QQQ

http://www.ae-plus.com/Key%20topics/kt-vdh-news52.htm

In the article, the new plant in Beijing China may build W204.

Argggh, there are quite some discussion in the Germany vs SA poll thread that some people don't care about where the car is built. I guess they will accept a "Made in China" MB.

oblu

Sorry, I'll draw the line there. Too much corruption. Don't want to have part of my interior recalled for lead paint.

QQQ

OK, we have 1 converts! What about those who vote they accept a SA built car? (see below)


am2121, amg07, Chi-Benz, dion, Germancar1, iolithblue, Jason.Bare, Joey_G_1975, johff, KiwiRobbie, KmanianC, kunz, MB Fanatic, MB-JIM, MBTex, MercedesFTW, mlew12, mtl_C350w4, nintendo_fan, Peyton, PUMes, Rimbaud, RLE, ScottW911, SoCal208, stephensong, thaihula, Tomek, Txhurdle

oblu

I'm still fine with SA builds. The SA built BMWs haven't had any issues.

BTW. When it says they'll be built in China, that means for Chinese sale only. From what I understand, if you want to sell a car in China, you have to build a plant there and manufacture it there.

I've read the top selling car there is a Buick?! It's a model that isn't sold anywhere outside of China either.

jrct9454

Oh, please....

Either you trust Daimler-Benz to do the job properly, or you don't. Chinese built Buicks are at least as well done as the ones built here...same with VW vs German versions. Why should MB be any different? Corruption? Huh?

DBAG designs, sets up, and manages the plants. If you don't think they can do that anywhere, I respect that perspective, but then you shouldn't be buying their German products, either.

trustz

Just like the BMW, the China built 325i cost almost half cheaper than you import from German (need import tax). But all BMW built in China are NOT going to sell outside of China !!

oblu

Have you not been paying attention to the news regarding mattel toys manufactured in China and lead paint?

MB Fanatic

Doesn't MBZ solely sell Chinese made MBZ's in China? That was always my thinking.

AsianML

A number of C, E, and Sprinters are assembled in Vietnam (for their market). The cars there go through a helluva lot more punishment in everyday driving than most N.A. MBs will ever see. I have no problem with an MB assembled in South Africa. China might be another story. I too am afraid of the lead paint.

N200PF

If any components on my C300 are built in China I'm not picking it up! That's it!

Peyton

I'll comment on this because QQQ called me out :-P

I am not racist, and I believe that *MAY* be one reason *SOME* people do not want cars from anywhere from Germany. HOWEVER, before I get flamed, China is NO authority when it comes to quality control and it would be a big negative to me if my supposidy high quality highly engineered car was coming from such an unreputable place.

I realize I didn't have to make the comment about being racist, but for me its a quality issue. If they made great cars on the moon, I wouldn't mind if I got one of them, except the freight cost would be out of this world :-P

nikels

i think some proper perspective needs to be brought into such an argument. if you're talking about a single manufacturer, irrespective of what country or nationality they're in, then ya, you could question what their manufacturing record is like, have there been problems? what's their quality control like? etc..

but any talk that even hints that there's a direct correlation between one's nationality and the quality of their products is absolutely ludicrous.

have a read of this author's opinion about current fears of chinese products. he makes a really good point regarding all the recalled batteries that well respected companies such as Sony had to go through and yet no one starts boycotting Japanese products.

http://www.thestar.com/article/250048

Germancar1

Nothing to worry about here, C-Classes built in China are for Chinese consumption only, not the U.S.

M

traumatic

....for now!

Don't put it past MB (or any other auto, toy, dogfood, sock, or computer manufacturer) to capitalize on much lower production costs and lax environmental standards as soon as they can ensure a 'reasonable' standard of quality. While third-world produced European cars are excellent by local standards and expand market opportunities, I still think that quality at these remote locations are sub-par. Look at the reliability differences between Mexican and German VWs, Danish Boxters and Volvo S40s, or even the ongoing quality issues with Alabama produced MB trucks and NC-built Sprinters.

For as much as these cars cost, I want "fabrik im Deutchland" stamped on it somewhere!

N200PF

Driving a German car made in Germany is feeling like wearing an Italian suite. It just wouldn't be the same if that suite was made in Afganistan rather than sewn with pride and care in Italy.

May sound corny but that feeling is one of the things I like about MB cars.

- Peter

Xeon

dont worry too much...

whatever plant they have in china, their output will not be even enough for the entire china market.....

but its kind of funny in my country (malaysia).

We assemble C, E and S, but i dont see my country consuming all of it. Wonder if they really have such a good inventory system, or if it is export (unlikely, because mercedes plant in thailand is really huge, and can supply to the entire south east asia if it wanted to)

SoCal208

I do not worry about the W204 being build in SA if I buy a W204, but if W204 be build in China, that's another story (a few years ago, I bought a CD changer @ MB dealership, when I took home, open the box, check it out before I hook it up the MC3198 had a tag "Made in China", I call them (FJMC), they said "not worry, part for MB are made all over the place with MB quality control". It does work good. The events recently (dog food kill dog, toothpath with glycerine & lead in Kids toy's paint), made me think twice before I put my money down for A W204 Made in China... (My Dell laptop all is Made in China, it work good)., .... building a car as good as Germany Made is in ?. They may look GOOD (as fake Rolex & Omega), but how long it last or how safe it will be ?. That's another question. Regards.

Dema

I do not care where car is built. China people are good workers and very accurate, so all screws will be in right place. My computer, TV, cell phone, camera, coffee maker, furniture built in China and I'm still alive. SA makes me more worry.

QQQ

Don't worry, I think the China assembly plant is there to avoid import tax. Unlikely any will come stateside.

Boom vang

I would like my premium priced car to me made by a Heinz, Helmut, Franz, Wolfgang or Hans rather than a Ling, Xiong, Ying, Wei and Ping. Nothing beats German craftsmanship.

Look at the problems the ML has had and that carries the 'Made in the USA' tag built by Billy-Bob, Peggy-Sue and Junior

am2121

That is witty!
I don't have a problem with my MB being built in SA. The problem I have with China is that when I see "made in china" label the first thing that comes to mind is "cheap". I don't want that to apply to my car!

Leesi

In the early 90's, Chinese government regulates any Japanese motorcycle company works with local if they want to sell their motorcycle in China. It turned out that Chinese 'learn' the technology to make their own motorcycle. This car tax might lead to similar situation so we should expect fake MBZ

AsianML

Too late. Do a Google Image search of Geely.