south african made?!!!
08-28-2008, 09:35 AM
#1
MBWorld Fanatic!
Thread Starter
south african made?!!!
when checking the color code of my car, I found out that my car was made in South Africa. NOT HAPPY!!!!!!!!
Where were your cars made? Is there gonna be a difference in quality now?
Where were your cars made? Is there gonna be a difference in quality now?
08-28-2008, 09:46 AM
#2
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Vancouver WA
Posts: 678
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
'14 GLK250 Diesel
Please...
There have been ENDLESS discussions on this topic. Do a search. You'll get a variety of opinions. Mine is to relax and enjoy the car.
http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w204...th-africa.html
The above will give you a feel for the heat, if not the light, on this subject.
BMW makes more than half of their 3ers for our market in their South African plant; somehow that's not an issue with them, but is an issue with MB? Whatever....
There have been ENDLESS discussions on this topic. Do a search. You'll get a variety of opinions. Mine is to relax and enjoy the car.
http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w204...th-africa.html
The above will give you a feel for the heat, if not the light, on this subject.
BMW makes more than half of their 3ers for our market in their South African plant; somehow that's not an issue with them, but is an issue with MB? Whatever....
Last edited by jrct9454; 08-28-2008 at 10:01 AM.
08-28-2008, 10:19 AM
#3
MBWorld Fanatic!
Thread Starter
i know. i still like my car. just the idea of knowing it's not made in Germany...
In Taiwan, we manufacture a lot of the low end japanese cars like Corrola, Civic. they are the same brand, same style, same features as the ones made in Japan. But! the quality is not the same.. And they are cheaper. They were considered domestic cars.
i really hope that's not the case with my C class.
In Taiwan, we manufacture a lot of the low end japanese cars like Corrola, Civic. they are the same brand, same style, same features as the ones made in Japan. But! the quality is not the same.. And they are cheaper. They were considered domestic cars.
i really hope that's not the case with my C class.
08-28-2008, 11:12 AM
#4
Out Of Control!!
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: West Michigan
Posts: 18,414
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes
on
4 Posts
2007 E63
i know. i still like my car. just the idea of knowing it's not made in Germany...
In Taiwan, we manufacture a lot of the low end japanese cars like Corrola, Civic. they are the same brand, same style, same features as the ones made in Japan. But! the quality is not the same.. And they are cheaper. They were considered domestic cars.
i really hope that's not the case with my C class.
In Taiwan, we manufacture a lot of the low end japanese cars like Corrola, Civic. they are the same brand, same style, same features as the ones made in Japan. But! the quality is not the same.. And they are cheaper. They were considered domestic cars.
i really hope that's not the case with my C class.
08-28-2008, 11:14 AM
#5
MBWorld Fanatic!
Thread Starter
08-28-2008, 01:19 PM
#7
MBWorld Fanatic!
Thread Starter
Trending Topics
08-28-2008, 02:16 PM
#9
MBWorld Fanatic!
Thread Starter
08-29-2008, 02:37 AM
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Posts: 412
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
C180K 2011 COMAND, AMG, Dynamic Xenon, Business Pack, H&K Audio and +
It does not make any difference where the car was manufactured. FFS its MB.
08-29-2008, 04:22 AM
#13
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: UG
Posts: 999
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
2013 ML63 AMG PP
robots!!!
the question these days should be if you prefer your german robots assembling cars in Germany, South Africa, etc. The SA plant is as highly automated as the German one plus all the engines, gearboxes, eectronics, etc are shipped from Germany to the plant in SA.
08-29-2008, 09:42 AM
#14
MBWorld Fanatic!
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Boston
Posts: 4,781
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
'05 A4 1.8TQM6
Possibly soon to be built in the U.S. at the Alabama plant.
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...ticleId=131370
For 2011, Volkswagen and (by association) Audi are working on a new plant in Tennessee that will build the A4 and Q5, among other models, and Mercedes is looking to get C-Class production into the Alabama plant by 2011 as well. Now it's BMW's turn to up the ante with higher-volume production from its South Carolina location.
08-29-2008, 11:24 AM
#15
Super Member
To all those who said it doesn't make a difference:
how would you feel if your mercedes came with "Made in China" label? Imagine your mercedes is a SLR....
The fact of the matter is, plants do make a difference, that's why mercedes taunt to have spend tremendous amount of training and QC on their SA plants and would not allow high end class cars to be built there..... even if all the skill sets and resources are on par, there is a matter of prestige, that's something can't be fabricated overnight. well, its arguable for a c-class on that one...
it would be interesting to see if the rate of warranty services vs different plants for the same class models. I'm sure its published internally for management.
how would you feel if your mercedes came with "Made in China" label? Imagine your mercedes is a SLR....
The fact of the matter is, plants do make a difference, that's why mercedes taunt to have spend tremendous amount of training and QC on their SA plants and would not allow high end class cars to be built there..... even if all the skill sets and resources are on par, there is a matter of prestige, that's something can't be fabricated overnight. well, its arguable for a c-class on that one...
it would be interesting to see if the rate of warranty services vs different plants for the same class models. I'm sure its published internally for management.
