Originally Posted by Walla

Otto, you better get your facts straight.

South African Built 3 series models are the best built 3 series of them all.

http://www.bmwplant.co.za/Content/fr...af0gau02~2.htm

Our E46 constantly out rated the German models..

But wait sunny boy, the H3 yes that sorry excuse for a SUV, South Africa is building them, and so far they are not falling into little pices unlike that US built car.

Golf Mk4 and Mk5, we do such a good job at building them for export markets that VW AG will probably award the Golf 6 contract for all RHD markets to SA again.

We are also building the Toyota Hilux for export markets. If Toyota Japan thinks we can built them to their standards we are doing fine.

But then for the killer of all killers.

We in south Africa have built more special cars that are so sought after world wide that collectors crawl over broken glass to get them.

this is what we did.

A different 745i was built for the South Africa market, because the turbocharger on the European-market 745i could not be installed in right-hand-drive versions of the car. This car was fitted with the 286 hp (213 kW) dual-camshaft 24-valve type-M88 /3 Motorsport engine (with a Bosch ML-Jetronic fuel injection system) as used in the M635i, and M5. 209 of these cars were built between 1984 and 1986, fitted with either an automatic transmission or a 5-speed 'sport' gearbox. Of the 209 cars built 192 were automatics and 17 were fitted with manual gearboxes.

BMW South Africa ran one of these 745i models in Class A of the South African Modified Saloon Car Championship, the only BMW-Sanctioned motor sport application in the history of BMW 7-series cars.


The M535i, featuring a 3.5L engine with special styling such as Motorsport front and rear spoilers, Recaro-brand sport seats, a close-ratio transmission and limited-slip differential, larger brakes, and other styling cues such as Motorsport striping down the sides of the car and on the front airdam, was available between 1979 and 1981 with 1410 cars produced. In South Africa, the 530 MLE was produced as a light-weight homologation special for racing. These Motorsport E12's are often considered the first production models that the BMW Motorsport division ever produced.

BMW South Africa's Motorsport division created the 333i in 1986 by fitting the 3.3 L M30 "big six" of the 733i to a 2-door E30. The resulting 333i was a major success in saloon car racing in that country and is now a collectors item. These cars, built with help from Alpina in Buschloe, Bavaraia ,Germany, featured some interesting compromises like forcing the buyer to choose between air conditioning (vital in South Africa) or power steering. They were only built in small numbers in 1986. Later when it became clear that South Africa would not be getting the M3, the 325iS was created. Initially this was merely a 325i 2-door fitted with a bodykit and a close-ratio gearbox (improving acceleration at the expense of top speed and economy) but more changes where made to keep the car competitive in South African saloon car racing. Nevertheless, these cars were always sold to the public. This culminated in the 325iS Evo II of late 1991. By now several body panels were made of aluminum, preventing the car from being washed by automated car washes, and the M20 engine grew to 2.7 L and now produced 155 kW (210 hp)and a 0-62 mph in a mere 7.5sec.


This is some of the BMW's we built as South African Laws and Penalties imposed on us by UN sanctions stoped us form getting certain cars we just made our own BMW's that were better than what BMW M sport could make.

From 1974 South African Alfetta's were manufactured at Alfa Romeo's own Brits plant. South Africa was one of two markets to have a turbocharged GTV6, with a Garrett turbocharger and a NACA intake. An estimated 750 were assembled before all production ceased in 1986. The South African market also introduced the 3.0 L GTV-6, predating the international debut of the factory's 3.0 L engine in 1987. Approximately 200 were built in South Africa for racing homologation. To this day, the GTV-6 remains the quintessential Alfa Romeo for South Africans.

and now are are building the C class for the US market..

Take your silly little argument and Bugger off.

Originally Posted by Kar don

Haha! The BMW SA plant constantly puts out garbage.

I owned a 2002 E46 sedan from the SA plant, was in for service over 45 times for the 2 years I owned it. It actually came from the factory with RHD spec bi-xenon headlights (UK)... I live in the US.

When the field rep heard about my issue his first question was, lemme guess is this an SA car? He agreed that SA quality has been worse than vehicles from Germany... this is from his personal experience with his dealers and his colleagues dealers. Incorrect headlights is def the fault of SA plant, shipped incorrectly from the supplier? Worker picked up the wrong lights? Missed several QC inspections.

My car has had numerous rattles, creaks, etc... all issues typically related with poor assembly quality. Also the might locally source a lot of parts in SA which i'm sure has lower quality than the suppliers in Germany.

With the time my car was in the shop, I got to drive a lot of German built 3 series. None of these car had any of the creaks and rattles that mine had! Hmmmm.

I will never purchase another vehicle made in SA.

Originally Posted by Walla

LOL at the merc support cars for the BMW racers.




Dont forget about this car.





Or the Passat we built that had the running gear from a S1 QUattro.

Originally Posted by Kain

OMFG! I just saw this on BBC. They said that DaimlerChrysler will now produce its Mercedes-Benz cars in China! LMAO! As if the quality wasn't bad enough!