Das_Panzer

Hi everyone,
So i was browsing the Internet about the mercedes GL class when I saw a little snippet of news saying that the merc GL class is going to start production in India. Then I started to think what mercedes benzes are actually made in Deutschland. I was surfing the Internet and found an article that stated that India and Mexico produces some S classes. Is this true? I'd think that mercedes' flagship product would be made in Germany....

Thanks to everyone who helps shed some light in this topic!

I just signed up for the forum today too

MDMercedesGuy

Mercedes is a global company with production plants all over the world. Some countries (China, for instance) produce Mercedes vehicles for use in their own country there. Others export to various countries.

A good example would be the C. The C is built in both Germany and South Africa. The overwhelming majority of C classes in the US come from South Africa. The quality of these vehicles is just the same as if it came from Germany, and it is held to the same standards.

AFAIK, the US export S class has always been produced in Sindelfingen, and I don't see that changing.

androdev

The Indian plant just assembles kit imported from Germany. Attracts less tax compared to importing fully built units. It is as good as being made in Germany.

C280 Sport

+1 Correct. It makes more sense as a company to do this. Where it is assembled does not change the quality as long as the design team and management team are all holding strict plant quality control. Many many car manufactures do this. It is just good business.

K-A

For whatever reason I couldn't get a German car not actually built in Germany. Just part of the experience.

I don't know about the S but other M-B's are cutting down on German sourced parts as well. For example, when you look at the sticker on a new E, you see something like (going off of memory) 50% German parts and the rest Chinese and/or Mexican and a very small amount U.S/Canadian. Regardless as to whether or not the parts are up to the same spec, it's done for reasons of cost cutting. The BMW 5 Series in comparison has 75% German parts, 5% U.S and the rest Chinese and/or Mexican.

Wolfman

For what it's worth...
Our SL has 81% German materials, our BMW 7 series has 80%, both built I'm Germany.
As far as I recall, the S-class has a similar percentage and is built in Germany as well.

This is a global marketplace with country-specific differences. It makes logistical sense for localized assembly. Also, it is important to remember that Germany has the highest labor costs for manufacturing in the world and the Euro has been strong against the Dollar for over 10 years.
This isn't just cost-cutting, but also levering against foreign currency exchange losses, apart from transportation, etc.

K-A

Wow so it does change from model to model. When I saw the parts content sticker on my E Class it didn't make me feel too good, regardless of the reasons. The glk had the same content and I believe other volume Mercs.

Germancar1

I never seen so much obsessing over nothing. The car is still a German car no matter where it is built. German engineering is still there. What difference does it make where the parts came from if it works up to Mercedes' standards? Mercedes still does their own transmissions and they have very little if any advantage there, but the E and S-class seats are also made in house so who cares where they get a light switch or a spring from?

M

K-A

You give me a choice of German or Chinese parts and I'll choose German every time, I'll pay more for it too (isn't that the entire point of an imported prestigious brand?). Sourced from China and made in Mexico? Uhh, yeah you better discount the price of the car then, even if it was conceived in a German building.

Germancar1

You don't even know what the parts are? Completely uninformed, emotional decision based on nothing really. Again, do you think Mercedes is buying parts that aren't up to their standards? Until you know what parts are and what the advantages of their German equivalent you're just really being silly. Waving the German flag with no clue as to why. Think about it, Mercedes makes their own seats (E,S) and their own transmissions so do you really think they are going to skimp on other parts? They could save MILLIONS by going with ZF transmissions and seats from XYZ suppliers like everyone else. The Chinese parts are probably so insignificant as to not matter.

M

TonyMeister

Who cares if it's built by Mexicans or if only 50% of the content is German and the rest is Chinese as long the car is reliable?

It's what they do with the components that matter, not where the car is built.

K-A

Did you not catch the PARTS CONTENT posts? E Class has only 50% German parts and the rest Chinese and/or Mexican. 5 Series has 75% German parts, SL 81% German parts and 7 Series 80% German parts. See a trend? It makes a difference.

And hell yes Mercedes would and has. The quality disasters of the recent decade and terribly lacking E Class interior material quality show that where they get their parts from do or can matter.

Daimler has been under intense pressure by shareholders for gross underperformance and diminishing brand value, Zetche's job is riding on the new S/A/CLA and this has forced them into major cost conscious methods to try and get their margins to levels even near competitors. Watching their parts content and build methods IMO would be prudent.

Germancar1

Yeah I caught it, but again, tell us what the differences are and how they show up? What differences are these Chinese parts making?

Mercedes is currently like in the top 5 for quality and dependability, so again, where is the quality suffering at? The E-Class interior? Is it sourced from China? Do you know this or are you making up something that isn't there again?

Do you not see how you're ranting about something that hasn't even happened yet?

Much ado about nothing.

Tell us what the Chinese parts are and how/what affect they are having on quality.

If you can't then you're not talking about anything.

M

K-A

IMO Mercedes interiors have been suffering for some time, W222 presumedly notwithstanding (S' always stand above other Mercs there) . The E Class interior feels cheap for its price and ironically it has a large Chinese parts content. It also rides rough for what you'd expect. Maybe the Chinese parts content?

I pay import prices, I'd like it built from where I pay for and parts to match. Otherwise what's the point? Where's the premium on an E Class coming from? The badge? Lots of substandard, hard/crude/cheap interior plastics, a harsh ride over crappy roads, tiny screen, average tech, 300 HP N/A V6 with soft low-end torque, not impressive MPG, severely lacking tranny, extremely floaty through turns.... sounds like things you can find for much less elsewhere without the "German badge premium"?

