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#1
11-09-2010, 03:09 PM
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Mercedes source of cars?
I have to wonder if some of us might live long enough to see asian built mercedes cars on our highways? The way things are presently going it would not totally suprise me. This approach just might allow them to move their product into a compedative price range as well.
Tragically it might be the best way to improve product quality. A new mercedes with only the expected service issues of the better oriental products would have to sell better. They could still retain the fundementals of the european flavor in my opinion. Right now for example if I wanted a new car mercedes would be far down the list. Unless I sold it just before the total warranty elapsed. I could not think of it as a keeper. .What a financial hosing that would involve though. I have heard nothing about the mercedes company trying to overcome quality control issues in recent times. Might have missed it though. Curently it is rather a sad state for one of the worlds most renowned auto brands. Most current sales of them seem to be based on the brands past. Or not a lot of thought or knowledge prior to the purchases. 
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#2
11-09-2010, 03:50 PM
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Quote:
The dreadful past MLclass from Tuscaloosa, Alabama immediately comes to mind....
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#3
11-09-2010, 04:14 PM
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Ah the ML. Certainly is a statement IMO on some dark changes in Mercedes-Benz.
I wouldn't buy a Japanese Mercedes-Benz, OTOH I swore off buying new Mercedes cars after my '91 became such a pain to get anything repaired properly by the dealer the first time, ... but I did notice that at that time, my Father's SC300 was more expensive to maintain and for regular mileage service (at the Lexus dealer) than was my 300TE 4matic. No, I've been a Honda dealer as well as VW, Volvo, Mercedes, even Fiat. I would own any (and have) and all of these, except the Honda, whether the Honda was made in Ohio or Japan. If Mercedes-Benz is looking for other countries in which to build cars bound for the US, I'll bet that the US plant will be on the list, as well as Brazil, Mexico, and other South American countries before Japan.
__________________
 Gone to the dark side - Jeff Last edited by babymog; 11-09-2010 at 04:28 PM.
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#4
11-09-2010, 04:20 PM
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MBZ is built in China and Vietnam. Probably korea as well. Don't be silly.
__________________
http://superturbodiesel.com/images/sig.04.10.jpg 1995 E420 Schwarz 1995 E300 Weiss #1987 300D Sturmmachine #1991 300D Nearly Perfect #1994 E320 Cabriolet #1995 E320 Touring #1985 300D Sedan OBK #42
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#5
11-09-2010, 04:20 PM
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SsangYong (korea) make a reasonable-ish vehicle, the Musso, based on the *excellent* 603 straight six 3 litre engine, made under licence from MB since 1993... they also do one (Korando) based on the 5 cylinder sprinter engine... brand new injection pump for 500 uk pounds sterling... again, bosch, made under licence...
e.g. I could buy a "brand new" drop in engine for my W124 at a fraction of german prices.
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#7
11-09-2010, 04:39 PM
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As we discussed the other night - I'd love to own an older (a few years) LS430. I think they're right at the top of the heap, versus Mercedes-Benz in many instances... I have never owned a Japanese or Asian Mainland brand of car, FWIW.
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#8
11-09-2010, 04:41 PM
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If I got your post right, Winmutt?!
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#9
11-09-2010, 05:13 PM
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At those prices, somebody on that side of the pond has to try this.
__________________
----Adam 1985 300SD 322,000
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#10
11-09-2010, 05:58 PM
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After visiting Japan and seeing their factories (turbine factories) The respect the Japanese have for their products, and their business culture is excellent, and there is a reason they produce some of the best products in the world (don't tell me you buy a camera build anywhere other then Japan)
The main problem with Japanese cars is that they have turned away from their culture, instead embracing the American approach, cutting corners to make cheaper and cheaper cars. This is an excellent example of Japan's business culture. and how it got polluted with American ideas. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gung_Ho_%28film%29 Would I buy a Japanese Mercedes... NO But I would not buy most new cars. American cars went to $#!* in the 70s, German cars in the 90s, and Japanese cars in the 2000s. now all cars are piles of $#!*
__________________
 1983 Toyota Tercel 4WD Wagon - 1984 Mercedes-Benz 300SD 4-Speed(My Car!) 2005 C230 Kompressor 6-Speed Manual
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#11
11-09-2010, 06:10 PM
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Spending time in Japan as an Engineer, I was in the manufacturing plants of their largest automakers. Other than having more smokers per capita than anywhere I have ever been, and seeing rows of old surplus steel desks in rows for the Engineers, and oh yes, the pretty matching uniforms everyone wears, ... I didn't see anything that really impressed me.
__________________
Gone to the dark side - Jeff
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#12
11-09-2010, 06:23 PM
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Maybe the auto plants are different, but the factories I went in were super clean, the people I met, inside and out side the factories, were very very proud of the factories. There was a pride for "made in Japan" that I've never seen here for "made in America" products.
They do smoke A LOT!     
__________________
1983 Toyota Tercel 4WD Wagon - 1984 Mercedes-Benz 300SD 4-Speed(My Car!) 2005 C230 Kompressor 6-Speed Manual
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#13
11-09-2010, 07:34 PM
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http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20091203/news/912029895 With exception to the 'Bama built ML, GL and R-class, we already have non Germany built MBs at US dealerships. Many of the C-classes sold here in the US are South African built models, as I found out when I drove a South African built C300 in 2008 from Mercedes-Benz of Houston North.
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'81 MB 300SD, '82 MB 300D Turbo (sold/RIP), '04 Lincoln Town Car Ultimate Sooner or later every car falls apart, ours does it later! -German Narrator in a MB Promotion Film about the then brand new W123.
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#14
11-09-2010, 08:09 PM
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Who's the goofy guy next to the Cuisinart blades? LOL.
I guess I'm used to plants that look like that inside, the companies I've worked for in Michigan all looked like that inside.
__________________
Gone to the dark side - Jeff
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#15
11-09-2010, 08:25 PM
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I prefer my MB's to be built in Bremen.
 Quote:
__________________
1982 240 D, 308,000 - 321,127 miles (sold) 1982 300 TD,166,500 - 226,000 miles 1998 E 320, 120,000 - 144,000 miles 2005 C 230 K, 26,000 - 77,000 miles (sold)
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