US vs Mexico Build Quality

wizard4878 · January 15, 2020

4 minutes ago, JimCost2014 said:

Wonder if there is someone in Japan right now complaining about the build quality of his Accord that was built in Ohio?

Riding Donkeys to work actually might be a good marketing plan, they do get great mileage with pretty low emissions….

that emissions thing might depend on what you feed them...

wizard4878 · January 15, 2020

IMO you should go find and drive one of each and then decided for yourself because in the end you have to pay for it and, as you can already see, your going to get a million different opinions here

fatwhiteboy · January 15, 2020

2 hours ago, JimCost2014 said:

Just kind of catching the end of this "debate", so I will ask a serious question:

What would I, or someone else be looking for as far as the differences in the trucks?

Having worked at a dealership, I never really noticed a huge difference between the trucks built in different places.

The frame and drivetrain is the same Jim. Where I saw a huge difference is flush and gap for body parts and interior trim. Anything done in GA that is operator dependent. Their paint is not as good as north America simply from lack of maintenance. Whereever the bed lands it is tightened, no alignment. They don't care. Another thing I noticed is you never know if the employee or his wife or his brother will be on the line. They look away. They just need a body in that spot. None of the GM engineers from Michigan want to be there and from what I saw they don't want us down there either. Other car companies that have plants down there make their experienced engineers live there for the life of the program. FCA finally brought their HD trucks back to Michigan due to terrible quality in Mexico. But, the labor rate is low so GM makes way more on a truck made in Mexico compared to here. China is the same way. Companies eat up to 50% scrap because it is so cheap to make parts there but the failures are huge. GM is happy to hear folks do not see a difference or care where they are built. If upper management had their way, nothing would be made here, our labor rates are high compared to many other countries BUT, they will never buy a car or truck.

jlong1984 · January 15, 2020

6 minutes ago, fatwhiteboy said:

FCA finally brought their HD trucks back to Michigan due to terrible quality in Mexico.

No, they didn't. Go look at a 2019 or 2020 RAM HD, every single one still has a VIN starting with 3. When Sergio died, they scrapped the plan to bring them back.

My 2019 Sierra is a Ft. Wayne build, my 16 & 14 Silverados were both Silao made. I don't see much of a difference in fit and finish. My 14 was a vibrator, but I can't blame that on the assembly plant. When I bought my 19 I sought out a U.S. made truck, not because I was unhappy with the quality of the other two, but just because of pride. GM is an American company, and I think they should build as many vehicles here as they can profitably.

dane0254 · January 15, 2020

I have had two built in Mexico and I ordered another one recently. I was happy with the trucks and did not see any issues with fit, interior or exterior. I get quad cabs so I really don't have a choice. Would I prefer they are all built in the U.S., of course.

Moend · January 16, 2020

I don't think there is a different. Both my 08 and 19 can from Mexico. I had no problem with my 08 and small but very annoying problems with my 19.

And the videos that been shared mean nothing. There is always an ugly side. I have worked for a lot of companies and whenever the big wigs come in for a tour we tidy up the place. But it doesn't look tidy every day.

fatwhiteboy · January 18, 2020

On 1/15/2020 at 6:19 PM, jlong1984 said:

No, they didn't. Go look at a 2019 or 2020 RAM HD, every single one still has a VIN starting with 3. When Sergio died, they scrapped the plan to bring them back.

My 2019 Sierra is a Ft. Wayne build, my 16 & 14 Silverados were both Silao made. I don't see much of a difference in fit and finish. My 14 was a vibrator, but I can't blame that on the assembly plant. When I bought my 19 I sought out a U.S. made truck, not because I was unhappy with the quality of the other two, but just because of pride. GM is an American company, and I think they should build as many vehicles here as they can profitably.

They are supposed to start production of the American version of the truck this month. I knew a few guys at FCA that strongly admitted that truck is junk due to where it is built.

https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2018/jan/18/donald-trump/trump-said-chrysler-leaving-mexico-it-isnt/

ILSilverado · January 18, 2020

My 2019 was built in Indiana my 2020 in Mexico. The only difference for me was I named the 2020 Carlos!

jlong1984 · January 18, 2020

3 hours ago, fatwhiteboy said:

They are supposed to start production of the American version of the truck this month. I knew a few guys at FCA that strongly admitted that truck is junk due to where it is built.

https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2018/jan/18/donald-trump/trump-said-chrysler-leaving-mexico-it-isnt/

That is from January 2018, when the former head of FCA, Sergio Marchionne was still alive. He had planned to move assembly of the new 2019 HD pickups to Michigan. That changed after his death in July of the same year, when Mike Manley took over.

Straight from the Fiat-Chrysler website.

Quote

On Feb. 26, 2019, FCA confirmed that the investment announced in 2017 will increase to $1.5 billion and include tooling to produce electrified versions of the Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer. As part of the announcement, the Company also confirmed that production of the Ram 1500 Classic will continue. It is expected that 1,400 new jobs will be added. With this announcement, production of the all-new Ram Heavy Duty will continue at its current location in Saltillo, Mexico. (FCA had announced in January 2018 that heavy duty production would move from Saltillo, Mexico, to Warren.)

https://media.fcanorthamerica.com/newsrelease.do?id=343

Samuel Daniels · July 17, 2022

The quality system put in place are at all GM and GMC plants. There is only one quality system and plenty of cross checking between plants to maintain consistency. After 40 years in the automotive parts manufacturing business and supplying to GM, I know 1st hand the difficulty in getting and maintaining their QS certification which is necessary to do business with them.

Peter land · July 19, 2022

On 1/14/2020 at 9:04 PM, diyer2 said:

I think the build location is a non factor.

It's the luck of the draw.

This is true with every product we buy IMO.

You get a good one or you don't.

Agreed 100%.

codeman11 · November 25, 2022

I have no experience within the factories, but I can chime in and say that the interior quality issues in a made in Mexico GM seems to be true, at least in my case. I have a '22 refresh, Sierra Denali. Interior trim fitment issues, and screws improperly fastened to the point where some of the plastic tabs have cracked / enlarged the holes.

That has to do with a worker and proper QC ... sorry but there is some truth to variations in quality when coming from different factories. Morale and average IQ play a role no matter where you go. Perhaps the US factory has more laziness, perhaps it's Mexico - who knows. But where there's a human element, you can't honestly claim things are 100% the same. That's just plain stupidity.

Edited November 25, 2022 by codeman11

dieselfan1 · November 25, 2022

I've had a Mexican 2018 and a Fort Wayne 2018.

The Mexican truck needed the bed realigned and both rear doors were mis aligned.

Paint on the Mexican was sub par IMO.

The ft Wayne 2018 didn't have these issues.

Now I have 2 Ft Wayne 2022 LTDs a high country and an LTZ. Neither have these issues.

I think the Mexican plant just slaps them together and not much QC going on. I think they have no pride in their work. The Fort Wayne folks do take pride in their work. Fact.

gt tangerine · November 25, 2022

My Mexican refresh AT4 has the best paint I’ve had on a GM truck. My last was a 21 Silao built LT trail boss and the two before that were both Ft Wayne. For what it’s worth I would have rather had a US built truck but I have to admit the refresh I received is extremely well put together. No rattles no bed alignment issues