[Closed] You can now pre-order from DM

Woosh.

Hey George,

I completely agree with everything you said about FM not fixing know mistakes when re-issuing cars and that they are not even in the same league as DM. I has just saying if someone likes a car, why not add another one in a different color to your collection. If you do or not it is just a personal thing. As I mentioned before, I like seeing re-issued cars with different color combination. I was addressing those who you see post here often that are completely against re-issued cars with a change of color. JMHO.

What if everyone who reads and posts here......

Copied this entire thread and forwarded it to FM, DM, WCPD, Gmp and others. Could be real interesting what feedback may occur. (just imagine all this hitting these companies at the same time, some would be happy and some....well).

Copying to the mints...

You are correct Paul, some would be happy, others would be taken back a little. Thing is though, we are their customers, and who better to get feedback from.

Obviously, it a mint is doing something right, they can continue. And, if they are being called on the carpet for something, they can make a choice to correct the situation.

Seems simple enough to me.

Sean, we agree...

I like to get as many different colors of cars as I can. I'm an easy target...if I see a new car being offered, or a re-paint, it doesn't matter, I order it. As long as it fits into "my" criteria of being a 1940 to 1970 American car....I want it in my collection.

You overlook the basic fact...

...that under the Resnick's ownership, they infused a lot of money into FM to keep it attractive for sale. Much like selling a home that needs work to maintain "curb appeal".
Let's not distort things, they were in trouble. When you have 2400 employees and go down to a handful, something is seriously amiss. You have no idea how hard it was to watch your friends leave the building enmass, on the local news. It would be more accurate to say they dodged the bullet a few times, with the Resnick's help.
I'm also stunned by your figure of 90% wholesale. That explains a lot to me. If accurate, they would have to sell a whole lot more, consistently, to maintain the margins they enjoyed when they were 100% retail.

And that is 90% of the problem with FM

I was mostly referring directly to...

a few phone calls that I received by people that told me that TFM had already closed for good. One gentleman who used to post here called me from his home phone....his name came up on caller id....he said that he was another D4C member...I let him talk....and he proceeded to tell me that the green 1968 Mustang was to be the last diecast car TFM will ever make. That was 4 years ago.

That's just one example of the kinds of phone calls and e-mails that I have politely listened to and regarded as absolutely false on face value. The funny thing is...I get to know some of those people and they are not bad guys. Very likeable in fact. Just funny how all the rumours start and continue.

In fact the manufacturer that I spoke with on the phone today once told me that the Wal Mart cars were going to sink the ship. Well, I believe hsIS exact words were that the result was going to be VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY BAD. LOL. And today he stated that he had to retract that a bit. It was not a good idea but some retailers are now selling (verb) those same cars for $105.

The only dealer that I have information on meanwhile has not stopped increasing their TFM volume. Four years in a row. But then again most of the customers there do not sweat the small stuff at all.

Anyway I was being very specific, that's all.

Absolutely and Right on the Money

I'm NOT a TFM Fan! DM gets most of my money because they earned it! someone else used that line.

One of those "Stock Broker Guys" Smith-Barney & they added We do it the Old Fashioned Way, We Earn It! TFM has been coasting Far Too Long, Their Laurels are Gone & they have no clue! Pity!

The 29 Rolls Phantom Cabriolet in silver & Black was re-Issued as the "Error" car with Pontiac Wide

Track wheels. They did not even notice they at one time corrected the Error of too Wide a spacing on the wheels. Also the wheels are Chrome w/ white walls and the spares in the Fenders are Black sidewalls. I guess this Rolls Owner was trying to save money by not paying for Whitewalls on the spares?

Well that may be but at present they are on "Morgan Dollars"

Just a few fixed known mistakes '57 Corvette whitewalls
'70 BOSS 429 hood scoop
442 "Polyglass"
'68 Mustang antenna location (actually not a mistake but they changed it to factory default)

These are just a few factory mistakes that TFM corrected immediately as soon as the next batch rolled out. The BOSS 429 took longer.

Randy as Franklin Mint dealer you are much closed to the Fixes than any of us!

TFM has not done like Danbury in that when they do a Re-Release it usually has some change like Carburation or exhaust or no Continental kit etc. so while it is a re-paint it also has some other feature which you don't see very often with The Franklin Mint. I have a Lot of TFM cars but in retrospect I purchase mostly new Danbury Mint cars now because they are better, Not Perfect, just better.
This was not posted to start any Pi$$ing Contest it unfortunatly is just the way things have gone. I fully respect what the Resnick's tried to do and admire the things they accompolished with what they had to do things with. That being said I still buy an occassional FM piece but there isn't much that I don't already have in some color. Some of the re-Paints are better than the first ones I do have the Purple Challenger Coupe and the Pink Convertible and will buy the Indy Pace car but I look forward to DM for the Cuda & possibly their versions of Challengers as what has been seen to date shows more acuracy to the 1:1. I might even order the Pace Car from you? Just not quite ready at this time, Read that as a lot of money has gone out on my Garage and double stacking of cars so all are inside.
The Diecast Car cases are now getting close to being Done? as much as one can say that(always Additions). Ford/L-M Land Rover, Aston Martin all together (Loyus made it into a corner here). Chevies, Corvettes, GM together. Chrysler, Mercedes Benz, Lamborghini's with Porsche, VW, Audi & Bentleys. The BMW's are with Mini's & Rolls Royce. Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg share a case with Studebaker-Packard, a shelf of Tuckers, Hispano's & Stutz'es. Alfa Romero (Italian) and French (Citroen, Renault, Simca, Facel Vega's) cars share another case with all of the Japanese cars (Acura, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan & Toyota). The Rod & Customs have another case. Ferrari (no Maserati in there tho I have several) has one too! Trucks, Texaco, Commercial, Fire & Police One OFFs another. I have a Lot of Ertl Proto-types from when I worked for them. I'm out of space for the most part.

I do not disagree...

....and at the same time TFM's increased use (on old tools) of very nicely done PE badging, and other added detail to models like the '78 Pace car, the '55 Pace Car, The Police Car models, and I can't tell you how many upgrades on santa's Corvette that I didn't even ask for.

BTW the '36 Hudson's 2nd batch had a very elaborate change to the packaging that kept the heavy model off of its axles while en route. I think that counts too.