[Littlebluebug]

Ever notice how the things that seem to go wrong on our cars, are the parts that made or assembled elsewhere. Just a point that maybe VW should make it's cars where they can have quality control - in Germany. Don't know about you guys but my engine and tranny are just fine. But my the interior door handles have peeled, Sunroof control cover - fell off, armrest lock broke, Ebrake button fell off, Heated seat stopped working, Driver side window stopped going down, My stick actually ripped off when I shifted into third - Four times. These were all fixed by my dealership, but this took up 3 of my days off over a couple of weeks to fix. Thats ok VW, I don't have anything better to do.
I'll Holla' \

 

[Turbobug]

Re: Maybe if the whole thing was made in Germany? (Littlebluebug)

so you think that they have different quality control measures at their Mexico plant?

Why would a company want lower standards at two different plants? For what reason would VW not enforce quality issues in Mexico but not in Germany?
get a clue.

 

[Littlebluebug]

Re: Maybe if the whole thing was made in Germany? (Turbobug)

I never said they wanted two different standards. They might think they have quality control, But I have a car to prove otherwise. Maybe they could regulate a little better in the VW backyard. GET A CLUE.

 

[Littlebluebug]

Re: Maybe if the whole thing was made in Germany? (Turbobug)

Funny how Audi's have many less problems, when the cars are pretty much the same. THEY ARE MADE IN GERMANY.

 

[Littlebluebug]

Re: Maybe if the whole thing was made in Germany? (Clone_number2)

They get my vote 2

 

[BoraVR6]

Re: Maybe if the whole thing was made in Germany? (Littlebluebug)

Here's what makes me think the problem is with the design (and not the Q.C. in mexico):
-The MK4 cars (GTI/Golf/Jetta/NB) have been made around the world and imported to the U.S. from: Mexico (NB/Jetta), Brazil (Golf/GTI), and Germany (Golf/GTI).
-Regardless of place of manufacture, the MK4 cars have similar problems: MAF failures, Armrest clips, broken glovebox doors, window regulators, and rattles and squeeks (to name a few).
-Interesting how these problems can occur, and then be "fixed" by the American dealerships, only to occur again. Many people have had 3 glove box doors, or window regulator (of the same window) replaced a couple of times, or multiple broken armrest clips. If these were really issues caused by bad Q.C. at a particular plant, then why do these problems keep reoccuring after being "fixed"?
No combination of model (NB/Golf/GTI/Jetta) and place of manufacture has been exempt from these rather common problems. Don't believe me? Hang out in the MK4 forum. The Golf/GTI owners have exactly the same problems with their cars as the Jetta owners.
All this tells me these are issues inherent in the German design/manufacturing processes of used for the MK4 cars, and not the use of Mexican labor.

 

[secretwatersTTurbo]

Re: Maybe if the whole thing was made in Germany? (Littlebluebug)

Now now....if the car was assembled in German land, VW would be more greedy than they already are. Mexico's not bad, good locale for distributation...True, German engineering made in Germany is certainly a plus...not an option to have though.

 

[CooknFauVeh]

Re: Maybe if the whole thing was made in Germany? (secretwatersTTurbo)

Actually, Ford, Nissan and Toyota have all had issues with the window regulators in the past few years. Now there is a recall on the O2 sensors on early MKIV's, and Toyota even has an engine sludge problem. So, you see, it isn't limited to VW--you just see it reinforced here because the other makes aren't quite as visible to us.
And these problems might also come down to a supplier issue: Bosch makes the O2 sensors, not VWAG.

 

[BeetleGo]

Re: Maybe if the whole thing was made in Germany? (CooknFauVeh)

BORAVR6, points well taken.
The reason Japanese cars tend to be better built is because they enginEER them to be better build (i.e. engineered so that they can only be built correctly). Consequently, a Carolla built in California has the same statistics of initial quality as those made in Japan, and the list goes on. I could provide them to you, but I get the feeling I've got a tough-sell audience here....
Funny thing is, as BoraVR6 suggests, many parts are outsourced today. I think with the pressure these companies are receiving to hold down costs, we're getting what we're paying for. AUDI'S ARE MUCH MORE EXPENSE CARS FOR CHRISSAKE.
Eh-hem, I will now step down from my soapbox. (Thanks!)
BeetleGo

 

[dhk]

Re: Maybe if the whole thing was made in Germany? (Littlebluebug)

Sorry to burst your bubble, but not all cars assembled in Germany are perfect either. Last time I checked CU, overall reported defects in German and American cars were very close, with Japanese cars being slightly better. As folks have said, problems you've experienced weren't due to final assembly, but to VW's lack of tight controls on vendor design and quality. They tried hard to keep costs down on the NB, and outsourced lots of stuff to world-wide suppliers. They may need to improve that part of their business, but that has nothing to do with whether the final assembly workers speak German or Spanish. Just my .02 of course...
Dan 00nblgx

 

[Littlebluebug]

Re: Maybe if the whole thing was made in Germany? (dhk)

I think a big problem is the quality of products used. As well as the people working on our cars at the dealerships. They were the ones that broke my sunroof control cover. Everything else is a product defect. Another nice feature is the tan cloth seats I have. They picked up the ink from my blue jeans, and NO WAY IN HELL IS THAT COMING OUT. VW's reaction - "oh yeah, those seats seem to have that problem". You figure they might have some kind of cleaner to get that out, but no. It sucks when you clean your car 3 times a week, and the interior looks like garbage. My only option is leather seats. Hell, I'll just buy another car. From a Japanese company.

