Mercedes lacking in quality??

NetViper

NetViper

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Joined
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Messages
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Saint Augustine, FL
Anyone else see this?
"MSNBC reported that a blow to Mercedes’s quality reputation came last week when a normally secretive study of car quality in Europe was leaked to a German trade publication. The report, conducted for the auto makers themselves, showed Mercedes quality and customer satisfaction falling since 1999 to levels below Opel, the German unit of General Motors Corp. and a brand with one of the worst images in Europe."

More here: http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2002/02/05/035312.html?NEWS



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NetViper -= 100% Stock EBP 2000 Civic Si =- Still looking to get an NSX, but at least I can live life at 8,000 RPM!
 
In Daimler's new Austrian Plant, they produce Mercedes on the same assembly line as Crysler MiniVans, Plymoth Prowlers, and Jeeps. This is a far step from the same make/model on one line, as the MB literally comes down the pipe in-between econo-boxes and over-grown stationwagons that cost a fraction as much. I guess every car has a plastic bumper filled with styrofoam, no matter what it costs, and robots just don't care. Even more depressing is that it is just about making money, and last fall MB reversed it's policy of not using Crysler parts in Mercedes cars, due to Crysler's money woes.

And now today:

"DaimlerChrysler AG, the parent company of Detroit's Chrysler Group, posted sharply lower 2001 profits — 1.3 billion euros ($1.13 billion) compared to 5.21 billion euros the previous year — and said it wouldn't make its operating earnings targets for 2002.

DaimlerChrysler, headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany and Auburn Hills, Mich., has been pummeled from many fronts. It suffered from the fallout of the Sept. 11 attacks, price-cutting in the U.S. auto market and billions of dollars in one-time charges to restructure Chrysler and its Freightliner truck maker in the United States."
 
I don't understand why our American companies can't start taking more hints from the foreign automakers.
Hondas and Toyotas are made right here in the US with American workers. The key is their systems and the way they operate their business. There is no reason why Ford, GM, etc can't take some more notes and emulate the companies with far better build quality.

Why would I pay 100K for a top of the line Mercedes knowing this?
confused.gif
 
I don't understand why our American companies can't start taking more hints from the foreign automakers
Click to expand...

Part of the problem here is the american factories. Some of them are more then fifty years old. Outdated factories results in poor quality cars.

Another factor is the foreign manufactures use of high quality materials and strict quality control. I have heard that the big three selectively 'forgets' to perform quality control on their vehicles if production is behind. A good example of this is the numerous recalls the Ford Escape and Explorer has had. One of which is a collapsing steering column on the Escape How hard is that to be correct?! Imagine that... Piss poor quality once again from USA. Cost vs. revenue I guess.

In regards to the Mercedes article, that is unacceptable. I have no idea why Mercedes purchased Chrysflaw. Despite this, they need to get their hands out of trying to make Chrysler a competitive vehicle and focus on their own cars.

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-Nader
01 Integra
 
P.S.-Small wonder then that Mercedes is introducing an "upscale" marque.
 
I'm not sure if this is actual fact but I always perceived domestic car makers as more the type to go after the green and foreign car makers as more the type to have a true passion for the automobile.

Sorry to say but I'm not surprised after hearing of MB's woes. I never could justify why MB's are so expensive. Big heavy things could never go up against a more reasonably priced BMW =)

[This message has been edited by skim83 (edited 09 February 2002).]
 
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