Calling MDA Owners - Page 4

Brian Kissel · 03-05-05, 11:45 PM

Howard ! strange you mention Factory Five. I was just on a site tonight where ther was a lot of bitchen going on. It seems the quality of the bodys, had really taken crap. See Factory Five isn't the fix all answer either. I think it was factoryfiveonline or something like that. But one of the owners was on there talking about the trouble. They said, they had to remove two moulds from production. Other people were talking about 1/2" body gaps and the like. If anybody really wants to read it I'll look up the post. Hell, that was easier to find than I thought. Here it is: trouble in paradise (Factory Five) [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]
Regards Brian

Howard Jones · 03-06-05, 12:52 PM

I really don't know much about factory 5 other than they are known to be fairly simple and quick to build. I was talking to a bunch of them once at a goodguy show and they were all commenting on the record to finish a build. It was messured in days, something like less than 30 or so. When I told them that my car had taken several 1000s of hours they just all went silent.

To anybody who is reading this and getting frightened off from building a GT40. Don't be, but please take your time and go and look at these cars in person. Talk to the owner AND the builders. All of the current car suppliers have very good cars for you to build. Any of them including MDA would be a wonderful machine if you do a good job.

I supect that most people at one point or another find themselfs wondering what they got themselfs into but that is just part of the deal. These cars are the most complex kits you can build so just enjoy the process of learning about them. Fly around the country if you have to and look at them. It would be best to visit a few in progress as well.

Read every word on this forum if you can. Just about everything that can happen has, to one of us here. I think that you will find that most if not all got resolved fairly quickly. There were many times I could have gotten mad about one thing or the other. Instead I asked for help got it and learned somthing in the process as well as made many new friends. These cars will take a couple of years or so to do right. They are not Factory 5's

No bad intended on F5's.
Just a very different thing all together.

Lukas Matzinger · 03-06-05, 08:07 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Howard ! strange you mention Factory Five. I was just on a site tonight where ther was a lot of bitchen going on. It seems the quality of the bodys, had really taken crap. See Factory Five isn't the fix all answer either. I think it was factoryfiveonline or something like that. But one of the owners was on there talking about the trouble. They said, they had to remove two moulds from production. Other people were talking about 1/2" body gaps and the like. If anybody really wants to read it I'll look up the post. Hell, that was easier to find than I thought. Here it is: trouble in paradise (Factory Five) [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]
Regards Brian

[/ QUOTE ]

Brian,

Did you really read through the whole thing...? Guess you missed the top, where it said the date of this post: 2002! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Lukas

40 Bud · 03-06-05, 09:07 PM

Quess what Doc - I can read. You have read about some complaints and drawn some conclusions - your right. However all the rest of us can do the same. My conclusion is that NDA may have had a couple of hick-ups getting his small business running smoothly, but he is trying hard and helping out those who are trying to build a replica 40 and in my personal dealings with him he has been honest, helpful and true to his word. He has always been a gentleman and has never come across as full of himself, smarter than the rest of the world or Gods gift to the business world. Unlike some others here. Nuff said,I am done
and anybody out there who is interested in a forty, don't write Mark of on this guys say so! Hey guys, is Meat back??

Brian Kissel · 03-06-05, 09:42 PM

Hello Lukas !
I knew it was an older post. The point I was trying to get across, was everyone of the manufactuers have at one time or another had problems. But through continious improvement things can and most generally do turnaround for the better.
Regards Brian

Doc Brooks · 03-07-05, 03:31 PM

This thread has really been bothering the hell out of me. I should have thought more about the effect of what I've posted here. No one has threatened me or paid me off to post this--it's just that life is too short to make enemies of folks I don't even know. My only excuse is the bruising I received from a manufacturer during my last restoration--it just drives me nuts to see innocent consumers ignored...but I don't want to get into that again--I'm not going to stop short of an apology here. I'm sorry for posting on this thread. I regret that I commented here at all.

Is it possible to step back and give MDA another chance at this point? The safest airline to fly on is always the one who just experienced a crash--they're attention is now squarely upon safety. I think this applies here.

Lee · 03-07-05, 04:15 PM

Doc
Good post! Nice to see that you are not Meat!
There are now a few people who have received kits from Mark with favourable comments, as well as one (or two?) unhappier people from early days. It does sound like the initial gremlins may have been ironed out by now. It is still correct that any purchaser MUST DO THEIR HOMEWORK AND VISIT THE BUILDERS. I have said this before and will continue to say it. I have also said that any potential purchaser must believe their own eyes, not what one or two other people say, and also do not necessarily believe everything the salesman tells you. (I think this is true throughout the car sales game, but especially for kit cars). If you can't SEE the evidence, then it is just hearsay.
I have not visited Mark's facility but it sounds like he has started to make a success of it. Like all startups it is awkward balancing supplying cars/ kits with having something to show. I think we can really say that MDA has arrived when we finally SEE an MDA in use somewhere. Having said above that hearsay is not what can be relied on, I guess JPs car is nearest to being the first MDA finished and will hopefully make a fine demonstrator. I stand to be corrected, but I think that is the only complete looking MDA on the website. The Mark 11s, the gulf car etc are all GTDs which Mark has either helped to modify or build as I understand it.
I wish Mark every success in his venture, after all there are few enough places to get parts from as it is. I am sure he will give Tornado something to worry about as being the only other 'major' supplier in the UK.
All the best

JimmyMac · 03-07-05, 05:37 PM

Doc,
Welcome aboard.

Ian K · 03-07-05, 06:14 PM

Doc,

I was going to reply to your posts days ago, but figured
I'd keep it to myself and everything will work out ...

Seems I made the wise choice, as things have calmed down [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Remember to peruse the rules section here - flame retardant
underwear and all [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

And, it's not the fact that you chose to reply that ruffled
feathers, nor was it the message you were trying to get
across, but it was "how" you delivered it. As others have
said, doing your homework is one of the most important
things you can do.

Hope this hasn't put you off from posting, and no hard feelings.
A lot of the blokes that ripped into you (or that you ripped
into) will more than happily be the same blokes who will
answer your calls for help when push comes to shove.

Man, is that zen or what [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Ian

Iron Sheik · 03-07-05, 10:38 PM

Ian K, Are you sensible or what?!! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] I wish i could talk/write like that.

Cheers [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Julian West · 03-08-05, 06:03 AM

Doc,

Fair comment & well said. Rest assured there are no enemies here.

All the best,

Ian K · 03-08-05, 11:47 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Ian K, Are you sensible or what?!! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] I wish i could talk/write like that.

Cheers [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

I may be an IT/UNIX geek by trade, but I have a BA in Drama [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]
That's where the writing skills come from !!!

Someday I'll get back on stage for fun.

Hmmm, I have some Guinnesses (Guinnii?) at home, and some
local brews (go figure - by a Sunday brunch, get a free
20 oz. brew to take home). When's the next get together?

Ian

Iron Sheik · 03-08-05, 06:21 PM

Guinnii???!!! Praise Allah,,ohhhh blessed one.

We should have another go at it soon. Too bad we could not get you to be with us Last Saturday. It was a lot of fun, I am sure we will do it again soon (before you drink all the holly water) [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]