 

[grue]

Re: Maybe if the whole thing was made in Germany? (Littlebluebug)

Uh, the origin has nothing to do with it. My roommate's $32,000+ 2001.5 Passat GLX 4Motion, built in Emden,has bad differentials, the ECU has failed, the electrical system has bugs, the sunroof broke, it rattles like a maraca, and now his horn doesn't honk on lock.
Compare to my Mexican-assembled Jetta:
I had a secondary water pump fail after an extended run at 130mph, I consider that my fault.
I have a small rattle in my rear passenger door, which is admittedly annoying, but I'll get around to fixing it eventually. I know the source, I'm just lazy.
Those are the only two problems I've had.

 

[senorbuck]

Re: Maybe if the whole thing was made in Germany? (jetta_fiend)

i order all the parts myself and build my own vw's... now THAT'S quality control

but yeah, i see the original posts point...


[Modified by senorbuck, 12:33 AM 2-17-2002]

 

[Deserion]

Re: Maybe if the whole thing was made in Germany? (senorbuck)

Recall all those problems with the "superior" German-built Golfs and GTIs that we had for a while?

Glad I don't have to put up with that idiotic line of thinking anymore.

-Des

 

[sawzwife]

Re: Maybe if the whole thing was made in Germany? (CooknFauVeh)

The thing is, stuff like the window regulators alternators, etc. are not parts made by VW or Ford, or whatever, at all. In fact, many of these things are made by the same company.
For some things, it doesn't matter who engineered your car or who put together your car, but who made the parts that go in it.
For example, my mother has an 02 civic. She's brought it in 4 times to have a sensor replaced that controls the "ding" for the headlights and the interior lights. The company that makes this sensor is the same company that makes power window units, alternators, etc., for all types of cars. (I'm not sure about VWs or Audi's though)
Just my $0.02

 

[iluvmybeetle]

Re: Maybe if the whole thing was made in Germany? (Littlebluebug)

I definatly agree with you on this point. I have had some problems with my beetle and i definatly think that the cars should be produced in germany just like the audi's are. My boyfriend has a S4 and hasnt had near as many problems as I have. I mean hello, its pretty bad when less than a month after buying the car the headlight goes out.

 

[CoolWhiteVR6]

Re: Maybe if the whole thing was made in Germany? (iluvmybeetle)

quote:[HR][/HR]...i definatly think that the cars should be produced in germany just like the audi's are... I mean hello, its pretty bad when less than a month after buying the car the headlight goes out. [HR][/HR]​

Sorry, but German assembly would not fix this.

Your light bulb burned out because it was defective. The same machine probably installs all the bulbs into the subcontracted headlight assemblies at either Hella or Bosch. So regardless of the final integration point - be it Germany or Mexico - the headlight would still have performed the same way.
Like I said earlier (See the BoraVR6 post above): The problems common to the MK4 cars (NB/GTI/Golf/Jetta) occur to cars from all points of final integration (Brazil, Germany, Mexico). These are not problems caused by Mexican hands being involved in the process. And these are not problems that would be solved at the hands of a German technician.
IMHO, Germans could fix some of this (the Engineers not the Technicians), but it would need to be in VW's economic interest to do so. Thus far, they don't appear to be sufficiently motivated.

 

[wonderspark]

Re: Maybe if the whole thing was made in Germany? (CoolWhiteVR6)

Just to stir it up a bit, my 99 Turbo Bug has only had one problem. I broke the shift linkage, and I think drag racing at the local track had something to do with it. No window failures or any of the more common problems. And my headlights are the original bulbs after 51000 miles. Of course, the first thing I did (at about 1000 miles maybe) was kill those DRLs. Don't even get me started on DRLs, now.

 

[BeetleGo]

Re: Maybe if the whole thing was made in Germany? (iluvmybeetle)

iluv,
Like, hello, how much is your car and how much is an Audi? Your point doesn't hold water.
Like, hello, as Cool White correctly pointed out, the lightbulbs aren't even manufactured by VW.
Until somebody can provide documentation that shows Mexican labor to be somehow less capable of producing a car as well as anyone else, these comments are racist in origin.
I wonder what would open your mind?

~BeetleGo

 

[Horrido Beetle]

Re: Maybe if the whole thing was made in Germany? (BeetleGo)

This argument can be summed up with one word. VANAGON - what a piece o chit - that was and all vanagons imported to the U.S. were made in Germany.. I love that Vanagon - had 13 of them - but - an enginering nightmare. The New Beetle seems to be much of a better quality and reliability. My 2 cents.......
Horrido