Made in Mexico? - Benzworld.org

mclasser · 07-09-2005, 07:50 PM

today, i was just taking a look underneath my 2000 ml320, and i saw these 2 black rods. there was one rod in the front of the car on the left, and another one also in the front on the right. then i saw a tag around them with some production #, and it read, "MADE IN MEXICO." i was disappointed to know that Mercedes, yes Mercedes was either ordering, or producing parts in Mexico. i didn't know that in a hasty effort to compete with the japanese automakers in mass producing, MB would order or produce parts on places other than Germany or the U.S. it makes me remember the good ol' days of the W124 and W126. sigh...[:(]

Drew · 07-09-2005, 08:29 PM

Quote:

mclasser - 7/9/2005 7:50 PM
i was disappointed to know that Mercedes, yes Mercedes was either ordering, or producing parts in Mexico. i didn't know that in a hasty effort to compete with the japanese automakers in mass producing, MB would order or produce parts on places other than Germany or the U.S. it makes me remember the good ol' days of the W124 and W126. sigh...[:(]

I think you'll find that this is the case for most manufacturers nowadays. Most manufacturers do not produce many parts in-house, contracting out the specs to suppliers. As long as the quality levels are in check, we end up with lower costing vehicles overall so it's not necessarily a bad thing.

Note that your headlamps and tailamps are also made in Mexico, at Hella's EOSA facility.

mclasser · 07-09-2005, 08:35 PM

thanks drew, i didnt know that the hella head and tailights were assembled in mexico. i still miss the true mercedes quality and craftsmanship which were shown clearly in the models prior to 1994-1995. [V]

pleubner · 07-10-2005, 03:00 AM

Remember my post about the Command Loom?. It also had "Made in Mexico" on it!

**cmitch** · 07-10-2005, 10:02 AM

The plant that made most all electronic parts (Delphi) for Daimler/Chrysler was/is in Huntsville AL. but a lot of the manufacturing and assembly moved to Mexico - - - CHEAP labor!

The dash components for my ML (woodgrain) were made in Huntsville but I don't know if they still are.

NAFTA, one of the main things responsible for the erosion of American jobs and jobs in our state could be credited for this as well.

Many MB purists got and are still very upset that the ML is built in the USA. I have encountered attitudes from other benz owners that these are "not real Mercedes". I've even noticed a difference in the way customer service at dealerships treat you when you tell them you need help with your M class. It's kinda like, "Oh, one of those...".

I guess it's true that nothing is sacred anymore.

BTW, isn't the new C-class going to be built in CHINA?!

redeye · 07-10-2005, 10:33 AM

Quote:

cmitchprint - 7/10/2005 11:02 AM

NAFTA, one of the main things responsible for the erosion of American jobs and jobs in our state could be credited for this as well.

From U.S. Department of Labor: Bureau of Labor Statistics:

Unemployment rate (%) in Tennessee:
January 1980: 6.4%
January 1984: 10.0% (10 years before NAFTA)
January 1994: 6.6% (NAFTA).
January 2005: 7.8% (10 years after NAFTA)
May 2005: 6.7% (Latest, updated on 2005-07-07)

The lowest unemployment rate posted in the 25 year history from 1980 to 2005 is 3.8% in May 2000 (6 years after NAFTA).

LOCHS 2 · 07-10-2005, 10:45 AM

when I saw a GM delphi part in my ML [rubber "mat" insert in the center dash console] but then again with globalization and the abilty to get cheaper parts from cheap labor countries--it wouldn't surprise me if there are several parts or parts of parts that come from several different countries of origin. Could it be true that "real" Mercedes built by Pleubner's relatives are sourced 100% from German made parts? I doubt it. Where did the steel come from? Where was the plastic molded? The glass? While I won't argue that German engineers are first rate--they certainly aren't cheap labor! There are many other companies in other countries that make some pretty decent quality stuff for much lower labor cost. It's fine to stick locally as much as possible to produce a high quality high priced vehicle in low numbers. That's what some people demand and that's great! But if you want to mass produce vehicles for a wider audience and make more money--it doesn't make sense to have a nearly 100% German made car to sell around the world. The ML is a "real" Mercedes. All Mercedes are real Mercedes--they just aren't built the way they used to be...and that's fine with me because I was able to afford a newer one FINALLY three years ago!

