Topic: Country of Origin?

[Turbo Bob]

Does where a car is made matter to your purchasing decision?

Personally I am happy that my car was built in Japan, although I'm not sure how much it would sway my next purchasing decision where a car was built. 

Would you still buy the make and model you were after if you found out it was built in a different country (i.e. one you considered had lower quality standards) from the brand HQ?

In fact does it even make a difference? Do manufacturers these days make sure all their cars are the same quality regardless of where they are produced?

[tpl]

I prefer to know that the engineers who designed my cars could legally drive to work at 160 km/h or more sometimes.

This sort of rules out everywhere apart from Germany and possibly Italy and France. In those countries you certainly can do 160 with a good chnace of not being jailed for it.

[articsteve]

If we are talking new cars, I would not buy a BMW/MB/Porsche if I knew it and the motors were assembled in Alabama for example.

I will not buy any vehicle assembled in Mexico.  If our auto industry is gonna disappear, it will because of Mexico.   I never hesitate to remind ppl that the Fusion is 100% Mexicano.

To be honest, I'd rather have my Lexus come from Japan, but I can live with it from the USA/Canada.

[Mitlov]

Does where a car is made matter to your purchasing decision?

Not one iota.

[vdk]

I will not buy any vehicle assembled in Mexico.  If our auto industry is gonna disappear, it will because of Mexico.   I never hesitate to remind ppl that the Fusion is 100% Mexicano.

To be honest, I'd rather have my Lexus come from Japan, but I can live with it from the USA/Canada.

So cars built in Mexico are bad for our auto industry, but those built Japan are good? WTF? 

[vdk]

I prefer to know that the engineers who designed my cars could legally drive to work at 160 km/h or more sometimes.

This sort of rules out everywhere apart from Germany and possibly Italy and France. In those countries you certainly can do 160 with a good chnace of not being jailed for it.

[rrocket]

I will not buy any vehicle assembled in Mexico.  If our auto industry is gonna disappear, it will because of Mexico.   I never hesitate to remind ppl that the Fusion is 100% Mexicano.

To be honest, I'd rather have my Lexus come from Japan, but I can live with it from the USA/Canada.

So cars built in Mexico are bad for our auto industry, but those built Japan are good? WTF? 

As Steve said, Mexico will be the country that sucks away jobs from the US/Canada.  If Ford/GM/Chrysler decide, they could move their plants to Mexico where they already have a manufacturing presence.  Cheap labour, good quality as of late, very willing work force, less taxes (NAFTA), less environmental regs and close proximity to the North America market.

So yea, they are a threat to steal job away from Canada/US...it's not like any US manufacturing jobs are going to be lost to a new plant in Japan.  Prime example is the new Hyundai plant.  Canada and the US courted these guys....but ultimately it was decided to build the plant in Mexico.

[Turbo Bob]

I will not buy any vehicle assembled in Mexico.  If our auto industry is gonna disappear, it will because of Mexico.   I never hesitate to remind ppl that the Fusion is 100% Mexicano.

To be honest, I'd rather have my Lexus come from Japan, but I can live with it from the USA/Canada.

So cars built in Mexico are bad for our auto industry, but those built Japan are good? WTF? 

OK OK, this thread isn't about protectionism, I meant it to be about build quality.

[vdk]

I'm sorry, but I don't think it matters where exactly a car is built if it's built outside of Canada (or the US). With Mexico at least we have NAFTA. Imports are imports at the end of the day - it's capital outflow. Does Japan send some money back? I don't think so.

[Turbo Bob]

I'm sorry, but I don't think it matters where exactly a car is built if it's built outside of Canada (or the US). With Mexico at least we have NAFTA. Imports are imports at the end of the day - it's capital outflow. Does Japan send some money back? I don't think so.

It doesn't matter, they make good cars! 

now stay on topic people... 

[Sir Osis of Liver]

I'd prefer engineering and assembly in North America, but that's not a disqualifier.

Hey Artic, do you remind clients that the Tacoma is "hecho en Mexico" too?

[Sir Osis of Liver]

I looked up the VW line some time ago and compared their Consumer Reports reliability to assembly location. There was no pattern to be found. Some of the German cars were pretty good, some of the Mexican ones were pretty good. Likewise some of the German one were pretty poor as well as some of the Mexican ones.

[dougjp]

I think about it, however it doesn't affect my decisions. How well they are built, wherever that may be, is what's important.

The only exception is if the car is built in Michigan, or has a Buick Regal badge on it - stay on topic!!! 

[dr_spock]

I don't think it matters to me.   I have purchase made in Japan, made in Canada and made in Mexico cars.  Quality-wise, they seem more or less the same to me.  Problems during the warranty period, the Japanese transmission and ECU failed, the Canadian had alternator and airbag module failure, and the Mexican power window regulators died in the middle of freezing winter.  Must be bad carma, I haven't bought a problem free car yet. 

[mmret]

Not one iota.

Seconded.

[UmroAyyar]

Not one iota.

Seconded.

Thirded (its not a word ).

[HeliDriver]

When we ordered our Suburban, I learned that they're made in either Wisconsin, Texas, or Mexico. At first I was a little concerned that we might get a Mexican-built one, but then I found out that the Mexican factory is among GM's best for quality. Then I was disappointed to find out ours was built in Wisconsin. 

Overall, though, country of origin wouldn't affect my purchase decision one way or another.

[articsteve]

So cars built in Mexico are bad for our auto industry, but those built Japan are good?

Every auto company will always base some of it's product in it's home country.

Neither Mexico and Canada are home to a national auto company.  Mexico has an endless supply of cheap labour @ $4.50 per hour.  Do the math.  


Hey Artic, do you remind clients that the Tacoma is "hecho en Mexico" too?

The Mexican's have 1/3 of Tacoma production and none make it up here.  They use a lot of them in that country and are entitled to their share of production.  All the composite beds are made in Mexico.  Now I think 100% of production, like the Fusion, is a little over the top.

Mexican workers have exactly ZERO rights.  Many must attend the assembly line sick for fear of being permanently discarded like many things in Mexico.  Consequently, I think build quality does suffer when assembly is situated in a failed state.

[ovr50]

Not one iota.

Seconded.

Thirded (its not a word ).

Quattro.

[Honda Owner]

So cars built in Mexico are bad for our auto industry, but those built Japan are good? WTF?

Auto workers in Japan are well paid. Japanese workers are covered by national health insurance, Japanese companies have pension plans. Japan has rule of law. Japan has not had 10,000 people shot down in the street in a year in drug war.

Mexican workers are rather less taken care IMHO.