08-29-2008, 11:37 AM
#16
MBWorld Fanatic!
Thread Starter
08-29-2008, 11:39 AM
#17
MBWorld Fanatic!
Thread Starter
08-29-2008, 11:40 AM
#18
MBWorld Fanatic!
Thread Starter
To all those who said it doesn't make a difference:
how would you feel if your mercedes came with "Made in China" label? Imagine your mercedes is a SLR....
The fact of the matter is, plants do make a difference, that's why mercedes taunt to have spend tremendous amount of training and QC on their SA plants and would not allow high end class cars to be built there..... even if all the skill sets and resources are on par, there is a matter of prestige, that's something can't be fabricated overnight. well, its arguable for a c-class on that one...
it would be interesting to see if the rate of warranty services vs different plants for the same class models. I'm sure its published internally for management.
how would you feel if your mercedes came with "Made in China" label? Imagine your mercedes is a SLR....
The fact of the matter is, plants do make a difference, that's why mercedes taunt to have spend tremendous amount of training and QC on their SA plants and would not allow high end class cars to be built there..... even if all the skill sets and resources are on par, there is a matter of prestige, that's something can't be fabricated overnight. well, its arguable for a c-class on that one...
it would be interesting to see if the rate of warranty services vs different plants for the same class models. I'm sure its published internally for management.
08-29-2008, 12:03 PM
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 385
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
W204, W220, S15 Silvia
08-29-2008, 12:48 PM
#20
MBWorld Fanatic!
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: GMT -8 hours
Posts: 5,640
Likes: 0
Received 11 Likes
on
9 Posts
Mercedes-Benz
South Africa built cars ARE different, especially if they are using local suppliers. These suppliers are newer and probably have a German mother company, therfore are very dependant on them. I wouldn't want the south african made car.
08-29-2008, 05:57 PM
#21
Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 59
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I feel the same way as others about the switcheroo--it wouldn't make me a very happy camper
I was browsing the local Beemer lot couple weeks ago; and as pointed out above, probably half the 3-series inventory was assembled in South Africa
The lot was full of people that day
When I was back over there a couple days ago all those SA 3's were gone--presumably snapped up by happy (? unaware ?) consumers
I wonder when the fireworks will go off?
And what the BMW dealer will say?
I was browsing the local Beemer lot couple weeks ago; and as pointed out above, probably half the 3-series inventory was assembled in South Africa
The lot was full of people that day
When I was back over there a couple days ago all those SA 3's were gone--presumably snapped up by happy (? unaware ?) consumers
I wonder when the fireworks will go off?
And what the BMW dealer will say?
08-29-2008, 06:43 PM
#22
MBWorld Fanatic!
Join Date: May 2004
Location: California
Posts: 1,093
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
2014 C250 sport
We have four "German cars", a VW Jetta made in Mexico, a C300 made in South Africa, a ML350 made in Alabama, and an E350 made in Germany 
. None of them are perfect, they all have an issue here and there. To me, it doesn't matter where the car is built. Why are so many people complaining about their S.A. cars when the Germany manufactured Mercedes in the years past have had so many quality issues?
. None of them are perfect, they all have an issue here and there. To me, it doesn't matter where the car is built. Why are so many people complaining about their S.A. cars when the Germany manufactured Mercedes in the years past have had so many quality issues?
08-29-2008, 07:35 PM
#23
MBWorld Fanatic!
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Vancouver
Posts: 1,244
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
C350 4Matic
ML are built in US, and have an outstanding quality.
Civics are also built in Canada and beat the japanies plant for quality.
Same for the Ridgeline. Almost no car is built were it is from anymore. This is done to keep the cars affordable so you can buy them. A company like MB is not about to let the quality come into question for there cars. They just started to over come that problem they had when they merged with Chrysler. So dont worry about were your car is built cus MB had a lot more riding on it then you. There image is far more important to public eye for them to mess up after Chrysler.-
Civics are also built in Canada and beat the japanies plant for quality.
Same for the Ridgeline. Almost no car is built were it is from anymore. This is done to keep the cars affordable so you can buy them. A company like MB is not about to let the quality come into question for there cars. They just started to over come that problem they had when they merged with Chrysler. So dont worry about were your car is built cus MB had a lot more riding on it then you. There image is far more important to public eye for them to mess up after Chrysler.-
08-29-2008, 11:01 PM
#24
Super Member
ML has very bad rep for quailty, my friend's 03 ML is in the shop almost every month, no joke and so are many other MLs he saw in the shop... there's almost a support group out there... perhaps its gotten better in recent years....
08-30-2008, 06:48 AM
#25
Senior Member
We have right hand drive here in Japan. Mine's an "A"--Sindelfingen. I understand everything previously posted in this thread, but still I'd want one made in Germany. I'd also only buy a Toyota made here in Japan, even though I've known several Japanese who've worked in the Kentucky plant. Sorry, fellow Americans, I know the Japanese work ethic and you & I just don't nearly make the cut (generally speaking, of course). I think I assumed that when we "factory ordered" our benz that it would be built in Germany.
