can someone explain why Honda...

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Gary said:
SunnY S said:
Decent foremen were few & far between during my 'stint' at OAP.
When that Mexican plant finally opened for production (several years late), several people from Ford mgmt throughout N.A. were chosen / asked / forced to do a tenure down there, to "get things going".
At the time, my boss, who oddly was a decent guy, went down for a few months. I'd be lying if I put an exact number on it. Likely 3, or 4 months.
The stories he had upon his return were priceless.

I've heard & read on gtam that auto companies don't need skilled labour. Guess that isn't so, is it?
Working people are physically similar - here & in Mexico.
It's not "skilled" workers they lack in Mexico. They lack workers who will commit to doing what they're supposed to be doing for more than one shift.
Being hired & thrown on an auto assembly line is not an easy thing to swallow.
I'm sure the culture difference is the major problem.
Again - I hope Ford's Mexican engine plant has the same outcome as their assembly attempts.
Bring back the "Cleveland / Windsor" V8 wars!!!!


BTW. I know a few "family men" who get by with a Civic!! I think you should give it a go. :p

Jayv said:
What do you think the major contributing factor to that is?
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Moonshine.
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daught said:
To keep your warranty you need to follow their maintenance schedule. It's frequent and quite expensive. Nothing like paying $300 for someone to peak at your hoses.
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Only fools do this.

Find a reliable independent shop and do all your maintenance there. Get a detailed receipt for everything and keep it on record.
My mechanic types out word for word whats in the owners manual, stamps and dates it. I purchase all the parts directly from honda and keep all the receipts.
If theres ever an issue you have proof of ALL recommended maintenance done and it will cost you a fraction of what the dealers charge.

BTW i never actually had to take any of my hondas for warranty work...
 
SunnY S said:
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The automakers are quickly discovering, although workers are plentiful down there, that there is a lack of SKILLED workers in Mexico causing all kinds of headaches.

As you know, I'm a family man now, the Civic doesn't cut it, and once upon a time I had a CRV.

Last time I checked, our current family hauler, 2012 Acura MDX, was built in Alliston.
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Just one comment: There are enough skilled workers in Mexico. Volkswagen discovered that in the '60s, and in 1964 they opened the VW Puebla factory. Some people call it the biggest car factory in North America (i don't know if it is true), with output of more than 500,000 cars per year. It is impossible to calculate all the millions $$$$ in extra profit that VW has made over the last 50 years with that factory, but it has been extremely profitable for them.

Yes, other manufacturers have struggled in the beginning, and some are still struggling in doing business in Mexico. That has nothing to do with the quality of the workers, but with the quality of management at the head office.
 
Paul1000RR said:
Only fools do this.

Find a reliable independent shop and do all your maintenance there. Get a detailed receipt for everything and keep it on record.
My mechanic types out word for word whats in the owners manual, stamps and dates it. I purchase all the parts directly from honda and keep all the receipts.
If theres ever an issue you have proof of ALL recommended maintenance done and it will cost you a fraction of what the dealers charge.

BTW i never actually had to take any of my hondas for warranty work...
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I made a thread here two years ago and most people said it will be like pulling teeth from the dealer when you claim warranty if you haven't maintained your car at the dealer. Dunno, not really a concern for me.
 
daught said:
I made a thread here two years ago and most people said it will be like pulling teeth from the dealer when you claim warranty if you haven't maintained your car at the dealer. Dunno, not really a concern for me.
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Whenever you need anything from the dealer its like pulling teeth, regardless of where you did your maintenance.
 
When I get my steering wheel replaced under warranty, they tried to pull that crap. I told them I buy all my parts from you & bought my car from you. What else do they need?

He turned around & processed the order.
 
Never had any issues or had to show anything to a gm dealer for warranty and have had goodwill repairs done after warranty for free with minimum effort

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daught said:
I got my B6 A4 for $5k 160 000KM. Even if I get only two years out of it I am ahead of a Hyundai owner that pays $25K for let's say 8 years.
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Oh man, A4 with 160k - I wouldn't touch it... no kidding. Strictly on the account of reliability. Good luck tho.
 
While not disputing the desirability of buying a vehicle that is "built here" ...

My 2006 Jetta was built in Puebla, MX. Bought that car new. Sold it about a year ago with about 430,000 km on it. Best vehicle I've ever owned.

Ford may have had teething troubles with Hermosillo, but they continued to build Escorts there, then Focuses, now Fusions.

Auto manufacturing is a worldwide enterprise nowadays. Final assembly may be from a certain plant but it's being put together from parts that come from around the world.

Timing belt tensioners for every VW in-line-configuration diesel engine sold worldwide come from a company right here in the Toronto area.

Most passenger cars have parts in them tied to one particular huge supplier that happens to be based here ... Magna.
 
You should all know that stats can be misleading. The summation of an entire manufacturer product line into a simple rating does not tell the whole story. As some people have indirectly noted through personal experience and anecdotes, there are some manufacturers with reliable models that bely their overall product line rating. The overall rating does not account for high volume models that some manufacturers have that through their volume improve reliability. VW, for example, and the Golf models specifically, are some of the highest production number vehicles in the world. Through that volume is the capability and effect of running updates throughout the model production, and with running updates and improvements the result is a very reliable car.

Food for thought.
 
daught said:
Yep, 6 speed avant. Pulled the valve cover and performed a colonoscopy in the oil pan. No sludge.
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Damn you! I miss my avant (s4 though)

Depending on your mileage and how it's treated the turbo will let go sooner or later. Upgrade when it does. Front control arm kit will also be a given and that's not super cheap either. Don't forget to do the haldex service and otherwise they're actually not bad. Personally I wouldn't have bought one with that much mileage on it but that's just a preference. They last if you're good to it.
 
Am I understanding this threads original question correctly? Your trying to compare Hondas MotoGP technology to the Honda technology in cars being sold to the public market?

Ummm apples to apples instead of oranges maybe? I dont even know much about Formula 1 but if your going to compare a brands products Id think you should compare something that is comparable no?

So how well does Honda do in top level car racing like F1 or something similar to Motogp in terms of money and engineering/design?
 
Roomie said:
Damn you! I miss my avant (s4 though)

Depending on your mileage and how it's treated the turbo will let go sooner or later. Upgrade when it does. Front control arm kit will also be a given and that's not super cheap either. Don't forget to do the haldex service and otherwise they're actually not bad. Personally I wouldn't have bought one with that much mileage on it but that's just a preference. They last if you're good to it.
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Haldex? Torsen on the a4, haldex is on the a3. No maintenance required but I will change the fluids regardless. A full febi kit that includes every control arm/link is $500. Thx keep it coming, I have a big trip coming up, I want to take care of all the kinks before I leave.

The S4 is awesome but I just wanted a ski vehicle that can get me out west and do snow covered roads. I was very close to importing a diesel b5 avant, but this one came along and the savings made sense. I will inherit my GFs parents Passat tdi engine when their stupid auto gives... I don't wish them misfortune but it just seems inevitable. The tdi Passat is a pretty easy swap.
 
Brian P said:
Timing belt tensioners for every VW in-line-configuration diesel engine sold worldwide come from a company right here in the Toronto area.

Most passenger cars have parts in them tied to one particular huge supplier that happens to be based here ... Magna.
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