[booker]

So the CLA is shifting production to Mexico and be built alongside the GLA and Infiniti Q30 at the joint Mercedes-Nissan facility.

The reason i bring this up is because Ford ran into some major quality control issues at its Mexican facility when spooling up for the launch of the Lincoln MKZ. Considering this facility is still unproven and the CLA and GLA are very important to Mercedes penetrating new markets and replenishing its aging client base, should we be worried about any delays or quality control issues coming from the Mexican production plant?

Can anyone chip in any insight here? Not really interested in a CLA if she will fall apart on me like a pinata...

 

[mr.smith]

So the CLA is shifting production to Mexico and be built alongside the GLA and Infiniti Q30 at the joint Mercedes-Nissan facility.

The reason i bring this up is because Ford ran into some major quality control issues at its Mexican facility when spooling up for the launch of the Lincoln MKZ. Considering this facility is still unproven and the CLA and GLA are very important to Mercedes penetrating new markets and replenishing its aging client base, should we be worried about any delays or quality control issues coming from the Mexican production plant?

Can anyone chip in any insight here? Not really interested in a CLA if she will fall apart on me like a pinata...

Hopefully Mercedes knows what it is doing. A delayed product launch is the last thing it needs right now. This facility is already being used by other brands, so I feel that that means more attention has already been paid to the quality of work that is being done there.

 

[brianch]

There is always a concern. It comes down to if you trust Mercedes or not.

It is up to Mercedes how they play this out and how stringent they are on quality control and employee training.

 

[lisabenz]

Aren't a lot of cars made in Mexico anyway? What's the concern?

Lisa

 

[booker]

Aren't a lot of cars made in Mexico anyway? What's the concern?

Lisa

quality control, read the original post.

 

[lisabenz]

quality control, read the original post.

I did read the first post... but thanks for assuming I didn't

Do you really think Mexican quality control isn't there? You think American quality control is ANY better? Or Canadian? Half the parts in these cars are made in the same countries, who cares where it's assembled...

Lisa

 

[CLAJoe]

What cars are made in Mexico

Many cars are made in Mexico.. and most US car companies do the inspection part in the US. That's probably how they are lowering the cost of the car while using NAFTA to keep taxes low.

Joe

 

[claNOW]

CLA production will not shift to Mexico for at least several more years. So this is really a moot concern for now.

 

[booker]

I did read the first post... but thanks for assuming I didn't

Do you really think Mexican quality control isn't there? You think American quality control is ANY better? Or Canadian? Half the parts in these cars are made in the same countries, who cares where it's assembled...

Lisa

No assuming, but you asked what my concern is, its in the first post.

Ford ran into some major quality control issues at its Mexican facility when spooling up for the launch of the Lincoln MKZ, delaying launch. MKZ sales still havent recovered from it.

 

[lisabenz]

No assuming, but you asked what my concern is, its in the first post.

Ford ran into some major quality control issues at its Mexican facility when spooling up for the launch of the Lincoln MKZ, delaying launch. MKZ sales still havent recovered from it.

Maybe it's cultural for me but I live in the land of Miami.. which is mostly hispanic.. and they work hard, definitely play hard, they know how to have a good time, and if our Mexican counterparts are anything like my Cuban friends here in Miami, I'd have no concerns with quality control.

That said, I'm not a line worker in a factory, and I don't inspect cars, I just drive them...

I didn't know about the Ford quality control thing, is that something you could give me a link to? Now you have me very curious!

Lisa

 

[Wachowski]

Aren't a lot of cars made in Mexico anyway? What's the concern?

Lisa

A lot of vehicle components are made in Mexico but not sure about the full production of cars.

Would the country of manufacturing be that much of a concern for you guys or you simply just don't trust the brand?

 

[BenzinoXL]

I bet you that more than half of the consumers out there don't even realize where their vehicle was manufactured.

I have faith and trust in Mercedes to know that they will have strict regulations and quality controls. And plus what are warranties for right.

 

[Giovanni S.]

I don't recall anything big every happening with mexican built vehicles but it depends on the brand though.

 

[booker]

Maybe it's cultural for me but I live in the land of Miami.. which is mostly hispanic.. and they work hard, definitely play hard, they know how to have a good time, and if our Mexican counterparts are anything like my Cuban friends here in Miami, I'd have no concerns with quality control.

That said, I'm not a line worker in a factory, and I don't inspect cars, I just drive them...

I didn't know about the Ford quality control thing, is that something you could give me a link to? Now you have me very curious!

