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Genuine Mercedes Parts Are Now Made In China

Started by Squiggle Dog, 20 February 2016, 02:46 PM

floyd111

As long as it's western multinationals doing QC in China, it's still within bounds, one hopes. However, even the metal produced in china, basic iron, steel, aluminium, and even copper, are inconstant in quality.
Taiwan is a massive metal-consuming/producing hub in the world. China's metals are available right next door, way cheaper than taiwan steel. Any company found to be shopping there can forget about their reputation.

There is no way anyone is capable or willing to check those qualities in China. It's taken for granted. On top of that, it's a no-choice situation.
Forget about the many ways one can mess up plastic products.
How about resins, used in carbon fiber? Paints?

Tolerances, sizes are easy. Inconsistent anodizing processes are a given in China, leading to different thickness coating and color differences.
Those coatings, for example, are often very important, for they effect rigidity and flexibility of products. Oxidation occurs. Coatings splinter and break. Life-span is affected.

The problem is that -in our eyes -nobody gives a damn, besides the CEO's in far away countries that count the money.
In China, the workforce is utterly unmotivated to offer quality. Most workers hates their boss. Workers are exploited, and faced with excessive lifestyles of managers. That doesn't help neither. But even IF those factors were less, one would still be faced with a part of the world where excellence, standards, innovation and an eye toward the future are not, and never have been of interest.
Presuming that they SHOULD care about things, just like us, is almost a racist notion. 1.2 billion people can not be wrong.

We are not talking about Japan in the 60's here. They anti-Japan hype was always a politically based hype, that has it's roots all the way back in the 30's. Their products were excellent, and that made a lot of people very angry. (Enter Pearl Harbour)

Just bought a Casio Mini, a 1972 calculator with a handle to carry it. It has only 6 LED digits. The thing is mint, and functions perfectly, after having been used for 44 years. Not a scratch on it.
Anyone ever seen a Chinese calculator that survived 5 years?

ptashek

Quote from: floyd111 on 26 February 2016, 07:47 AM
China's metals are available right next door, way cheaper than taiwan steel. Any company found to be shopping there can forget about their reputation.

Maybe. But you can't silently dismiss the geopolitical context of the relationship Taiwan has with China.
When the iron curtain was still a thing, no law prohibited you from doing business with the "imperialist West". But it was frowned upon, and discouraged by other means. Similar context, similar methods.
1993 "Pearl Blue" W124 280TE
1988 "Arctic White" W124 200T
1979 "Icon Gold" W116 450SE

floyd111

true, but don't forget....40-50% still wants reunification with China, and those guys have been in power since 1949...until January 2016..

Squiggle Dog

Here is an interesting note about the genuine Mercedes crank seal that was made in China. I contacted The Mercedes-Benz Classic Center about this and they informed me that they DO NOT sell any parts made in China, and that this part which I ordered through Pelican Parts as genuine Mercedes is a counterfeit.
Stop paying for animal cruelty and slaughter. Go vegan! [url="https://challenge22.com/"]https://challenge22.com/[/url]

1967 W110 Universal Wagon, Euro, Turbo Diesel, Tail Fins, 4 Speed Manual Column Shift, A/C
1980 W116 300SD Turbo Diesel, DB479 Walnut Brown, Sunroof, Heated Seats, 350,000+

TJ 450

In the past I've purchased genuine oil filters from the dealer that were made in India, so I don't doubt it.

Tim
1976 450SEL 6.9 1432
1969 300SEL 6.3 1394
2003 ML500

marku

Quote from: ptashek on 26 February 2016, 09:44 AM
Quote from: floyd111 on 26 February 2016, 07:47 AM
China's metals are available right next door, way cheaper than taiwan steel. Any company found to be shopping there can forget about their reputation.

Maybe. But you can't silently dismiss the geopolitical context of the relationship Taiwan has with China.
When the iron curtain was still a thing, no law prohibited you from doing business with the "imperialist West". But it was frowned upon, and discouraged by other means. Similar context, similar methods.



