Why do DIY products have less value ?

But the Bentley will get you there better! If Bentley couldn't do it better they'd be out of business. They are better made, more comfortable, and a heck of a lot faster. Nobody looks when a Hondas goes by, everyone notices a Bentley.

While I understand the analogy you tried to make, I think the mind set is that the factory made product is of better quality while such is not always the case. I have sold all of my 'store bought' power cords and use exclusively home made or DIY cords. They cost a lot less and sound a lot better.

DIY takes a lot of knocks but in my experience with PCs they are very cost effective. When people get to the level of amps and electronics though even I would tend to be leary. Although if Tom told me he was selling a DIY SET amp and it was at a price I could afford, I'd jump at it.

Everyone's opinion here on the perceived value of DIY has in fact set DIY's value. The true value of ANY item is what someone is willing to pay for it. It is my understanding that a commercially available speaker has components and materials in it that account for only 10% of its' retail price. Advertising, engineering, management, labor, distribution, profit, etc account for the differance. I have heard that a dealer typically purchases products for 60% of retail. This is one reason that companies such as ACI, Decware and Oddysey offer such great value. One very real drawback, you cannot get a test drive. 30 day money back return alieviates much of this drawback.

DIY can offer a great value and performance. Every high end audio company can attribute their beginings to DIY. If it was not for DIY, we would be left with Panasonic and other mainstream products.

We're seeing diy from the wrong angle, methinks. One prevalent motivation behind diy is creativity: design and/or construction, and enjoyment of operating what we made... While this value exists for the originator, it does not for the subsequent purchaser. Hence the remainder life resale value is low, barely covering the cost of the parts, as Twl notes.

On the bright side, another (important) factor is the possibility to gain access to the league of stratospherically priced commercial products; take, speakers, for example. The "legendary" ATC mid unit costs upward of $250 EACH. A 15" woofer from the same manufacturer will set you back another $600 EACH. Accuton (Thiele & partner) ceramic drivers -- as in Kharma & Avalon -- sell for upward of $200-300 each. A Raven2 ribbon tweet will set you back another $300 EA. Think of what the commercial speaker pair sporting (MANY) such units would cost!!!

Given time, LOTS of resilience and support, the diy may be able to approach (surpass?) the sound of the commercial offering for SEAMINGLY less. "Less" means that, lots of available resources are NOT counted in the cost equation: work-shed, bench, tools, electronic tools, the TIME spent fine-tuning the cross-over (say), friends' time who lend their ears, the beers & wine (that's for Tom) consumed in the creative process, etc...

A suggestion...Incorporate yourself as TWL AUDIO DYNAMICS.
Hang a sign on your garage. Advertize in Stereophile. Offer your designs for sale at absurd prices. You may not get many customers, but you will get some respect (but you will loose mine).