At some point, none of us will have a choice on where our car will be built in today's global economy. Or perhaps, you guys would do better by choosing a model based on where it is built, rather than choosing the model first.

Take for example, my friend who wants to buy an Audi. He really wants to buy a new Q5 in the next 2 years, but the next generation Q5 will be built in Mexico. He has his heart set on a car built IN Germany. Therefore, he will now be buying an A4 which is still built in Germany.

So this guy changed up his entire plan and went to a different model entirely, solely because of where it was built. This is what you'll have to do if you only care about where it is built.

 

To me the quality of a Mexican built car is nowhere close to a German built car (or Japanese built either). I don't blame your friend at all for making the decision that way.

 

Please explain that. What are you basing that on?

 

Just how I feel about it.

Articles like this don't help

http://blog.caranddriver.com/honda-f...mexican-plant/

 

I'm in the same boat as your friend, except I'm looking to replace our 2013 Q5. Since I know that the next gen will come from a brand new plant in Mexico, I'm looking at other vehicles. If I didn't know this, and bought one, it wouldn't bother me much. But since I know, I'll be cautious. If things work out from the Mexico plant, I'd possibly another Q5 in the future.

 

Interesting. I suppose we have NAFTA to thank for that. All of the manufacturers are building factories there thanks to the low labor rates. I believe Ford has had an F-150 factory there for some time and no complaints, so in my humble opinion it depends on how well the factory is managed rather than the nationality of those producing or assembling the cars.

 

If I were paying a premium for Lexus or a higher price Toyota model I would probably want one built in Japan. While there is probably not a much of a different, it still would probably be important.

 

Just so we're clear on "quality" comparisons.

The ES plant in Kentucky is producing 85 (EIGHTY-FIVE) cars per DAY.

The Camry line is producing 1,500 per SHIFT.

Let's pump the brakes on thinking US workers can't produce high quality products.

 

The only reason to want a Japan built car over a US built car is your own mental hangups...

 

Does that mean if I have no preference, I am ok, but if I prefer either a US built or a Japanese built car then I have mental hangups?

Interesting diagnosis.

 

You'e misunderstanding what a mental hangup is. I'm not saying you have a mental issue, its not a diagnosis. You have a prejudice about vehicles built in the US, and hat prejudice is not based on anything factual or experiential, its based on your own mental hangup that something built in the US is of inferior quality to something built in Japan. If anything all the evidence out there shows that japanese companies build excellent cars in the US, Lexus has done very well building the RX in Canada, etc. Yet you still prefer something built in Japan with no basis for that other than your own preconceived notions.

Everybody has mental hangups.

 

how do I know if mine is built in Japan or US. What is the Vin code to look for?

 

If the VIN starts with a "J" it was built in Japan.

 

They seem to be coding the US built ES starting with a 5.

Some of the country codes include:
1, 4, 5: United States
2: Canada
3A-37: Mexico
J: Japan
VF-VR: France
9: Brazil
WA-W0: West Germany
S: Great Britian

 

I don't question that US workers **CAN** build high quality products, USA has **SOME** amazing talent with good work ethic, but, it's not in our countries' culture sadly. History tells us that it's more expensive, and less likely to get a quality product made in the USA than many other countries. The culture of hard work in America is present, just not as prevalent.

I'm skeptical on first year of a car's model, and same for first year of new factory run of a car (IE the KY plant). I don't like to beta test products I depend on, like transportation. We unfortunately don't have enough public transportation to use a car as a commodity here. I wouldn't say no to the US built ES, but it is a consideration, even in a Lexus. Only time will tell.