Something tells me that the just announced plan by VAG to build(assemble?) at least one model of Audi in Mexico WON'T result in any significant price reduction.
Yeah, that part of VAG that is flush with cash has just announced that while it was (momentarily) considering a plant at the site in Tn. already building Passats, it has instead decided to build a factory in Mexico. Until now, only VWs have been built in Mexico. Does this also mean that Audis will now have even more electrical problems than ever before?
Soon everybody will want a Hecho En Mexico luxury car.
In reply to integraguy:
What it means is that the drugs will come "built in" on some models. Excellent way to traffic narcotics...
I don't remember a time when VAG products weren't crappy, and for all that time fanboys have been telling me the new ones are better. This is just not a company that cares if it's products are usable after the lease is up.
In reply to Carro Atrezzi. Or the OP fomerly known as A401CJ:
John Z., is that you?
I got no issues with Mexican vag.
I read in the next 10 years mexico is going to be cheaper to do business in than china so it shouldn't be a big surprise.
yamaha
Reader
4/19/12 3:08 p.m.
Bobzilla wrote:
integraguy wrote:
Does this also mean that Audis will now have even more electrical problems than ever before?
Is that possible?
No, it isn't......it does mean however that body panels most likely won't fit right and such. Interior should be good, since well, they care about that.
ShadowSix wrote:
This is just not a company that cares if it's products are usable after the lease is up.
Totally agree. I cringe whenever somebody I know tells me that they can get a great deal on a used one.
NGTD
Dork
4/19/12 3:22 p.m.
As of a few years ago (the last time I looked into it), Mexican-built Golfs and Jettas have less QC issues than German-built cars.
ShadowSix wrote:
I don't remember a time when VAG products weren't crappy
It was a long time ago (1987 was the end of the decent ones):
Does this mean that the Audis are going to come stock with a little bit of bondo on the fender?
ddavidv wrote:
ShadowSix wrote:
I don't remember a time when VAG products weren't crappy
It was a long time ago (1987 was the end of the decent ones):
look at my recent post in the classifieds section 
ddavidv wrote:
ShadowSix wrote:
I don't remember a time when VAG products weren't crappy
It was a long time ago (1987 was the end of the decent ones):
Had an '83 GTi. Yes it was a complete and utter turd. It was a Pennsylvania built car. I have to agree that back when I was doing VW service the Mexico cars were better than the Wolfsburg versions, but that's like saying Jeffrey Dahmer was better than Charles Manson because he didn't carve a swastika on his forehead.
sometimes I really think that VW has not gotten over Aircooled cars
Dr. Hess wrote:
Does this mean that the Audis are going to come stock with a little bit of bondo on the fender?
i bet the horns will sound cooler, too.
I know why they are building in Mexico
Free trade with North America and Europe.
They have a well established plant through VW there.
The supply base is already there
Labor is cheap
Germans like cheap alcohol
ddavidv wrote:
ShadowSix wrote:
I don't remember a time when VAG products weren't crappy
It was a long time ago (1987 was the end of the decent ones):
Stretch it to any of the 5 cylinder quattro versions and I agree.
Is GM still building cars in Mexico?
Germans and Mexicans go back a long ways. Dos Equis beer was set up by Germans in the 1890's, I suspect because the Germans there wanted a good beer. Mexico bought a lot of German weapons then and there were a lot of German military advisers floating around the world showing people how to use their weapons, such as the Mauser series. I think they set up a Mauser factory in Mexico as well, but I'm not sure on that one. There are "Mexican Mausers," but I'd have to look to see what country produced them. "Turkish Mausers," for example, were mostly made in Germany.
Ian F
UberDork
4/20/12 8:12 a.m.
NGTD wrote:
As of a few years ago (the last time I looked into it), Mexican-built Golfs and Jettas have less QC issues than German-built cars.
+1. While it's easy to say the German cars are better, the truth is they're about the same. With any VAG car, it's a pure crap-shoot on whether you get a good one or not.
Xceler8x wrote:
Is GM still building cars in Mexico?
Yes. they are. So are Chrysler and Ford. Ford and Mazda shared a plant there back in the Mercury Tracer/Mazda 323 days.
If you want to see where a car was built in this hemisphere, the first VIN digit is 1 or 4 for US production, 2 is Canadian and 3 is Mexican.
Honda used to build the 50-110cc horizontal single cylinder engines at a plant down there and IIRC most of their lawnmower engines etc are made there as well.
IIRC Ryobi moved production of a lot of their stuff south of the border as well. They still have a plant here in SC but it's now mostly final assembly.
jrw1621
PowerDork
4/20/12 8:16 a.m.
Xceler8x wrote:
Is GM still building cars in Mexico?
Yes, Cadillac SRX is made there.
For GM, not much final assembly in MX but a lot of sub-assembly like engines and trans come out of MX.
This link should answer all questions of final assembly places for all brands.
http://www.nhtsa.gov/Vehicle+Safety/Part+583+American+Automobile+Labeling+Act+%28AALA%29+Reports