Have bought many things from China and the quality is really good. We had Japan rubbished for years and also Hong Kong. Any way doesn't Mercedes have a factory in China?
1974 450SE silver green/bamboo velour/green vinyl roof

Squiggle Dog

Stop paying for animal cruelty and slaughter. Go vegan! [url="https://challenge22.com/"]https://challenge22.com/[/url]

1967 W110 Universal Wagon, Euro, Turbo Diesel, Tail Fins, 4 Speed Manual Column Shift, A/C
1980 W116 300SD Turbo Diesel, DB479 Walnut Brown, Sunroof, Heated Seats, 350,000+

floyd111

Quote from: marku on 30 July 2017, 11:31 AM
Quote from: ptashek on 26 February 2016, 09:44 AM
Quote from: floyd111 on 26 February 2016, 07:47 AM
China's metals are available right next door, way cheaper than taiwan steel. Any company found to be shopping there can forget about their reputation.

Maybe. But you can't silently dismiss the geopolitical context of the relationship Taiwan has with China.
When the iron curtain was still a thing, no law prohibited you from doing business with the "imperialist West". But it was frowned upon, and discouraged by other means. Similar context, similar methods.



Have bought many things from China and the quality is really good. We had Japan rubbished for years and also Hong Kong. Any way doesn't Mercedes have a factory in China?

Like I said, the Japan rhetoric has always been political. The HK rhetoric has always been, and still is well-placed. It's just China stuff. Nothing is actually made in HK.
If you bought good things from China, good for you. Proves rightfully that is surely isn't all that bad. But, I would not want to take any elevated risk of having to open up my car one time too many to replace faulty parts. If they're easily reachable, and not too costly, it's OK. When it's about essential engine parts, or rubbers, one faces the risk of causing extreme damage from such faulty parts. That scares me.

One of the few things that I noticed has changed a little in China is a sense of warranty-rights. They will never ever pay for damages due to their products, but after weeks of emailing and jumping through hoops, some of them actually will send you a replacement.
Those same "elevated" companies are often still laden with incompetent staff, though. Management is no different from the work floor force.
Just ordered 1200M2 Geocell from China, a deal that was cemented in detail after weeks of detailed negotiation. When the goods arrived (they did!), my sheets of Geocell were ALL cut to the wrong size, not by inches, but by meters. per sheet. They had me install the Geocell on 3 different occasions, on film, before they sent me the missing 250m2. It took a month of negotiations, emails, photos and films. In the end, they budged, but still wanted me to pay for half the shipping fees of the missing material. That's where the men separate from the boys, by not exploding. Still, I received the missing Geocell, free of cost. I consider that a triumph for both sides of the Taiwan Strait.
Thousands of companies have moved to China, from all corners of the world. What you don't hear of are the thousands that went back where they came from, because they found that QC is the rarest, most exotic luxury to find on the Mainland. It's a business killer.

marku

You are no doubt right you have the experience and knowledge. I would not generally buy from China or anywhere else for the matter it is too far away although I would say that on the occasion I have  there has been no problems and I have not been disappointed. Did have an item broken in transit and got a refund. However I would say without question that I like to see "Made in Germany" on everything I buy for the 116 even if it is more expensive.
1974 450SE silver green/bamboo velour/green vinyl roof

Diesel 617

If anyone is interested to understanding why Japanese quality skyrocketed after WWII the man responsible for such change is Edward Deming. One of his books 'Out of Crisis' is a phenomenal book on quality control, the man was a genius is all regards when it came to QC. He is the one responsible for the evolution of Toyota.
X3 1980 300SD Blown Heads, trans -Retired
1980 450SEL Parted out/Scrap
1980 450SEL to Diesel Parted Out/Scrap
1979 280SE Euro Spec Cloth Seats Sold
1979 300CD Daily Driver - Sold


