a Holden Torana. On face value they seem to be thriving. I emailed them a while ago. They are very responsive and keen to hear feedback. DDA are strictly wholesalers and manufacturers, heres a link to what all their retailers currently have on sale on the local ebay
@georgeschire George, just a thought, next time you're in Mint Models take a note of the manufacturers you're most interested in and attempt to contact them direct. There are many points you could raise and even direct them to this forum. I did so with DDA, and some 1/43 makers contribute directly to our 1/43 forum.
You hit Jack; DM's diecast problems initiated with their Chinese contacts and contracts. A switch to a more viable vendor went unfulfilled and they dropped their primary diecast line. They continued on with second party vendors to sell 1/18th product - primarily ACME brand cars.
And to make it even worse when DM folded, the next car up on their schedule was the gorgeous 1953 Ford Victoria HT. What a shame!
Truer words were never spoken my dear friend!
Look what else was in the waiting wings:
Its a wonder you cant hear me sobbing and wailing all the way over there everytime you post these amazing models. "thanks" Tony!
This post was modified 2 years ago by Geoff Jowett
@100ford2003 Hi Steve the yellow car is a 1972 Holden (GMH) HQ Monaro. DDA seem to becoming more prolific in 1/24. They are producing multiple colors, engines and body types from each tooling, and introducing new toolings, most recently a Holden Torana. On face value they seem to be thriving. I emailed them a while ago. They are very responsive and keen to hear feedback. DDA are strictly wholesalers and manufacturers, heres a link to what all their retailers currently have on sale on the local ebay
You hit Jack; DM's diecast problems initiated with their Chinese contacts and contracts. A switch to a more viable vendor went unfulfilled and they dropped their primary diecast line. They continued on with second party vendors to sell 1/18th product - primarily ACME brand cars.
And to make it even worse when DM folded, the next car up on their schedule was the gorgeous 1953 Ford Victoria HT. What a shame!
Truer words were never spoken my dear friend!
Look what else was in the waiting wings:
OMG! Tony, you had to remind me of these classics that we NEVER got. What's really ironic is that back in the later 80's in to the 90's and then the 2000's, most of us here were raising families with many times little or sparse disposable income to buy these 1:24 scale models. We (or at least I did) had to make decisions at times on whether I could afford some of them when they came out so close together.
And there were times back then where I'd have 3 or more cars on the monthly payment plan. Now I'm retired and blessed to say that I have the income to purchase the cars, and being able to pay cash for them if I want to, but there are NO MODELS in 1:24.
I still believe in my heart that the mints are just missing the mark on this. If they make 'em, we'll buy 'em! Want us to prove it? Give us the models!!!
Just my thoughts...with all the justified complaints with QC issues, could be DM and TFM believed a class action lawsuit could be waged against them, so they bailed out before any legal action began.
