The reasons behind why manufacturing is increasing in China goes beyond a cheaper cost. There was a recent article in which Apple executives explained why the iPhone was being assembled in China rather than the U.S. There's a very high level of adaptability and quick turn-around time. Apple changed it's mind at the last moment about using plastic for the front face of the iPhone and switched to a glass design. The assembly-line switch took only 4 days to accomplish.

"Another critical advantage for Apple was that China provided engineers at a scale the United States could not match. Apple’s executives had estimated that about 8,700 industrial engineers were needed to oversee and guide the 200,000 assembly-line workers eventually involved in manufacturing iPhones. The company’s analysts had forecast it would take as long as nine months to find that many qualified engineers in the United States. In China, it took 15 days."

I'm not saying we should overlook harmful work practices, but this NY Times article really shed some light on the intricate decisions involved with handling manufacturing decisions and why countries like China are receiving those jobs. It's definitely worth a read.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/22/bu...pagewanted=all

 

As as party to sending more than a thousand manufacturing jobs offshore let me say that first the difference in cost is primary. While China may, though not proven in my experience, be able to provide a large number of technically trained personnel much faster than the US, in the USA they would not need so many. And the cost of manufacturing and materials including shipment and QC checking is 1/3 that in the US; thats why 8 million jobs have been exported and thus why our unemployment and underemployment rates are so high (80% of the workforce must provide for 20% not working, but could. Hey, I made more; who cares what you make, right?
NAFTA and CAFTA are the reasons the younger generations have much poorer outlook than ours. As long as pliticians are bribed thats the way it is.
PS Obama and Democrats are firmly the most at fault; check who voted for NAFTA and CAFTA and against the balanced budget amendments.
cheers anyway.

 

I don't know man, I'm finding it difficult to determine if you're trolling or what.

If you want to blame NAFTA on Democrats, well ok, but it was quite a even split, back when such things existed. And of course Obama wasn't even a Senator in 1993.

"The agreement's supporters included 132 Republicans and 102 Democrats. NAFTA passed the Senate 61-38. Senate supporters were 34 Republicans and 27 Democrats."

But CAFTA? There's no way it was pushed by Democrats.

Roll Call for CAFTA:
A total of 8 Democratic Senators voted for CAFTA and Obama wasn't one.
Obama (D-IL), Nay
In the CAFTA house vote it had 202 Republican ayes and 15 Democrats ayes.

Perhaps you're forgetting that in 2005 it was a Congress and White House dominated by Republicans?

Here's George Bush's speech after signing CAFTA into law.
CAFTA-DR Signed by President Bush 2005/8/2 - YouTube

I don't know how you blame Obama for those bills when he voted for neither.

 

I was well aware of who voted. he problem is that as many said "there will be a great vacuum as jobs are sucked from America" including mine.
Howebver, now that we have seen that has occurred, it is Democrats who have opposed remission of NAFTA and CAFTA. In Obama's defense, he stated in his State of the Nation speech that he would seek to reward companies who keep jobs in America and tax those who didn't. Unfortunately, as with most things Obama has promised, they just don't happen. Its just a campaign promise to him - and Democrats.
As for the balanced budget, which is the absolute danger to younger generations, overwhelmingly the opposing votes are Democrats. If you distribute the current national debt among actual taxpayers, about 80 million max, each owes $200,000 already. Obama has requested Congress seek another increase so wait a few years to see how bad it gets.
As far as Republicans go, its easy to see why they want their nominee to be Mitt; he represents the status quo, which all tea partiers want to eliminate, and that includes the current Congressional incompetence. What they don't realize is that the people who wuill decide in November are the independents,and there won't be enough of them voting Republican to oust Obama. By the time he leaves then we will truly be a socialist state. Unfortunately, that will be broke socialist state cause the money will migrate just like jobs under NAFTA and SAFTA.
Yes, you are right I was trolling to see who is paying attention.
cheers.

 

This comment is awesome! lol

 

They've been making the Fit/Jazz in China since 2005 I think. If there were any serious problems with the "made in China" flavor this car, don't you think we'd have heard about it by now?

I just purchased a 2013 Fit, but very nearly didn't once I realized that the Canadian model is imported from China. However, just for once in my life I put my prejudices to one side, considered the fact that 2014 Fits will be coming from Mexico, and thought to myself "really, will my Chinese Fit be any worse than a Mexican Fit, and would Honda really allow a "junk car" to carry their name?". So, I bought the car, and although it's only two weeks old I cannot fault any aspect of its build quality or performance. We'll see if it stands the test of time.

 

It's all about choices. Wouldn't buy one.

 

I am currently leasing a 2011 Sport Fit. I really like the vehicle and think that I might be buying it out but I don't know if I want to keep an orange Fit long term. The decision to maybe buy out the vehicle an settle for the orange color has to do with the newer Fit models coming from China and later Mexico. But if it was a decision between China Fit or no Fit I would take the China made Fit.

