[martin mustang]

Our 1st BMW produced in the US my wife X3, one of the 1st F25 is packed with problems related to quality of assembly, my dealer recon it was put together on Friday afternoon before a holiday by drunk worker how bad the issues we discovered, and just this week we learned that the isofx that hold our baby chair safe is not safe with a recall on the way.

Originally Posted by PawnStar

I wouldn't want to own any 'German' car produced in Mexico. Germany or US only. All else will not even be a consideration.

[moviebumm]

Are all 3 series models built in Mexico destined for USA? The reason I ask is because BMW already has a manufacturing facility in Mexico producing the 3 series. If BMW decides to import these models to USA then I will have to find an alternative model or brand.

[tturedraider]

Originally Posted by hoyasaxa

Because there's no way BMW sells US customers a 3er built in Germany when the plant is in Mexico. And by the way, notice that neither Scott nor Jason have contradicted this.

The only 3er built in South Africa is the 3er sedan. That's the production that's going to shift to Mexico. All 4 Series cars are built in Germany, including U.S. bound production. BMW isn't going to move 100% of their U.S. production of 3ers to Mexico. They're not going to put all of their U.S. eggs in one basket.

[mtx450]

So just to recap, we are thinking that production of the 3 series imported into the US market will be produced in both Mexico and Munich? Or will all US imports be produced in Mexico, leaving Munich for the rest of Europe.

Maybe it's too early to tell. They were vague with those details.

[shivaswrath]

Originally Posted by Sassicaia

Haha. No chance. I would never pay the premium for a German car that's not made in Germany. Never.

Yeah I made that mistake once with a Jetta 10 years ago and would never do it again...consistent build/QC issues.

[MightyMouseTech]

Originally Posted by rams

Hey it worked great for the Takata Corp. All of the defective airbags were produced at their Mexican plant. It's been closed and moved to Europe now.

Unfortunately not. Mexican plant has actually been ramped up.

Did a Takata recall on an Acura EL just now. Drivers inflator built by Takata, passenger inflator built by Autoliv.

BOTH replacements built in Mexico.

[///M4ster Yoda]

Originally Posted by Sassicaia

Like everything else I have experience where once it was made, designed and built in its country of origin only to be eventually be sent over seas or to a 3rd world country to be built the quality will simply drop.

I wouldn't buy a BMW made in Mexico any more then a Porsche made in Vietnam or Ferrar made in China. This comes from years and years of experience and being burned.

I've experienced drops in quality from industry's across the board in everything from BBQs to high end audio equipment. It's not a fluke that Germans built a reputation of being great engineers and making great cars. There is a level of passion, pride and lineage which can't be autsourced.

Further, I have personally held positions which have given me direct experience with moving high quality "made in the USA" product to China, and while the company marketed and put the usual spin on "its in our factories, or built to our spec" etc the quality control dropped segnificantly. Profits up, but quality down.

I'd never ever buy a BMW built anywhere besides Germany. It's simply worth less to me. Id also still like to support that idea that each country can and has a history of being able to provide unique offerings based on the love, enthusiasm and uniqueness of its people. Be it Itallian clothing, France wine, German engineering or Swiss watches etc. I personally think it's healthy to promote and has much more value then Small increases in profits.

Diluting the notion that each country is unique and going down the path of "everyone is the same or equal" is rather sad to me. People are unique like whole countries are, and as a result it stands to reason some countries will generally excell at certain things over others.

I'll always put my money where my mouth and pay the premium to support that. When in Germany I was reminded yet again that Canadians and Americans don't know a thing about making a good fresh beer.

This ^. I agree completely. I would never buy a BMW made outside of Germany. I've never even considered any of the "American" BMWs.

[jayyp]

I will never be buying a 3 series if it's not made in Germany... Heck, any BMW. I hope the M's will still be made there at least.

[tturedraider]

It wouldn't surprise me if a number of people here who say they'd never buy a BMW not built in Germany already have without noticing. A LOT of South African production is imported to the U.S.

[MightyMouseTech]

Originally Posted by tturedraider

It wouldn't surprise me if a number of people here who say they'd never buy a BMW not built in Germany already have without noticing. A LOT of South African production is imported to the U.S.

I did EU delivery, so I know where my car was built.

[///M4ster Yoda]

Originally Posted by tturedraider

It wouldn't surprise me if a number of people here who say they'd never buy a BMW not built in Germany already have without noticing. A LOT of South African production is imported to the U.S.

We have had 11 BMWs in the family with 3 Euro Deliveries. I know for a fact that everyone of them was primarily manufactured in Germany. I don't do SUVs (American BMWs). Don't get it but that's for another thread.

[MattTheCarNut]

I don't understand why BMW will continue X3 production in SC AND South Africa. Is demand really that strong? I guess they needed capacity for the X7 in SC?

[Gabreigns]

Oh SNAP!

I don't know what to say here.

Perhaps hello to the new 'Mexican Delivery Program'!

http://www.autonews.com/article/2016...arting-in-2019

[Hair Führer]

Originally Posted by Gabreigns

Oh SNAP!

I don't know what to say here.

Perhaps hello to the new 'Mexican Delivery Program'!

http://www.autonews.com/article/2016...arting-in-2019

New cars now equipped with all the drugs you can get across the border.

Next Joint Press Release with the Drug Enforcement Agency: BMW working with DEA on enhancing options list for the Latest BMWs manufactured in Mexico.

New car owners can now pick any illicit drug from the local Cartel upon delivery.

[BMW M Power Mexico]

As a Mexican who is proud of his country - even with all our very large problems - and working to do my part to improve it down here, I feel very sad about several of the very uninformed comments above and thankful for those who understand that this has no bearing on future BMW's quality.

