Downey Off Road out of business

[Robinhood4x4]

Downey has closed up shop.

http://forum.ih8mud.com/chit-chat-se...-off-road.html

Downey Off Road Mfg. ceased operation on July 31, 2009.

There are ongoing negotiations with six different well known companies who are interested in continuing major portions of the Downey product line. You will no doubt find Downey products at one or more of those companies in the near future. We thank your for being a part of our 39 year history.

Jim Sickles, President

Downey Off Road Mfg.

"We had to close the doors for three reasons:
(a) Internet competition from smaller dot.com companies who have very little, if any overhead.
(b) Internet forums that reveal all the other sources of supply (consumers now better connected).
(c) Recession!!!!"

[Good Times]

wow that's disappointing news.

[X-Tool Pimp]

They would have done better if they would had changed with the times but yeah it sucks to see another company shut the doors.

[troyboy162]

They would have done better if they would had changed with the times but yeah it sucks to see another company shut the doors.

yup i ordered once by phone since there was no online ordering. stuff didnt show and i called them to find out its on back order. 2.5 monthes later i canceled the order. they did it to themselves unfortunatly

[corax]

They would have done better if they would had changed with the times but yeah it sucks to see another company shut the doors.

yup i ordered once by phone since there was no online ordering. stuff didnt show and i called them to find out its on back order. 2.5 monthes later i canceled the order. they did it to themselves unfortunatly

I could agree with that, that had some neat ideas (slip yoke IFS half shafts, etc) but any company that doesn't make it uber easy to order their products is gonna lose some business. Still a shame . . . I wonder if NWOR is next?

[waskillywabbit]

Great off-road innovation 35 yearas ago but they refused to continue to innovate.

No online ordering was their downfall.

[CJM]

Yep, no online ordering and lack of any real neat new ideas is what shut them down.

[Crinale]

i did like that there long travel used the Porsche axles that had more flexy cv joints, but otherwise i cant say i saw much from them.. oh well, corporate darwinism at work... :-P

[Cebby]

Great off-road innovation 35 yearas ago but they refused to continue to innovate.

No online ordering was their downfall.

That about sums it up. The only time I bought anything from them was when I couldn't get something similar online.

They didn't change with the times - the business model of the 1980's is hardly valid these days.

[corax]

and now the web site doesn't even come up . . . . figures that they would close one week before I start looking for an e-locker cable conversion.