Lisa

oh they definitely play hard in Miami hehhh, heres that link you asked for Lincoln MKZ Supply Issue Resolved, But What About Hermosillo’s Quality? | The Truth About Cars

 

[lisabenz]

oh they definitely play hard in Miami hehhh, heres that link you asked for Lincoln MKZ Supply Issue Resolved, But What About Hermosillo’s Quality? | The Truth About Cars

Ah nice! Thanks for the link. Good read... now I'm worried about quality... but that just means the first few generations of the CLA will be better built? Kind of like those crappy recent VW vehicles that are being built but the price dropped on them?

Lisa

 

[brianch]

most of the cars that are made in mexico are american brands.

Is this a first for Mercedes?

 

[SimpsonTide985]

So the CLA is shifting production to Mexico and be built alongside the GLA and Infiniti Q30 at the joint Mercedes-Nissan facility.

The reason i bring this up is because Ford ran into some major quality control issues at its Mexican facility when spooling up for the launch of the Lincoln MKZ. Considering this facility is still unproven and the CLA and GLA are very important to Mercedes penetrating new markets and replenishing its aging client base, should we be worried about any delays or quality control issues coming from the Mexican production plant?

Can anyone chip in any insight here? Not really interested in a CLA if she will fall apart on me like a pinata...

First of all, that's incredibly offensive and a little racist.

Second of all, you must actually get out and do a little bit more research on how the automotive manufacturing industry works because you'll notice that just like any other automotive factory, there are quality standards and they're all upheld based and set on higher level requirements made by the manufacturer. It doesn't matter where they get produced or how much the workers get paid. You'll also be glad to know that in Mexico, most of the automotive factories there are much more modern, new, and sophisticated compared to many of the older factories in the USA and overseas. From that, they've been able to build upon the standards that have been built up before to make even better vehicles.

At the end of the day, it's still all Mercedes parts, Mercedes suppliers, built out of a factory set by Mercedes standards.

When you talk quality control, that's one of those issues that is hard to narrow down specifically to any specific location, factory condition, or manufacturer. Those can be boiled down to a number of root causes that in my experience to do have little to do with where the car is made. They tend to come down to supplier issues and tooling in many of the cases.

 

[booker]

First of all, that's incredibly offensive and a little racist.

Second of all, you must actually get out and do a little bit more research on how the automotive manufacturing industry works because you'll notice that just like any other automotive factory, there are quality standards and they're all upheld based and set on higher level requirements made by the manufacturer. It doesn't matter where they get produced or how much the workers get paid. You'll also be glad to know that in Mexico, most of the automotive factories there are much more modern, new, and sophisticated compared to many of the older factories in the USA and overseas. From that, they've been able to build upon the standards that have been built up before to make even better vehicles.

At the end of the day, it's still all Mercedes parts, Mercedes suppliers, built out of a factory set by Mercedes standards.

When you talk quality control, that's one of those issues that is hard to narrow down specifically to any specific location, factory condition, or manufacturer. Those can be boiled down to a number of root causes that in my experience to do have little to do with where the car is made. They tend to come down to supplier issues and tooling in many of the cases.

what part was incredibly offensive and racist too you? The part where I referenced Fords QC issues with Mexican manufacturing? There was no detrimental comments about Mexicans or work ethics or even Quality. I simply brought forward an issue Ford experienced in the past.

I have done my research on Mexican manufacturing, why do you think I'm so worried Ever own a VW produced in Mexico, yea don't....go read up on the delays Ford experienced coming out of Hermosillo and the nightmares VW is still having down there.

How to manage Quality and Suppliers in Mexico? | AMREP INSPECT Supplier Quality InspectionAMREP INSPECT Supplier Quality Inspection
http://www.autonews.com/article/20110926/OEM01/309269990/1193#axzz2jgk4DNvK

I don't care how modern a facility is, if it cannot produce quality products its worthless. BTW this thread was started 4 months ago and you're the first one to feel incredibly offended...

 

[SimpsonTide985]

Delays are so inherent to the production of any vehicle, I don't know how much it matters to single out the manufacturing processes in Mexico.

When I worked for Ford Motor Company a few years ago, their Hermosillo, they were kicking a ton of butt

 

[sleepyhead]

most of the cars that are made in mexico are american brands.

Is this a first for Mercedes?

No. Mercedes has manufactured cars in Toluca for at least a decade, and they have at least one other plant where they used to manufacter the E class (now its in Toluca). And they have plants all over the place. Off the top of my head I know they manufacture cars in Hungary, Austria, Brazil, Thailand, Egypt, India, S. Africa, Indonesia, Malaysia, China, Iran. The CLA isn't even manufactered in Germany but Hungary. The flagship cars like the the S and CL's are made in Germany. But even the E class has been made in every other developing country. Heck, even the Gelandewagen isn't made in Germany.

And given the popularity of Mercedes in the developing world as a rugged and dependable car (almost in line with Toyota), I think in general they were probably pretty well made. I mean, there are old 80's Mercs all over the place that are doing fine.