Somethings rotten in Stuttgart!
 

I heard today from a reputable Porsche guy who had a new 911 in his shop that the transmission in the 997 is made in ………………Gasp!………………….Japan? Vas is dis? The good Dr must be rolling over! Additionally, the case is made in…………..Spain? WTF? Is this true , if so this is MADNESS!!

This can only mean good things for our all German ( Yea, I know the alternators are French and the are Swiss parts, but we are not rice driven) cars!

Now I know the 996 looks like a lexus from the side but now they are going too far.

As you know the Japanese build nice cars but they just don’t have soul, to me this is truly the end of the world as we know it . I was hoping to buy one of these new cars in 10 years , guess I/ll stick with what I have or go 993!

As a Lexus owner, I say GOOD. The cars are bullet proof. They are the gold standard the Mercedes used to be before it was corrupted by the Detroit masters of crapmobiles.

I don't know how this is a bad thing. Some of the best metallurgy is coming from Japan. Honda and Toyota are kicking butt in the IRL. So what's the problem. No car manufactuers are vertical molopolies anymore as this doesn't make sense. I'd be careful about you desire for a pure German car as you be continuously surprsed with what you find when you take one apart.

big surprise:rolleyes:

Lot of Harley Davidson parts are made in Japan too...

Most of GM's trucks are made in either Canada or Mexico

This isnt really an issue these days...

There is always the NSX if one were inclined to turn Japanese.

Or maybe a nice Honda accord .

We have a japanese car now at home that replaced an old Benz , we won't have another when it is gone .

Brian What issue was that ? I would like to see it.

BTW
My post was a little tongue in cheek!

Japanese steel = POT METAL

IRL & CART = FAILED SPORT...destroyed by a bitter feud. ie: INDY 500.... what's up with those trannys that run about 350-400 out of 500 miles...

I love my Yugo! :eek:

Don't tell RUB Harley riders that, they'll go into an immediate state of denial and start selling their harley merchandise.

Hell - I can only dream that the German made transmission in my 911 shifted as good as the Japanese made one in my Honda.

That's almost as blasphemous as Mini Coopers and Land Rovers that are are really BMWs...

Aisin (the name of the tranny manufacturer)

well for the harley guys out there the engine in the Vrod was designed in weissach. so it's not all bad.

File this one under "Who Cares" and "Welcome to the year 2000 and beyond"

In the Panorama a few months ago, their is a list of where all the 997 parts are made around the globe. I will scan it tomorrow if I can find it and post it here so you can see.

To maybe put it in perspective, I had to repair a clothes washer today. The replacement "all plastic and rubber" water pump from Whirlpool was $52. When my Dodge Ram 50 pickup trashed it's water pump, I just went to the local auto parts store and bought a new "aftermarket" waterpump for less than $20. Cast aluminum, ballbearings, steel.... and such. I don't know where it was made, but it was of good quality.

Not sure what all that means, but my general feeling is that those manufacturers who produce a high quality part, for a reasonable price, will always prevail.

China.

I'm learning Mandarin...go with the flow.

Aah Haa ! Now I understand why Ferrari quality is questioned. Fiat is a 50% owner...

Well

C Class Mercedes are made in South Africa

BMW Z3 are made in USA

BMW X5 Made in USA

And I think I read that 5 series BWM were made in Thailand.

Saab 900s made in Finland not Sweden

It's getting to be a mixed up world.

welcome to the world of the bottom line. who cares where it is made as long as it works

The marketing people care about this!!!

They tell us about the German Porsche heritage, the German build quality blah blah.

The Porsche brand is being watered down these days.

As a Porsche fan I want heritage and mystique, a car with a soul - a German one that is......




Is Aisin the manufacturer?

do you think you could honesly afford a porsche with all german parts? well it would cost a whole lot more. a couple weeks ago we had the front end off an audi a6, we were looking at where all the parts were made and we counted something like 15 different countries.

just for more reference, all electronics in lambo's are off the audi shelf.
vw's are made in mexico
jags have ford electronics, heck its just a taurus with a bokykit and leather
half the new benzos have dodge motors

in today's world it doesnt make sense to keep everything in house. its so much cheaper to send production elsewhere, i know the globalization of industry talk is old by now but its how things are going to be from now on.