RE: door openers

[Darryl Tinnerstet <darryl@xxxx>]

Man, I love a good debate, especially when both sides are fundamentally
correct. Bob, as a mechanic and street rodder for nearly 40 years, a
DeLorean vendor for 15, and an engineer in real life (civil) [yeah, I know
some people would question that title] I, like Martin, have to take
exception to your claim that actuators are inferior. As he pointed out they
are universally used today for door locks. Knowing the high failure rate of
DMC door lock solenoids, do you suppose there is another reason the big
companies use actuators besides cost? Its called reliability. As for not
having enough power, do you have to use both hands now to pull your outside
or inside door handle? No, just a slight pull with a finger does it.
Another concern with solenoids is current draw. You know they draw many
times as much as a motor. I, too, experimented with solenoids, but always
came back to actuators for several reasons - reliability, cost, and weight
savings. And this is one area I caution folks to be very careful about.
With solenoids you will, most likely, have to adjust your torsion bars up a
notch or two due to the added weight as well as the 20 years of normal use.
Before adding that extra stress to them, buyers need to be aware that the LH
torsion bars ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE. You break one, good luck finding a
replacement.

The actuators I sell have been widely used in the aftermarket for all kinds
of functions with great success for many, many years. Over time I'm sure
your custom solenoids will earn a reputation for reliability just as good as
the actuators have, which is "0" failures in the 10 plus years I have been
using them. I would like to point out one more time that despite what others
have said, I don't believe you were comparing my actuator since I have never
sold any to you or Rob. But then my memory is not nearly as reliable as the
actuators are....;)

Please don't take this as any kind of a "dig" at your or Rob's parts or
services. I've said before and will repeat that they are first cabin and
bulletproof. Its just that there is more than one way to satisfy the needs
of the market, and we can do it without unfairly describing the other guy's
product. As long it works, the vendor stands behind it, and the customer is
satisfied, that's all we can hope for.

Actually, I don't really care if I ever sell another kit. I hardly make
enough on them to make it worth the effort. And with every one that is
installed, the one in my own car is a little less unique. Which is
precisely why I decline to market a kit to install a Chevy motor like I did
in my car. Ingenuity would be a little less meaningful if everyone had one.

-- 
Darryl Tinnerstet
Specialty Automotive (delorean-parts.com)
McCleary, WA