**cmitch** · 07-10-2005, 10:54 AM

[/quote]
From U.S. Department of Labor: Bureau of Labor Statistics:

Unemployment rate (%) in Tennessee:
January 1980: 6.4%
January 1984: 10.0% (10 years before NAFTA)
January 1994: 6.6% (NAFTA).
January 2005: 7.8% (10 years after NAFTA)
May 2005: 6.7% (Latest, updated on 2005-07-07)

[/quote]
Now for our local statistics!!
1.Reltoc Manufacturing (Blue Jeans- avg wage 11.00 hr. 1992- GONE! (200 + Jobs)
2.Salem Screen South (T-shirt printing- avg. wage 10.00 hr. 1992- GONE! (180 jobs)
3. Tennessee River Textiles (T-shirt manufacturing- avg. wage 10.00 hr. 1994- GONE! (1600 Jobs)
4. Tee Jays Manufacturing (T-shirt manufacturing- avg. wage 1995-10.00 hr. GONE! (2200 Jobs) This company finally folded in March of 2005. Couldn't sell the bad quality made in the Dominican.
5. H.D. LEE (Blue Jeans) avg. wage 12.00 hr. 1998 GONE! (Over 2000 jobs)
6. Many smaller support companies such as screenprinting and embriodery shops.

Honestly, NAFTA did help a few. I know a great many who got a much better paying job than what they had before. However there are just as many hurting because of this as well.

One more thing to note, U.S. labor Statistics are fatally flawed. They only count those who are receiving unemployment benefits. When their benefits run out, they may still be unemployed but because they no longer receive benefits, they're not counted anymore!

Our industrial Park looks like a ghosttown because of NAFTA. Can't blame us for being a little gun shy over CAFTA!

Hella would make their products here in the US or Canada if there no incentive to move them elsewhere. Canadian and U.S. Labor is not competitive since the wages between the countries are close to the same. But when you can get something made in Mexico for less than a dollar an hour, you can guess the rest.

LOCHS 2 · 07-10-2005, 11:05 AM

Quote:

redeye - 7/10/2005 12:33 PM

Quote:

cmitchprint - 7/10/2005 11:02 AM

NAFTA, one of the main things responsible for the erosion of American jobs and jobs in our state could be credited for this as well.

From U.S. Department of Labor: Bureau of Labor Statistics:

Unemployment rate (%) in Tennessee:
January 1980: 6.4%
January 1984: 10.0% (10 years before NAFTA)
January 1994: 6.6% (NAFTA).
January 2005: 7.8% (10 years after NAFTA)
May 2005: 6.7% (Latest, updated on 2005-07-07)

The lowest unemployment rate posted in the 25 year history from 1980 to 2005 is 3.8% in May 2000 (6 years after NAFTA).

are service sector versus manufacturing[Ex-autos]. Also, quality of work and pay levels would be cool to know also. The liberals complain that most of the increases in jobs in America under Bush are Wal-Mart and McDonalds type jobs. I don't know if that is true or just politics. I don't have the facts to back it up or where to even find them but you do hear in the news all the time about jobs being lost to overseas nations. But not just blue collar jobs anymore. Several white collar type jobs are going to India and other nations where there are lots of people--and a lot of them very educated smart people willing to work long hours for low pay [not low to them of course!]. I have seen this occur with my company over the last four years with a huge tech help desk and servicing area in Mumbai. My parent company, Morgan Stanley, has taken jobs away from people I have known for 12 years and now I have to call someone in Mumbai to get help that is now of lower quality and efficiency and effectiveness for my needs [but a lot cheaper for MS!] I don't have a problem with people in India getting a great opportunity to have a better life. That is the American way and hey, great for them...but being 12 hours ahead of us and the language and cultural barriers it is a major step down in what I got from "Mike" who worked on the floor below me and would come to my desk in a matter of minutes. The relationships are dying and so are many of the good quality jobs that are going away entirely or to people outside the U.S. BTW, being in financial services it is just the way it is--downsizing and consolidation and cost-cutting. I can't speak for other sectors but I do realize some sectors are growing--and clearly there has been job creation in Tennessee over the last 25 years!

I always thought it weird when I buy an American flag and it has a Made in China sticker attached to it. I understand why but it is kind of ironic!

Andrew · 07-10-2005, 11:24 AM

When I first visited the MBZ plant in Alabama it was first explained to us that the NEW goal of Mercedes was globalization.

A little research will show for instance that many aluminum blocks are cast in East London, South Africa, Mercedes E class are made in Cairo Egypt, or in Punam India, most C class are made in Brazil, Buses are made in France, there are production facilities in Spain, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Argentina, Ireland, France, several places in Asia, soon to include China, Russia, all together production facilities in dozens of countries.

In the assembly lines in Germany seems like most work force are Eastern Europeans refuges or immigrants like Turks and Albanians or Bosnians, what I wonder is how much is made in Germany, regardless, the flight of jobs to other countries is not a US phenomena alone.