Inventory of w116 Parts
[url="https://www.ebay.com/usr/vintagepartsandstuff"]https://www.ebay.com/usr/vintagepartsandstuff[/url]

Harv

My understanding is that for the Chinese to accept you doing business in their country, they demand a certain percentage of the stuff made there. China has what? 1.4 billion people? Good luck ignoring that market.
1980 300SD
1983 240D
2000 E55 AMG
2002 G500

Squiggle Dog

#26
And now Contitech belts are made in China! I sure hope these China-made belts last as long as the German ones did. I was happy paying what I was paying before for German belts. In fact, I don't think the price dropped at all since they were made in China! I would rather pay 2-3 times as much for one that was made in Germany.

How disappointing. It went from CRP to CRAP. And to think that I just returned an air compressor belt that was made in the USA to confirm size, to Autozone because I wanted a German-made OEM Contitech over Duralast.

CHI-NA!


These are some alternator belts I bought 4 years ago, at which time they were still made in Germany.
Stop paying for animal cruelty and slaughter. Go vegan! [url="https://challenge22.com/"]https://challenge22.com/[/url]

1967 W110 Universal Wagon, Euro, Turbo Diesel, Tail Fins, 4 Speed Manual Column Shift, A/C
1980 W116 300SD Turbo Diesel, DB479 Walnut Brown, Sunroof, Heated Seats, 350,000+

ptashek

Quote from: Harv on 01 August 2017, 08:42 PM
China has what? 1.4 billion people? Good luck ignoring that market.

Entirely different industry, but Google has been ignoring China for years now, so have Facebook and Amazon. If the three biggest internet empires can do that, anyone can. Not everyone wants to though. Some companies just love money more than anything else.
1993 "Pearl Blue" W124 280TE
1988 "Arctic White" W124 200T
1979 "Icon Gold" W116 450SE

Squiggle Dog

I decided to just go ahead and use the Chinese belts, but I for sure couldn't have that glaring MADE IN CHINA lettering visible. So, I took a cotton swab sprayed with brake cleaner and wiped off the lettering so they now say MADE IN GERMANY. The belts are now singing La La La La, they are so happy!


I got the belts installed and then checked the two alternator belts which I thought were still in good condition and noticed that they were loose, dry rotted, and had deep splits going into the fabric.

So, since I needed those two alternator belts anyway, I just ordered all new genuine Mercedes belts from Pelican Parts--with the exception of the compressor belt as Mercedes doesn't use a 13X990 V-belt (I have a ROLLGUY Sanden kit). So, I got a genuine Audi brand for that. The genuine Audi brand is shown as being made by Contitech, who is also the manufacturer of the genuine Mercedes ones. I can live with the Audi logo on the compressor belt. My hope is that the genuine belts will be made in Germany, being a higher tier than aftermarket. Or, will they be marked as made in China and called counterfeit by The Classic Center?
Stop paying for animal cruelty and slaughter. Go vegan! [url="https://challenge22.com/"]https://challenge22.com/[/url]

1967 W110 Universal Wagon, Euro, Turbo Diesel, Tail Fins, 4 Speed Manual Column Shift, A/C
1980 W116 300SD Turbo Diesel, DB479 Walnut Brown, Sunroof, Heated Seats, 350,000+

Squiggle Dog

#29
I was just informed that the genuine Audi brand 13X990 compressor belt is no longer available. :( Maybe I'll just run a USA-made AutoZone Duralast (probably made by Dayco).
Stop paying for animal cruelty and slaughter. Go vegan! [url="https://challenge22.com/"]https://challenge22.com/[/url]

1967 W110 Universal Wagon, Euro, Turbo Diesel, Tail Fins, 4 Speed Manual Column Shift, A/C
1980 W116 300SD Turbo Diesel, DB479 Walnut Brown, Sunroof, Heated Seats, 350,000+