On manufacturing quality...

[SomeOtherGuy]

Every time a customer gets a new purchasing or quality manager, they start buying asian again, then come back once they see the new scrap and productivity numbers.

People need to learn, or be taught, that promises, quality certifications, and even supposed independent third-party process certifications are only valuable within a culture that values and requires honesty and has meaningful enforcement mechanisms for it - not just the legal system, but losing your job and becoming unemployable for lying.

If the quality cert comes from a location where you wouldn't drink the water or eat restaurant food, it's worthless.

Im hoping this trend grows and American companies continue to make quality and not chase pricing.

Did I mention that relatives' business was FORCED to provide Chinese-sourced product or lose their OEM business, regardless of cost or problems? It was, at the time, an absolute mandate "do this or we don't buy from you again." Well those OEMs got what they had coming, good and hard. Said business has always been a US-based company with all of their own production in the US, and after a few rough years of the stupid mandates, their customers are now much happier to buy competitively priced US products that ACTUALLY WORK rather than chasing the China price.

I know I'm preaching to the choir for you Megademic, but just want people to understand how this worked in American business over the last 20 years.

[SomeOtherGuy]

I’m not sure the average American factory worker even cares what kinda $#!+ they turn out. I remember seeing an expose on TV about Chrysler Corp. several years ago where some of the assembly line workers smoked dope and drank alcohol on their lunch breaks. No thanks. (I don’t know how accurate the story was but I can tell you the Dodge pursuits we drove in the ‘80’s were absolute lowest bid junk.)

This was absolutely 100% true for many, many US auto plants for several decades. Source: firsthand reports from trustworthy friends who worked in these auto plants, both as line workers (hourly, UAW), skilled trades (hourly, UAW, but a different group of people) and management.

It may have changed since the 2008 bankruptcies; I don't know.

My wife’s 300 was made in Canada and my Ram 3500 was made in Mexico. I’ll pass on “Made in USA” vehicles (except for the Cummins engines I run in my trucks).

From what I know of Canadian manufactuing, I would not have ANY more confidence in their quality control compared to the US. However, better US companies are fine now, so better Canadian companies should be also.

Little experience with Mexican manufacturing.

[ThirdWatcher]

... Little experience with Mexican manufacturing.

I’ve purchased three new Ram 3500’s and a new Toyota Tacoma in the past dozen years and they were all Made in Mexico. None have had any discrepancies with how they were assembled. I have heard the Ram plant in Saltillo has received awards more than once for being the best factory in FCA (and I don’t doubt it).

[mark5pt56]

1987, Volkswagen Golf purchased in then FRG(West Germany) I didn't realize it was made in Mexico until I was prepping it for shipment back to the US. It was a great car the 8 years I drove it.
Have to admit though I was disappointed somewhat, here I thought it was German made.

[chadbag]

1987, Volkswagen Golf purchased in then FRG(West Germany) I didn't realize it was made in Mexico until I was prepping it for shipment back to the US. It was a great car the 8 years I drove it.
Have to admit though I was disappointed somewhat, here I thought it was German made.

My 89 (bought 11/88) Golf GL was made in PA. Soon there after VW closed their last US factory at the time.

[Jsp10477]

I own five pieces of Cat equipment. The newest two are two and three years old. My 259D compact track loader has been flawless from day one. The same goes for my 308E2 excavator. I finally lost a head gasket in one of my 416E backhoes after 10,000 hours, it was an easy fix. My other 416E is doing great at over 8000 hours. My D3G LGP has been no problem at all.

In my locality Cat rules for having parts in stock and getting the ones they don't stock quickly.

That said, for mini-excavators I far prefer the designs of the new Bobcat units vs. Cat's units. The Bobcat units are also 20% cheaper to purchase.

Those 416 and 420 series backhoes are solid. Our company had the same experience as you with them. We have tried almost every make of mini-ex and found the Kubotas to be a cut above the rest. You sure pay for it though.

[hotrodder636]

Toyota and Hyundai, LOL

If you want Made in America you probably have to buy a BMW.

[ThirdWatcher]

Those 416 and 420 series backhoes are solid. Our company had the same experience as you with them. We have tried almost every make of mini-ex and found the Kubotas to be a cut above the rest. You sure pay for it though.

Buy once, cry once...

[AKDoug]

Those 416 and 420 series backhoes are solid. Our company had the same experience as you with them. We have tried almost every make of mini-ex and found the Kubotas to be a cut above the rest. You sure pay for it though.

You can get Kubota mini-exs for less than Cat. I just don't have the support up here that I do with Bobcat. If I did I'd give them a shot.

[Sry0fcr]

Stuff like this makes me cringe. Does CAT not do a factory acceptance test or are they just assembling and immediately shipping them? I had the (dis) pleasure of auditing one of their sub-tier suppliers in Mexico they did metal stamping, supposedly ISO 9100 (aerospace, not the regular QMS) and witnessed an absolute shit show of poor quality assurance and safety all around. Apparently, they only manufactured product according to their quality system if the customer requested it?