Just what?s going on with DMCH?

[81dmc]

Received this email today.

[JRNY13]

Shame. Had nothing but positive experiences with MW.

[DaraSue]

Well okay then. Good to know that when my k-jet finally shits the bed I can take it to MW to get a Honda engine put in it.

[Mark D]

Well, that's unfortunate.

I have nothing but the utmost respect for Mike and the entire crew at DMCMW. They've been true stewards of the DMC brand, and represent the best of what it means to be a part of the DMC community. They have continued the legacy that Dave and Julee started, and have maintained the "treat others as you would like to be treated" way of doing business that they became well known for. I plan to continue to support them moving forward.

While it makes me sad to hear that DMCMW will no longer have the parts/inventory support of DMCH, in my mind the two entities were always were separate. Especially in how they conducted themselves (both publicly and privately) and the way in which they treated people in the DeLorean community.

I find the reasoning for the separation in the announcement from DMCH to be unbelievably ironic considering the current direction they are taking with the DeLorean "brand identity" and "company philosophy." The Alpha platform has limited appeal with no connection whatsoever to the "Classic" DMC. And the pebble beach launch of the Alpha 5 (and collective yawn / mocking on social media that followed) was nothing short of an embarrassment. The current entanglements in the Karma IP theft lawsuit further erodes the iconic status of the DeLorean name.

Given the direction that DMCH has been taking the DMC brand, there was already a discontinuity between that vision and the vision of actual DeLorean owners and enthusiasts (like DMCMW). So perhaps the split was inevitable.

Specifically, the viewpoint that engine swaps are somehow "incompatible" with DMC's philosophy represents a staggering lack of vision on DMCH's part. It reveals their limited foresight into what the next generation of collector car owners will actually want, and where the collector car market may ultimately be headed in the future.

[Timeless]

Wow. Purchased my car from Mike early this year and continue to purchase parts from them.

[paul_haga]

I find the reasoning for the separation in the announcement from DMCH to be unbelievably ironic considering the current direction they are taking with the DeLorean "brand identity" and "company philosophy." The Alpha platform has limited appeal with no connection whatsoever to the "Classic" DMC. And the pebble beach launch of the Alpha 5 (and collective yawn / mocking on social media that followed) was nothing short of an embarrassment. The current entanglements in the Karma IP theft lawsuit further erodes the iconic status of the DeLorean name.

I agree 100%, Mark. This particular quote from the DMC e-mail that was sent today really caused me to raise my eyebrow...

?While this would most certainly not have been my choice, in order to protect the DeLorean automobile brand in the manner that I feel is most important to keeping original cars on the road for years to come, Mike and Suzy made their decision and I have made mine?, Stephen remarked.

So, on one hand, he's ok with DMR taking this complete revisionist history angle with all of these so-called Alpha concepts, truly blurring DMC's past and confusing people as to what is real and what is a marketing campaign...but on the other hand, when we know that NOS PRV's are supposedly down below 100 in stock, he's unwilling to think about the fact that there will come a day that engine swaps are a necessarily conversation to have? Seems a weird hill to die on.

I have nothing but the utmost respect for Mike and Suzy (and Dave and Julee before). DMCMW has been a shining beacon of integrity, knowledge and customer service to those of us in the rust belt! I wish them all the best in this new endeavor.

[DaraSue]

It doesn't exactly inspire confidence seeing DMCH cut loose their two most universally beloved franchises...

Does DMCH still have that verbiage about "our goal is to see every DeLorean driven and enjoyed" on their website? Because this seems... counterproductive.

(Plus both Chicago and Seattle are areas with active clubs and a lot of cars. That's a lot of owners who may now have incentive to buy parts from other vendors than DMCH. "Interesting" business strategy.)

[mhanch]

I always go through Toby and DPNW, or through Delorean Go. Not that I dislike Texas, but once you have a relationship with a business you tend to stick with it.

[DeCobra]

I've never understood why DMCH would franchise with incredibly high franchise fees. With roughly 4-6k cars on the road, a franchise model isn't going to work as well as it does with McDonalds. If I were them, I'd be doing everything possible to get any and all shops to carry my parts and establish DMCH as the go-to reputable supplier for anything and all things DeLorean. Instead they've forgotten the DMC roots where for decades owners had to find parts and repair their cars on their own. Today owners can readily return to that model, but with the help of 3rd party vendors, and new technology which makes it easier to obtain parts. So what does DMCH provide that others can't? Their only advantage is lower costs through volume and they're poisoning that advantage.

[DaraSue]

So what does DMCH provide that others can't?

A sticker on the part with a DMC logo that they'll C&D anybody else for using lol

(I should probably STFU before I get myself blacklisted too but I'm just WTF-ing 5ever that Team Houston thinks the best way to keep cars on the road is with a dwindling supply of 30-year-old parts for an engine setup that 90% of mechanics don't know how to competently service. Like have they noticed how many newer owners are more interested in driving their cars on 100 mile commutes or 1000 mile road trips or just to the Cars & Coffee every week than in winning concours competitions? If my engine really did blow up and my options were wait two years and pay an unobtanium surcharge to get a new PRV or get an engine that somebody within a 700 mile radius might actually know how to work on, three guesses what I'm going with, and I doubt I'm alone in this sentiment... )