Germancar1

So in other words you have nothing to back up anything you've stated here about Chinese parts being a problem.

You don't know what the Chinese parts are.

You don't know what the affects are by having Chinese parts.


NONE of what you're talking about has to do with Chinese parts. The engine? Man stop it, you're reaching now. NOTHING to do with Chinese part/content.

What you're talking about is engineering, not sheer parts related things.


M

K-A

A car is only as good as the parts it's made up of. Yes, mostly engineering related of course as well. The E's interior plastics sure feel like they can be China sourced. With a high Chinese parts content why not try putting 2 and 2 together on that. Then the SL has 81% German content (VS the E's 50%). Put 2 and 2 together on that as well.

MDMercedesGuy

You know, I've resisted jumping on this bandwagon, but I've about had enough.

Isn't there a BMW 5 Series forum you can go join? People don't want to hear you moan about a car you don't even own.

K-A

I owned 2 W212 E Classes, so I guess using your logic I can moan about it. Sorry to speak bluntly and truthfully. It does pertain to the subject at hand.

MDMercedesGuy

Yes, and you sold them (IMO taking a step backwards - especially if you want to talk interiors and interior ergonomics). So far I've seen you do nothing but **** all over the W212 and it's getting old.

Germancar1

More nonsense and I think you know it now. A SL is a 100K car, an E-Class is not. Common sense says the E won't feel like an SL regardless of where the parts come from. E Class does taxi duty at the low end with a 4-cylinder engine, SL starts at the 350 or 550 level and goes it. It is more expensive car by nature and design. I know you know this.

You don't even know what the Chinese parts are.

No, why don't you try to come up with some facts and instead of your usual baseless speculation.

Now the E-Class is supposed to match the SL for quality? Plot officially lost.

Tell us what the Chinese parts are on the E-Class. Until you can do that, you're talking out the side of your neck.

You think the engine and suspension on the E-Class comes from China? You have to be really off to think than a E-Class has a Chinese like car car interior. Have you ever sat in a Chinese made car? They are are the worst made cars like ever. Cheap feeling, foul smelling plastics, extremely poor fit and finish and downright junky. The E-Class is NOTHING like a Chinese car or anything like a Chinese sourced car. Like seriously man are you really going to say something so blatantly stupid/untrue to make your feeble claim about Chinese parts being in an E-Class?


M

K-A

LOL like you'd know. Ignore my posts then why don't you.

Uhh, it isn't speculation, it's a FACT that the E has a high parts content from China. Chinese sourced *PARTS* not design/craftsmanship. Do you get how the production process works? It doesn't matter "where", the FACT is that almost half the car is MADE UP OF Chinese parts.

You have your beliefs and buying principles and I have mine, understand that. Some of you guys huff and puff so much that the concept of "This is what I think and why" gets lost on you. Don't cry about what I'm saying if you're engaging in the discussion, otherwise simply take it for what is is: My preferences.

Germancar1

Typical problem with you.

You're arguing that parts are sourced from China, when no one is arguing that.

I asked you to identify what those parts are. YOU CAN'T.

I asked how are they bringing down the E-Class. You mentioned things about the engine, ride and what not, but you don't know if those things (not likely) are sourced from China.

Mercedes sourcing an engine from China?

There are no beliefs or principles in play here. Asking about facts.

Who is telling you what they think? I'm not.

I ASKED FOR SPECIFIC FACTS. WHAT ARE THE CHINESE PARTS IN THE E-CLASS AND HOW ARE THEY AFFECTING THE E-CLASS? YOU CAN'T ANSWER THE QUESTION BECAUSE YOU SIMPLY DON'T KNOW. PERIOD. END OF STORY.

Nothing you've stated is a preference. It is your uninformed opinion.

1. What are the Chinese parts in the E-Class?
2. How are these Chinese parts bringing down the E-Class?

Again, unless you can answer #1 you're talking out the side of your neck?

Facts is all I'm asking for here nothing more. No huff and puff no opinion of my own is being given here.

M

MDMercedesGuy

I would know. I've looked at and driven both the new 5 and 7. Kind of an arrogant reply there, bud.
The materials feel cheap, the screens look cheap, and iDrive is an engineering abortion even in its latest rendition. BMW has never been known for making good interiors...

I don't ignore posts. It makes it too easy to lose direction in a thread. One shouldn't have to ignore posts in a forum.

It's obvious that "your preferences" don't jive with the overall majority of posters here based on the amount of back and forth that comes out in a lot of threads you participate in. People don't come to forums to read about their car getting **** all over by someone who doesn't even own one any more. You don't see MB owners doing that on BMW forums. Figure it out.

K-A

Do you even know what you're on about at this point? The parts are all over! Almost HALF the car is made up of those parts, period, fact. What does that mean? Who knows but I don't like it! When I had my E and wandered onto a BMW lot and saw 75% parts content from Germany on the 5er, I didn't feel good about it! That's what I'm saying. You can't convince me that a car with a high premium on it with less German parts and more Chinese parts than other cars "like it" is a "good" thing.

I named many things about the car I'm not happy with, especially in retrospect. I'd think being made up of almost half Chinese parts could have to do with some of those. Who knows, but it's in my head, and the criticisms are tangible, and perception is a powerful thing....

K-A

Let's just say we disagree even if I wonder if you could have possibly compared the same interiors I have and drawn that conclusion with an objective mind, and I'll trust my own judgement on that, thanks. This thread isn't about the 5 Series so I don't get the hissy fit.