 

How ab out Mexico produced Fits?
Honda plans 3 variations of Fits in a new Mexican plant under construction - sedan, crossover, and hatchback, probably the hybrid version as well. Most of the 200,000 Fits produced will come here.
Wonder where the buyers without jobs will come from. But at least the production won't get hammered there. Welcome to ObamaLand.

 

Blame Obama! That's the answer!

 

BTW: VW Golf TDI's are only made in Germany . . . . . so far

 

When i was shopping for a fit, one fit on the lot had a window sticker from Acura on it but printout was for the fit, i thought that was real odd.

 

What about:
Ok assuming I don't mind the chineese worker pay/conditions, environmental issues, or the impact on US manufacturing.
My thinking is; Honda benefits from lower production costs.....so what's in it for me? Will the chineese FIT sell for $1,500 less than a Japneese FIT?

It's why I don't pay Nike $150/pair for sneakers they make in china for $18.

Even IF the quality is the same (we won't know that for a year or two) how do I benefit? So many quality problems can remain hidden for years, so instead of lasting 250,000+ miles, cars start failing after 150,000+ to late for hundreds of thousands of owners.

 

The benifits to a Mexican or a Chinese made Fit will be that lowering the costs of production will allow Honda to include features and options at a similar price to the competition. The options that many of us want (moonroof, 6 speed manual) that the competition has available in the subcompact class would price the Fit out of the class.

 

I think the OP of this "rather old" thread...has the right to use whatever criteria they wish to personally apply to their automotive purchase.

If you're not comfortable with a "Made in China, Mexico, or Japan" Fit? Then don't buy it.

But I'd also say, my Dad works for a company that supplies parts to the Automotive industry, Honda and others. I know the uniform standards for quality that Honda applies for their parts are very, very high, regardless of where those parts end up for final assembly.

I don't think those parts know whether they are being assembled by Japanese workers, Mexican Workers or Chinese Workers. I also think it is quite possible to create and maintain standards for production quality in any plant...anywhere.

I also think, auto making is simply now, a much more international project than it has ever been.

There is a variety of reasons why, but mostly it is to reduce production, shipping costs and thus increase profit margin.

Regardless of where you live, I think vehicles produced in China, Mexico, the USA, Japan....are just going to become more and more the rule not the exception. The day's of a particular vehicle ONLY being assembled in one location are more or less numbered.

Would I be worried about a Chinese built Fit? No. The absolute worst case scenario to me, is that it IS poorly assembled and built, inwhich case I still have the 3 year new car warranty. As is with any vehicle I buy new, IF I started to have abnormal problems early in it's life? I'd simply apply the warranty, and probably trade it in...and move on.

I think if a vehicle is poorly assembled, symptoms will manifest quickly and early in it's life.

However, I happen to know, Honda strives to maintain high standards in the quality of their parts....and I don't default to the idea that The Chinese can't or wouldn't assemble something with as much proficiency or care as a Japanese worker and/or anyone anyplace.

I won't fault the OP for being nervous, backing out, and buying a Golf TDI. But from reviews I've read? The potential for high cost maintenance issue's with the Golf TDI are much greater than with The Honda Fit.

 

To my knowledge TDI Golf is not made in Mexico.

 

Hello. I'd like to chime in also to say I was lied to by Lallier Honda in Montreal and was told that the Fits were imported from Japan.

I am the very proud and happy owner of a japanese made 2007 Fit. I'm also the user of apple products which are made in China and I will say that there are huge problems with QC in china. My first iPhone, like for many other people, had a fault in the proximity sensor and was UNUSABLE. I mean, I was upgrading from an old Erkison phone which was so old it had a broken menu navigation button to a 600+ dollar iPhone I just simply couldn't use to make a call. I traded it in and got a phone that worked perfectly.

There was a time in the 80s when Fender guitars where being copied/built in Japan. The first Squier guitars were built there. Even to this day, those guitars have less value because people cling to the belief that if it's not made in the USA, it's junk. Some of those Squiers were called JV, for Japanese Vintage, and the japs copied old (and very sought after) 57' and 61' fender guitars. They got it right down to the correct density of the wood and these guitars have increased in value since although they are made in japan, they blow many modern USA made Fenders out of the water.

Now, fender is making their stuff mainly in Mexico. Some of the wood is downright awful to look at and it looks like it was salvaged from an Ikea desk. I've looked at the backplate (the part that holds the screws that join the neck to the body, a vital point of the guitar) on some mexican fenders and they are drilled so crooked, it looks like the machine operator must have downed a quart of tequila on his lunch break. This is readily apparent, just from a visual inspection.

So yea, I own plenty of apple stuff that's made in China and their stuff is top notch. However, I know that in a batch of 1000 iPads, iPods, iMacs or whatever, you will get a good bunch of duds that got through QC, more so than from other countries that don't hire employees to work 80 hour weeks and give them a leather boot to eat on their lunch break. And the fender stuff that's made in Mexico for the most part is utter garbage except for a few exceptions if you are lucky enough to find one.