I have to chip in. I had friends from our local BMW Club yesterday at that ceremony.

Please consider a few facts:

1. Mexico is a booming auto manufacturing hub. Audi, VW, Ford, FCA, Nissan, Honda, Toyota, Kia, Hyundai, GM, and Mercedes all have plants here.

2. We build close to 4M cars per year for world markets.

3. Quality is as good as anywhere. The exceptions have been limited to a specific manufacturer/plant (VW at Puebla for a while, now fixed) and have nothing to do with Mexico as a whole.

4. The plant here is better for the US than anywhere else in the world except for the US itself. Supply chains are very integrated due to NAFTA and tons of US suppliers will benefit from having the plant this close compared to anywhere else in the world except the US itself or Canada. Would you be complaining so hard about a new BMW plant anywhere else?

5. Mexico is not a dump. It is a middle-income country on its way to becoming a developed one. We are the 13th largest economy in the world. We have a huge corruption problem but there are millions of us here who are middle class and fighting to get that fixed every day.

6. Economic development here helps both the US and Mexico. It triggers more US exports here and diminishes the pressure for illegal immigration.

I hope that most BMW fans in the US will over time be able to approach this with an open mind.

Saludos desde México.

[rams]

Originally Posted by BMW M Power Mexico

As a Mexican who is proud of his country - even with all our very large problems - and working to do my part to improve it down here, I feel very sad about several of the very uninformed comments above and thankful for those who understand that this has no bearing on future BMW's quality.

I have to chip in. I had friends from our local BMW Club yesterday at that ceremony.

Please consider a few facts:

1. Mexico is a booming auto manufacturing hub. Audi, VW, Ford, FCA, Nissan, Honda, Toyota, Kia, Hyundai, GM, and Mercedes all have plants here.

2. We build close to 4M cars per year for world markets.

3. Quality is as good as anywhere. The exceptions have been limited to a specific manufacturer/plant (VW at Puebla for a while, now fixed) and have nothing to do with Mexico as a whole.

4. The plant here is better for the US than anywhere else in the world except for the US itself. Supply chains are very integrated due to NAFTA and tons of US suppliers will benefit from having the plant this close compared to anywhere else in the world except the US itself or Canada. Would you be complaining so hard about a new BMW plant anywhere else?

5. Mexico is not a dump. It is a middle-income country on its way to becoming a developed one. We are the 13th largest economy in the world. We have a huge corruption problem but there are millions of us here who are middle class and fighting to get that fixed every day.

6. Economic development here helps both the US and Mexico. It triggers more US exports here and diminishes the pressure for illegal immigration.

I hope that most BMW fans in the US will over time be able to approach this with an open mind.

Saludos desde México.

I am half Mexican I will respectfully disagree with you on couple of the facts you stated above: Mexico is not a middle-income country, not even close, and for the most part it is a dump.

I will never buy a BMW made in Mexico.

[rams]

Originally Posted by MightyMouseTech

Unfortunately not. Mexican plant has actually been ramped up.

Did a Takata recall on an Acura EL just now. Drivers inflator built by Takata, passenger inflator built by Autoliv.

BOTH replacements built in Mexico.

That's too bad. I had read that they closed that plant. Looking forward to future recalls.

[pz619]

The logic here is baffling. I had a BMW built in SA and another in Germany. Guess what, the German wasn't the more reliable one. So by what I'm reading I should only buy cars from South Africa?

Come on now, we know the quality is much more than the country of assembly. The reality is that factories are largely automated anyhow. The parts where there is human intervention, it's made as simple as possible to limit mistakes. Even then, there is QA checks that occurs throughout the production line. The chance that a mistake is made and missed is likely the same in Mexico, as in Germany. People make it sounds like the brightest and best that Germany has to offer is the ones hand building the 3 series.

At the end nothing I say here is likely to change any minds. Besides, it's not like you are using my money. So do what makes you feel happy and warm inside.

[Sassicaia]

Originally Posted by pz619

The logic here is baffling. I had a BMW built in SA and another in Germany. Guess what, the German wasn't the more reliable one. So by what I'm reading I should only buy cars from South Africa?

There are always exceptions to every rule, but that only proves the rule is true.

Part of the reason you pay a premium for BMW is because its made in Germany. If they out sourced to China or this case Mexico I would expect the price to drop accordingly as I would see less overall value perceived or otherwise.

Drop the cost of a 3er BMW by 30% as a result of moving to mexico and maybe id consider it (actually I still wouldnt), but at least it wouldnt bother me.

[Bimmerforlife]

How can BMW save more money, easy, go to Mexico like all other business now. Being an E46 owner for 9 yrs and currently an E90 for 5 yrs let me say I'd never buy a BMW made in Mexico. Period.

[BMW M Power Mexico]

Originally Posted by rams

I am half Mexican I will respectfully disagree with you on couple of the facts you stated above: Mexico is not a middle-income country, not even close, and for the most part it is a dump.

I will never buy a BMW made in Mexico.

Support your statements. Do you understand what middle income means?

Actually, upper-middle-income: http://data.worldbank.org/about/coun...lending-groups

Also, you drive an E34, it doesn't seem that BMW is losing much if they won't sell to you. Probably not buying anything new anyway.

[tturedraider]

Originally Posted by MattTheCarNut

I don't understand why BMW will continue X3 production in SC AND South Africa. Is demand really that strong? I guess they needed capacity for the X7 in SC?

Yes, demand is that strong. BMW is just completing a major expansion of the SC plant to accommodate X7 production. They just announced this week immediate hiring of 1,000 new personnel, which will bring their total employment to 8,000.